Frizinghall Primary School

FRIZINGHALL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 11 th – 14 th November 2002

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FRIZINGHALL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Full 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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FRIZINGHALL 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. Frizinghall Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Salisbury Road Frizinghall Bradford

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr P Sanders

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: November 1997 Frizinghall Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

22522 Ms M Warburton Registered inspector Art and design Music The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught What could the school do to improve further 31729 Mr B Harrington Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school work in partnership with parents 28076 Mr D Byrne Team inspector English as an additional language English Information and communication technology 29504 Mrs S Herring Team inspector Educational Inclusion Mathematics Physical education Religious education 21750 Mrs S Hall Team inspector The Foundation Stage Design and technology How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils 20301 Mr P Isherwood Team inspector Special educational needs Science Geography History How well does the school care for its pupils How well is the school led and managed

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The inspection contractor was: Lynrose Marketing Limited Bungalow Farmhouse Six Mile Bottom Newmarket Suffolk CB8 0TU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Frizinghall Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Frizinghall Primary School is a new school, opened in September 2000 following re- organisation of schools in Bradford. The building, which has recently been extended and re- furbished, was formerly occupied by the First and Middle schools. At the time of the inspection building work was continuing to extend provision for the Foundation Stage and to remove mobile classrooms from the playground. The school’s catchment area is not typical of the Shipley West ward; most pupils in the school come from the six streets close to the school, where there is over-crowded housing.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

There are 281 pupils on roll aged between four and 11. Thirty-six of these are children who attend part-time in the nursery. Ninety-seven percent of the school population is of ethnic minority origin with almost all pupils living in homes where English is not the home language. The majority of pupils are bilingual and many use English only in school. A significant minority has a limited vocabulary and struggles to communicate effectively using English. Sixteen pupils have recently joined the school and are new to English. At 25.6% the percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs is above average. The majority of pupils with special educational needs have learning difficulties. There is also a small number who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. There are five pupils with statements of special educational need. Many pupils join or leave the school during the year, and in 2001 – 2002,

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

24% joined or left other than at the normal time.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Pupils’ attainment on entry to the nursery is very low, particularly in the areas of language and communication and knowledge and understanding of the world.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a school that is improving rapidly. It is never complacent and continually challenges itself to improve. Since the change in designation from a first to a primary school in September 2000, and under the excellent leadership of the new headteacher and her team, much work has been done to improve the behaviour and attitudes of the pupils, approaches to teaching and learning, links with the community and the accommodation. As yet these significant improvements have not impacted on the standards achieved in the National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Pupils make good progress and teaching is good. The Governing Body gives very effective support to the school. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Excellent leadership is provided by the Head Teacher and her team, supported very well by a very effective Governing Body • Provision for art and design is very good and the standards achieved make a very positive contribution to pupils’ creative, spiritual and cultural development • Provision for pupils who are new to English is a strength • Provision for pupils in the Foundation Stage is good • The school works in close partnership with the local community and celebrates its’ cultural diversity • Good teaching is promoting good progress across the school • There are very high levels of care and concern that ensure that pupils are known well and that all individual needs are met Frizinghall Primary School - 7

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What could be improved

• Standards achieved in English, mathematics and science by the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 • Standards in physical education throughout the school, in design technology, geography, and history in Key Stage 1 and in music in Key Stage 2 • Attendance • The number of support assistants in some Key Stage 2 classes. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress since opening as a primary school in 2000. Although the standards achieved in the National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 are still well below the national average overall, pupils make good progress given the very low attainment on entry to the nursery. Improvements have been made to the curriculum, teaching approaches and the accommodation. Very good links have been forged with the community and excellent links with partner institutions. Pupils have developed a sense of pride in their school. The leadership and management of the school are now very good. There is a clear shared commitment to continuing improvement and the school has the capacity to succeed.

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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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schools

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

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schools

Standards achieved at the end of Key Stage 2 in the National Curriculum tests in 2002 were well below average in English, mathematics and science. At the end of Key Stage 1 they were well below average in reading and writing and very low, in the bottom 5% of all schools, in mathematics. Since the school opened in 2000 standards have remained the same in the National Curriculum tests in Key Stage 2 but have declined in Key Stage 1 because of a higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs. When pupils start in the nursery they have very poor language and communication skills and this affects their learning in all areas. They make good progress, but despite this do not achieve the early learning goals by the time they start in Year 1. Given their prior attainment pupils’ achievement is good by the end of Key Stage 2 and they make good progress throughout the school. Inspection evidence indicates that standards in English and mathematics are improving. The school has

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schools

prioritised the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, as well as information and communication technology and art and design as the main areas of recent focus and development. Frizinghall Primary School - 8 At the end of Key Stage 1 standards achieved are below the expected levels for age in design technology, geography, history and physical education although good progress is made in history and geography. In information and communication technology, religious education and music standards are in line with those expected and are above in art and design. At the end of Key Stage 2 standards are in line with expectation for age in information and communication technology, religious education, design and technology, history and geography and are below in music and physical education. In art they are above, and pupils achieve very well. The school has set appropriately challenging targets for improvement.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Satisfactory. Pupils’ attitudes to school and their work are satisfactory. In some classes some boys do not always show interest or become involved in the activities.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Behaviour is generally good across the school, especially in the Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1. Some older pupils sometimes demonstrate poor self-discipline

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships are good. Most pupils are respectful. Personal development is a high priority for the school, but there could be more opportunities for pupils to develop independence.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Poor. At 92% it is well below the national average. The school has worked hard to improve this rate and has eliminated lateness.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The quality of teaching is good throughout the school, and is often very good, particularly in the Foundation Stage. Teaching in English is good throughout the school and literacy skills are taught well. In mathematics teaching is good overall and very good at the end of both key stages. Numeracy skills are taught well. There is good teaching throughout the school for pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language. Pupils who are new to English are taught very well.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teachers and classroom assistants work very well together to provide good support for pupils. There are good relationships that contribute to the progress that pupils make. Teachers provide interesting lessons and experiences for pupils, they use a range of teaching approaches to meet the needs of all and use questioning very well to ensure that pupils understand what they have been taught. Teaching in art and design is very good and is an important factor in the standards that pupils achieve. The good teaching ensures that pupils learn well and make good progress. Frizinghall Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. Planning in the Foundation Stage is firmly based on national guidance. The curriculum in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 is well balanced with a strong emphasis on art and design.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision is good overall. There is particularly good provision for pupils with statements of special educational need. Teachers give good support to pupils in lessons and this results in good progress being made. In some classes there are not always sufficient additional support assistants.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The provision for pupils with English as an additional language is good and very good provision is made for pupils who are new to English. Well qualified and competent support staff, skilled in bilingual teaching, provide well focused and targeted support for the needs of pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The school has established a set of rules that pupils have helped to draw up. The school council is very effective in enabling pupils to begin to take responsibility. There is a strong emphasis on the continuing development of cultural awareness especially through art.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. The school provides a very high level of care for pupils. Child protection, risk assessment and health and safety procedures are understood and fulfilled by all staff. Assessment procedures are very effective.

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Aspect Comment

A good partnership has been developed with parents, who are welcome in school. A number of them work in school or help in classes. Many more support school events, meetings and pupils’ visits to places of interest. The school provides parents with good quality information which, through the linguistic skills of the home-school liaison officer, is accessible to all parents. Frizinghall Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The Head Teacher, Deputy Head and senior management team provide excellent leadership. They are well supported by staff. There is a strong sense of team work and a shared commitment to raise standards. The role of the subject leader is developing but not all are fully involved in monitoring teaching and learning as yet. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. Governors ensure that they meet their statutory responsibilities. They have a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They effectively monitor and evaluate initiatives. The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The systems for monitoring teaching and learning are good. The budget is very carefully matched to the school’s priorities. The impact of all decisions is very carefully evaluated. Governors make very good use of data to judge how the school

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Aspect Comment

is doing. The strategic use of resources Good. The Governing Body and Head Teacher know what is needed for the school and make decisions in the best interests of the pupils. They consult widely and give full consideration to obtaining the best value for money and to the impact of their decisions on pupils’ learning

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Aspect Comment

The school building has recently been extended and refurbished to a good standard. Rooms are bright and airy. Throughout the school good displays celebrate pupils’ achievements.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The leadership and management of the school • The good teaching • That the school expects children to work hard and do their best • The progress that their children make • That they can approach the school with any questions or concerns • The information they receive about how their child is getting on • The way in which the school works with them • The amount of work their children are given to do at home

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with the very positive views that most parents have of the school. The team finds the information given to parents about their child’s progress to be very good, and judges that the school works very well with parents. The amount of homework given is judged to be appropriate for pupils of different ages in the school. Frizinghall Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. In the 2002 National Curriculum tests taken by pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 standards were well below the national average in English, mathematics and science. When compared to similar schools the results were well below average in English and mathematics, and below in science. The percentage of pupils achieving the expected level 4 was well below the national average in English and mathematics, and very low, in the bottom 5% in science. The percentage of pupils achieving the higher level 5 was very low, in the bottom 5% in English, and well below average in mathematics and science. Results for Key Stage 2 are only available from 2001, when the first Year 6 cohort in the school took the National Curriculum tests, and since then they have remained at a similar level which is similar to the national trend.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In the 2002 National Curriculum tests taken by pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 standards were well below the national average in reading and writing, and very low, in the bottom 5% of all schools in mathematics. When compared to similar schools they were well below average in reading and mathematics and below in writing. There was little difference between the standards achieved by boys and girls. The percentage of pupils achieving the expected level 2 was well below average in reading, writing and mathematics. The percentage of pupils achieving the higher level 3 was very low, in the bottom 5% of all schools in reading and mathematics, and below average in writing. In science, as judged by teacher assessment, standards were well below average at both the expected and higher levels. Results over the past five years show a decline; however it is unreliable to consider the results prior to 2000 because these relate to the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

former First school. Since the first Year 2 cohort in the new primary school took the tests in 2001, standards show a decline, but this is due to differences in the cohorts, with a higher percentage of pupils with special educational needs in the most recent.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Throughout the school pupils make good progress, and given the very low attainment on entry to the nursery and the difficulties that the majority has with English, they achieve well. When children start in the nursery they have very poor communication, language and literacy skills and this affects their learning in all areas. However because of good teaching and a clear focus on developing language they make rapid progress in developing their speaking and listening skills. Bilingual support assistants sensitively encourage the use of home language to explore new learning. However despite good progress when they leave the reception class children achieve standards that are well below expectation for age. They start the nursery with very limited knowledge and understanding of the world, and despite the good progress they make they do not achieve the early learning goals for this area of learning by the end of the reception

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

year. In the mathematical, personal, social and emotional development and physical development areas of learning attainment is well below average when they start the nursery, but they make good progress in the Foundation Stage. However most still do not achieve the early learning goals. In creative development the attainment of the children is very low at the beginning and they make good progress, but do not achieve the early learning goals.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Inspection findings are that pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science is well below national expectation for age at the end of Key Stage 1, despite the good progress that pupils have made. Standards in reading and writing are improving, but are adversely affected by the very high percentage of pupils who have English as an additional language. Pupils who are new to English make rapid progress because of the very good support they are given. Overall pupils achieve well in English given their Frizinghall Primary School - 12 attainment on entry to Year 1. In mathematics pupils’ achievement is good. Their computational skills are better developed than other areas of mathematics. In science they achieve well but their learning of scientific vocabulary is hampered by their difficulties with English. In design and technology, geography, history and physical education attainment is below expectation for age at the end of Key Stage 1. In history

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

and geography pupils’ achievement is good; they are starting to develop an understanding of past and present and of other places. In design and technology and physical education pupils make satisfactory progress. However in both subjects pupils are often unable to evaluate their work and suggest how improvements could be made. In information and communication technology, music and religious education attainment is in line with expectation for age. Pupils acquire the basic skills of using a computer keyboard and learn to use technology to control devices. In music they can play percussion instruments but do not practise in order to improve. Achievement in information and communication technology and music is satisfactory, but in religious education it is good. Pupils’ attainment in art and design is above expectation for age at the end of Key Stage 1 and pupils’ achievement is very good. They have developed

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

good drawing skills, showing attention to detail, and appreciate the work of famous artists.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils’ attainment is below national expectation for age in English and science, and well below in mathematics. When they reach the age of 11 almost all pupils can communicate in English through speaking, reading and writing but overall their ability to do so is below that expected for their age. Given their prior attainment their achievement is good. Standards in English are improving and a significant percentage of pupils in the current Year 6 are now achieving standards that are above those expected for their age. Standards in mathematics are also improving with more pupils than previously working at the expected level. Achievement is good overall, and progress is accelerated in Year 6 because of the high quality teaching for this year group. In science pupils achieve well, building on the scientific knowledge they have acquired in Key Stage 1 to understand that scientific ideas are based on evidence

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

and that appropriate approaches to investigation are necessary. However their use of scientific language is hampered by their lack of language skills. In information and communication technology, religious education, design and technology, geography and history standards are in line with expectation for age and pupils’ achievement is good. Good teaching ensures that pupils make good progress in developing knowledge, skills and understanding in these subjects. In music and physical education, although achievement is satisfactory pupils do not make such good progress and their attainment is lower than would be expected for their age. This is because there are insufficient opportunities for them to practise and develop their skills. In art, because of the very good provision and teaching, standards are above the expected levels and achievement is very good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

6. Pupils have satisfactory attitudes to the school and to their work. Most pupils are enthusiastic workers who enjoy the activities presented to them although some boys in some classes tend to exclude themselves from activities provided preferring to talk to their friends. Pupils’ attitudes to learning improve significantly when they find the topics they are studying interesting. The attitudes of children in the Foundation Stage are good, and they maintain concentration well for their age. The vast majority of parents responding to the inspection survey stated that their children like school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

