Ley Top Primary School

LEY TOP 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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LEY TOP 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. Ley Top Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Avenel Road Allerton Bradford

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs M Nichols

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 1997 Ley Top Primary School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

14591 Dr R Perkin Registered inspector Art and design Music English as an additional language What sort of school is it? What should the school do to improve further?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

1234 Mrs T Bradley Lay inspector Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 25623 Mr T Cox Team inspector English Religious education Special educational needs How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

18344 Mr D Earley Team inspector Mathematics Physical education How well is the school led and managed?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

32139 Mrs A Firby Team inspector Science Geography History Educational inclusion How well are the pupils taught?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

25378 Mrs L Alvy Team inspector Information and communication technology Design and technology Provision for children in the foundation stage. The school's results and achievements

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Yorkshire Educational Services Ltd 16 Burn Hall Darlington Road Croxdale DURHAM DH1 3SR

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Ley Top 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? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Ley Top is a community primary school catering for boys and girls between the ages of three and 11. It is slightly bigger than most primary schools. About a third of the school’s roll changes each year, with many of the changes occurring in Years 5 and 6. This very high rate of change has a negative effect on standards by the end of Year 6. There are 300 pupils on roll, including 43 children attending for either mornings or afternoons in the nursery. Most pupils are of white British heritage but there are a small number of pupils from several other ethnic backgrounds, including Bosnian, Irish, African, Indian, Pakistani and Caribbean and pupils of mixed heritage. There has recently been a significant increase in the numbers of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds. A small number of pupils are in the care of the local authority. A well above average proportion of pupils qualify for free school meals. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

about average. Several of these pupils have emotional and behavioural difficulties and others have dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties and hearing or visual impairment. An above average number of pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Need. Children’s attainment when they start school is well below that typical for children of their age, particularly in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school holds the Investors in People Award and is working towards the Investors in Pupils Award. The school was reorganised from a first school into a primary school in September 2000, when the headteacher took up her post. It has survived a proposal for closure.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Under the very strong leadership of the headteacher, this is an improving school that gives its pupils a good education so that they achieve well. From a well below average start, pupils make good progress to reach standards that are broadly average in many subjects, though still below average in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology. Teaching and learning are good and there are very good arrangements for pupils’ personal development. Leadership and management are good overall. The school gives sound value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards in physical education are above the national average by the end of Year 6. • Good teaching leads to good achievement for pupils of all levels of ability. • Pupils with special educational needs, including those with emotional and behavioural difficulties, make good progress because of the effective arrangements for supporting them. • The nursery provides a good start to school life for the children there. • Pupils’ personal development and relationships are very good because of the school’s very good provision for their spiritual, moral and social development and the very strong support, guidance and pastoral care it gives. • Pupils behave well because the teachers and support staff manage them well and the school has very good procedures for promoting good behaviour. • Very strong leadership from the headteacher has developed a committed team who ensure that the school’s aims and values are very well reflected in its life and work.

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What could be improved

• Standards in reading and writing. • Standards in problem solving and investigation in mathematics. • Standards in the investigation and enquiry aspects of science. • Standards in information and communication technology. • Levels of pupils’ attendance. Ley Top Primary School - 7 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

Improvement since the school was last inspected in October 1997 has been good. During this time, the school has successfully survived a proposal for its closure as part of the local education authority's strategy for dealing with excess school places. It has also undergone a successful reorganisation from a first school to a primary school by adding Years 5 and 6; because of this, it is not possible to compare standards in Year 6 with those at the time of the last inspection. However, standards of speaking and listening throughout the school have significantly improved and this is helping to raise standards in other subjects. The school’s provision for information and communication technology and religious education has improved and this is having a positive effect on standards in those subjects, though pupils’ attainment in information and communication technology is still below average. The teaching is better than it was and improvements have

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

occurred in the way the school is led and managed. The curriculum has been strengthened and the national strategies for literacy and numeracy have been used to improve teaching in English and mathematics.

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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

2000 2001 2002 2002 English n/a E* E E mathematics n/a E E D science n/a E E C well above average above average average below average well below average A B C D E

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schools

The percentage of pupils achieving the expected level in the national tests for 11-year-olds in 2002 was higher than in the previous year, substantially so in English and mathematics, though still well below the national average. Boys’ and girls’ achievements were not significantly different. The proportion of pupils gaining the level above that expected was well below average in both English and mathematics and below average in science. When compared to similar schools, pupils’ performance was stronger in science, where the proportion gaining the higher level was above the average for similar schools. The school’s ambitious targets for English and mathematics in 2002 were not met but the challenging targets set for 2003 are likely to be achieved. There is an improving trend. Standards for the present Year 6 in English have improved, though are still below the national average in reading and writing; attainment in speaking and listening is broadly at

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schools

expected levels for 11-year-olds. Standards in mathematics and science are below average. Pupils’ attainment in information and communication technology is below that expected but standards are higher than average in physical education. In religious education, art and design, design and technology, history and music, standards are broadly at expected levels for pupils at the end of Year 6. No judgement could be made on standards in geography.

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schools

Standards in English by the end of Year 2 are well below average; levels of speaking and listening are higher than this but still below average. Standards in mathematics and science are below average, an improvement on the national test results in 2002. In music and physical education, Year 2 pupils attain at expected levels but standards in art and design and information and communication technology are below average. No judgement could be made on standards for Year 2 pupils in the other subjects of the National Curriculum. Children make good progress in the nursery and satisfactory progress in the reception classes. By the end of reception, most are on target to achieve the early learning goals for physical development but are below average in their Ley Top Primary School - 8 emotional, personal and creative development. In communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world, standards remain well

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schools

below average. Pupils of all levels of ability achieve well in most subjects. Pupils who have special educational needs, including those with behavioural difficulties, make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils’ have positive attitudes to learning and to the activities that the school provides for them. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. The challenging behaviour of a few pupils is well managed by the teachers and other adults so that classrooms are orderly places to learn. Pupils of all ages play together with little friction. Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils carry out their responsibilities with maturity and pride. They use their initiative to contribute to the smooth running of the school community and maintain very constructive relationships with their teachers and other pupils. Attendance Well below average levels of attendance.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching Satisfactory Satisfactory 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

Teaching and learning are good overall and particularly strong in Years 3 to 6 and in the nursery. Teaching was good in two thirds of the lessons and very good in about one lesson in eight. Very little unsatisfactory teaching was seen. English and literacy are well taught in Years 3 to 6 as are speaking and listening throughout the school. Mathematics and the skills of numeracy are well taught. Teaching and learning in music benefit from the expertise and infectious enthusiasm of visiting specialists. Teaching in art and design and, particularly, physical education is good in Years 3 to 6. The teaching and learning of pupils with special educational needs, including those with emotional and behavioural difficulties, are good and benefit from the teachers’ well-developed skills in class management and the use of expert support staff. The brisk pace of most lessons results in good levels of effort and concentration from the pupils. However, in some lessons, teachers are

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

prone to doing too much for the pupils so that they do not have enough opportunities to take responsibility for their own learning. Because teachers make their learning objectives clear and often check learning at the end of lessons, pupils are well aware of how well they have learned. The learning of pupils who join the school part way through a year is less good than that of others because they take time to settle. The school’s practice of withdrawing some pupils from the same lessons each week for other useful activities adversely affects the learning of these pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The curriculum is broad and balanced and meets statutory requirements. It is enhanced by the very good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education. Some pupils miss the same lessons each week in order to receive extra support or undertake other activities. There is a satisfactory range of activities Ley Top Primary School - 9 outside of lessons. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Teachers and support staff help these pupils so that they make good progress. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. There are many opportunities for pupils to celebrate and enjoy learning and to appreciate the efforts of other pupils. Pupils are strongly encouraged to be responsible and mature and to know right from wrong. Bullying, racism and other oppressive behaviour are very strongly discouraged and pupils are well aware of the

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Aspect Comment

consequences of their actions. How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. The school ensures the safety and welfare of the pupils very effectively. It has very good procedures for checking and supporting pupils’ personal and academic development and for overseeing and promoting good behaviour. Procedures for checking and improving pupils’ attendance are underdeveloped. How well the school works in partnership with parents Good. The school works hard to involve parents in the work of the school and provides satisfactory information about pupils’ progress and the work they do in school.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher provides very strong, dynamic and caring leadership. Management has developed a committed team that ensures that the school’s aims and values are very well reflected in its life and work How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. Governors are committed to the school’s further development and have a sound understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. Appropriate priorities have been identified and suitable action taken to meet them. The quality of teaching is being developed effectively as a result of careful checking. The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. Links between planning for future developments and the school’s finances are not strong enough. The school seeks to obtain the best possible value from its spending and consults parents and

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Aspect Comment

pupils as well as staff and governors. The adequacy of staffing, accommodation and learning resources Satisfactory. There is good provision of effective support staff who are used well. The clean and well-maintained accommodation is used to good effect. Levels of learning resources are adequate and, in some subjects, good.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• That they have helped to keep the school open • Their children like school • The high expectations that the school has • Their children’s behaviour and the progress they make • The quality of the teaching • They feel comfortable to approach the school with suggestions and complaints • The range of activities outside lessons • Arrangements for homework • The information they receive about their children’s progress Ley Top Primary School - 10 The inspection confirms parents’ positive views and judges the range of activities outside lessons and the arrangements for homework to be satisfactory. It also judges that parents receive satisfactory levels of information about their children’s work and progress. Ley Top Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. When taking into account pupils’ results and achievements, several factors need to be considered. The very high rates of pupil mobility and significant proportions of pupils with statements of special educational needs, several of these linked to emotional and behavioural difficulties, have a marked negative effect on standards. The very high rate of change means that comparisons with prior attainment and evaluations about pupils’ progress are also affected. It is not unusual for pupils to leave and then return during the same school year.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The school’s own records show that in the first year that the school had Year 6 pupils, almost half of them had joined the school within the previous four years. The national test results in 2002 were stronger for those pupils who had been at the school since the reception year, though still overall below average. Rates of change in other classes are also high or in some cases even higher. Nearly one in five of pupils in the present Year 6 have attended the school for four terms or less and of those a significant number have attended for one term or less. Almost a third joined the school in Year 3 or later. A large proportion of the newcomers qualify for free school meals and a fifth have special educational needs. None of the most recent arrivals is expected to achieve above Level 3 in mathematics or any aspect of English. Many of the pupils who have been at the school since their reception year are expected to do better than this and the school’s tracking shows that

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. However, this is an improving school and present standards of attainment in the current Year 6, particularly in speaking and listening and mathematics, show an improving trend. Pupils achieve well, including those pupils who have special educational needs, and their progress is good. Because of the school’s careful attention to the needs of individuals, pupils joining the school are carefully assessed and provided for so that they too make good progress in the sometimes short time they are in the school. The school is fully inclusive and deals very effectively with vulnerable and disaffected pupils, enabling them to take part in lessons successfully. Major contributory factors in the school’s very good record in including pupils are the very good relationships between staff and pupils and the good provision for behaviour management.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. In the National Curriculum tests by the end of Year 6 in 2002, the school’s results in English, mathematics and science were well below the national average. Results improved substantially from the previous year which were the first Year 6 tests taken in the school. The achievements of boys and girls were not significantly different. In comparison to similar schools, results were best in science, where teacher assessments are being successfully used to target identified weaknesses in the subject and as a result the proportion gaining the higher level was above the average for similar schools in 2002.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. The targets set for both English and mathematics in 2002 were extremely challenging and were not achieved in either subject. Those set for 2003 are also very challenging but are more likely to be achieved as attainment has already improved in the time the school has had Year 6 pupils. The teaching is beginning to quicken the rate of pupils’ progress so that, particularly in Years 3 to 6, a higher proportion of pupils are either achieving levels appropriate for their age or coming closer to them. Fewer pupils remain at the lowest levels in the National Curriculum and more are reaching the higher levels. For example, standards in English have improved because of the effective use of the literacy strategy and the good quality of teaching particularly in Years 3 to 6. Attainment in speaking and listening is now at broadly expected levels for 11-year-olds, although in reading and writing standards remain below the expected levels. While standards in mathematics