7. Behaviour in and around the school is generally good especially in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. Teachers provide good role models and there are clear Frizinghall Primary School - 13 expectations of good behaviour and consideration for others. Pupils have a good understanding of the need to observe the school rules and, apart from some very minor disagreements, do not display oppressive behaviour of any kind. They have a good appreciation of the effect of their actions upon others, and show respect for the feelings and views of others during discussion. The school acknowledges the rich diversity of pupils’ backgrounds, and pupils are encouraged to value and respect each others’ differences. Some older pupils, however, sometimes do not follow the rules and display poor self-discipline which leads to the disruption of other pupils’ work. There has been one permanent exclusion in recent years. This was enforced after all other sanctions

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

for improvement had proved to be ineffective. The majority of parents agree that behaviour in school is good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Pupils’ personal development is good. Relationships amongst pupils and between pupils and adults in school are mostly good. Pupils work well in small groups and pairs, sharing ideas and resources. However, they do not often work effectively independently or take responsibility for their own learning other than when older pupils are using radio- linked laptop computers about the school. Pupils are not inspired to independently use the library or electronic databases as sources of information for research and personal study. The great majority of parents think that the school is helping their children to become mature and responsible.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Attendance is poor. During the last year, the rate of attendance was 92.0% which is well below the national average. During the same period the rate of unauthorised absence, at 3.0%, was well above the national average. The school’s analysis of attendance data indicates that most unauthorised absences are related to extended family holidays. During the last eighteen months, the school has eliminated lateness, which previously affected 71% of the school’s population.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

10. The quality of teaching is good overall throughout the school. During the inspection teaching was very good in 28%, good in 31%, satisfactory in 37% of lessons and in 3% it was unsatisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

11. In the Foundation Stage the quality of teaching is the main factor in the very good progress that children make. Teachers and support assistants work effectively together to provide a secure, stimulating environment where children can flourish. There are very good relationships in evidence and the support given to children who do not speak any English when they start in the nursery is very good. Throughout the Foundation Stage all adults working in the classrooms pay particular attention to developing language skills. In a reception class lesson which focused on shape, great care was taken to re-inforce the vocabulary needed to describe a shape, such as ‘side’ and ‘corner’. In the nursery the names of fruits were taught through using the story ‘Handa’s Surprise’, with assistants providing the names in the children’s own language when necessary.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

12. The good teaching in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 is a significant factor in ensuring that pupils make good progress and achieve well. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught well in both key stages. In literacy teachers are very aware of the need to support pupils in developing their language skills. They constantly check and re-check pupils understanding of vocabulary used and this is essential even though it sometimes slows down the pace of the lesson. Teaching in numeracy is very good in Frizinghall Primary School - 14 Year 2 and in Year 6, and in the mixed Year 5/6 class. The very good teaching in Key Stage 2 occurs when the mathematics co-ordinator takes the classes. In these lessons the pace is brisk and pupils are challenged to use and extend their knowledge and understanding. Throughout the school the emphasis on the acquisition of mathematical vocabulary is rightly given a high priority given the high percentage of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

pupils who speak English as an additional language. Teaching of numeracy is less effective, though still satisfactory when most pupils in the class are asked to do the same work when the higher-attaining pupils could be challenged to do more.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

13. The quality of teaching and learning for pupils with English as an additional language is good overall with very good teaching for pupils who are new to English. Class teachers in partnership with classroom support assistants and support staff monitor pupils’ achievements in English regularly throughout the school. They know their pupils well and language support is effectively directed at those pupils who require it. A good emphasis is given to directing support to pupils in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 where the large majority have difficulties in communicating in English through speaking, writing and reading. This good quality of support continues into Year 3 but in Years 4-6, the level of support for pupils with difficulties in English is limited and not enough to ensure that the very good progress occurring in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 continues.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

14. There is early identification of pupils with special educational need. Teachers prepare good quality individual education plans which include clear, measurable targets, for example being able to read a certain number of words or to recognise particular letter sounds. Targets are both challenging and achievable. They are shared with the pupils so that they understand what they are learning and what they are aiming for. The individual education plans are linked particularly well to English and mathematics. In lessons pupils with special educational needs are well supported both by teachers and, when present, support assistants. This support ensures that these pupils make good progress in their learning. The school has recognised that there is insufficient support in some classes and this results in teachers having to give disproportionate amounts of support to pupils with special educational needs.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

15. Teaching throughout the school is good in science, religious education, geography and history, and is very good in art and design. In science the use of specialist teaching in Years 4 – 6 is very effective in enabling pupils to make good progress. In religious education teachers make good use of the knowledge that pupils have from their own family teachings and worship and relate this to learning about other faiths. In history and geography teachers make lessons interesting for their pupils by using visits and the local area for study. The very good teaching in art and design is largely due to the enthusiasm and subject knowledge of teachers, and the excellent use of special projects and visits to a local gallery.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. In information and communication technology and design and technology teaching is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. The good information and communication technology teaching in Key Stage 2 is due to the specialist teacher’s confidence and subject knowledge, and in design and technology it is because teachers generally have high expectations of what pupils can achieve.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. In music and physical education teaching is satisfactory overall in both key stages. Some unsatisfactory teaching was seen in physical education because of weak class control and insufficient use of pupils’ work to show good practice and techniques. In better lessons instructions and demonstrations are clear. In music lessons are well Frizinghall Primary School - 15 planned and prepared but there is insufficient focus on practising and improving skills in playing instruments.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. Throughout the school and in many lessons teachers use questioning well to assess what pupils know and understand and to move them forward in their learning. This was seen in a good history lesson where the teacher used questioning to find out what pupils knew about World War 2 and to remind them of what they found out in a previous lesson so that individuals and groups could share their knowledge with the class. Similarly in a religious education lesson, questioning was used well to ensure that pupils understood that the wailing wall is in Israel.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. Many lessons are successful because teachers have very clear intended learning outcomes that are shared with pupils, ensuring that they know what they are going to learn and what is expected of them. This was seen in a very good English lesson in Year 6, where the teacher explained very carefully the intention to learn about the features of report writing, and made good use of time at the end of the lesson to allow pupils to discuss what they had learned with a partner. This was effective in ensuring that pupils had a clear understanding of their learning and consolidated this through discussion, enabling them to be ready to move on in the next lesson. Teachers make good use of homework to consolidate what has been learned in lessons. The marking of pupils work is satisfactory and helps pupils to understand where they have been successful.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. One of the most effective features of the teaching is the very good support given to pupils who have special educational needs or who are new to English, and this is a very significant factor in the good progress that these pupils make. However in Years 3- 6 there is not enough support for pupils who are having difficulty and this means that teachers sometimes have to spend too much time working with them so that other groups of pupils who would benefit from additional support do not receive it. This was seen in a Year 5 design and technology lesson when some groups did not make enough progress because the teacher focused her support on the lower-attaining group.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. The school has an established approach to managing pupils’ behaviour which is effective in most lessons. Ground rules are established and teachers intervene using agreed strategies if any unsatisfactory behaviour is observed. However occasionally in some lessons teachers accept poor behaviour too easily and this interrupts the learning for groups and individuals. In a Year 3 physical education lesson for example, the teacher did not ensure that all pupils were paying attention when instructions were given or insist that the rules were followed. As a result pupils did not effectively practise and improve their skills in throwing and catching a ball.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. In good and very good lessons teachers make the work interesting for pupils so that they respond well and make good progress in their learning. They provide stimulating resources such as ration books from World War Two in a history lesson, and sacred books from different religions in RE. Teaching methods are appropriate and in some classes very good use is made of the technique ‘critical thinking skills’ to promote more accelerated learning. This ensures that pupils are very clear about what they have to do, learn progressively in a step-by step way, work effectively in groups taking on such roles as time-keeper and recorder, and reinforce their understanding by discussing what they have learned with the teacher and each other. Frizinghall Primary School - 16

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

23. The quality and range of learning opportunities are good. The school has worked hard to provide an appropriate framework and this has improved in several areas since the previous inspection of the First school. At that time curriculum planning for gymnastics was weak and this was a key issue for improvement. The curriculum for physical education is now satisfactory and the provision for gymnastics within this planning has improved.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

24. The quality of the curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage of learning is good and includes some aspects that are very good. A particular strength is the relevance of the curriculum to the children’s own cultural heritage and how these links can add richness to the formal curriculum. The staff have very good knowledge and understanding of the learning needs of young children. They plan widely to enhance children’s learning in all the appropriate areas identified in the national guidance of the Early Learning Goals for children of this age. Planning is very detailed and although it lacks clarity in daily planning, nevertheless covers all areas in detail. The Foundation Stage staff work well together to plan and organise a wide range of effective learning activities that rightly prioritise the development of the children’s personal, social and communication skills.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25. All subjects of the National Curriculum comply with statutory requirements for pupils in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The school makes appropriate provision for the teaching of religious education and for a daily act of collective worship. Much of the long-term subject planning is based upon national guidance for the range of subjects, which provides a firm foundation for the curriculum. The school allocates a reasonable amount of time to the teaching of all subjects and tries to ensure there is time within the weekly timetable for individual subjects to be taught on a regular basis. This is effective in ensuring there is regular teaching in each subject and there are not lengthy gaps between the topics covered. A major strength within the curriculum is the excellent quality and range of learning opportunities in art and design. This is a subject that the school has prioritised and the quality of the work produced makes a significant

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

contribution to the pupils’ personal development. The provision of a newly equipped room for information and communication technology is an asset to the school and is beginning to enable the staff to plan information and communication technology activities across the curriculum.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

26. The National Literacy Strategy has been implemented well and is embedded into the English curriculum with the focus on reading helping to develop literacy skills across the subjects. The school has worked hard to ensure that the curriculum is relevant to pupils many of whom have initially limited communication skills. Whilst there are some opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills this is an area where pupils have only limited confidence and which the school does not always give sufficient priority to. Pupils would benefit from more opportunities to speak in groups and to the class and to take part in role-play, drama and performance activities. The school has rightly identified a need for the more effective development of writing skills through extending different purposes for writing.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27. The National Numeracy Strategy has been implemented satisfactorily. There is a suitable emphasis on the development of the use of numbers. However, the development of the use and application of mathematics skills across the curriculum is less well emphasised. Frizinghall Primary School - 17 28. The broad and balanced curriculum is effectively adapted to meet the cultural backgrounds and ethnic diversity of pupils. The provision for pupils who are new to English is very good. Through links with the community, pupils’ education is extended and enriched to benefit all pupils. The appropriate emphasis on English throughout the school enables pupils to develop and improve their language and literacy skills. Spiritual, moral social and cultural development is very good, not only in overall terms but also in each of the four individual areas. This indicates an improvement in provision for moral and social development and that spiritual and cultural provision remains

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is very good. The school works hard to develop and maintain a set of values, principles and beliefs which guide pupils’ actions in life and the patterns of behaviour. An important area of spiritual provision is through the high emphasis on art where the work around the school and in individual lessons emphasises the splendour of the world. Teachers create opportunities for pupils to appreciate beauty. When pupils produced a calligram shape poem based on a candle they showed delight when the light flickered. There are many strengths in creative and imaginative work which provoke moments of reflection and thought. The quality of the display of work around the large school site makes a very positive contribution to pupils’ spiritual development. Pupils regularly visit a local Gallery and have recently produced some very imaginative writing about falling down a hole in one of the sculptures. Pupils

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

in Year 6 were almost awe-struck when putting together a PowerPoint presentation by the power of information and communication technology.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. The provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. The school has high expectations of the pupils in this area. They are given many opportunities across the curriculum to explore and develop moral concepts and values, for example personal rights and responsibilities, truth, justice and equality of opportunity. Pupils are encouraged to explore values and beliefs, including religious beliefs, and the way in which they impact on people’s lives. For instance in a Year 5 English lesson pupils were give time to think and express what they felt about accounts of Dr. Crippin and were surprised by how they empathised with his circumstances. Pupils are involved in drawing up not only school rules but also class rules, which they record for reference in each class. Pupils are given plenty of opportunities to take on roles where they have to make choices and decisions, which they do well. For example, pupils devised

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

requirements for cloakroom monitors and applied for the job. From the reception classes pupils are appointed as toilet monitors and take on the responsibility for keeping these tidy. Pupils are given the opportunity to identify features of an ideal lesson and an ideal teacher, which is a consideration when a Year 6 boy apologises to a teacher for talking in a lesson.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. Pupils are clearly taught the difference between right and wrong, the importance of a considerate style of life and of respect for others. The application of the behaviour code is usually effective and pupils are given the opportunity to think through the consequences of their own and others’ actions. The development of the School Council is an excellent feature where pupils consider the opinions of others. Pupil representatives are involved in drawing up an Action Plan and identify if they think the areas identified for action have been achieved. For instance pupils suggest a prayer meeting during Ramadan and agree to organise this. The school has a very effective programme for Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. The provision for social development is very good. Pupils are actively encouraged to relate well to other people and work successfully as a member of a group in and out of lessons. This was illustrated when pupils co-operated well in pairs in a Year 6 religious Frizinghall Primary School - 18 education activity when devising a game for going on a pilgrimage and in a Year 3 design and technology activity designing models of fantasy caves. Pupils are encouraged to share views and opinions and come to a consensus as epitomised in the use of a ‘thumb tool’ to indicate their agreement or disagreement with ideas put forward.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. Pupils are encouraged to show respect for people, living things, property and their environment. For instance the school council discussed how to treat visitors and this approach was seen when a Year 4 pupil volunteered to show visitors around school. Pupils show very good concern for each other and from their ideas have appointed ‘Bench Buddies’ to support those who feel lonely. Other pupils also interpret for those children who are new to English.. Staff invite visitors to school and organise a very effective range of visits including a residential visit for the oldest pupils. This is well considered and organised for the beginning of the year to enable pupils and their teachers to cement their relationships for the coming year.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is very good with particular effectiveness in the promoting knowledge and understanding of a range of cultures through the arts. A particular strength is the way in which the school recognises the pupils' own cultural values and influences that have shaped their cultural heritage. This results in a willingness to participate in and respond to artistic and cultural activities so that there is a sense of personal enrichment through encountering their own and other cultures. The quality of artwork which is very attractively and effectively displayed around the school considerably enhances the working environment and makes a clear statement to pupils and visitors alike that art is important. Whilst music is not such a strong area this is supported well through the development of an Indian dance group, which is supported by pupils and teachers. Music is used effectively in some lessons where for instance in