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

and science are below average, most pupils make good progress as they move through the school and achieve well from a low base. This marked improvement is a result of the consistently good teaching in both of these subjects, the use of assessment and the support for pupils with special Ley Top Primary School - 12 educational needs. 6. In physical education, standards by the end of Year 6 are above the average and pupils achieve well because of good teaching in Years 3 to 6. Standards are in line with those expected nationally in religious education, art and design, design and technology, history, and music. Standards in information and communication technology are below the expected level for pupils by the end of Year 6 although standards are improving steadily because of the much improved resources and increased confidence of teaching staff. No judgements could be made on standards in geography.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The results of the national tests for seven-year-olds in 2002 were well below the national average in reading and writing. Standards remain similar for the present cohort of Year 2 pupils. Although levels of speaking and listening skills are higher than this, they still remain below average. Standards in mathematics and science are improving and, although below average, are better than last year. Trends over time in Year 2 are generally erratic in reading and writing but steadily upwards in mathematics. Pupil’s attainment in music and physical education by the end of Year 2 is at expected levels. It is below average in art and design and information and communication technology although pupils’ attainment in the latter subject is improving steadily and in Year 1 is broadly at expected levels in some aspects of the curriculum. No judgement could be made on standards for seven-year-olds in the other subjects of the National Curriculum because not enough

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Overall pupils’ progress, from when they start school to reaching the end of Year 6, is good. Children have a good start to their education in the nursery because of the quality and range of interesting activities. Overall attainment varies but most children do not have the skills and knowledge typical of their age. The level of oral communication used by most children is low and they lack confidence in communicating with adults and with other children. Nevertheless, children achieve satisfactorily in relation to their well below average level of attainment. Most pupils are on target to attain the early learning goals for physical development by the end of reception, where their progress is steady. Far fewer are likely to attain the expected level in personal, social and emotional development, in communication, language and literacy, in mathematics, in knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. The national strategies for both literacy and numeracy have been implemented well and this is having a positive effect on pupils’ skills in literacy and numeracy. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills develop well because teachers use opportunities to develop and extend them across the subjects of the curriculum. Sound links are made in mathematics with science, geography and history, which contribute to pupils’ numeracy skills. In general there is insufficient use of information and communication technology in teaching other subjects, to the detriment of learning both in information technology and in the other subjects.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress relative to their abilities throughout the school. This maintains the situation at the time of the previous inspection. The good levels of achievement are a result of the good teaching they receive, the carefully planned work that matches their individual needs and the extra expert help provided by classroom assistants.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils have good attitudes to school, as they had at the last inspection. Most pupils enjoy school. They are able to benefit from their lessons because of the very good relationships they share with their teachers, the support staff and their friends. Positive attitudes are evident during school assemblies and as pupils enter school and settle for the day. Children in the nursery and reception classes quickly adapt to routines which help them to increase their confidence and develop new friendships. They develop positive and purposeful attitudes to their learning as a result of the care, effort and patience provided by staff in the nursery and reception classes. As a result, they steadily begin to understand the importance of developing positive relationships with each other, behaving well, working hard and sharing and taking turns. Ley Top Primary School - 13 12. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are very happy to come to school and can talk about their favourite

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

activities and their appreciation of rewards for good behaviour and efforts in their lessons. Older pupils too participate in lessons and activities constructively and sometimes with marked enthusiasm. The school works hard to integrate pupils who join the school at other times. Their needs are quickly identified and appropriate help provided so that most quickly learn to share the positive attitudes of the other pupils.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils with special educational needs have good attitudes to work in all aspects of school life. They are generally well behaved. They are treated as equal members of the class and take on positions of responsibility around the school. They carry out their tasks diligently, make a positive contribution to the life of the school and develop very good relationships with adults and other pupils.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Behaviour in the classroom is good. Pupils demonstrate respect for their teachers by making efforts to contribute to the smooth running of their school community. The school has many pupils with the potential to seriously challenge adults and disrupt lessons, yet these pupils respond positively to the skills of their teachers and support assistants and make conscious efforts to produce good quality work and help their friends in lessons. Newcomers to the school rapidly adapt to the school’s rules and practices. When behaviour is unacceptable, pupils are required to reflect on the consequences of their actions and the impact of those actions on others. Exclusions have been used, appropriately, to demonstrate the school’s high expectation of good sociable behaviour. Pupils who find self-discipline difficult respond well to the support they receive in school. They are encouraged to discuss their emotions and to build good relationships with adults and

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils accept opportunities to develop personally. In Years 5 and 6, they undertake responsibilities and carry out their duties sensibly. They make very good role models for the younger children and make a positive contribution to the social and moral development of their peers, who seek to emulate them. Responsibilities include supportive roles outside the classrooms, such as Playtime Buddies, Reading Buddies and Environmental Engineers who support younger children to achieve well both academically and personally.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Relationships in school are very good. Pupils are confident to approach adults with their concerns and are secure in the support they receive. Teachers treat their pupils with respect and provide a relaxed atmosphere in the classrooms which benefits their pupils. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have considered the difficulties facing newcomers who join their classes after the start of the school year, thus enhancing their understanding of these pupils needs. Year 5 has produced a very good induction booklet for new pupils to help them settle into school routines and adapt quickly.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Adults provide excellent role models. They trust their pupils and their trust is generally rewarded. For example, two older boys were trusted to handle a guitar and a violin owned by one of the adults in school. The boys clearly enjoyed the experience and handled the instruments with care and respect. Such occasions make a positive contribution to the moral and social development of pupils whilst building strong relationships and friendships.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. A weakness in pupils’ attitudes to school is the level of their attendance, which is poor. Although pupils like school and enjoy their lessons, too many are frequently absent from school. The standards pupils achieve in their learning are adversely affected by the high levels of absence and mobility which interrupts their education. However, unauthorised absences and truancy are declining and pupils usually have the consent of their parents when they are absent. The high levels of absence continue to have a detrimental effect on how well pupils can achieve in school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. Teaching and learning are greatly improved since the last inspection. The proportion of good and better teaching results in most pupils making good progress from a low starting point. Ley Top Primary School - 14 There is very little unsatisfactory teaching and teachers make the lessons interesting and often lively, so that pupils enjoy school and learn well.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy have been successfully introduced. All teachers have received appropriate training in using them, but, because many received the training later than teachers in most other schools, they are only just becoming confident in using them. There are good strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy skills. The strategies are supported well by the high level of additional help from teaching assistants. The teaching of reading and writing is satisfactory or better and is good for older pupils. Speaking and listening skills are well taught, and, because pupils are given ample opportunity to practise these skills in many of their lessons, they contribute to good progress across the curriculum. Pupils read for information in a range of subjects and practise making notes from texts provided by teachers. However, they do not use the library often enough for independent research or use the notes they make to develop their

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

own thinking and writing. Pupils studying life in Victorian times, for example, are asked to make notes in answer to a set of questions. Pupils of all abilities make the same notes, without opportunity to reflect and make personal comments in extended writing, or to search for other books and information to stimulate their discussion and extend their learning. The lack of opportunity to undertake independent personal study is a weakness within teaching and learning and limits the achievement of particularly higher attaining pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Teaching in the nursery and reception classes is sound overall. The teaching in the nursery is consistently good; it is satisfactory in the reception classes. Good teaching in the nursery results in children experiencing a positive start to their education. Nursery staff plan carefully together to ensure a good range of well-organised practical activities. A strength of the teaching in both the nursery and the reception classes is the emphasis on personal and social development. This helps children to gain confidence and self-esteem. Teachers and nursery nurses provide good role models themselves and teach co-operation and promote interest in learning effectively. They talk with children purposefully, often in small groups, and this helps them to make progress in speaking and listening. While children are well managed and make steady progress, daily activities in the reception classes are not sufficiently rigorous in building on what children already know and can do,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

particularly in the development of language for thinking in both planned and self-initiated tasks.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. While the teaching in Years 1 and 2 had some good features, there was little very good teaching and lessons tended to have less pace and urgency than many of the better lessons with pupils in Years 3 to 6.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good with some very good teaching. Teachers know their pupils well and plan activities that are effectively matched to their needs. Good use is made of classroom assistants and other adults who take small groups of pupils to give them more individual help based on the targets in their individual education plans. All adults develop very good relationships with pupils with special educational needs and this has a positive effect on learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. The good teaching, in English and mathematics in particular, is characterised by work which is planned to match the full range of pupils’ abilities and learning needs within each class. Teachers assess pupils’ learning well in English and mathematics as a result of the school’s focus on training and development in teaching literacy and numeracy skills. These assessments are used well to place pupils in groups according to their attainment and to organise the mixed age classes.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

25. Very good relationships between teachers, support staff and pupils are strengths of the teaching and help promote self confidence and a caring respect between adults and youngsters. Adults manage incidents of challenging behaviour well, creating a calm, safe and non-threatening atmosphere. This helps pupils to concentrate and work hard without distraction, in response to the challenge and demands of the curriculum. Ley Top Primary School - 15 26. Teachers organise classroom and human resources well, particularly in using the skills of support staff to assist in teaching groups and individuals. However, sometimes pupils miss the same subject each week in order to avail themselves of this extra teaching and this has a negative effect in their learning in the subjects they miss. Teachers plan how best to use adults’ time in lessons to maximise support for learning. In a Year 5 mathematics lesson with lower attaining

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

pupils, for example, the teacher and support assistant worked together in the whole class warm-up and starter, to set the mental addition work in a real life context. Both adults worked with groups to play a game which developed the same mental strategies practised in the starter; meanwhile, the lowest attaining pupils in the set work completely independently, but very productively, on progressively difficult work sheets, applying similar mental strategies with numbers of lower value.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

27. The brisk pace of teaching is successful in holding pupils’ interest and generally leads to good levels of productivity. This is often the case in physical education, mathematics and science lessons. Teachers’ consistent use of strategies for managing pupils across the school also helps to maintain the good pace in lessons. Confrontation is avoided, good behaviour of all pupils is frequently rewarded, as well as improved behaviour, so that all pupils are involved and respond to the strategies. No teaching time is wasted and many pupils learn to manage their own behaviour and know what to do to improve. Pupils new to the school respond well to the teachers’ consistency and quickly come to understand and, in most cases, appreciate the school’s systems.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

28. Teachers’ good explanations of what pupils should do and learn help pupils to assess their own success in lessons. Teachers have high expectation of pupils generally and communicate this well. Teachers generally make helpful comments in books and use the school’s marking scheme; however, there are some instances of teachers using their own systems for marking, thus producing the possibility of confusion for the pupils. Although some parents are not satisfied with homework arrangement, homework is used satisfactorily to promote pupils’ learning. There are occasions when teachers are too prescriptive about exactly what pupils should record as they work. This leads to over-reliance on particular text books, a lack of pupil self-expression and limited opportunities to make choices and undertake extended written work across a range of subjects. It also limits pupils’ opportunities to investigate and experiment for themselves in subjects such as

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PUPILS?

29. The school teaches all the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education for an appropriate amount of time. Pupils’ intellectual and physical developments are promoted effectively. Very good provision is made for pupils’ personal, social and health education. Relevant programmes are provided for sex and health education and the awareness of the misuse of drugs. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social education is very good. It is good for cultural development. There is a satisfactory range of activities outside school hours. Satisfactory provision is made to ensure that all pupils have equal access to everything the school provides and opportunities to succeed.

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PUPILS?

30. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall. Good quality resources and carefully planned experiences in the nursery are strengths of the provision. The teachers and nursery nurses provide interesting activities indoors and outdoors, although they are not as rigorously planned as they might be in the reception classes so as to ensure that quality experiences in the nursery are built on progressively in each area of learning.

p.15

PUPILS?

31. The school checks how well pupils learn and sets personal targets for improvement, particularly in English. Pupils who need extra help in English and mathematics join booster classes and pupils who find reading difficult are given extra help. There are signs that this is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning and self-esteem. However, teachers do not make enough use of the library to encourage research and reading in other subjects. The school has identified reading Ley Top Primary School - 16 comprehension as an area for development. To this end, pupils regularly use a computer program to help those who find this aspect of the learning difficult. The timing of these sessions is not always ideal as they sometimes coincide with whole-class sessions that are necessary for the completion of later work. The inclusion of French on the timetable for pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 increases their awareness of the importance of language, encourages them to listen carefully to

p.15

PUPILS?

what is said and makes them feel special. This boosts their self-confidence.

p.16

PUPILS?

32. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Difficulties are identified early. Targets contained in pupils’ individual education plans are usually good. Targets are mostly precise and easily measured, though in a few cases, they are too broad. Individual education plans are reviewed regularly and new targets for improvement are set. Pupils with special educational needs have equal access to all aspects of the curriculum. The school provides many opportunities for them to work in small groups or individually with adults. About half of the pupils who have taken on responsibilities around the school are pupils with special educational needs.

p.16

PUPILS?

33. While the range of activities outside lessons is satisfactory, the school recognises the need to provide more extra curricular activities for pupils. There is a very well supported breakfast club which gives pupils the chance to have something to eat, meet socially and play traditional games such as skipping. A small group of pupils, given the title of Environmental Engineers, care for the school grounds when the weather permits. A parent runs a football club. However, activities the school provides to improve pupils’ learning, such as the booster club and homework club for Year 5 and Year 6, take place after school and the school is trying to balance provision for pupils with the time and staff available. Nonetheless, an extra, religious-based ‘Kids Club’ is due to start shortly.

p.16

PUPILS?

34. There is very good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education. The school places very great importance on this aspect of the pupils’ education and, along with their spiritual, moral and social education, is an integral part of everything the school does. Pupils apply for jobs around the school, such as acting as friendship ‘Buddies’ at playtime, helping in the dining room and as paired reading helpers. They take their roles seriously and carry them out conscientiously. So important and prestigious do pupils see these jobs, that other, younger pupils are beginning to aspire to become ‘Jobs People’. Pupils are given strong messages about acceptable forms of behaviour in personal, social and health lessons. They respond very well to this by thinking carefully about the sort of place they want their school to be and writing vision statements for each class as well as devising class targets. Pupils are expected to show self-discipline. If they

p.16

PUPILS?

misbehave, they write their names on a ‘consequence board’ or go to the ‘consequence room’ to think about their actions before stronger sanctions come into play. There is no school council as yet but this will be set up once the school has completed its application for the Investors in Pupils award.

p.16

PUPILS?

35. The provision for pupils’ spiritual education is very good. In a Year 5 science lesson, for example, pupils saw ‘magic’ in the fact that sound would travel through a solid object, their finger, into their ear. They were surprised when twigs of forsythia, bare and uninteresting when they first saw them on Monday, had burst into flower by Thursday. Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 are given the chance to reflect about their first day at school, their feelings for school and for each other and say what makes them feel sad and happy. The recital of the school creed in assembly gives pupils the opportunity to think about the type of school they want and their place in it. Visits to the local church lead pupils to talk about the sense of calm they felt when they entered the building. There are frequent opportunities to celebrate each other’s work and to enjoy activities together in, for example, singing sessions.

p.16

PUPILS?

36. Arrangements for promoting pupils’ moral education are very good. The school sets high expectations of the way pupils behave. Pupils write vision statements and rules for their class. Targets inside the covers of books remind pupils of their personal responsibilities as well as their academic targets. They are made to take responsibility for their own actions through the use of the consequence board and consequence room. Mentors are provided for pupils who need help and advice to improve their behaviour. These approaches lead to pupils who are developing a clear sense of right and wrong. This was illustrated in an assembly when pupils gasped with shock Ley Top Primary School - 17 before the headteacher had time to say that she had permission to take the branches of forsythia from a neighbour’s garden. 37. The provision for pupils’ social education is very good. Pupils perform for local elderly

p.16

PUPILS?

people at Christmas and distribute gifts to them after the harvest festival service. The breakfast club gives pupils the chance to meet socially and establish friendships. They talk together quietly in groups and play games. Pupils respect each other’s privacy; pupils who want to read quietly are left undisturbed. The very good relationships built up with the helpers at the breakfast club carry on into classrooms, where relationships between adults and pupils are warm and friendly. Pupils care for each other. For example, in a Year 3 class, a pupil spontaneously found a pen for another pupil who had not got one.

p.17

PUPILS?

38. The provision for pupils’ cultural education is good. They learn about past and present British culture through history and geography lessons and sing traditional songs. Knowledge of the local area is developed when pupils visit places such the City Hall, Bolton Abbey and Skipton Castle. Pupils and staff take part - spectacularly - in World Book Day, dressing up as characters in stories. Photographs of the water supply in rural Spain show pupils the contrast in lifestyles between that area and Bradford. However, apart from a display showing Australian aboriginal art, the artwork on display is predominantly European and there are no visitors from other cultures or faiths.

p.17

PUPILS?

39. Links with partner schools and institutions are well established. For example, a music teacher from the secondary school leads music lessons for Year 6 pupils and sports teachers support their colleagues in the primary school. Trainee teachers from Bradford College visit the school for teaching practice, often bringing fresh ideas with them. Raffle prizes were donated by local businesses when pupils wrote asking for help. Players from Bradford City Football Club and Bradford Bulls Rugby Club pass on skills to pupils and there are regular visits by the school nurse, fire and police officers.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. This is a very caring school. Its procedures are used in a positive way to ensure that pupils are happy, safe and secure. There are a number of strategies being used well to support pupils in their lessons and promote their personal development.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The headteacher has assumed responsibility for child protection issues and uses the support services available. The school uses sensible strategies to promote the health, safety and welfare of pupils and staff. The head teacher makes time for informal conversation with pupils and has a very caring manner that nonetheless shows very high expectations of their behaviour and attitudes. This atmosphere of care contributes very positively to the welfare, spiritual and personal development of pupils in school.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The school successfully uses a consistent set of procedures to check on pupils’ behaviour and to help develop their relationships. Pupils value the school’s use of a consequences board which requires them to consider the consequences of their actions and to reflect on the impact on others. The consequences board is to monitor the extent of unacceptable behaviour and to apply sanctions when the school’s code of conduct is broken. A house system to reward pupils for their efforts is used successfully and makes a positive contribution to pupils’ good attitudes, behaviour and academic progress in school.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Two members of staff are designated as learning mentors to work individually with pupils who are having difficulties; the mentors contribute strongly to the very good pastoral support for pupils. They liaise with the pupils referred to them, and compile a personal and academic learning programme which is reviewed regularly. The mentors support pupils to grow in confidence and self esteem by encouraging them to form positive relationships with adults and other children. Reviews to improve targets have a positive effect on academic progress and personal achievements. Ley Top Primary School - 18 44. The school has very good strategies to enhance the personal development of its pupils. Its co-ordination of personal, social, health and citizenship education is now very well established. Pupils are encouraged to debate aspects of growing up, such as the dangers of smoking. Younger pupils seek to contribute to school life by assuming minor responsibilities while older pupils make

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

formal application to assume formal responsibilities in school. They are aware that qualities such as reliability and punctuality combined with sensible and responsible attitudes are required if they are to be successful in applying for the school’s Job Experience project. Job Experience embraces all aspects of school life. For example, responsibilities include supporting learning through the reading buddy scheme or checking the sensible use of cloakrooms at playtime and promoting good habits with regard to litter around the school. At present, only Year 5 and Year 6 pupils are eligible for Job Experience , but already younger pupils are seeking similar roles within the classrooms and aspire to take more responsibility when they are reach Years 5 and 6.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Appropriate procedures are in place to assess pupils’ attainment and progress. The information is used to guide future lesson plans and check the academic progress pupils make in English and mathematics. Older pupils know their learning targets in English, while targets in mathematics are beginning to be used to good effect. However, the use of assessment to help teachers plan science lessons is still under developed.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is carefully monitored and these pupils are supported well in school. A policy for special education needs is in place and the governor with responsibility for special educational needs is kept well informed. Difficulties are identified early. Baseline tests, the results of national tests and teachers’ assessments are used to measure pupils’ attainment and to help teachers provide work focused on individual pupils’ needs. Good provision is made for pupils with special educational needs to work in small groups or as individuals with support assistants. Pupils with behavioural and emotional problems receive good support from mentors employed to help them. The re-organisation of some classes into mixed age groups has meant that a significant number of pupils who find learning difficult are not on the school’s formal list of pupils who have special educational needs. They receive work carefully

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

matched to their abilities. Newcomers to the school have their attainment levels and other needs speedily assessed and then receive the help they need by being placed in appropriate groups or by given any additional support they need.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. Children are assessed regularly in the nursery and detailed records are kept of the children’s progress. These are used effectively in the planning of tasks as well as to target children’s individual needs. Further assessments are made as children enter and leave the reception classes, providing important evidence of children’s achievements during their time in the Foundation Stage. Additional assessments are kept of the children’s progress in reading, writing and mathematics although these are not always used sufficiently well to inform teaching and learning.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. Procedures for checking and promoting full attendance are well established. Regular patterns of absenteeism are closely checked and investigated. Classes are competitive and seek award certificates for full attendance but monitoring procedures are informal and have not had sufficient impact to raise attendance in line with national levels. The school does not have a policy of contacting the parents quickly when a pupil is unexpectedly absent from school. The school is beginning to use the newly allocated education welfare officer to follow up absences.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. Parents perceive the school to be good and are pleased with the work it does to teach and support their children. Their questionnaires confirm that their children like school and make good progress. They believe the school is well led and managed and the headteacher and her staff are approachable. Teaching and behaviour are perceived to be good with high expectations of their children. However, a few parents had reservations about homework, the range of activities outside Ley Top Primary School - 19 lessons and how well the school keeps them informed about their children’s progress. The inspection agrees with the positive findings of parents and can confirm that their negative concerns are now being addressed satisfactorily.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. The main strength in the school’s partnership with parents is the effectiveness of its links with parents. The school has recently run a learning workshop for parents on the teaching of numeracy. This workshop was well attended and made a positive contribution to the work parents can do with their children at home. Parents were most supportive when the school was threatened by closure and worked hard to have the decision reversed. A significant example of the effective links between school and parents was seen on World Book Day. While all the adults in school wore splendid fancy dress to promote the books of their choice, parents made tremendous efforts to ensure that their children could contribute and join in the fun of the day. The fancy dress was both impressive and original and a delight for all in school.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. Parents are fully involved in well-organised procedures as the children start school in the nursery and then the reception classes. Invitations to play a part in their children’s learning through ‘open days’ and social activities are effectively organised by the nursery staff. These different types of activity are beginning to have an impact on parents’ involvement in their children’s learning. In each reception class, parents are encouraged to support their children’s reading and to write comments in the reading records about their progress. Teachers do not take part in this process so there are missed opportunities for dialogue between home and school in the teaching of reading. For example, teachers miss these opportunities to share assessments of the children’s progress with parents through the modelling of diagnostic and helpful comments and to give parents help and guidance in teaching their children to read.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