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

Year 6 and Year 3 music is played in the background to provide a calming influence in some lessons. Pupils are encouraged to develop an appreciation of cultural diversity and respect other people's values and beliefs, thereby challenging racism and valuing race equality.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. Pupils with special educational needs have access to the full curriculum and this has a positive effect on learning. When additional support is given outside the classroom it is part of a well thought out programme aimed at improving pupils’ skills to allow them to access all subject areas.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

36. The provision for extra-curricular activities is very good and considerably enhances pupils’ achievement in many areas of both personal and academic development. Of particular importance is the high priority the school places upon using the facilities in the local and surrounding areas to extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the world around them and particularly of local cultures. There are very close links with the local art gallery, which the school uses on a regular basis. The school invites a wide range of visitors to speak to the pupils as seen in the nursery following the visits of a local fire-fighter and police officer. Good use is made of a range of visits to enhance the pupils’ personal development, for example the recent residential visit for pupils in Year 6. The photographs of beaming pupils on an assault course, tree climbing to impressive heights and in social activities speaks clearly of the growing confidence of

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

pupils to be away from home, often for the first time. Pupils are presented with very high quality first-hand experiences of art through their visits to art galleries and the work that is shared with artists in residence and other schools. These experiences are used to inspire pupils’ writing and art work in school and to help them explore imaginary situations such as what the world would be like if it were turned in upon itself. Music, dance and theatre companies provide pupils with enjoyable learning experiences. Frizinghall Primary School - 19 37. The school also makes good provision in and out of school time to extend the interest in the arts, there is a school choir, music tuition, a film club, and an Indian Dance group for adults and pupils. To encourage interest in sport there is ‘Bull Tag’ which involves work with the Bradford Bulls Rugby League Club and cricket. For general interest there

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

are cycling proficiency classes, homework club and lunchtime writing groups amongst a range of activities for different groups of pupils.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

38. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ personal, social, health and citizenship education (PSHCE). The subject co-ordinator has devised and implemented a scheme of work appropriate to the needs of the school and the community it serves. She has received training to undertake this role and has been ably supported by the LEA advisor for the subject. The programme of study covers all significant aspects and provides comprehensive topic support for teachers. Specialist topics are enriched by the additional material and expertise offered by the school nurse and the police school liaison officers. Drugs education is presented to pupils of all ages in a manner appropriate to their understanding. Staff have received training in drugs awareness and the school is pursuing the Bradford Drugs Charter award and the National Healthy Eating Standard. Sex education is taught within the science curriculum

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

with community health workers assisting in presenting the topic to older pupils. The School Council provides a very useful forum for pupils and their teachers. Pupils show great interest in the topics discussed and are providing some very interesting perspectives on school life and how its quality may be improved. Pupils have identified the benefits that a “friendship bench” in the playground would afford pupils who are new to the school or find it difficult to make friends.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

39. Through the very good links the school has with the community and the excellent links with partner institutions, the school fulfils its aim of taking the school out into the community and bringing the community into the school. The community makes a large contribution to pupils’ learning through visits, visitors, and the values placed on learning as demonstrated by the adult education classes and the involvement of adults in pupils’ learning.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

40. The school has excellent partnerships with local institutions. Within the Frizinghall Partnership Core the school helps to provide responses to social needs within the area. Local education establishments provide a wide range of opportunities for sharing skills and experiences. Local colleges provide a range of courses for adults, links with a Beacon School provide additional expertise for teachers, those with a dales village in North Yorkshire provide information for pupils to undertake studies of contrasting areas, and very strong links with other primary schools provide high quality academic, pastoral and community links. Regular contact with teachers who have also experienced the Reggio project in Italy enable the teachers in the Foundation Stage to share ideas on child education.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

41. There are good transition arrangements in place with the high schools to which pupils transfer. These include visits and information sessions for pupils and parents. Teachers in training and students from a number of local institutions are welcomed into school each year. These visitors provide pupils with additional learning and social opportunities and expose them to a range of teaching skills.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Frizinghall Primary School - 20 42. The school provides a very high level of care for pupils. The Head Teacher has been nominated to deal with any issues of child protection that may arise. She has extensive experience in this area and is ably supported in the role by the Deputy Head Teacher and the key stage co-ordinators. All teachers understand the routines which have been well-considered. Risk assessments of the premises are carried out regularly and any identified hazards are reported for evaluation and action. Separate hazard evaluations have been conducted by the building contractors on site to combine safe working practices with full consideration for the safekeeping of pupils and adults in school. A number of staff members have received training in first aid or are ex-nurses. They have also received training in safety during evacuation. Safety equipment in school is checked annually for fitness for function.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The school provides very good support and guidance for all pupils. Through the PSHCE programme of study, pupils’ personal development is monitored against a large number of criteria for achievement such as positive self-image, and good group skills. This enables teachers to have very good knowledge of pupils’ personal development and to provide them with appropriate activities to develop further. On a less formal basis, there are problem boxes in all classrooms through which pupils may write to their teachers in an attempt to resolve personal and academic concerns. Good records are kept of pupils’ personal as well as academic development.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Attendance is monitored very closely and the school is aware that most unauthorised absences relate to family holidays taken abroad which the school will not authorise. The school has made great strides in reducing lateness. A year ago, 71% of pupils arrived at school late on a regular basis. This rate has been reduced to zero through discussions and presentations made to parents and the use of the home-school liaison officer who follows up first day absences, telephones parents, and makes home visits. The Education Social Worker is a regular visitor and assists the headteacher in presenting data and information to parents. Good attendance is rewarded in celebration assemblies by the presentation of attendance cups for each key stage and certificates for individuals who have achieved 100% attendance. The significant increase in the number of pupils receiving this award demonstrates that the school’s strategies to

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

promote good attendance are beginning to have an impact.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The school has appointed a teacher as the behaviour manager. Staff have received in- service training in the aspect and the manager has provided training for the lunchtime supervisors. In this way, a very effective whole-school approach is enabled. Merits are awarded for good work and behaviour, and also for pupils who show kindness to others. These merits are cumulative and provide pupils with a choice of activities or other reward. Each day is a new day for sanctions and pupils understand the escalation system that warnings incur. The manager monitors the lunchtime incident book and the behaviour records for all classes. In this way, unacceptable behaviour and patterns of poor behaviour are identified and used to instigate action plans for behaviour management and improvement. No incidents of oppressive behaviour were noted during the inspection and younger pupils who discussed bullying in one lesson during

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

the inspection showed a very good understanding of how to deal with incidents of bullying should they occur.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The school’s procedures for assessing pupils’ academic and personal progress are very good overall. There are assessments in all subjects. In English, mathematics and science, the use of national and optional tests and assessments give the school a clear indication of the strengths and identifies areas for development. Frizinghall Primary School - 21 47. In English and mathematics regular assessment is used very effectively to set targets for the pupils. These targets are set both for groups and for individual pupils. They are challenging, yet achievable. Sharing the targets with pupils ensures they understand what they are learning and measure their own progress. In the other subjects teachers assess against specific criteria to measure pupils’ progress. Teachers use the information from assessments effectively to develop learning. Data is analysed and used both to give additional support to individuals or groups of pupils and to consider

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

whole subject areas for development. Very good quality records are kept showing pupils’ assessment and test results; these allow the school to track the progress of individual pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. In the Foundation Stage pupils’ progress towards the Early Learning goals and stepping stones is regularly assessed and detailed records are kept. Good use is made of a commercial scheme to assess pupils’ attainment on entry to the nursery and when they leave the reception class and this enables teachers to have good knowledge of the progress that children make and identify any areas in need of development.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. Assessment data is used to monitor the progress of particular groups of pupils throughout the school and address any possible issues raised. Procedures are effective in establishing a secure set of records that provide information about the progress and attainment of different minority ethnic groups and those who are new to English in the school. Teaching and support staff make good use of this information in order to identify the level of class work required to meet pupils’ needs. There is effective use of information and communications technology in recording and analysing assessment data.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. Good procedures are in place for assessing pupils with special educational needs. The school identifies special educational needs at an early stage. Teachers complete a concern form and consult the special educational needs co-ordinator and set targets for the pupil. If the action taken is not successful, an individual education plan is put in place. The special educational needs co-ordinator and class teachers regularly review the plans to ensure that pupils are making progress towards their targets. The special educational needs co-ordinator ensures that these reviews are used effectively to ensure that pupils receive appropriate support. There are very good contacts with the educational psychologist and learning support services. Advice and support from outside services are used very effectively to develop learning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. Parents are supportive of the school and its work. The vast majority of parents believe that the school is well led and managed and that teaching is good. They believe that the school expects their children to work hard and achieve their best, and that their children are making good progress in school. A few parents do not think that they are kept sufficiently well informed about how their children are getting on and would like the school to work more closely with them although almost all would feel comfortable in approaching the school with questions or a problem. A small number of parents do not feel that their children are given the right amount of work to do at home. Inspection findings are that the information for parents about their children’s progress is very good and that the school works very well with parents. The amount of homework given is appropriate for pupils of different ages in the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

52. The school provides parents with good quality information which, through the linguistic skills of the home-school liaison officer, is accessible by all parents. The school Frizinghall Primary School - 22 provides a prospectus for prospective parents and a governors’ annual report for parents. Regular newsletters let parents know what is happening in school and what events are being planned. Parents are made welcome in school and many parents attend the adult courses organised through local colleges. The community room is central in the main school building and provides a model of good practice as parents in school are demonstrating to pupils that they value education. Parents attend one consultation each year to discuss their children’s progress. Progress reports are of very good quality, providing detailed information about pupils’ attainment and progress in all subjects, attendance, analysis, personal development and targets for the coming

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. Teachers inform parents at an early stage if there are problems with a child's learning. They are kept informed about their child’s progress. The individual education plans include a section which says what parents can do to help their child. Parents are informed about any changes made to the plans.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

54. Parents make a good contribution to their children’s learning and to the work of the school. A number of parents work in the school or help in class and a number have been trained as better reading partners. Many more support school events and pupils’ visits to places of interest. Parents attend meetings arranged by the school in large numbers and there is generally 100% turnout for the annual consultation meeting. Parents accept the school’s invitations to visit the school and are particularly pleased to come in to see examples of pupils’ work such as those carried out with the artist in residence. Parents have been directly involved in arts projects by working with pupils in making a Tree of Life tapestry. This provided occasions for parents and children to work towards a common goal and supported topic work in science and design technology. In addition to creating a beautiful tapestry, the project stimulated the use of

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

technical and social language for parents and children.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The leadership provided by the headteacher and her deputy is excellent. Supported by a very hard working staff, they have seen the school very effectively through a period of reorganisation from a First school to a Primary school with major building work taking place within the school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The headteacher and senior staff have a very clear vision of what the school is doing and what it aims to do in the future. The headteacher has worked tirelessly to ensure that the changes had as little impact as possible on the school’s pupils. There is a very good sense of team work and co-operation, seen for example in the use of critical thinking skills techniques in a staff meeting discussing the ethnic minorities draft policy. All staff contribute to discussions and their contributions are valued and taken into account when modifying draft documents. The teamwork and shared commitment to succeed was a factor in the school receiving the Investors in People Award.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The Head Teacher and senior management team have looked carefully at different methods of teaching and learning to find out what is best suited for their staff and pupils. They have taken into account practice from both England and other countries in Europe and further afield. This research is used effectively to plan systems within the school, for example the use of accelerated learning techniques. A group of interested teachers and support staff meets regularly to discuss current educational thinking, initiatives and changes and this ‘futures group’ ensures that the school has a very good long-term strategic view of education and the possible effects on Frizinghall School. Frizinghall Primary School - 23 58. The monitoring of teaching and learning is good, particularly in English and mathematics. These procedures have led to an improvement in the quality of teaching. The headteacher, literacy and numeracy co-ordinators and an outside inspector have