52. The impact of parents’ involvement on the work of the school is currently satisfactory. Parents are responsive to the school’s consultation with them and were involved in changes when the school became a primary school just two years ago. Many parents make a positive contribution to their children’s learning at school and at home through the support they give with home reading and in their help with homework routines.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. The information provided for parents is satisfactory. It takes the form of newsletters, the school prospectus and the governing body’s annual report. These publications are reader friendly and provide parents with all the information they need to know about the school. Pupils’ annual reports tell parents what their children know, understand and can do. However, targets are sometimes too vague to give parents and pupils clear strategies for improvement. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are kept well informed of their children’s progress and are involved in their specific learning programmes which are reviewed annually. The school makes good efforts to contact parents of pupils joining the school so as to involve them as fully as possible in their children’s learning.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides very strong, dynamic and caring leadership. As a consequence, the school's overall provision is improving greatly and standards of attainment are beginning to rise. This is further enhanced by her successful strategies for developing an increasingly effective management team and a committed team of teachers and support staff. The staff works very hard and collaborates well in helping to raise standards and in very successfully meeting the school's aims and objectives. The very successful leadership of the headteacher has, during the past two years, contributed significantly to the school's successful adjustment to a major reorganisation and to its staving off of the threat of closure.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. In this, the school has been well supported by the governing body. The governing body has a sound understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. It plays an appropriate part in Ley Top Primary School - 20 setting the school's educational direction and is supportive of the school's efforts to raise standards. Governors fulfil their statutory duties soundly and are beginning to work more closely with the school. Attendance at governors' meetings is generally good and they have a well- organised committee structure. Some governors visit the school regularly and all receive regular reports from the headteacher. Governors consider test results and compare the school's performance with schools nationally and with similar schools. This enables them to set clear priorities for improvement. For example, governors supported staff in the decision to focus on aspects of English and mathematics in order to make improvements. Because governors are well

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

informed, they are able to act as critical friends of the school. For example, the decision to organise pupils in mixed age classes was the focus of much discussion before the final decision was reached.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The effects of the good leadership and management are beginning to be seen in the areas prioritised by the school for improvement. For example, standards in speaking and listening throughout the school have improved and, by Year 2, trends in standards in writing and mathematics are improving. The school recognises that there is much work to do in improving standards in reading and has identified priorities to address this. Although the school has only provided for pupils in Year 6 for the previous two years, standards in English, mathematics and science, while still not good enough, are beginning to improve. This has been enhanced by the school's detailed analysis of its performance, which has led to the clear tracking of pupils' progress and the setting of targets for improvement. Pupils' progress is further enhanced by the formulation of a clear curriculum plan which helps to ensure that they build securely on work that has gone

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The very sensitive leadership of the headteacher has ensured that the school has developed a very caring ethos. This has been reflected in the gaining of the Investors in People Award and in the process of working towards the Investors in Pupils Award. Pupils and adults in school are very highly valued. This encourages them to give of their best. The school has built on strengths identified during the previous inspection and provides very well in its care for all pupils and for their personal development.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. Staff have responded well to opportunities provided by the headteacher to become more closely involved in the leadership and management of the school. They are increasing in confidence and are helping to improve provision throughout the school. Responsibilities are clearly shared and staff take part in training to improve their skills. Teachers with subject leadership check teaching, learning, teachers' planning and pupils' work in order to make improvements. This has helped to improve the quality of teaching since the previous inspection and is helping to raise standards.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The special educational needs co-ordinator manages the provision for this area well and is up-to-date with recent changes in this area. All pupils on the school’s list of special educational needs are provided with individual education plans. The co-ordinator helps teachers write the plans and monitors them regularly. Pupils are closely consulted and parents are given the chance to be involved in the writing and review of the plans. The school makes good use of the funds available for special educational needs to maintain a high level of staffing in this area. There are close contacts with outside agencies such as the educational psychologist, the hearing-impaired service and learning support services.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The school makes good use of its teaching and non-teaching staff. Subject co-ordinators’ responsibilities are well matched to their skills and experience. Training has been provided in areas identified as priorities such as literacy and the role of the subject co-ordinator and this is beginning to have an impact on standards. Teaching assistants and nursery nurses make a significant contribution to the raising of standards and work closely with teachers to support the work of pupils of all abilities. The school makes good use of visiting specialist teachers, including those from the local secondary school, in subjects such as music. This is helping to raise pupils’ standards and teachers’ confidence. Ley Top Primary School - 21 61. The school has made significant improvements since the previous inspection in its provision in the library and computer suite. These are now helping to enhance learning throughout the

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

school. The accommodation is sound. The school has spacious classrooms and makes effective use of the accommodation such as the two halls for physical education, the storage space and the room used by the learning mentors to support individual pupils. It has good outdoor space for pupils to play and for physical education and has an attractive enclosed garden wild life area. There are good facilities for children’s outdoor play in the nursery, which are also used by children from the reception classes. The accommodation is well maintained and cleaned to a high standard by the cleaners and caretaker who take a pride in their work and in the school. It is enhanced by attractive displays of pupils' work.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The school has an adequate plan for its long and short-term development. However, staff and governors would have a better view of the way ahead if priorities were more clearly ordered and more directly and consistently linked with the budget. The budget is monitored closely. Governors and staff ensure that financial planning is careful and considered and that principles of best value are carefully applied. The budget is astutely managed in view of the high incidence of pupil mobility and the fluctuating finances that this engenders. Office routines are well organised and appropriate financial controls are in place. The school is well administered. This allows the headteacher and staff to focus on the central purpose of teaching and learning. Recommendations from the most recent auditor's report have been met. Grants and funds for special educational needs are used effectively. Ley Top Primary School - 22

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

63. In order to improve standards and the quality of education further, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Raise standards in English by: o more systematically developing pupils’ skills in understanding the context of a word; o providing more opportunities for pupils to write independently across all subjects of the curriculum; o planning more opportunities for pupils to use information and communication technology for drafting, editing and publishing their written work; o improving teachers’ understanding of the levels of attainment appropriate for each age group and their knowledge of what pupils need to do to reach the level above that expected for their age. (Paragraphs 20,27,30,72,73,76,78,79) • Raise standards in mathematics by: o increasing the pupils’ understanding and use of mathematical language; o extending pupils’ skills in problem-solving and in investigating number relationships; o increasing the use of information and communication technology to support learning in mathematics. (Paragraphs 27,80,85)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Raise standards in science by: o more systematically developing pupils’ understanding and skills in investigation and enquiry; o improving teachers’ understanding of the levels of attainment appropriate for each age group and their knowledge of the skills pupils need to develop to reach the next levels. (Paragraphs 27,89, 91-93) • Raise standards in information and communication technology by: o planning more opportunities to use information and communication technology more rigorously to assist learning in other subjects; o providing more training for teachers and classroom assistants to further increase their competence in the subject in order to speed up pupils’ progress; o ensuring that the software available is sufficient for pupils to learn in all aspects of the information and communication technology curriculum. (Paragraphs 9, 81, 110 – 144)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve and formalise existing procedures to raise the level of pupils’ attendance to national average levels by: o telephoning homes on the first day of absence if no message or reason for absence has been received in school; o using the Education Welfare Officer systematically to formalise enquiries into reasons for pupils’ absence. (Paragraphs 18, 47)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition the governors should consider including the following in their action plan:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• To ensure that, in taking part in necessary support activities, pupils do not miss the same lessons or parts of lessons each week. (Paragraphs 30, 93, 108, 113) Ley Top Primary School - 23

p.22

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 70 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 59

p.23

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor Number 0 9 38 22 1 0 0 Percentage 0 13 54 32 1 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one percentage point.

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 21.5 272 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 115 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 6 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 44

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 51 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 57

p.23

Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence % % School data 6.3 School data 3.4 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Ley Top Primary School - 24

p.23

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 19 28 47

p.24

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics Boys 12 15 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 23 21 Total 28 38 38 School 60 (65) 81 (72) 81 (81) Percentage of pupils at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.24

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science Boys 15 17 13 Girls 18 21 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Total 33 38 31 School 70 (65) 81 (81) 66 (56) Percentage of pupils at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.24

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 22 21 43

p.24

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science Boys 11 11 18 Girls 11 13 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Total 22 24 35 School 51 (35) 56 (46) 81 (77) Percentage of pupils at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.24

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science Boys 6 6 10 Girls 12 11 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Total 18 17 23 School 43 (44) 40 (42) 55 (56) Percentage of pupils at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Ley Top Primary School - 25

p.24

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

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 5 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 2 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 4 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 7 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 2 1 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.25

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.

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6 Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 14 Financial year 2001 - 02 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19 Average class size 22.7 £ Total income 1,085,333 Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 1,012,445 Total number of education support staff 20 Expenditure per pupil 2,860 Total aggregate hours worked per week 362 Balance brought forward from previous year Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance carried forward to next year 72,888 Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0 Number of pupils per qualified teacher n/a

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2 Ley Top Primary School - 26 Total aggregate hours worked per week 60

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 6.6 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5 Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 3

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0 Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Questionnaire return rate Number of questionnaires sent out 283 Number of questionnaires returned 111

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know My child likes school. 71 25 3 1 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 64 32 4 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 65 27 5 3 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 49 34 13 4 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 52 34 11 3 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 64 29 3 4 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 68 31 0 1 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 46 41 8 5 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 52 36 2 2 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 58 35 4 3 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 42 34 12 12 0 Ley Top Primary School - 27 Ley Top Primary School - 28

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. When they start in the nursery, children’s skills and knowledge vary considerably but overall are well below those expected for their age. Only a small number of children have the skills and knowledge that are typical for their age. Children’s oral speech and communication are frequently weak. Social skills vary considerably and significant numbers of children lack confidence. Despite a good start in the nursery and continued steady progress in the reception classes, the great majority of children are unlikely to attain the early learning goals in communication, language, literacy, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world. More children are on course to attain average levels in creative and personal, social and emotional development. Most are on course to attain the early learning goals in physical development. Some children start at the school part way through their reception year and so have not benefited from the good teaching in the

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Personal, social and emotional development

65. The nursery staff provide consistent effective teaching in this area of development. Children starting the nursery often lack the confidence and independence that are typical for their age so they thrive well in the calm and well-organised nursery setting. Good opportunities to develop independence and social skills are available every day. For instance, children are encouraged to be ‘helpers’ in the nursery, to tidy away toys and equipment after use and to choose their activities and work in them sensibly. Children follow routines satisfactorily with firm but sensitive guidance and begin to persevere with their tasks. Few actually choose to play co-operatively in small groups and benefit from adults correctly modelling social behaviour well. Teaching in the reception classes continues to reinforce soundly the skills learnt in the nursery although many children still have difficulty listening to the teacher without calling out. The majority are now better at socialising with

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Personal, social and emotional development

other pupils, tidying away equipment and persevering with their work.

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Communication, language and literacy

66. This area of learning is taught satisfactorily overall. Several other factors such as absence and late entry to the reception classes contribute to preventing children from achieving the standards expected for their age by the end of the foundation stage. Many children have to catch up from a lower starting point as well as starting the school part way through the reception year. Good opportunities are provided in the nursery for children to speak, listen, read and write on a daily basis. Planning clearly identifies the specific language to be developed in particular tasks. Children are encouraged to find their names as they enter the nursery. In a group that targets speaking skills, they are helped to put the ‘word of the week’ in a sentence, although only a few can express themselves with confidence and clarity at this stage. Colourful displays include language presented in a stimulating way. For instance, captions on a transport display such as ‘Is the car going up the

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Communication, language and literacy

hill?’ or ‘What kind of work does a digger do?’ provide good opportunities for the staff to develop language for thinking. In the reception classes, teaching is satisfactory. Higher attaining children respond well to the opportunity to ask questions of ‘Freddy Teddy’ who has been home with one of the children for the night. This regular session is extending speaking and listening skills well. Average and lower attaining children are still reticent in asking a question and sensitive interjections by the teacher help to develop their limited ideas. Sometimes children’s poor grammatical structures are left uncorrected, however. Most children have begun to understand the purpose of print and but only higher attainers read simple sentences with little help and use their knowledge of letter sounds to write short sentences. The teachers’ planning does not identify clearly enough a range of daily opportunities to listen to and read stories and to write for a variety of purposes. There

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Communication, language and literacy

is insufficient detail in planning for children to use language independently to ensure that children’s experiences are suitably challenging, extend learning and match more closely the intended outcomes. Ley Top Primary School - 29

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Mathematical development

67. When they start in the nursery, the children’s mathematical knowledge and vocabulary is well below what is typical for their age. Steady progress in the reception classes, building on a good start in the nursery for those children who attend regularly and continually, cannot always overcome the difficulties that some children face. Children are rather slow in building up a basic number vocabulary and their understanding varies considerably. Consequently, by the end of the reception classes, standards are low in relation to what is expected of children of this age. Children have a good start in the nursery because resources and tasks are carefully planned to teach number, pattern and shape. Stimulating displays serve to remind children of the patterns they have made, counting routines at the beginning of each session and the introduction of specific number language. Story, song and rhymes involving numbers are a strong feature of the well-planned

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Mathematical development

provision. Constant reinforcement and repetition of tasks in games, role-play and activities help children to learn to use numbers in practical contexts, often through an interesting theme. Staff in the nursery use every available opportunity to develop mathematics and mathematical vocabulary. For example, as children made a bear mobile, sensitive adult interventions helped them to talk about the size of the circles they were punching in the different size bears. This was then reinforced and extended when the children prepared bear sandwiches of different sizes for a picnic on ‘World Book Day’. Satisfactory teaching in the reception classes continues to build on the good experiences in the nursery. Some higher attaining children can count and recognise numbers beyond 10 and put them in the right order. Average and lower attaining children still need support to recognise that some numbers are smaller than others, for example. Higher attaining children on

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Mathematical development

the other hand can add one more to nine, for instance. Tasks in the reception classes are not always sufficiently well planned to build closely on what children know, understand and can do, particularly in independent tasks linked to mathematical learning.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

68. When they start in the nursery, many children have limited experiences outside their own homes and families. In both the nursery and the reception classes, staff plan satisfactorily overall to give children a deeper understanding of their everyday world. However, only a few higher attaining children reach the standards expected by the end of the Foundation Stage. A strength of the teaching is the way in which topics are used to extend early learning in science, for instance, where children are stimulated to develop curiosity about the changing seasons or the life cycle of the frog. They observe the changes when cress grows and, with help, record them. The adults provide much sensitive support to help the children to develop their ability to ask or answer questions because of their lack of confidence and limited vocabulary. In both the nursery and the reception classes, the children are beginning to develop their computer skills satisfactorily. Most

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

concentrate well when using the computers and are beginning to use the mouse with some skill in order to move objects on the screen or to draw pictures.

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Physical development

69. The regular opportunities for outdoor activities and the use of the hall support the progress of the reception children. Such activities build on the outdoor play and other experiences in the nursery well. By the time they leave the reception classes, most of the children are on target to attain the expected levels for their age. Teaching is satisfactory overall with some good features, such as when planning for outdoor play builds progressively on skills learned in the nursery. So, for example, a small group of reception children worked hard to consolidate and develop the balancing skills they had learned in a gymnastics lesson during an outdoor play session. With good guidance from the nursery nurse, they improved their skills and their thinking about how they could improve even more. Other children were given sound guidance by the teacher in controlling and manoeuvring their bicycles between an imaginary wall and lines on a roadway drawn on the

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Physical development

playground. In the nursery, daily opportunities to cut, paint and write help children to begin to develop fine control and continued practice in the reception classes ensures that most children can use small tools and equipment such as scissors satisfactorily. Children enjoy physical activities, Ley Top Primary School - 30 try hard and persevere with tasks.

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Creative development

70. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. In the nursery, daily opportunities to listen to music, paint, cut and stick are effectively planned. Children are helped to develop their skills in applying paint, for instance. Continued practice and sound teaching in the reception classes results in higher attainers successfully painting their portraits with appropriate detail and care for their age. Most children’s use of colour and attention to detail in their paintings and drawings is still immature. Children are well motivated and interested, particularly when role-play activities are carefully linked to a theme such as the exciting stimulus of the ‘Theatre’ or the ‘Circus’. This encourages imaginative and creative development well. Children are given the chance to express their ideas, thoughts and feelings through a variety of songs and music, although average and lower attaining children need and receive plenty of encouragement to do so as they have difficulty in expressing

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Creative development

their ideas without support. They are unlikely to attain all the early learning goals in creative development by the time they enter Year 1.

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ENGLISH

71. When compared to all schools, results in the National Curriculum tests in 2002 for seven and 11-year-olds were well below average. Results are the same when compared to similar schools except in writing by the age of seven, when pupils’ performance was average. Inspection evidence shows that standards attained by pupils are well below average in reading and writing and below average in speaking and listening by the age of seven. By the age of 11, attainment in reading and writing is below average but similar to most other 11-year-olds in speaking and listening. Nevertheless, taking into account pupils’ low ability on entry to school, pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because they receive work and help carefully matched to their needs. Pupils who join the school in Years 1 to 6 are carefully assessed in English and appropriate work is planned for them and support provided

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ENGLISH

when necessary. While, in most cases, their progress during their time in the school is good, they have less time to catch up with the other pupils and consequently their performance in National Curriculum tests is often not as strong as that of pupils who have had longer in the school. The generally poor levels of attendance also affect overall standards.

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ENGLISH

72. There has been good improvement in speaking and listening since the last inspection, when standards were below average throughout the school. Although standards are still below average in speaking and listening by the age of seven, they are improving and, by the age of 11, are typical for the age group. This is because teachers take every opportunity to involve pupils in discussions. In practically every lesson, pupils are expected to answer questions and give opinions, and they are usually pressed to do so in complete sentences. In some infant classes, pupils’ poor vocabulary skills hold back their progress. For example, six-year-olds did not know the word ‘ buds ’. In a class of 11-year-olds, pupils did not listen carefully enough and wrote ‘ sliver ’ when the teacher had said ‘ slither ’. In general, however, pupils listen carefully. Pupils in junior classes usually answer in articulate, extended sentences. They speak with clear voices. They are helped in this because

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ENGLISH

teachers have high expectations of pupils. In a science lesson for 11-year-olds, where the bulk of the lesson was based around discussion, pupils were exhorted to “give good scientific reasons” when answering. Pupils’ confidence in speaking to an audience was developed when eight-year- olds had to re-tell the story of a class reading book to the rest of the class.

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ENGLISH

73. Standards in reading by the age of seven are well below average. This is because many pupils start school with poor literacy skills and teachers have not been rigorous enough in the past in assessing the levels pupils reach. However, good record keeping systems are now in place and pupils receive extra help with their reading. Standards improve by the age of 11 but are still below average and not enough pupils reach higher levels. Few average and lower attaining pupils in infant classes read with expression. In Year 2, higher and average attaining pupils build unfamiliar words Ley Top Primary School - 31 using letter sounds. However, lower attaining pupils, although they know the letter sounds, do not always associate the sounds with words. For example, one pupil gave the correct sounds for ‘ in ’ but persistently read the word as ‘ it ’. Average and lower attaining pupils do not think carefully

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ENGLISH

enough about the content of the stories to help them work out the meaning of words and cannot explain what the stories mean. Some higher attaining pupils read very well. They read play scripts, such as ‘ The Emperor’s New Clothes ’, and give each character a different voice.

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ENGLISH

74. Effective teaching of the National Literacy Strategy means that, by the age of 11, most pupils use dictionaries, contents, index and glossary pages to find information. Pupils build on the satisfactory work carried out in these areas with seven-year-olds and go on to use techniques such as skimming and scanning to search quickly for information. Pupils use letter sounds to build unfamiliar words. For example, eight-year-old pupils successfully worked out how to pronounce Visvakarma . However, reading does not appear to be a regular or popular pastime for some 11- year-olds. Although they can name some of the more popular authors, such as Roald Dahl and Jacqueline Wilson, average attaining readers are reluctant to talk about the books they read. Neither they, nor low attaining pupils, make use of the local lending library. Their reading is often disjointed because they do not take notice of punctuation, stop mid-sentence and do not look ahead

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ENGLISH

to see when to vary the way to read. These pupils find it difficult to work out the meaning behind a story. Higher attaining pupils, however, show greater interest in the books they read, giving opinions about the characters and incidents in the Harry Potter books. They enjoy books by Jacqueline Wilson because of the humour and emotion they contain and the way the stories “get your imagination going.” Teachers are taking steps to give pupils greater insight in their reading. For example, in a very good lesson when Year 6 pupils studied ‘ The Listener ’ by Walter de la Mare, the teacher used her good subject knowledge to demonstrate how the poet used hard and soft sounding words to build tension in the poem. Pupils borrow books from the school library to take home. However, although they use non-fiction books in their classrooms, pupils do not find books to help with topic work for themselves in the library.

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ENGLISH

75. By the age of seven, standards in writing are well below average. They are below average for 11-year-olds. Not enough pupils reach higher levels. In Year 2, although higher attaining pupils write in simple sentences, sometimes punctuated with full stops, and spell most common words correctly, average and lower attaining pupils do not do so well. Average attaining pupils write down their ideas as chains of thoughts, often joined by ‘ and ’, ‘ but ’ and ‘ then ’, although some are starting to use full stops and capital letters. Their work is often very short. Lower attaining pupils often copy their own words that they have dictated to the teacher. Higher attaining pupils write imaginatively when presenting their version of ‘ Twinkle, twinkle, little star’: Twinkle, twinkle, little pig, You look better in a wig.