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

monitored all teaching staff. The monitoring is formal, based on the OFSTED framework. There is oral feedback and a written report given to the teacher, highlighting areas of strength and those for development. Reports are analysed to see if there are any whole school issues. These issues are built in to the very good quality in-service training programme. Training is linked directly to the identified needs of the school and to individual performance management targets. This is successful in helping teachers to address any areas of concern. The school’s system for performance management is good with targets that ensure that there is both individual and whole school improvement. The system fully meets legal requirements.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. There is good provision for the induction of new staff to the school and for the training of teachers. The induction programme links the member of staff with the Key Stage co- ordinator. All information required is passed on to the teacher. The school was effectively training a registered teacher at the time of the inspection.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. There has been good progress in developing the role of the subject co-ordinator since the Head Teacher took over three years ago. There are job descriptions in place. Co- ordinators have carried out subject audits and produced action plans for their subjects. There is monitoring of subject plans but this is often retrospective. Co-ordinators in most foundation subjects have not as yet had opportunities to monitor teaching and learning in the classroom to identify areas of good practice and areas for development.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The deputy Head Teacher acts as special educational needs co-ordinator. She performs the role very effectively, meeting fully the recommendations of the Code of Practice for special educational needs. She has put in place a good system of identifying and reviewing progress of pupils with special educational needs. This system is consistent throughout the school and allows teachers and others to track the progress of pupils with special educational needs very effectively.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The school has a very good quality development plan. The document clearly links everything to the impact it has on teaching and learning. Priorities are carefully thought through. All staff and the governing body are involved in the development process. It is clear what the priorities are, how they are going to be met and by whom. Costings are closely linked to the school budget. Success criteria and regular monitoring and evaluation ensure that everyone knows what progress is being made towards targets.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The effectiveness of the governing body is very good. The governors fulfil all their statutory duties. The annual review to parents did not meet statutory requirements at the time of the inspection of the First School, but this has been fully addressed in the new school. Governors have a clear vision of what the school is doing; they identify areas for development such as the raising of standards in English, mathematics and science. They give very good support to the headteacher. They discuss and if necessary challenge ideas put forward. The governors are fully involved in setting school priorities and monitoring and evaluating them. They are pro-active in putting in bids, for example for the out-of-school club and the all-weather playing field. The school’s governing body carries out the role of ‘critical friend’ very effectively.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. Financial planning supports the school’s priorities well and expenditure is rigorously monitored. The Governing Body and the headteacher know what is needed by the school and make decisions in the best interests of the pupils. They base their decisions Frizinghall Primary School - 24 on the very thorough information compiled by the school. Having decided on the priorities the headteacher is very skilled in obtaining the best value available. This was seen when the opportunity of having classrooms painted at a reduced charge was seized when the decorators were already doing work on site. The school considers its priorities very carefully but is pragmatic when a preferred solution is not available. For example, when it was unable to recruit suitable learning assistants for pupils with special educational needs in the juniors, the finance available was used effectively to employ an additional teacher to enable special educational needs pupils in Year 5 and

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Year 6 to be taught in a smaller class. This has improved the learning for all pupils in these year groups. The school is aware that this means that little additional support is available for pupils in Year 3 and Year 4. Therefore, to make suitable provision for future needs, the school has joined forces with Shipley College to train fifteen learning assistants in the Community Room in the school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The school allocates the time of all support staff, both for special educational needs and for English as an additional language, very carefully to derive maximum benefit for those pupils involved. Because of its location the school receives fewer grants than are available to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds and so the Head Teacher has successfully made direct bids for funds from a variety of sources. Staff training is seen to be a high priority and the grant received by a partner secondary school through the Excellence in Cities Funding has been used very effectively for Critical Skills Training. This has impacted well on the quality of teaching and learning, particularly in Year 2 and Year 6. Good links have been established with other local schools and shared training makes the most efficient use of resources available. The school has a very good understanding of the need to ensure “best value” in all that it does. The school consults

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

parents regularly through their use of the community room and this has led to the adoption of school uniform and to faith assemblies. Pupils too are consulted through the school council, leading to initiatives such as the buddy system. This is a school which is never complacent and challenges itself to improve. The Investors in People Award is testament to the high quality of staff training and from a low base, this is beginning to have a positive effect on the standards pupils achieve.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. The school employs an appropriate number of teaching staff to meet the demands of the curriculum. They are suitably qualified and experienced. The support staff have all received suitable training and provide good support for pupils although there are fewer in Key Stage 2 than elsewhere in school. The school is supporting a large number of classroom assistants in training by providing work placements. All staff co-operate very well and they present themselves as an effective team which includes the dinner staff, midday supervisors, cleaning and caretaking staff.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. The school building has recently been extended and fully refurbished to a good standard. Rooms are light and airy, and there is wheelchair access to all floors. The school hall is large and well used for physical education, assemblies and as a dining room. Throughout the school display material celebrates pupils’ achievements. The caretaker is dedicated to maintaining the premises to a high standard of cleanliness and order. There is no vandalism of the premises and this further reflects the value placed upon the school by the community.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. Learning resources are generally satisfactory. In information and communication technology, resources are good as there is a good number of machines including radio-linked laptop computers, broadband facilities and a network linking Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 1. Resources for art and design are very good. Very good use is made of facilities in the wider community such as art galleries, and artists in residence have proved to be very effective. There is room for improvement to the library provision in the Frizinghall Primary School - 25 school. Within the refurbishment programme, the school playground is awaiting development, and plans are being progressed for an all-weather surface for games. Frizinghall Primary School - 26

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

69. In order to continue the good progress being made in the school, the Head Teacher, staff and Governors should work together to:

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1) raise standards achieved in English, mathematics and science at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 by:

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• providing more opportunities for pupils to develop their independence and investigational skills in lessons (paragraphs 5, 8, 108); • ensuring that all pupils are provided with appropriately challenging tasks (paragraph 12); • ensuring that pupils who have English as an additional language and special educational needs are provided with sufficient support in lessons (paragraph 14); • providing focused opportunities for pupils to develop their language, literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum (paragraphs 26, 27, 92, 108); • continuing to work to improve attendance (paragraphs 9, 44); • improving library provision (paragraphs 68, 95, 99).

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2) improve the provision made and standards achieved in physical education throughout the school, in design and technology, geography and history in Key Stage 1 and in music in Key Stage 2 by:

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• building on the good practice that exists in some subjects to develop the role of the co-ordinator in monitoring and evaluating their subject and planning for development (paragraphs 60, 131, 144, 154, 161); • ensuring that pupils have time to practise their skills (paragraphs 4, 5, 21, 152) ; • providing opportunities for pupils to evaluate their work and suggest how it could be improved (paragraphs 4, 151, 152, 158, 159). Frizinghall Primary School - 27

p.26

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 37

p.27

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.27

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 one percentage point.

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 18 245

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 65

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 4

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 3 61

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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 238

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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 48

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 68

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Frizinghall Primary School - 28 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Frizinghall Primary School - 29

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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 17 32

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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 9 9 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 14 15

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

Percentage of pupils School 72 (83) 72 (83) 78 (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)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 9 10 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 15 14

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

Percentage of pupils School 72 (80) 78 (87) 72 (90) 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 14 12 26

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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 7 5 7 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 6 7 9

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

Percentage of pupils School 50 (42) 46 (45) 62 (68) 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 5 6 8 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 8 8 10

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

Percentage of pupils School 48 (47) 54 (43) 67 (66) 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. Frizinghall Primary School - 30

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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 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 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. Frizinghall Primary School - 31

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 12.6 Financial year 2001-2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.4

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 856937

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 779460

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 142.6 Expenditure per pupil 2793.76

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 121308

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 198785

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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 5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 118.4

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 7

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 10

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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. Frizinghall Primary School - 32

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 47 42 4 0 7

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 45 41 5 2 7

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 51 26 11 4 8

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 55 31 12 2 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 58 37 4 1 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 65 27 2 0 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 47 38 12 1 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 50 34 4 1 11

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 49 38 5 1 7

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 41 31 8 4 16 Frizinghall Primary School - 33

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

70. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage of learning is good and enables them to settle well to school and make rapid progress in all areas of their learning. The quality of provision has been maintained since the inspection of what was then the First School in 1997. School records show that approximately 97 per cent of children have English as an additional language and of them 70 per cent are new to English or speak no English when they start school. Children enter school with very poor communication, language and literacy skills and this affects their learning in all areas. Many children are initially quiet and shy and struggle to communicate with each other or with bi-lingual staff. These issues present many challenges to the staff and they work hard to provide a stimulating environment that is warm and welcoming. Staff have high expectations of children both in their behaviour and in their learning. Children are generally keen to

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

please although they do not have the confidence that many children of their age have.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

71. Children enter the nursery at different times during the year of their third or fourth birthday and attend either morning or afternoon sessions until they transfer as full time pupils into one of the two reception classes at the start of the year of their fifth birthday. The full inclusion of all children in activities is a strength and very good support enables them to settle well and begin to feel confident in school. Children, including those with special educational needs make good progress overall and some make very good progress. Girls and boys make similar progress. Those children who are new to speaking English make rapid progress in all areas of their learning. There are no children currently identified as gifted and talented within the Foundation Stage.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

72. The nursery is located in a small, cramped and shabby building across the road from the main school. The reception classes are based in a new open plan area attached to the main school. Plans are well advanced for a new nursery to be built alongside the reception classes to provide a cohesive Foundation Stage unit with adjoining outdoor play area. Staff work hard to inform and involve parents as much as they can in the early education of their children. In the nursery parents are invited into the building each morning and staff and parents exchange information, although many parents choose not to become actively involved in the life of the school.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

73. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good overall and is often very good in the nursery. Staff are enthusiastic in their approach, they are warmly welcoming to the children and parents and provide a safe, caring and stimulating environment for learning. All three classes have bi-lingual support to help children access the curriculum. The close working arrangements between teaching and support staff are a strong feature of the teaching, particularly in the nursery where the quality of some support is excellent. Staff work well together to keep the children focused on what they are doing and this enables all children to make progress that is at least good and to achieve well. Teachers have very good knowledge and understanding of the learning needs of young children. A particular strength is the very good management of the children, which ensures they are actively encouraged to join in all activities. A satisfactory but weaker area is the

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

quality of teachers planning which lacks clarity so that it is sometimes difficult to identify what is the main focus at any given day or time.

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Personal, social and emotional development

Frizinghall Primary School - 34 74. Standards in this area are well below average when children enter the school. Staff promote these areas very effectively through everyday activities. Teaching and learning are good overall with some very good aspects in the nursery. Children adapt to routines well and are very compliant. They rapidly build their confidence and willingness to contribute to activities. In each class there is a kindly but firm insistence that the children observe class rules as seen when the nursery nurse gently took a child by the hand and said “I’d really like you to come and help me with this work I’m doing”. On arrival each day the nursery children are encouraged to identify their own names show them to their parents and then put the cards onto a chart for the appropriate initial letter. In reception classes children are expected to help with routines in timetabled tidying away activities to which the children respond positively.

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Personal, social and emotional development

75. Whilst many children are initially very shy they are interested and sometimes excited about their learning. Many maintain attention and concentration for considerable periods of time and are becoming independent in putting their coats on and changing into wellingtons for outdoor play. There are very well considered opportunities for children to experience different cultures and traditions. However, despite the good progress made relatively few will achieve the early learning goals in this area by the time they enter Year 1.

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Communication, language and literacy

76. Standards are very low when children enter the school. Teaching in this area is good and with some very good features. Children make good progress in the development of communication skills. Those children who are new to speaking English make rapid progress in the development of speaking and listening skills. However, when children enter Year 1 attainment is still well below what is expected for this age. Most children listen well and quickly learn to respond. However, children’s speaking skills are very limited. Initially many simply nod in response to questions, or answer in one word. Very few answer in phrases or sentences even in the reception classes and only a small number are confident enough to ask about things.

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Communication, language and literacy

77. Teachers are very aware of these challenges and make particularly good use of questions to encourage the children to join in activities and to identify what they see. This was seen when the nursery teacher made good use of a picture book left in school after the visit of a local fire fighter to encourage the children to describe what they could see. Staff sometimes model a word or short phrase and encourage the children to repeat this to become more familiar with a greater range of words. Whilst a small number of children use the home corner equipment in the nursery more could be made of such activities and the use of puppets, through the deployment of bi-lingual staff to encourage more imaginative play.

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Communication, language and literacy

78. The children’s early reading skills are very limited. Staff make very good use of picture books to interest children not only in listening to stories but also to play a range of games linked to recognising words and pictures associated with the story. This was seen well in effective activities in the nursery where children named, counted, sorted and drew the range of fruits identified in the story of ‘Handa’s Surprise’. Some older and more confident children also enjoy dressing up in role-play clothes and acting out parts of the story for their friends. However, during such activities children are able to recall only parts of the story and are very dependent on an adult to help them. Children enjoy opportunities to look at books individually and most understand that pictures and words carry meaning. Frizinghall Primary School - 35 79. Guided reading activities in the reception classes are successful in enhancing pupils’

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Communication, language and literacy

knowledge of books and how to use them. Higher attaining children can identify the order of words when they cut up a simple sentence and stick the words in order. Children are encouraged to take home simple picture storybooks to share with their families although there is limited information in the books for parents of how to use these. Sometimes staff in the reception classes dominate phonic activities so that opportunities for children to demonstrate their knowledge are limited. Occasionally instructions are not clear enough. This was seen in a letter identification game where children did not know if or why they had to jump into a hoop or walk around it.

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Communication, language and literacy

80. When they start school very few children can write their names independently and letter formation is very limited. Only a very few children have any understanding of letters or how to write them. In the nursery there are mark-making areas such as the class office area where there are materials for the children to write letters. Some older children do this with great enjoyment, clearly understanding that they need to make marks to represent their name on an envelope when they put it in their post box. Children make good progress in this area so that in the reception classes several can copy words and occasionally write familiar words.

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Mathematical development

81. Children start school with slightly better understanding in number than many other areas although this is still well below what is expected of children of this age. Teaching and learning are good although most children will not attain the early learning goals when they enter Year 1. Much of the work done is through counting and games and relatively little is recorded which is an area for further development.

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Mathematical development

82. In the nursery some of the older children say the numbers to ten but struggle to recognise numerals above three or count out an accurate number of items, for example when sorting fruit. Teachers make learning fun, for example some older children enjoy counting the spots on dominoes and trying to draw the same number of dots on pieces of paper. In the reception classes children make good progress in recognising and naming simple two-dimensional shapes such as rectangles, circles and squares. Some higher attaining pupils are able to count the number of sides and corners and know that a circle has one side. Lower attaining children roll and cut out square shaped play biscuits and put a candle on each but are unsure how many cakes they have made. Children in all Foundation Stage classes enjoy using sand and water facilities, which boosts their understanding of shape, measures and capacity. All children enjoy outdoor activities even in inclement weather and were seen joining in

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Mathematical development

counting how many steps for Mr Wolf and counting back from 10 in preparation for firing themselves as pretend rockets across the yard.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

83. Attainment in this area of learning is very low when children start school and many children have very little experience of the wider world. While teaching and learning are good the majority of the children do not achieve the early learning goals when they enter Year 1. There are classroom computers available in each area. In the reception classes some children know how to use the mouse to click on the screen to make a number of repeating images, because they have used one at home. Some children experiment with using the tools on the computer. Staff, including support staff, do not always make enough use of computers to stimulate learning across the curriculum. Frizinghall Primary School - 36 84. There are good opportunities for children to choose and use a range of structured play equipment including small construction kits, ‘small world’ equipment and jigsaws. In activities linked to the use of ‘Handa’s Surprise’ children learned to recognise the

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

animals in the story, pick up the toy equivalent and make the appropriate animal noises. They enjoyed using and naming the associated real fruit in a range of sorting activities so that some older pupils were immediately able to pick up and name an avocado. Children enjoyed using a tray of bath crème and water to make large bubbles but had limited understanding of how to blow the air through the pipe to make the bubble bigger. Children grow plants in the nursery garden although very few are able to explain what the plants need to make them grow. The range of activities provided enables children to develop an early understanding of some of the basic aspects of history, geography religious education and science.

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Physical development

85. The attainment of children on entry to the nursery is low, although they make good progress because of good teaching in this area. However, the majority of children do not achieve the early learning goals when they enter Year 1. Some children are able to pick up and fit large picture jigsaw pieces into a fit in jigsaw tray although they have to have help to encourage them to try the pieces the other way around when they do not initially fit. A small number of children are able to hold a pencil, paintbrush and scissors with the correct grip but relatively few do so. In the nursery some more confident children are able climb onto the small climbing frame, but few do this with confidence. Some are able to manoeuvre equipment such as toy pushchairs and small tyres around the outdoor area with reasonable control. In the reception classes most are able to run around the yard with reasonable skill and control and when the weather is

p.36

Physical development

suitable there are opportunities for other games and physical activities.

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Creative development

86. The attainment of the children is very low when they enter the school. Although teaching and learning are mainly good in this area the majority of children do not attain the early learning goals when they leave the reception classes. In the nursery there are regular opportunities for children to paint and print using a variety of media in a range of art activities. In work linked to the story of a ‘Dark dark night’ children used black paint to produce very simple paintings. They also enjoy painting small polystyrene tiles with a pattern on for printing activities. A small number of children showed great perseverance when gluing a selection of scrap materials together to make a simple sculpture. The quality of some of the papers and materials used could be better and samples of children’s work indicate that sometimes more care could be taken to encourage children to produce aesthetically pleasing work. Children have a selection of simple

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Creative development

musical instruments available in each room for them to experiment with making sounds. There is a Bollywood area set up in the nursery where children enjoy role play and taped music is sometimes played as a background to activities. More opportunities for role play and music in the Foundation Stage would enhance provision in this area of learning.

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ENGLISH

87. The very high percentage of pupils with English as an additional language lowers pupils’ attainment in English at the end of both key stages. The most recent National Curriculum test results showed that attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 was well below both the national average and the average for similar schools. It is not possible to Frizinghall Primary School - 37 compare standards at the end of Key Stage 2 with those at the last inspection because in 1997 the school did not include Year 6. Inspection evidence shows that standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are currently below national expectations but are improving. Attainment is better at the end of Key Stage 2 than the most recent tests show because a significant percentage of pupils in Year 6 are now achieving standards that are higher than the nationally expected standards for their age. The improvement is a direct result of the head teacher and staff introducing effective strategies to raise the

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ENGLISH

expectations of pupils and improvements in teaching and the English curriculum.

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ENGLISH

88. In Key Stage 1, standards in reading and writing are also improving, but inspection evidence shows that the attainment of pupils is well below that expected for their age. Over two thirds of pupils start Year 1 having only partially achieved the Early Learning Goals for communication, language and literacy. Results in the Key Stage 1 National Curriculum tests were well below average in reading and writing, but inspection evidence shows that attainment is rising.

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ENGLISH

89. An exceptionally high percentage of pupils do not use English at home or in their community and have a limited knowledge and understanding of English. In addition, a significant percentage of pupils live in homes that do not use reading or writing in their mother tongue, a high percentage of pupils miss school because they take extended holidays abroad and a very high percentage of pupils leave school or start it during Key Stage 2. As a result these barriers to learning significantly reduce pupils’ performance in tests and many pupils have difficulties communicating to a level expected for their age.

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ENGLISH

90. A small but significant number of pupils throughout the school are identified as being new to English though they are usually at least competent in their mother tongue. Very good support by bilingual qualified classroom support assistants and local education authority support staff provide these pupils with very good support so that they make rapid and sustainable progress in their knowledge and understanding of English.

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ENGLISH

91. When pupils leave school at the end of Key Stage 2, they have made good progress across both key stages and achieve well given the very low level of attainment when they start Year 1. When pupils reach the age of 11, all can communicate in English through speaking, reading and writing but their ability to do so is less than expected for their age.

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ENGLISH

92. Standards in speaking are well below those expected for pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 and below those expected for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils make good progress in improving their speaking skills across the school. In Year 1, many pupils are reluctant to speak and feel nervous to do so partly because of their very limited knowledge and understanding of English vocabulary. By Year 6, however, almost all pupils speak with confidence, and they speak very well, but many still have a limited vocabulary which makes it difficult for some to communicate as well as they would like. With the exception of a small but significant minority of boys in Key Stage 2, where listening skills are unsatisfactory, pupils listening skills are good. Most pupils listen to adults well during whole class activities and during group discussions in lessons such as literacy and science and mental arithmetic sessions. Some good opportunities for

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ENGLISH

pupils to develop and improve their speech and knowledge of vocabulary are provided, for example everyone in Key Stage 2 is involved in the school forum (school council) and as part of debates and discussions, pupils see the best way of conducting themselves when speaking in front of and with others. There are some areas of development however that would improve standards of speaking. There is no policy Frizinghall Primary School - 38 designed to maximise opportunities for pupils to speak, for example there are very few planned opportunities for the use of drama to provide a platform for speaking.

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ENGLISH

93. The fact that many pupils have difficulties with speaking because of their limited knowledge and understanding of English, affects their performance in writing. In Key Stage 1, younger pupils make good progress in moving from making marks on paper and copying adults’ writing in Year 1, to writing on their own using correctly formed letters and correctly spelt words suitable for their age in Year 2. A minority of pupils develop good handwriting skills by the end of Key Stage 1 and write short sentences accurately using full stops and capital letters, but many pupils, whilst developing a legible style of writing, find spelling of common words more difficult. The limited knowledge and understanding of many pupils of English reduces the quality of written work and the conventions of writing. In Key Stage 2 pupils make good progress and by the time they are 11 the majority are writing as well as is expected for their age,

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ENGLISH

although a large minority have not achieved the expected standards. Most pupils, however, write competently using a legible and fluent style but their sentences are often short and lack the use of exciting words to stimulate the imagination or establish subtleties of meaning. Pupils are familiar with using paragraphs and most are able to use speech marks correctly. Many pupils have a tendency to use the wrong tense and this reflects a common pattern in pupils’ speech.

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ENGLISH

94. Much of the pupils’ writing reflects aspects of their own culture and religion as well as of the broader literary world of English. For example, pupils in Year 6 have created a poem ‘Ramadan’ to encourage people to stop smoking. In so doing, pupils demonstrated a secure knowledge and understanding of poetic techniques to create four line verse poems. After a visit to the Bradford Art gallery, pupils created and produced some good poems based upon the stimulation of seeing and experiencing the sculpture, “Turning the World Inside Out” by the Asian sculptor and artist, Anish Kapur. The poems showed that pupils have a sound knowledge and understanding of how to use English words to create poems of different varieties. Pupils acquire satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the features of different styles of writing for example, non-chronological writing and chronological writing, but their ability to put

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ENGLISH

ideas on paper often falls below the standard expected for their age. Many pupils find it difficult to write for a purpose and this weakness is identified by the school as one area for improvement.

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ENGLISH

95. Standards in reading are below those expected for pupils at the end of both key stages. Pupils read competently but at a level that is lower than expected for their age. At the end of Key Stage 1, a majority read with satisfactory and, at times, good levels of fluency but a significant minority read at levels that are well below those expected for their age. In Key Stage 2, pupils make good progress in reading and a small but significant number are achieving standards that exceed national expectations. Although most pupils can read texts accurately, their level of comprehension of what is read does not match the reading fluency. In a Year 5/6 lesson, many of the lower attaining pupils struggled to make sense of an extract from a passage about the arrest of Doctor Crippen for murder. The underlying weakness in their knowledge and understanding of English is a key factor in the weakness in comprehension. Most pupils have good

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ENGLISH

strategies for reading new and challenging words but few pupils have a wide knowledge and understanding of authors and contemporary books. Pupils show high levels of enjoyment for reading and, in Key Stage 1, pupils find the books of the reading scheme stimulating and exciting. Pupils have rudimentary knowledge and understanding of how to locate information using non-fiction books, but research skills are not developed as well as they could be. The limited choice of books in the library and classrooms is one significant factor in this. Pupils who are new to English make very good progress in Frizinghall Primary School - 39 improving their reading skills, especially in Key Stage 1 and Year 3, due to the very good support of classroom support assistants.

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ENGLISH

96. The quality of teaching and learning in English has improved since the last inspection of the First school, and is now good overall across the school. The National Literacy Strategy has been successfully implemented and evaluated. As a result, the curriculum has been adapted to meet the needs of the pupils for example, more time is planned for writing and there has been an increased time allocation given to reading. Particularly good teaching exists in upper Key Stage 2, where specialist teaching occurs and also in Year 2. Throughout the school teachers are very sensitive to and aware of the needs of the pupils, the vast majority of whom have English as an additional language and struggle with many aspects of communication. The very good teaching is epitomised by lessons that are very well planned and prepared and taught with vigour and energy so that pupils listen very well and with very good levels of concentration. The purposes

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ENGLISH

of lessons are shared with pupils so that they feel they can participate in and get to know how well they are doing, as well as helping teachers to monitor the success of the lesson in improving pupils’ knowledge and understanding. In satisfactory lessons, opportunities for pupils to improve their knowledge of English through speaking are not given enough attention and in Key Stage 1, pupils performing writing tasks are not always given enough support in how to form letters and spell new words. In most lessons, pupils enjoy English. They are totally engrossed during times when teachers share big books with them. During a poetry lesson in Year 2, pupils responded with very good attitudes to an expectation for them to read and select a number of poems in order to create a class poetry anthology. This lesson typified the way that teachers never make the assumption that pupils know and understand all words used in

p.39

ENGLISH

lessons. Teachers constantly check and recheck that pupils know the English involved. This slows the pace of some lessons, but it is vital that such measures are taken so that pupils’ vocabulary is broadened and improved. Good use is made of homework to extend learning and whilst marking is prompt, the link with setting pupils’ individual targets for improvement is not always made.

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ENGLISH

97. Although skills of reading, writing and speaking are used as part of all subjects other than English, the use of such skills is not developed as much as it could be. The school does not have a policy for planning ways of using other subjects for applying skills of reading, writing and speaking. Information and communication technology is used well to help pupils. Pupils who have difficulty writing use the computer to develop their writing.

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ENGLISH

98. Excellent relationships exist between teachers and classroom support assistants. Very good support is provided for targeted groups of pupils, including those who are new to English and others with special educational needs. The bilingual skills of staff are used well in supporting pupils who need bilingual support. Recent initiatives to raise standards in reading and writing are starting to have their effect. Initiatives such as Additional Literacy Support, Early Literacy Support and a programme to improve pupils’ knowledge of letters sounds and blends are all well managed and taught effectively. Very good quality support for new to English pupils provided by the local education authority support teacher adds to the education of pupils in Key Stage 2, but the overall level of support for pupils in English as an additional language is unsatisfactory. Whilst class teachers make good provision within their lessons for all pupils, the lack of

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ENGLISH

classroom support assistants for language skills in Years 4, 5 and 6 makes the teacher’s job more challenging and reduces the potential levels of achievement of the pupils with greatest difficulties with English. Frizinghall Primary School - 40 99. English is well managed by an enthusiastic and energetic co-ordinator whose visionary approach focuses on raising standards. Accurate evaluations of the strengths and weaknesses of the subject have identified areas for development. The curriculum has been overhauled, evaluated and adapted to better meet pupils’ needs. Better use is being made of funds to improve resources and teachers are better trained and more confident in teaching English. Resources for learning are mostly satisfactory, although the range, number and quality of books in the library could be better. The procedures for assessing pupils in English is satisfactory overall although good analyses of

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ENGLISH

information from end of key stage tests are very carefully evaluated to find ways of improving standards further.