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ENGLISH

76. In Year 6, pupils improve their use of vocabulary when teachers use words such as ‘ ponderous ’ in conversation. This encourages pupils to be more imaginative in their choice of words and to use words such as ‘ bounded ’ and ‘ murky ’ to create atmosphere. They plan and edit their writing, making the meaning clearer by changing ‘ quickly ’ to ‘ hurriedly ’. Close examination of work by famous authors such as Walter de la Mare enables pupils to see how he uses alliteration in the phrase ‘ the forest’s ferny floor ’ to create atmosphere. Higher and average attaining pupils use a wide range of punctuation well. They use full stops, capital letters, question and exclamation marks accurately and show a good understanding of the use of apostrophes. Pupils are gaining in confidence in using punctuation to separate speech from narrative. Higher attaining pupils use ellipsis, words missed from a sentence and replaced by a row of full stops, to create suspense in

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ENGLISH

their stories. Lower attainers, however, continue to use punctuation erratically and to misspell even common words.

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ENGLISH

77. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have insufficient opportunities to write at length. The development of pupils’ independent writing skills is reduced when they copy work in subjects such as history and religious education. In Years 1 and 2, not enough attention is paid to encouraging pupils to write complex and interesting sentences. However, when teachers do concentrate on teaching writing skills, the resulting work can be good. Pupils in Year 5, for example, worked on draft copies to improve a story about a market girl. They used good phrases, such as ‘ noble steed ’, and Ley Top Primary School - 32 developed complex, well-punctuated sentences, writing, ‘ Grace, needing the company, said yes ’. By the age of 11, most pupils’ handwriting is joined and legible. Pupils with special educational needs, however, still print and form some letters incorrectly. Most pupils produce neat work.

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ENGLISH

78. Teaching is good overall, with some very good teaching. It is stronger in Years 3 to 6. This represents an improvement since the previous inspection and results in pupils making good progress. Teachers give pupils many opportunities to join in discussions and expect all pupils to answer questions. This results in improving standards in speaking and listening. Teachers use questions well to find out what pupils know, how well they are learning and to introduce new ideas. Notable features of a significant number of lessons are the high expectations that teachers have of pupils and the challenging work they present to them. Lessons move at a good pace and pupils are kept busy. In a very good lesson with Year 4 pupils, the teacher pushed pupils hard to explain how they would use an index to find out more information about animals. Lower attaining pupils were set very challenging tasks to complete by themselves, to which they responded with excitement. The

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ENGLISH

teacher’s management of pupils was good and the warm relationships established between the teacher, the classroom assistant and pupils ensured that pupils worked hard and enjoyed the lesson. The very good relationships between pupils and adults are a feature of most lessons and support the caring attitude the school has towards its pupils.

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ENGLISH

79. Teachers plan lessons well. Some teachers assess how well lessons have gone and revise their planning to repeat aspects of lessons that pupils have not fully understood. They make good use of classroom assistants in group work and the assistants give good support to pupils. Classroom assistants are used less well in the introduction to lessons when they are seldom involved with pupils. Although teachers provide opportunities for pupils to practise English skills using a computer program, they do not make enough use of computers for writing and carrying out research. Marking of work is usually good. Teachers’ comments, particularly for older pupils, challenge pupils to improve their work and tell them why their work is good. In the best marking, teachers set targets for pupils to achieve.

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ENGLISH

80. Leadership and management of the subject, driven by the headteacher’s vision of raising standards throughout the school, are good. Good procedures are in place for checking pupils’ progress in national tests and in lessons. Good use is made of assessment to help teachers plan lessons. The school makes good use of the information it gathers to ensure that pupils receive the extra help they require to improve their English skills. Small groups and individuals receive extra help with reading from adults and older pupils, who act as ‘buddies’ to younger pupils. However, the school does not have a collection of work showing the levels appropriate to each age group to help to improve teachers’ understanding of what pupils need to do to reach the level above that expected for their age. There is a small library with a suitable number of books; its use is satisfactory.

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MATHEMATICS

81. By the end of Years 2 and 6, attainment is below what would be expected nationally for pupils aged seven and 11. This is below the findings of the previous inspection in Year 2, but above the 2002 National Curriculum test results. Attainment by the end of Year 2 is part of a gradually improving trend. Although the school has provided for pupils in Year 6 only since 2000, attainment has improved in that time. An important feature in the below average attainment is the large incidence of pupil mobility, which inhibits the continuity of education for pupils who join the school at times other than the nursery or reception years. Poor attendance also has a detrimental effect on standards. However, a significant aspect of the improving trends and good achievement of most pupils, including those with learning difficulties, is the consistently good and occasionally very good quality of teaching and the correspondingly good learning. This is further enhanced by the effective

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MATHEMATICS

use the school makes of assessment in order to identify strengths and weaknesses in pupils' knowledge and understanding. This is used to set targets for improvement for each pupil and to help teachers ensure that planning builds on previous work. For example, an analysis of assessments indicated a need to focus further on pupils' skills in using and applying mathematics. Ley Top Primary School - 33 This led to the provision of opportunities for pupils to extend their skills in problem solving and to use investigative games in order to increase their understanding, particularly in Years 3 to 6.

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MATHEMATICS

82. The school makes good use of the National Numeracy Strategy and its scheme of work to plan lessons. This helps most pupils to make good progress. For example, teachers make good use of opportunities for pupils to develop their mental skills and to explain their methods of calculation. The school also makes sound links between mathematics and other subjects of the curriculum. This helps them to see a relevance in their mathematical work and to increase their understanding of mathematics and the other subjects. For example, in geography, pupils in Year 5 used co-ordinates in their map work. In Year 2, pupils used time lines in their work in history. In science, pupils in Year 6 recorded the results of their investigations into solids and liquids in bar and line graphs. There is some mathematical work involving information and communication technology; for example, younger pupils worked with floor robots and Year 4 pupils collected data

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MATHEMATICS

on computers. However, the school makes insufficient use of computers in order to support and extend its work in mathematics.

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MATHEMATICS

83. Because teachers have a good understanding of how to teach the basic skills, most pupils in Years 1 and 2 make good progress from a low base in their understanding of number and place value. For example, in Year 1, most pupils add and subtract money accurately and higher achieving pupils confidently use strategies such as adding the larger numbers first in their calculations. In Year 2, higher achieving pupils confidently add 10 to three digit numbers although the understanding of this process by lower achieving pupils is less secure. Because teachers ensure that work builds carefully on what has gone before, most pupils make good progress in their recall of addition and subtraction facts and recognise patterns in numbers.

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MATHEMATICS

84. The progress of the pupils who have been in the school for the whole of Years 3 to 6 is good and most attain more highly than those who come to the school later. As they move through Years 3 to 6, most pupils sustain their earlier progress and show sound understanding of number relationships. This is because teachers have a good subject knowledge, which enables them to explain tasks clearly and to ask challenging questions to prompt pupils to think hard about their work. In Year 4, for example, the teacher challenged pupils to use their knowledge of the seven times table to answer mental problems. In Year 6, the teacher explained addition and subtraction strategies carefully so that, although lower achieving pupils were less secure in their use of the strategies, they made good progress as the lesson progressed. A significant feature in the good progress made by most pupils is the high expectations of teachers. For example, in the very good

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MATHEMATICS

teaching in Year 5, lower achieving pupils increased their skills in adding two and three digit numbers using partitioning because the teacher set demanding tasks and the lesson was conducted at a brisk pace. Similarly, higher achieving pupils in Year 6 increased the accuracy of their work on fractions and quadrants because the teacher insisted on high standards of presentation. The needs of pupils joining the school are carefully assessed when they arrive so that they can be placed in appropriate groups and given suitable work and help.

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MATHEMATICS

85. Pupils' work is further enhanced because teachers make good use of their checking of pupils’ learning during lessons. They also make good use of whole class sessions at the end of lessons in order to reinforce understanding and to extend pupils' knowledge of their own learning. For example, in Year 3, the teacher made good use of number fans in order to assess pupils' progress in mental calculation. The lesson objectives were explained to the pupils at the beginning and end of the lesson so that their understanding of how much they had achieved and needed to do was reinforced. Classroom support assistants give the teacher good help. They are well trained, know the pupils well and work closely with teachers to support pupils of all abilities. Teachers mark pupils' work regularly and provide comments which help to clarify understanding and build on strengths.

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MATHEMATICS

86. As they move through the school, most pupils develop sound skills in computation and in measuring and in work on shape and space. However, many pupils have difficulty when they are faced with problems using words and in investigating numbers and number relationships. By use of assessments in tests and during lessons, teachers have identified these areas and are working Ley Top Primary School - 34 hard to improve standards. Relevant mathematical language is used consistently during lessons. Teachers present pupils with a wide range of problems and discuss with pupils steps and strategies for solving them. Pupils are presented with a range of practical activities and games during lessons to help to increase their understanding of number relationships. Each class has very useful displays, where pupils are challenged to solve mathematical puzzles. Mathematical language features prominently and, because the displays are attractively mounted, pupils are

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MATHEMATICS

motivated to become engaged with the activities they promote.

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MATHEMATICS

87. Because teachers generally manage them well, the pupils behave well and sustain their concentration. Most pupils take a pride in their work and present their calculations neatly. This is because they know it is expected and that it helps in the accuracy of their work. Relationships are very good. Most pupils are generally keen to explain their calculations to teachers and peers because they know that their efforts will be valued. This gives them confidence which helps them to achieve well. This is very important in the school's efforts to improve language and problem solving skills and to raise standards.

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MATHEMATICS

88. Teachers are particularly successful in presenting work which is well suited to pupils' abilities, so that they are helped to make progress from their own levels of skill and understanding. For example in Year 1, higher achieving pupils were challenged to recognise and create number patterns. Pupils of average ability worked on less complex patterns and lower achieving pupils worked on basic number bonds. This is further enhanced in the work of older pupils because they are organised into classes according to ability in mathematics. Pupils with learning difficulties generally make good progress because they are well supported by teachers and teaching assistants and because individual education programmes clearly indicate manageable targets for improvement. The school makes sound use of homework in order to reinforce and extend pupils' learning in class.

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MATHEMATICS

89. A significant factor in the improving trends in attainment throughout the school is the contribution made by the subject co-ordinator. She has a good understanding of the teaching and learning of mathematics and works hard to organise the subject and give advice to other teachers. The co-ordinator checks teaching, learning, pupils' work and planning in order to make improvements and has a clear understanding of how the subject is to develop in order to raise standards.

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SCIENCE

90. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, standards are below national expectations, but are improving, particularly pupils’ scientific knowledge. This is because the good quality of teaching and teachers’ subject knowledge have improved since the last inspection. However, continuing poor attendance, families moving home within the area and withdrawal of some pupils from lessons, all contribute to standards below the levels expected for pupils’ ages. Investigative skills are underdeveloped, especially for able pupils in Years 5 and 6, so that, overall, fewer pupils attain the higher levels at age 11, compared with other schools.