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MATHEMATICS

100. In the National Curriculum tests in 2002 the results for 11-year-olds were well below the average for all schools nationally and for similar schools. This reflects the high proportion of pupils in the class, over 50%, who had special educational needs. In the National Curriculum test results for seven-year-olds, compared to similar schools standards were well below average, and were very low in comparison to all schools nationally. Similarly, there was an unusually high proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the year group (40%). In these circumstances the fact that 47% of 11-year-olds and 78% of seven year olds reached the expected level represents good progress overall. Inspection evidence shows an improving picture currently in Year 2 and Year 6, with a slightly higher proportion of pupils working at the average level. This may not necessarily be reflected in the tests at the end of the year because of the high

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MATHEMATICS

number of pupils who start or leave the school during the course of the year. Overall, pupils’ computational skills are more advanced than other areas of mathematics. Since the previous inspection of the First School, standards in the tests at the end of Key Stage 1 have fallen.

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MATHEMATICS

101. Pupils make good progress overall in Key Stage 1 because of good teaching, which is particularly strong in Year 2. Pupils make good progress overall in Key Stage 2, though progress is accelerated in Year 6 because of the high quality of the teaching for this year group, and because of the fact that lower attaining pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 benefit from being in a smaller class. The needs of the pupils, who almost exclusively have English as an additional language, are met well through the good attention paid to the language of mathematics and to the clear explanations given. Good use is also made of simple resources, such as cubes and number lines, to demonstrate mathematical processes such as addition and multiplication. Bilingual support staff and learning support assistants working with pupils with special educational needs make a good contribution to pupils’ progress in class and during well timed periods working

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MATHEMATICS

with individuals. However, difficulties in recruitment mean that the level of support for pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 is low and this is partly responsible for the slower rate of progress in these years. The school offers additional support to older pupils in the ‘maths Booster’ club, though some pupils find it difficult to attend because of other commitments after school.

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MATHEMATICS

102. The school has a strong Ethnic Minority Achievement Policy and analyses pupils’ results in a wide variety of assessments to ensure all groups of pupils are achieving as well as they can. Results are also rigorously analysed each year to identify areas for improvement and to set targets for the next class. Solving word problems and handling data have been identified as areas of difficulty and are receiving extra emphasis. Following a previous analysis, the importance placed on learning tables is leading to an improvement in pupils’ arithmetic skills. One older boy who has been identified as being Frizinghall Primary School - 41 able mathematically is receiving extra challenge within the class to help him make good progress. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because of the good support they are given.

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MATHEMATICS

103. By the end of Year 2, the majority of pupils can order numbers up to a hundred and use a number line well to add and subtract. Good use is made of patterns to familiarise pupils with tables to times five, which they use to solve simple multiplication and division sums. Through regular practice most pupils can count in tens and can double or halve numbers to ten in their heads. Pupils use these skills to solve simple word problems, though this is limited by their understanding of the language of the question. Pupils have little experience of working with numbers over a hundred, which is needed to achieve the higher levels. Lower attaining pupils are confident in adding and subtracting numbers to ten.

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MATHEMATICS

104. The school has recently undergone a large building programme and so the full year’s work, for pupils who left in the summer, was not available. Currently in Year 6, most pupils have a sound understanding of the value of each digit within a number, using larger numbers to two decimal places. They recognise the effect of multiplying or dividing a number by ten or a hundred and can multiply by a two digit number using various methods, though they cannot do the corresponding division. Pupils are developing a good understanding of the relationship between fractions, decimals and percentages and good teaching is enabling pupils to make connections from what they already know to work out any percentage of a number, for example they find 20% of £340 by doubling 10%. Higher attaining pupils use similar strategies for finding more complex percentages. The majority of pupils are gaining in confidence in interpreting

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MATHEMATICS

straightforward word problems but their ability to interpret and solve more open ended problems and puzzles is more limited. Lower attaining pupils are making good progress in developing their numeracy skills through a good range of multi-sensory activities. For example pupils develop a sound recall of tables through turning over the pattern on a tables board, looking at the answers, and saying the tables as they tap out the rhythm.

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MATHEMATICS

105. The pupils’ measurement skills develop to a reasonable level. By the age of seven the majority can measure in centimetres, litres and grams and can tell the time using digital and analogue clocks. They can identify and name the common two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes, and place them in appropriate groups according to their sides, though no work was seen on right angles. Lower attaining pupils can sort shapes according to whether they have straight or curved sides and use this to draw a man, using rectangles and circles. Pupils use a range of graphs to display their work, for example pupils collect information in science about the effect of pushing and pulling and use a computer to display their results on a block graph.

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MATHEMATICS

106. By the age of 11, the majority of pupils have a basic understanding of the different units of measurement and can find the area and perimeter of simple shapes, though little work was seen on drawing and measuring angles. They can extract information from a chart, to say which team scored the most goals and draw a line graph in science to display information about their heartbeats. Currently, skills in measurement, shape and handling data are less well developed than arithmetic skills.

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MATHEMATICS

107. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall, and is very good in Year 2 and Year 6 and in the mixed class in Year 5 and 6. Whilst satisfactory, the pace of teaching and learning is less marked in Year 1, and in Year3 to Year 5. A strong feature throughout the school is the teaching of arithmetic skills, through regular practice and the good use of simple resources to help pupils understand. Teachers justifiably place a high priority Frizinghall Primary School - 42 on helping pupils to acquire the language of mathematics through clear explanations and demonstrations and through good support from bilingual teachers and support staff when this is available. This is having a good effect on pupils’ understanding, though the necessary explanations and use of mime, for example in explaining vertical and horizontal, sometimes slows the pace of mathematical learning. In the very good lessons observed the teachers made very good use of their critical skills training to

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MATHEMATICS

challenge pupils to think and to make connections from what they already know, for example doubling the times three tables to find times six. They also divide the lesson into intense but short activities to keep pupils on task, and use all pupils’ senses to reinforce understanding. This was seen in Year 2 when pupils first built a tower of eight cubes and then broke it in half, leading higher attaining pupils to relate this to the written sum of eight shared by two. In the less successful lessons, work is not sufficiently planned to match the needs of different groups of pupils, with some higher attaining pupils repeating unnecessary low level tasks, for example, some pupils in Year 4 who were confident in using their own strategies for multiplying numbers in the hundreds were answering problems involving calculations within the three times table.

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MATHEMATICS

108. Teaching is most effective when pupils are encouraged to explain how they have worked things out and this develops not only their mathematical understanding but also their language skills. There are limited opportunities for pupils to develop their reasoning skills through practical problems and puzzles and through more open-ended investigational work. Good use is made of information and communication technology in the computer suite to support learning, though the use of computers is not yet sufficiently integrated into maths lessons. Satisfactory use is made of mathematical skills in other subjects, for example in collecting data in science and classifying similarities and differences about different religions in religious education, though there are insufficient planned opportunities to support numeracy skills in other subjects on a regular basis.

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MATHEMATICS

109. The subject is well managed by a very knowledgeable co-ordinator who provides strong leadership through example and encouragement. In depth analysis of the subject is well advanced and this is being used to set targets. This is gradually helping to raise standards in lessons, though this has not yet been reflected in the results of the statutory tests.

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SCIENCE

110. The 2002 National Curriculum Test results and teacher assessments show that attainment in science at the ages of seven and 11 years was well below average. When compared to similar schools, standards at 11 years were below average. Comparisons with similar schools and over time are unreliable because of the large number of pupils with English as an additional language and the high rate of mobility of pupils. Although standards achieved at the end of Key Stage 1 were judged to be in line with expectation for age at the time of the previous inspection, it is inappropriate to make comparisons because of the significant change in character of the school. There has been an improvement in the number of pupils attaining the higher level 5 in the Key Stage 2 tests.

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SCIENCE

111. Inspection evidence is that standards at the age of seven are well below average. Many pupils are at an early stage of English language acquisition and this has an effect on their learning in science. By the age of 11, pupils attain below the expected level. There is a small number who attain at above expected levels. There is a difference between test scores and inspection evidence because many pupils have difficulty in Frizinghall Primary School - 43 understanding written technical language and as a result they perform at a lower level in test situations. In the inspection period there were no significant differences in attainment between boys and girls. The school has introduced strategies to raise standards and these are starting to have an impact. The time allocation has been increased, more emphasis is placed on the development of subject specific vocabulary and there is consistently very good specialist teaching for older pupils.

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SCIENCE

112. Pupils achieve well in science and make good progress at both key stages. Teachers make lessons interesting. Links with the visiting teacher for pupils with English as an additional language are used to identify technical language that may cause difficulties. Pupils with special educational needs receive additional support from either the class teacher or a support assistant and this enables them to make good progress. There is recognition by the school that more support is needed for older pupils to enable them to achieve even more. Mixed attainment groups are used effectively to help pupils who are new to English and those with special educational needs receive good support from their classmates.

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SCIENCE

113. By the end of Year 2, pupils produce simple drawings and labels. They carry out simple investigations, for example seeing how fast a car will go down a slope. Most are not able to make suggestions on how to collect data to answer questions. Many pupils need a great deal of teacher support. Higher attaining pupils do not understand what a fair test is. Most pupils identify parts of the body and they understand that people grow but show little evidence of understanding that animals and plants reproduce. A minority of pupils need support to identify common animals. Higher attaining pupils understand that some foods are healthy for you while others are not. Pupils know that sweets and medicines are different. In work on materials most pupils classify materials such as metal and wood, using terms including hard and soft, but many pupils do not have an understanding that heating can change materials. Pupils are developing an

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SCIENCE

understanding of the use of materials for specific purposes, for example waterproof material for an umbrella. Pupils distinguish between light and dark, and they identify sources of light. Most pupils have a basic understanding of push and pull as forces and higher attaining pupils can explain why some electrical circuits will not work.

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SCIENCE

114. By the age of 11, pupils have built on the scientific knowledge they acquired earlier. Pupils understand that scientific ideas are based on evidence and they are starting to decide on the appropriate approach. They are not always able to explain clearly using scientific language the processes they will use because they are at an early stage of acquisition of English. In the area of life processes and living things pupils understand the effects of diet on people. They know that animals have adapted to their environments, for example camels with long eye lashes and food and water storage. The higher attaining pupils have a sound understanding of the digestive system. Most pupils have knowledge of the skeleton but many find it difficult to relate to themselves. In work on materials pupils understand that substances can be classified as solids, liquids and gases, but there are a number of lower attaining pupils who do not fully

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SCIENCE

understand this. The majority of pupils understand the principles of filtration and use them to separate solids from liquid. Higher attaining pupils bottled a sample of the original liquid so that they could make comparisons when they had finished filtering. In work on physical processes pupils understand that sound changes when it is heard through different materials.

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SCIENCE

115. The quality of teaching is good overall in both key stages and this is the main contributory factor in ensuring that there is good achievement. The recently introduced specialist teaching for older pupils is consistently of a very good standard. All teachers have secure knowledge of the subject. Pupils understand what they are going to learn Frizinghall Primary School - 44 and measure how well they are progressing because teachers explain lesson objectives at the start of sessions and revisit them at the end. Teachers make lessons interesting for pupils, for example in Year 1 and Year 2 pupils were taken to a nearby park to learn about push and pull as they played on the climbing equipment and swings. In Year 4 to Year 6, the teacher involves everyone in lessons because she uses the school’s approach to developing pupils’ critical thinking skills and puts pupils into groups asking them to sort themselves out into task roles such as recorder, facilitator

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SCIENCE

and resources manager. This is effective in ensuring that all pupils make a contribution to group work. Teachers work hard to ensure that pupils who are new to English are included in lessons. Pupils who speak the same language make good use of peer support. Careful questioning and additional support ensure that pupils with special educational needs achieve well. This relies very much on the very good quality of teaching in some classes, because of the lack of support staff. This has been recognised by the school and is being addressed. Teachers develop oral language very well in lessons but they miss opportunities to reinforce this by using key word cards. Language is not reinforced consistently by the use of scientific displays around the school. In a small number of lessons the quality of teaching falls below good quality but it is never less than satisfactory. In these lessons time is lost because behaviour

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SCIENCE

management strategies are not used fully effectively. Instructions are a little difficult to understand for some pupils and the lack of a support assistant means that the teacher has to take longer than is usual to check that everyone understands. Marking, although consistent and positive, is not used to develop learning. There are no comments such as ‘What happens if I change x?’ Pupils respond well to the teaching. They are eager to learn in most lessons. Older pupils work very well together in mixed attainment and mixed gender groups. There were excellent examples of co-operation in work on filtering materials. In Key Stage 1 a small number of pupils find concentration difficult, they call out and one or two are slow to respond to teachers’ instructions.

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SCIENCE

116. Teachers link science effectively to other areas of the curriculum. There is good development in literacy skills, shown when pupils had to write letters proving air exists. Investigations are recorded and tables compiled. Mathematical skills are developed when pupils measure distances and record them on block graphs. Information and communication technology skills are effectively developed. Older pupils use laptops to record their investigations and sequence a series of slides and add buttons to create a PowerPoint presentation about plants and their needs. Younger pupils use spreadsheets and block graphs to compare movement of toy vehicles as part of work on push and pulls.

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SCIENCE

117. There is good quality co-ordination of the subject. The co-ordinator understands the main areas for development in the subject, but she has not yet had the opportunity to monitor teaching and learning in the classroom to highlight areas of good practice and areas for development. The school has put in place a good curriculum ensuring that there is sufficient time allocation to address the difficulties many pupils have in their language skills. There is good quality regular assessment which is used effectively to develop learning. The science curriculum is enhanced by visits to two scientific museums. The school is making good progress in science.