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SCIENCE

91. Pupils are making good progress in science from a low start, including pupils with special educational needs, as a result of the good teaching in the subject. Teachers plan carefully to match activities to pupils’ needs, using a range of resources and they make clear what pupils need to do and learn by the end of the lesson. Teachers model good use of scientific vocabulary as they introduce work and expect pupils to pay attention and respond to their good explanations and demonstrations. Pupils carry out practical tasks and tests to find out by doing, as well as by discussion, though there are too few opportunities for them to do practical work. They handle equipment carefully, follow instructions and make observations when prompted by teachers and support assistants. Speaking and listening skills and scientific vocabulary develop well in answering teachers’ pertinent questions. Pupils describe what they see happening and begin to

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SCIENCE

offer reasons why. This was the case in a Year 1 lesson on forces in which more able pupils Ley Top Primary School - 35 investigating the effects of squeezing, twisting and stretching materials responded to, “Can you think of something which changes shape when you squeeze it? What happens when you pull an elastic band?” Pupils were able to describe what happens to familiar objects like the toy character Stretch Armstrong or a simple elastic band. They handled play dough to experience the effects of such forces on a soft material. They confidently used terms like push, pull, press, squash, stretch, snap and twist as they described the changes they made and observed. Their responses helped them discover which materials would return to their original shape, and how.

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SCIENCE

92. Other good features of science teaching are the brisk pace of lessons and the very good relationships between adults and pupils, which foster positive attitudes, good behaviour and productive rates of work. In a Year 5 lesson, for example, it took only moments for the teacher to lead pupils to discover that the quietest sounds can travel through solids. Total silence fell on the usually lively group as they co-operated fully and immediately as one, gently scratching their hand with a finger placed safely in the ear. They removed the finger and gasped at the discovery, along with the teaching assistant (and the inspector!). Further exploration followed, in which pupils co- operated in pairs and as a class, leaving plenty of time to compare their findings in a whole class session at the end. The teacher linked learning well with information about Native Americans using the same knowledge to listen for distant sounds through rocks. The class activity was adapted

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SCIENCE

from a published scheme which suggested pupils could design their own experiment. The opportunity was missed to develop scientific enquiry skills at the level appropriate for age and ability, because the tests were decided by teachers and all the pupils were testing and recording the same findings on a prepared chart.

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SCIENCE

93. Year 6 pupils enjoy talking about practical work in science. They use the phrase ‘set up experiments’ but describe being allowed to handle equipment and use it as instructed by teachers. They enthusiastically discuss reversible and irreversible changes, dissolving substances, filtering, evaporation and condensation, remembering the tests they have done and what was observed. Pupils’ understanding of ‘asking own questions’ is limited to the context of clearing up personal misunderstanding.

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SCIENCE

94. Pupils’ work is marked conscientiously and, particularly in Years 1 and 2, teachers annotate work with detail of how the pupil is working. Other teacher comments indicate pupils’ absence from lessons, sometimes for extra help in other subjects, or for specialist music. Teachers are conscious that some pupils miss science lessons at the same time each week. This has a detrimental effect on progress. Pupils rejoining lessons struggle to catch up and disturb the flow of learning for others, as in two Year 6 lessons on irreversible changes. Teachers attempted to repeat the good introductions and demonstrations but these were very brief. A pupil with special educational needs was helped further by a teaching assistant, but, for many of those withdrawn from lessons, work is not completed or there are gaps in their learning. Teachers include all pupils present, and the emphasis on practical work ensures active participation and progress in gaining

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SCIENCE

knowledge, for all groups of pupils. However, there is not enough more demanding work, matched to ability, to challenge able pupils especially in investigative work.

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SCIENCE

95. Information and communication technology is not used enough in science to measure and aid observations or in the presentation of results. The co-ordinator has a clear vision for the subject and has produced a sound development plan, based on a whole school audit, but its implementation is behind schedule as a result of her absence. She has supported improvements in teaching and in standards by adapting published materials to create a scheme of work for the school and through in-service training, guiding teachers’ expectations of pupils’ work and knowledge of attainment at different levels for ages to improve assessment of learning. School assessment procedures are being extended to include science at Key Stage 1, and, combined with the co- ordinator’s own monitoring of teaching and learning, this is beginning to enable an informed view of pupils’ attainment in science across the school. Predictions made in previous years have been

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ART AND DESIGN

Ley Top Primary School - 36 96. Standards are below average by the end of Year 2and broadly average by the end of Year 6. Pupils of all levels of ability make good progress in developing their skills and broadening their experience of art and artists. Teaching is satisfactory for Years 1 and 2 and good for Years 3 to 6.

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ART AND DESIGN

97. By the end of Year 2, pupils are beginning to use their observational drawings and paintings of natural objects as the basis of pleasing designs. Teachers choose activities that catch pupils’ interest and promote their learning soundly. For example, pupils are led to recognise that repeating patterns can be varied and even overlapped in the style of William Morris to produce patterned collages and murals. Higher attainers confidently rearrange their designs and discuss how they have tried to obtain the effect that was achieved in the picture they were shown. The majority of pupils, however, are content with simple patterns. Pupils use a variety of techniques to obtain templates from their own work to help them with their designs. Most work hard and carefully, persevering well on placing their cut-outs in precisely the place they want them or challenging themselves to produce increasingly complex patterns in their printing. Many pupils, however, find it

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ART AND DESIGN

difficult to cut felt and paper neatly and accurately and their finished works are not as polished as they might be. The best of their paintings of human figures in action show a good sense of movement but most are immature and lack the detail expected in paintings by seven-year-olds. Pupils develop their observational drawing and painting skills during Years 1 and 2, recording their observations from nature in coloured pencil, using shape, line, colour and texture soundly. There was little evidence of larger scale art or of a wide variety of techniques and styles for pupils in Years 1 and 2. There was also very little evidence that pupils encountered the art of cultures other than the industrial west.

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ART AND DESIGN

98. By the time pupils are in Year 6, however, they have experienced a much broader range of media and techniques. Teachers, particularly those working with older pupils, show a confident knowledge of the subject and explain techniques clearly. Pupils in Year 3 produced evocative paintings of relationships which made telling use of contrast, size and colour to express the pupils’ feelings about the relationships they were portraying. Year 4 pupils selected colour carefully and skilfully in making strong and effective pictures of journeys in the style of the Australian Aborigines. Pupils in Year 5, having looked at the work of Clarice Cliff, designed and made their own clay pots in a variety of styles and produced pleasing painted glass containers; pupils chose whether to make their pots and containers decorative or functional. Much of the art forms part of pupils’ studies of other subjects so that, for example, Year 6’s study of the Ancient Greeks included drawing Greek

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ART AND DESIGN

urns and other artefacts as well as designing masks and heads for a variety of Greek gods and goddesses. The study of Ancient Egypt also involved aspects of art with pupils painting illustrations of Egyptian jewellery and trying their hand at making hieroglyphics. The range of cultures represented in the curriculum and in the stimulating displays that enhance the study of art around the school is quite limited and does not include examples from African and Asian art and design.

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ART AND DESIGN

99. Good use is made of classroom support to ensure that all pupils, including those who have special educational needs, are able to achieve to their best. There are too few occasions, however, when pupils are able to choose their own activities or work co-operatively on a large scale. There are some opportunities during the annual art week but very few in normal lessons.

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ART AND DESIGN

100. The subject is soundly led and managed and the subject is developing well. Learning resources and displays have significantly improved.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

101. Standards match those expected nationally by the end of Year 6. Pupils are on target to attain the expected level by the end of Year 2. Pupils make at least satisfactory progress and, where teaching is imaginatively planned, their progress is good. Additional staff support pupils with special educational needs so that the achievement of these pupils is good.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

102. Teachers follow a well-structured programme of work and have a long-term plan that Ley Top Primary School - 37 ensures that each unit of work is taught progressively through the school. Year 6 pupils talked enthusiastically about the moving models they had made in Year 3 and the clowns with ‘spinning bows’ in Year 4, for example. As a group, they recalled the stages that they went through when preparing to design and make a ‘fairground’. Good links to information and communication technology and science were included during their research as they explained clearly why they needed to watch a video and experiment with mechanisms before trying out their own designs. Teachers encouraged the pupils to evaluate their models, and they were quick to explain why they changed their designs or what did and did not work. Teachers do not always challenge pupils to make their plans detailed enough by producing step-by-step instructions of how models should be

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

made or recording measurements accurately, however.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

103. The quality of teaching is good overall. Planning identifies the knowledge to be developed and sets up the design process very well, providing much relevant material and language. Pupils remained interested and well motivated throughout both lessons because the teacher supported by the classroom assistants provided a stimulating presentation of interesting and appropriate material. Good links to science and numeracy were exploited effectively in one lesson where pupils had to design and make a circuit quiz. The teacher promoted careful measurement encouraging the pupils to work hard with good levels of concentration although levels of detail and quality of drawings were variable. An imaginative and skilful introduction to the very good lesson on ‘making music’ left pupils intrigued and enthusiastic. The teacher had planned the lesson very well using the classroom assistants’ musical expertise to very good effect. The pupils listened avidly to clear

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

and expert explanations about the assembly of various stringed instruments, applauding enthusiastically when he demonstrated expertly how each instrument worked. Pupils asked many pertinent questions in readiness to design their own instrument to be used in a performance. A good quality design brief booklet led pupils to think logically about their designs, to research them carefully and to evaluate them when they have finished.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

104. It was not possible to make judgements about standards of attainment at age seven in either subject because little teaching was observed, and most activities are practical with a strong emphasis on speaking and listening during lessons. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement about standards in geography by the end of Year 6. Standards in history by the end of Year 6 are broadly at expected levels. However, there are weaknesses in pupils’ research and enquiry skills in both history and geography.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

105. In Years 1 and 2, teaching follows the school’s new subject guidelines and schemes of work. Teachers plan work which covers the National Curriculum and a systematic approach is ensuring that pupils have the opportunity to develop geographical and historical knowledge and skills. For example, in geography, Year 1 pupils study the travels of Barnaby Bear, developing their knowledge of other places in the world. Year 2 pupils compare and contrast the local area of Allerton with the Isle of Struay. They find out about natural features of coastal areas, different uses of land, and differences in lifestyle in Bradford and on Struay. Early use of simple maps helps them locate Bradford within the British Isles and Europe. Teachers make good links with other work so that pupils further develop reading and writing skills and practise their skills in new situations. This was evident in a class letter written to a Katie Morag, asking about her life on Struay, and in the

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

reply for pupils to read. In history, mapping skills are practised, following the route of Florence Nightingale to Scutari. All pupils attempt the same work and more able pupils manage to record information for themselves. Lower attaining pupils rely on adult support to achieve learning. Teachers’ comments on the pupils’ written work indicate supportive teaching and assessment of what pupils learn in lessons, to help plan the next learning.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

106. In Years 3 to 6, schemes of work for both subjects are being systematically taught. New text books, to support the schemes of work, have been a recent priority for the school. The teachers use these resources systematically and this ensures that pupils cover a satisfactory range of work in history and geography. By Year 6, some pupils talk confidently about different Ley Top Primary School - 38 peoples, places and events in the world, now and at times in the past. They know something about Ancient Greece, the Romans, Vikings, Tudor and Victorian periods. They name King Henry as an important person from long ago. They understand that there are different sources of evidence about the past, recall the term archaeologist and know that the diaries of ‘someone called Anne who lived during the war and told us it was scary’ are important. When pressed, they remember the term witness , and recognise books and videos as other sources of information. They do not recall