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ART AND DESIGN

118. Standards in art and design are above the expected levels at the ages of seven and 11. Since opening as a primary school in September 2000 the development of creativity has been a high priority, and this has had a very positive impact on the standards achieved by all pupils and the progress they make in developing their skills and Frizinghall Primary School - 45 knowledge. All pupils, including those who have special educational needs, make very good progress and achieve very well given that when they leave the reception classes their attainment in the creative area of learning is below what is expected for children of that age.

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ART AND DESIGN

119. By the time they are seven pupils’ drawing skills are good. Their drawings of ‘special things’ show attention to detail and good control. In a project about self portraits pupils’ own self portraits using charcoal were of a very high standard. This work was further developed to encourage pupils to appreciate the work of famous artists, and this allowed one pupil to copy a portrait of van Gogh exceptionally well using appropriate proportion, shading and colour. Pupils work with a range of tools and materials such as paper, sand and paint to produce seaside collages, and different fabrics to produce masks.

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ART AND DESIGN

120. By the time they are 11 pupils have experienced a wide range of artistic projects which has made a very good contribution to the standards they achieve. Pupils in Year 6 experiment with a range of techniques and materials, developing good skills and an appreciation of different styles in art. They draw and paint well, for example they employed a range of drawing techniques to depict movement and expression in a lesson on cartoon characters. Their pictures of athletes from Ancient Greece showed proportion, action and movement. They copy the styles of famous artists, as in their very good paintings of vases inspired by the work of Clarice Cliff. Pupils in Year 5 were able to show movement by blurring the background or the edges of an outline. They have used crayons to create rainforest designs on fabric, and have investigated shade and texture when using wool and fabric in weavings. Year 3 pupils can produce artwork

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ART AND DESIGN

in the style of Miro and have studied themes and styles, such as in their work on ‘Bollywood’ posters following a visit to an exhibition.

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ART AND DESIGN

121. Teaching in art is very good throughout the school. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and their systematic approach to teaching skills and knowledge means that pupils make very good progress in their learning. Lessons are well planned and resources are well prepared and appropriate. Pupils respond very well to the step-by – step instructions they are given and to the support they receive. Explanations are very clear and relationships very good, making a very positive contribution to the standards that pupils achieve. The use of the critical thinking skills approach adopted in some classes is very effective in promoting collaborative work and maintaining pupils’ interest, effort and concentration.

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ART AND DESIGN

122. One of the main factors contributing to the high standards achieved by pupils is the excellent use made of special projects, often relating to exhibitions at a local art gallery. Following a visit to look at the sculpture of Anish Kapoor pupils drew good cartoons to illustrate imaginative stories and poems they had written. They have worked with parents using embroidery and fabric to make a hanging which is permanently displayed in the school. In an excellent Arts Exchange project ‘Making friends and painting’ Year 6 pupils worked with pupils from a local secondary school, using their ideas from the school building, on a collaborative painting produced on wood. They worked with an artist–in–residence through sketches and designs, and included towers and domes from architecture and signs and symbols from art in their final product. This project provided opportunities for pupils of different ages and backgrounds to work together

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ART AND DESIGN

and to use design and pattern from different cultures, making an excellent contribution to their social and cultural development. Pupils’ response to working on special projects is excellent and helps them to make very good progress. Frizinghall Primary School - 46 123. The leadership and management provided by the very enthusiastic co-ordinator for art are excellent. She is the driving force behind the promotion of art throughout the school, and has a clear understanding of how the high quality provision can be maintained. She has prepared an action plan for the subject which includes details of further bids for funding to support a range of arts projects. Resources overall are very good, and are used effectively throughout the school to promote the high standards achieved.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

124. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are below average but improve in Key Stage 2 where they are in line with the expectations for the age of the pupils. In Key Stage 1 from a low start pupils achieve satisfactorily and in Key Stage 2 they achieve well. In the previous inspection of the First school, standards were average at the end of Key Stage 1, but there were no pupils in the school at the end of Key Stage 2. The design element of the curriculum is well developed through art and design activities. Pupils in Key Stage 1 make satisfactory progress and in Key Stage 2 they make good progress. The progress made by boys and girls, those with special educational needs and those at the early stages of English is similar to their classmates.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

125. A relative strength across the school is the progress pupils make in investigating, planning and communicating design ideas. The design element of current work is stronger than the making and evaluation of a range of items. Pupils have opportunities to look at how things are made in order to design things themselves. This was seen in a Year 6 project where pupils examined a range of slippers, took some to pieces to investigate the fabrics and how they were made and considered the materials needed for their own designs. They were able to measure and transfer the shape to a design sheet which they used appropriately to make a paper pattern, then cut out their chosen material and stitched the pieces together. Designing skills are also developed well in Year 3, where pupils design a photograph frame after trying out a range of techniques of rolling, folding and shaping card to make different styles of frame.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

126. In Key Stage 1 pupils make satisfactory progress in designing. In Year 2 they make sound progress in designing a toy and in recent work making a simple vehicle with an axle and wheels. The sample of recent work shows satisfactory progress in producing a design to make a spider climb up a spout. However, there is less progress made in the design element of the curriculum, for example when pupils use a pre-drawn template for a finger puppet and a glove puppet instead of designing their own.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

127. Pupils have satisfactory knowledge and experience of working with tools, equipment, materials and components in the making of products. Again strengths are in the work of the oldest pupils. They have good opportunities to join materials in a variety of ways such as when learning how to fasten together layers of material using backstitch, having found through practice that this produces a strong stitch. Pupils also made good progress in a lesson observed in learning how to use a simple sewing machine to attach the sole and lining together. This was the first opportunity many pupils have had to use a sewing machine and they were pleased by the speed, strength and neatness of the work they produced. The sample of recent work also shows pupils in Year 5 have made good progress in finding out about the process of making a mechanical toy that uses cams to alter its movement. However, the sample of work shows only limited

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

opportunities for pupils in Key Stage 1 to develop a wide range of making skills.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

128. Pupils make satisfactory progress in considering people’s needs and wants and the opportunities for making products for them. In Year 2, pupils make sound progress in Frizinghall Primary School - 47 designing a moving toy for someone they know by taking into account their age and interests. Similarly, pupils in Key Stage 2 have made good progress in a well planned range of food technology activities, looking at the bread making process, packaging and making bread by hand.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

129. The sample of pupils’ recent work and observation of lessons indicates that the weakest area of the curriculum throughout the school is in the evaluation of the processes used and the products made. Some older pupils are able to indicate what has worked well and what they would change, but there is only limited evidence of the recording of such tasks and this does not make best use of the information gained to inform future planning. Again work in this area is weaker in Key Stage 1 where pupils are often unable to evaluate the success or otherwise of their designs.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

130. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good overall in Key Stage 2. Where teaching is good staff have high expectations of what the pupils can achieve and specifically teach them new skills such as sewing by hand and machine. Where teaching is unsatisfactory staff do not pay sufficient attention to groups other than the teacher focus group and this allows behaviour and concentration to dip. Whilst teaching is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 it is not consistently good enough to enable pupils from a low start to achieve the level expected for age. On the whole pupils have good attitudes to design and technology although staff have to work hard to overcome gender stereotyping by some boys who are reluctant to sew.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

131. The quality of leadership and management is good. The subject leader has good subject knowledge and has ensured that curriculum planning is not only based upon national guidance but is also in sufficient depth to make learning meaningful. Assessment in the subject is based upon national guidance. The limited opportunities to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning has allowed the evaluation element of the subject to be under-developed and is an area for development. As yet the use of information and communication technology to support the design process is at only an early stage.

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GEOGRAPHY

132. Standards of attainment at the age of seven are below those expected. Many pupils are new to English and this has an effect on the level of attainment. By the age of 11, attainment is broadly in line with expectations. Standards are higher in aspects of physical and environmental geography than in knowledge and understanding of other countries.

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GEOGRAPHY

133. Pupils make good progress throughout the school and achieve well. Pupils enter Year 1 with skills that are well below the expected level. Support assistants and teachers work hard with pupils new to English to ensure that they access the curriculum and achieve in line with the rest of the pupils. Pupils with special educational needs receive additional support either from support assistants or teachers. When asking questions teachers phrase them so that pupils with special educational needs develop their learning at the same pace as other pupils. There is no significant difference in attainment or achievement between boys and girls.

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GEOGRAPHY

134. By the age of seven most pupils can draw simple maps and plans, with the higher attaining pupils producing easily recognisable ‘planned views’. Because of the good use made of the local environment most pupils can talk about what they see on a walk to the park, including such things as traffic, shops and post box. They show an Frizinghall Primary School - 48 understanding about places being untidy but few can explain how people affect the environment. Most pupils have knowledge of places beyond the local area but a few are confused between city and country. Higher attaining pupils show knowledge of location of other countries.

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GEOGRAPHY

135. By the age of 11, pupils have satisfactory knowledge of the river systems. Higher attaining pupils understand geographical terms including estuary and meander. Most have good knowledge of the village of Clapham and orally describe similarities and differences between the village and Frizinghall. Pupils have a good understanding of world events, for example the situation in the Middle East. They have particularly good knowledge and understanding about pollution and environmental issues such as the effects of removing trees from the tropical rainforest. Pupils suggest ways of improving things, for example replanting trees or using different materials. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of places in other parts of the world is limited. This has been recognised by the co-ordinator as an area for development.

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GEOGRAPHY

136. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers make lessons interesting for the pupils, for example by using the local area. All pupils know what they are going to learn because teachers explain lesson objectives at the start of the lesson and revisit them at the end. Teachers link geography well to other subjects, for example in a Year 1/2 lesson the teacher linked a ‘big book’, world map and globe very well to identify different countries in the world. Teachers develop social skills effectively when pupils work together in pairs. Particularly good attention is paid to developing oral language by constant repetition of key geographical words and phrases but opportunities to reinforce this by using written words are missed. Literacy skills are developed effectively when recording work. Letters were produced in a unit on ‘We want a playing field’. Mathematics skills are developed in work on rainfall and temperatures. The use of

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GEOGRAPHY

information and communication technology is satisfactory in the subject. There are good opportunities to aid cultural development when pupils learn about the lives of people in other countries.

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GEOGRAPHY

137. Pupils respond well to the good quality of teaching. They listen carefully in introductory sessions and most co-operate with each other when working in pairs. When in discussion groups pupils are eager to answer questions and older pupils show very good listening skills. Pupils persevere when they find tasks challenging, for example when drawing ‘planned views’.

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GEOGRAPHY

138. There is good co-ordination of the subject. The co-ordinator has worked hard to modify the guidelines produced by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) to meet the particular needs of the school. The addition of school specific units such as ‘Visiting Mecca’ and ‘Yorkshire a Surprising Place!’ has resulted in a good quality curriculum. There are good quality assessment procedures which are starting to be used to develop learning. The school makes very good use of the local area and a visit to Ingleborough Hall to enhance the geography curriculum.

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HISTORY

139. Standards of attainment are below the expected level at the age of seven and in line with expectations by the age of 11. Pupils start with low levels of historical understanding but they progress well throughout the school and achieve well. Support staff or class teachers give pupils who are new to English additional support. In classes without support it is the good quality of teaching that ensures this happens. Pupils with special educational needs achieve at the same rate as everyone else because Frizinghall Primary School - 49 teachers ensure that they are asked questions at a suitable level. There is no significant difference in attainment or achievement between boys and girls.

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HISTORY

140. By the age of seven, pupils are starting to develop an understanding of past and present and some are developing a sense of chronology. Most recognise the words ‘old’ and ‘new’ when they are spoken but they are not able to confidently talk about how they know things are old or new. They recognise the names of famous people but recall little about them. Many pupils are unable to place objects in time order.

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HISTORY

141. By the age of 11, pupils have built well on previous knowledge. Their knowledge and understanding orally is better than their written work. Pupils recall the periods studied and some of the things that happened, for example they can explain how the Ancient Egyptians mummified their kings. They have developed a good understanding of settlers and invaders, for example, they know that the Vikings invaded Britain. They have knowledge of specific periods of history, for example there is satisfactory understanding of the Tudor period, with pupils explaining why Henry V111 had six wives. Pupils know that there was a break from Rome but have difficulty explaining why. There is good knowledge of the Tudor explorers. They can identify differences between the past and present. In work on Victorian times pupils understand the difference in conditions of rich and poor, and know that many children had to work in

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HISTORY

very poor conditions. Some pupils can explain why things happened, for example the reasons for the start of World War Two. Average and higher attaining pupils understand that children were evacuated and rationing took place. Pupils identify primary and secondary sources of historical information.

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HISTORY

142. The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers make lessons interesting for the pupils, for example by using visits out to local museums. Pupils understand what they are going to learn because objectives are given to them at the start of lessons. Methods used are good, for example in a Year 2 lesson the teacher used ‘brain-storming’ techniques to find out what pupils knew about remembering in a lesson on Remembrance Day. Questions are used effectively to develop learning. These are usually challenging but at an appropriate level to meet the needs of the pupils. There are times when teachers make tasks too difficult, for example when asking pupils to recall what they had seen on a visit some time before without any visual clues. The majority of teachers ensure that pupils are on task quickly but occasionally a little time is lost when pupils are not on task immediately. All teachers develop historical

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HISTORY

vocabulary effectively but they miss opportunities to reinforce it by the use of key word cards. The use of displays to enhance the teaching of history is inconsistent. There are good displays in Year 3 and in the hall, where there are details of the famous people used for the house system.

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HISTORY

143. History is linked effectively with other subjects. Pupils develop literacy skills when they read about the periods being studied and write both factual information and writing for a purpose, for example when they write about where they would have liked to have lived in Ancient Greece. There is satisfactory use of information and communication technology, pupils understand the value of the Internet as a source of historical information. History makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development as they are given opportunities to learn about the beliefs of ancient civilisations. They consider social and moral issues when they study Victorian times. Pupils are given opportunities to work together and this helps to develop their social skills.

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HISTORY

144. There is satisfactory co-ordination of the subject. The school has successfully introduced the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) guidelines in the subject. Frizinghall Primary School - 50 There have not been opportunities for the co-ordinator to visit classrooms to monitor teaching and learning to highlight good practice and identify areas for development. There is good quality regular assessment in place which is starting to be used to develop learning. The history curriculum is enhanced by visitors to school and visits to local museums including Abbey House Museum in Leeds. The school is making good progress in history.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

145. Standards in information and communication technology are in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages. Since the previous inspection of the First school, standards have been maintained at the end of Key Stage 1. Judgements about improvements in standards at the end of Key Stage 2 cannot be made because of the changed nature of the school; however inspection evidence indicates that rapid improvements are occurring at the moment. Pupils of all abilities, including those with English as an additional language, new to English and special educational needs make good progress in Key Stage 2. In Key Stage 1 progress is satisfactory.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

146. In Key Stage 1, pupils develop positive attitudes to the way information and communication technology can enhance their lives. Although a very low percentage of pupils have access to computers at home, the majority still acquire the basic skills of using a computer key board to write short pieces of text and they use the mouse effectively to select icons when using learning programmes. In using a programmable toy pupils learn how to programme and control the movement of an electrical device. In Key Stage 2, pupils develop very positive attitudes to new technology. Through using the information and communication technology suite regularly, pupils build up a good range of skills. They are familiar with writing short stories and poems on screen and then editing their work. Pupils know how to select text and the options for different styles of writing, or colour or size.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

147. Pupils benefit from satisfactory teaching overall but a specialist teacher teaches some pupils in Key Stage 2. This benefits these pupils because of the specialist teacher’s added confidence and good knowledge. During a Year 5 lesson, pupils made very good progress in developing their own websites based upon their recent residential educational visit to Ingleborough Hall. In the course of the activities the class teacher demonstrated a very secure knowledge and understanding of how to make effective use of the Interactive whiteboard so that pupils were taught specific skills that they could apply to their own work. In the development of the website the Year 6 pupils made very good use of Search Engines to find information about Ingleborough hall and then used desk top publishing skills to select photographic images that were imported onto a page of the site. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have developed a good knowledge

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

and understanding of the benefits of using the internet for research purposes to support learning in all subjects. By the end of Year 6 pupils have acquired a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of using computers to record data and to analyse it using spreadsheets and graphs.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

148. Teaching is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. All teachers have benefited from New Opportunities Funded training. This has given them confidence to use the facilities of the information and communication technology suite as well as classroom computers. Teachers are confident to make good use of the computer to combine information and communication technology to support learning across the curriculum. In one lesson in Year 4, pupils skilfully used laptop computers in order find a website about World War 2 as part of a history lesson. In another, pupils were taught Frizinghall Primary School - 51 the skills of developing a multimedia presentation about the needs of plants and the conditions for life. Pupils really enjoy information and communication technology and work hard and with good levels of co-operation. The school is in the process of improving its use of information and communication technology to promote pupils’

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

cultural knowledge and understanding. Plans are imminent for establishing e-mail links with children in schools in Italy, Kashmir and New Zealand. Nearer to home, links are also being developed with pupils in a school in Bingley that serves pupils of a predominantly different cultural background. Although the school has plans to teach each strand of information and communication technology, there is a weakness in pupils developing skills of using computers to gather information using sensors.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

149. Very good leadership and management of information and communication technology is provided by the head teacher and two members of staff. The subject is given a high priority in the curriculum with more time than is recommended Significant improvements have been secured since the last inspection in the range and quality of computers and associated software. The computer suite is effective in providing all pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 to learn the basic skills of information and communication technology and classroom provision offers teachers good opportunities to teach pupils how to use computers to support learning in all subjects. The curriculum is well planned and is aimed particularly at improving pupils’ communication skills, including writing, speaking and listening. Good procedures are established to identify gifted and talented pupils and this is reflected in the way that the school is supporting six pupils in

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

taking an RSA accredited course in information and communication technology. Although teachers make regular assessments of the attainment of pupils in information and communication technology, the processes could be better. Pupils are not involved in contributing to recording their own development and achievement. The school recognises this and is in the process of improving its assessment systems.

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MUSIC

150. The standards achieved by pupils aged seven are in line with expectation for their age. Standards achieved by pupils aged 11 are below the expected level. Given that on entry to Year 1 most pupils do not attain the expected standard for their age in the creative area of learning, achievement is satisfactory in Key Stage 1. In Key Stage 2 pupils do not make sufficient progress and their achievement is unsatisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress throughout the school.

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MUSIC

151. By the time they are seven most pupils can recognise and play a range of un-tuned percussion instruments such as bells, triangles and drums. They can identify the different sounds they make and use them to demonstrate long and short sounds. They can sing together and have listened to a range of live and recorded music. However they do not readily evaluate their work to say how it could be improved, nor do they say what they like or dislike about a piece of music they have listened to.

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MUSIC

152. By the age of 11 pupils are beginning to sing in two parts and to understand how three notes can provide an accompaniment to a song. They are developing a satisfactory understanding of musical notation and the differences between, for example, crotchets, quavers and minims. Throughout Key Stage 2 they learn to play percussion instruments more proficiently, but they do not attain the standards expected for their age in playing tuned instruments or in performing, because there are too few opportunities for them to practise their skills. They do not readily evaluate their work or think about how it could be improved. Throughout the school they extend the range of Frizinghall Primary School - 52 music they listen to in lessons and assemblies. As a whole school they sing songs they enjoy well in assemblies.

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MUSIC

153. Teaching in music is satisfactory throughout the school. Good use is made of national guidance to plan lessons and this ensures that all aspects of the curriculum are covered and that there is a systematic development of skills. However in some lessons pupils could make better progress in their learning if there were more opportunities for them to be involved in playing instruments and practising and refining their skills for longer. Lessons are usually well organised with appropriate resources readily available. The management of pupils’ behaviour is satisfactory, but few pupils are motivated to try hard to improve their performance.

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MUSIC

154. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The development of provision for music has not been a recent priority for the school. The co-ordinator has monitored coverage of the subject by looking at teachers’ termly planning retrospectively, and standards achieved by pupils by looking at teachers’ assessments of pupils’ skills. Priorities for the development of the subject include listening to more live music but have not recently focused sufficiently on raising the standards that pupils achieve.

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MUSIC

155. The curriculum for music is enhanced by visits from musicians such as string quartets and Asian performers. A choir for pupils in Key Stage 2 has recently started, and some pupils in Year 4 receive keyboard tuition. Good use is made of recorded music to promote a calm atmosphere in assemblies and some lessons. The development of an Indian dance group for pupils and teachers which performs to the school makes a valuable contribution to cultural development, as does the range of music from other cultures that pupils listen to. When pupils have the opportunity to work in groups this contributes to their social development.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

156. Standards are below national expectations for pupils aged seven and 11. The lessons observed were mainly focussed on games skills, but planning shows that all aspects of the subject are covered over time. The current limit on the outdoor facilities is reducing the opportunities in some aspects of games and athletics. Pupils receive swimming lessons in Year 5 and achieve a satisfactory standard. Outdoor and adventurous activities are suitably catered for during the Year 6 residential visit to Ingleborough Hall, and this makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal development.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

157. Achievement is satisfactory overall though the rate of progress is erratic. Progress is good in those lessons where objectives and tasks are clearly explained to pupils and where the school’s rules of behaviour are rigorously followed. Progress is unsatisfactory in those lessons where lax discipline distracts pupils’ attention from practising skills and consequently behaviour is unsatisfactory. Pupils who are in the early stages of learning English are well supported by bilingual staff to enable them to participate fully in lessons.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

158. By the age of seven, pupils know the importance of exercise in keeping healthy and are aware of the need to warm up before vigorous exercise. Pupils are developing their skills in throwing and catching a ball to a satisfactory level, but they have not developed an understanding of simple tactics. Pupils are confident in demonstrating their skills to others but do not have the opportunity to evaluate each other’s work to suggest improvements. Frizinghall Primary School - 53 159. By the age of 11, pupils move with increasing co-ordination and control. Games skills are developing to a suitable level in lessons through direct teaching of skills, though the opportunity to use these skills in games in lessons is hindered by the current restrictions in the playground due to building work. The skills of some pupils reach a higher level through specialist coaching after school in cricket, rugby and football, and

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

there are good opportunities to improve their dance skills through the regular Indian Dance Club, which is also attended by staff. Higher attaining pupils develop good throwing techniques, using their wrists to increase the speed of the ball. They understand the effect of exercise on their body and know the benefits to health. Overall, however, the proficiency and agility achieved by many pupils is below the expected level. Pupils are not practised in observing good skills in others in order to improve their own performance.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

160. Teaching is satisfactory overall, though examples of unsatisfactory teaching were seen in both key stages. In both these lessons weak class control resulting in poor behaviour contributed to a reduction in the effectiveness of activities. In the better lessons clear instructions and demonstrations help pupils to improve their techniques and performance. This was seen in Year 1, where clear explanations help pupils to focus on linking their movement to produce a repeating sequence. In general, teachers make insufficient use of pupils’ own work to demonstrate good practice and there are few opportunities for pupils to observe each other and make suggestions for improvement.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

161. Co-ordination of the subject is satisfactory though in the early stages of development, and includes the ordering of resources, the retrospective checking of planning to ensure that all areas of the curriculum are covered and arranging for specialist coaches to work in school. Teaching and learning have not been monitored as the subject is not yet a priority on the development plan. Teachers assess pupils’ progress informally but this is not yet rigorous enough to monitor the progressive acquisition of skills. There are difficulties with the outdoor facilities at the moment because of building work and this has limited standards in certain aspects such as athletics. However, this will be remedied when the new facilities, including an all weather pitch, built with a successful bid for a grant, are completed. The subject contributes to pupils’ personal and social development by encouraging them to work together in pairs or groups and

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

162. By the ages of seven and 11, pupils attain standards that are broadly in line with targets set by the locally agreed syllabus, and pupils achieve well. They make good progress in both key stages. A strong feature is pupils’ understanding and respect for aspects of various world religions and this makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual development.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

163. In the largely Muslim background of the pupils, the school makes outstanding efforts to include an understanding of the traditions and beliefs of the major world religions, not only in lessons but also in Faith Assemblies and in visits. Very good use is made of the expertise and personal knowledge of the staff, who represent a variety of religions, and of local religious leaders who take assemblies in school. The school also has links with a Church of England school in a nearby town; a joint visit has taken place to a church and a visit to a mosque has been arranged for later in the year. This improves pupils’ knowledge of religions and is also a very constructive way of developing valuable mutual understanding. Frizinghall Primary School - 54 164. At the end of Year 2, pupils can explain the similarities and differences between Christianity, Islam and Sikhism and talk animatedly about the special ceremonies of all

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

three. In particular they describe the pouring of water in Baptism and the placing of honey on the tongue in the corresponding Sikh ceremony. They know that religions have sacred books and can name the Bible and the Qur'an. They are very familiar with the prophet of Islam and also know that Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead. They understand that certain items are precious to them as people, such as a bracelet or a toy, and relate this to objects regarded as precious to Muslims and Christians, such as the mosque or the cross. They also recognise that certain personal qualities are precious and important and identify these in their class, for example pupils are said to be kind or friendly.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

165. By the age of 11, pupils have a greater depth of understanding about world religions and can describe the ceremonies and beliefs of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Sikhism. They have a particularly good understanding of Islam and Christianity and can make various links between prophets and beliefs. The mainly Muslim pupils are confident when talking about The Christian belief of Jesus as light of the world and show great respect when describing the Crucifixion and Resurrection. They know that life is regarded as a journey by many religions and relate this well to pilgrimages to Hajj and to Taize. They have some understanding of bible stories though this is not as developed as other aspects of their knowledge. The quality of written work is less well developed than their understanding because of the strong focus on discussion in many lessons.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

166. Teaching is good overall throughout the school. Teachers make very good use of the knowledge that pupils have through their own family teachings and worship and relate this well to aspects of other religions. Pupils respond enthusiastically to the teachers’ questions, and the respect shown to their comments, with all pupils valued, develops self-esteem well. Good use is made of appropriate artefacts to develop understanding. Teachers are imaginative in developing activities to illustrate difficult concepts such as life as a spiritual journey. In Year 6, pupils play a board game to represent the pilgrimage to Hajj and then work in pairs to devise a similar game about the pilgrimage to Taize. When pupils are devising their clues and instructions for moving forward or backwards on the board, the teacher takes every opportunity to discuss moral and ethical issues, for example do they think that sharing food with others should be a card

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

to move forward or back. Good questioning is used to assess pupils’ understanding and in Year 3 a very interesting task, putting aspects of different religions in intersecting hoops, is used effectively to check what pupils know.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

167. The subject is well managed by a very knowledgeable co-ordinator, who shows great personal commitment to paying due respect to all faiths. A sound range of artefacts and other resources is being acquired and this is helping teachers to make lessons more interesting and relevant to pupils and so improve standards. Very good emphasis is placed on discussion and practical activities so that pupils’ religious understanding is not limited by their level of writing.

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