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

dates readily, are confused about timelines, saying, for example, that Victorians come after the Tudors and Victoria is King Henry’s daughter. Overall, pupils make good progress from the low starting point when they start school. However, the schemes of work have not been in place long enough to benefit the older pupils in school and as a result their attainment is not yet at the higher levels expected nationally.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

107. In Years 5 and 6, the quantity and range of work increase and are satisfactory. However, for the most part, pupils of different abilities work on the same activities, as when pupils in Year 6 compared the city states of Athens and Sparta. Pupils’ work does not reflect different levels of understanding, as tasks require them to use and quote from the same texts provided. As a consequence, higher attainers are not sufficiently challenged by the work they are set. Teachers’ comments in history books do not promote independent enquiry, asking the pupil, for example, to refrain from ‘guessing’ and to use the text to answer the set questions. Overall, pupils do not pose and answer questions about the world we live in now, and about life and events in times past. One good example of enquiry, however, was work in geography about the possibility and effects of closing Allerton Road to traffic. When pupils begin to think and act as geographers, standards rise.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

Teachers do not provide enough opportunities for older pupils approach geography or history in the spirit of independent investigation.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

108. By Year 6, the links with teaching in English are strong. Higher attaining pupils recall, from literacy sessions, information about global warming and the greenhouse effect, but are less sure about why they study the effects on the environment. They use a wide vocabulary and remember factual information about the water cycle and pollution, mountains and river, which they link to their work in science. They name the rivers Wharfedale, Aire, Nile and Thames and know the Pennine, Alps, Himalaya, and Rocky mountain ranges. They can discuss weather and temperature but do not generalise about climate. They understand possible causes of climate change but are less able to describe effect beyond saying melting polar ice-caps will cause floods.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

109. The teaching is satisfactory in history with some good features. There was insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement about the quality of teaching in geography. However, pupils enjoy their studies in both subjects, are gaining a wide knowledge and talk confidently about what they have learned. Work in books is careful, mostly completed and consistently marked by teachers. Some pupils have gaps or unfinished work because they are absent or withdrawn from lessons for other activities. For example, several pupils missed work on the legacies of Ancient Greece because they attended reading or mentor sessions, for which other work was planned for them. This occurs at the same time each week and coincides with the time allocated in that year group for both history and geography.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

110. The history and geography co-ordinators are beginning to monitor standards of teaching and learning in the subjects but this is at an early stage of development. They collect samples of pupils’ work, use national guidance, and scrutinise teachers’ planning to check for coverage of the schemes of work. These strategies are helping co-ordinators form a view about levels of attainment in their subjects, but they do not yet have a firm enough view of standards for whole year groups or across the school, to help them focus on raising standards. Displays lacked a varied range of maps to stimulate pupils’ curiosity about the earth and different geographic regions. The school has identified a need for more historical artefacts, which will develop enquiry and research skills. Information and communication technology is used occasionally for research, as in Year 6 work on Ancient Greece, but pupils do not use the library to find information for personal or

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

collaborative study, to promote learning and attainment at the higher levels. Ley Top Primary School - 39

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

111. Standards in information and communication technology are below average by the end of Year 6 although higher attaining pupils in both Year 2 and Year 6 are working at expected levels in some aspects of the curriculum. Standards of work are improving steadily through the school since the recent introduction of the computer suite and the increased confidence of many teachers. Pupils, including those who have special educational needs, achieve satisfactorily. Pupils listen sensibly and follow instructions carefully so that learning is productive with the majority of pupils eager to learn new skills.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

112. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall although examples of good teaching are evident in both the infants and the juniors. Some teachers and classroom assistants are still familiarising themselves with the new hardware and software and lack of confidence means that the computer suite is not used as effectively as it might be and this slows progress. The use of information and communication technology to support other subjects of the curriculum is inconsistent although pupils have used the Internet and CD ROMs for research in history and geography, for instance. Year 6 pupils explained candidly how much they enjoyed using the Internet to find out about ‘things they don’t know about’.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

113. A good lesson in Year 2 kept pupils fully engrossed and eager to learn how to control a device by entering a clear set of instructions. The teacher’s very good relationships with the pupils, clear explanations and questions helped pupils to understand the importance of giving instructions in a logical way. Spontaneous applause rang out when, with the teacher’s help, they made a device move forward and turn successfully. Higher attaining pupils quickly understood the process and used specific terms such as clockwise and anti-clockwise correctly when following a route on a grid. Average and below average pupils have more difficulty because they do not understand how to interpret the ‘turn’ symbol correctly. When teacher’s explanations are insufficiently clear because of insecure subject knowledge, as in a similar lesson, pupils are less successful in understanding the process and progress is affected. Nevertheless, lessons cover skills progressively and

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

systematically because the teachers now have good support from a well-structured programme of work. This, however, has yet to fully impact on standards.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

114. The impact of the good lessons in raising standards further is sometimes limited by the time spent actually using the computers to practise skills. In addition, the withdrawal of some pupils for other lessons means that these pupils miss valuable teaching time and then practical work. This happened in a good Year 6 lesson after pupils were given an effective demonstration of how to use a spreadsheet application to produce different types of graphs. The remaining pupils worked productively on the computers, benefiting from the teacher’s individual assessment and support. Pupils worked confidently and quickly in this lesson because clear teaching, very good relationships, high expectations of progress and the teacher’s determination to raise standards helped those pupils present to improve more rapidly. A good balance of skills teaching coupled with practical tasks and a follow-up to assess pupils’ progress at the end of lessons are not yet

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

consistent features of all the teaching.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

115. Pupils are keen to learn about this subject and the new after-school computer club is well attended by boys and girls. A group of pupils from Years 3 and 4 made good progress as they rapidly used various toolbar applications to amend a piece of text. This also helped pupils’ literacy skills as they read the list of instructions the teacher had prepared for them, checking for spelling mistakes and punctuation errors. There are still gaps in pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding, however, and teachers are very aware that many pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 are still ‘catching up’. A small group of higher attainers in Year 6 knowledgeably discussed their use of the Internet, how they calculated data on a spreadsheet or used graphic images to complement text. All but one had access to a computer other than at school and used computer terms confidently and with ease. Gaps in pupils’ knowledge because of the lack of appropriate resources restrict

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

their overall progress; there are no opportunities for pupils to produce presentations in vision and Ley Top Primary School - 40 sound or to sense physical data in science, for example. The school has rightly identified a range of resources needed to rectify this problem along with the recognition of the importance of increasing the use of computers to support more subjects of the curriculum. Currently too few opportunities are available to pupils to extend their skills during lessons as well as when they are timetabled to use the computer suite. The school has a clear view of the improvements already made and those still to be tackled, although the monitoring of teacher’s planning is not thorough enough. However, the recent introduction of an agreed system for assessing and recording what pupils can do is likely to provide a useful tool for developing pupils’ achievements further.

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MUSIC

116. Standards are at broadly expected levels by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Achievement overall is good for pupils of all abilities. Pupils who have special educational needs, including those who have emotional and behavioural difficulties, play a full part in music lessons and enjoy them thoroughly because of the enthusiastic lead set by the adults. Pupils sing a variety of songs tunefully, keep time well and perform at an appropriate level with untuned percussion and body sounds. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 sing simple rounds, maintaining their parts well with the help of an adult. By Year 6, pupils can handle four part songs with good levels of control, keeping their tune and rhythm against the rest. A small number of pupils learn to play musical instruments, including the recorder, and these pupils’ knowledge of musical notation, for example, is used well by teachers to help other pupils to learn. Pupils have some opportunities for group composition but this is an

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MUSIC

area for development. They also listen to a range of music by famous composers but opportunities are missed to raise the profile of music in assemblies, where, while music is played as pupils enter and leave the hall, it is not discussed nor are pupils invited to listen to particular aspects of it. Pupils learn to sing songs from a range of times and cultures and, on some occasions, hear visitors playing, for example, African drums. Overall, however, they have too few opportunities to experience a wide range of music from around the world.

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MUSIC

117. The teaching of music is good and, when visiting teachers are supporting the lessons, very good. These lessons are marked by the energy, pace and enthusiasm with which they are taught and the very effective way in which the adults involved work as a team. Pupils respond extremely well, joining in the singing and other activities with gusto and great appreciation of the efforts of others, both teachers and pupils. The visiting teachers share their expertise generously so that, during the weeks when they are working with other classes, the class teacher can continue along the same lines, thus developing their own skills while maintaining the good progress of the pupils.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

118. By the end of Year 2, standards are in line with what is expected for pupils aged seven. Most pupils make good progress and, by the end of Year 6, standards are above average for pupils aged 11; they are particularly strong in gymnastics and games. This good achievement is enhanced by the overall good and sometimes very good quality of teaching and learning, particularly in Years 3 to 6.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

119. Because teachers have a good understanding of the subject, they ensure that pupils warm up efficiently at the beginning of lessons, ready for vigorous activity, and cool down adequately at the end of lessons so that they are ready for work back in class. In Years1 and 2, most pupils increase their skills in controlling and striking a ball. This is enhanced by the good use teachers make of their own and pupils' demonstrations. This helps pupils to reflect on how they might improve. However, occasionally, when teachers do not intervene sufficiently in order to guide pupils and help to refine their skills, progress is less rapid. During lessons, teachers make good use of the language of the subject so that pupils are encouraged to think about how they might improve their performance and are helped to extend their vocabularies. For example, in a gymnastics lesson in Year 1, pupils became familiar with terms such as stretch and tension . This helped to

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Ley Top Primary School - 41 improve their movement and balancing skills.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

120. Because teachers manage pupils well and have high expectations, pupils generally behave and collaborate well and work safely. In the very good teaching in Year 5, for example, pupils worked collaboratively in independent groups to increase the balance and control of their travelling and weight bearing skills. Most teachers make good use of their observational and analytical skills in assessing pupils' performance. For example, in Year 6, pupils improved their basketball skills because the teacher recognised the need for them to further practise throwing and receiving. In Year 4, pupils were helped to improve their control and co-ordination in balancing on different body parts because the teacher used pupil demonstrations to point out good practice.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

121. Pupils have opportunities for swimming in Year 5. Most pupils make satisfactory progress in swimming. The subject is well co-ordinated. The co-ordinator organises the subject efficiently and checks on teaching and learning in order to make improvements. The school makes good use of its scheme of work and is aware of the need to develop its planning in the teaching of dance.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

122. Standards are in line with those expected in the locally Agreed Syllabus by the time pupils are 11 years old. Insufficient evidence was seen to make judgements on standards for seven-year- olds.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

123. By the age of 11, pupils show good knowledge of how people show their faith through prayer, a belief in a deity, possessing holy scriptures, places of worship and celebrating religious festivals. Pupils know that Sikhs show their faith by wearing five items beginning with K, and name the kirpan, or dagger, as one of them. They draw comparisons with Christianity, relating the church to the gurdwara, the belief in God and Guru Nanak and the use of the Holy Bible and the Sikh Holy Scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib. They recognise that other religions, such as Islam, have their equivalents in the mosque and the Qur’an. Pupils have a sound understanding of the place of Christening in the Christian church. They make good progress in learning about the rituals surrounding the ceremony. Pupils suggest that the candle is lit to represent Jesus as the Light of the World and that the use of holy water is to “wash all the evil away.” They show good insight into

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

the role of godparents, suggesting that they are there to support, encourage and look after the welfare of the baby.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

124. In Year 5, pupils reflected on their visit to a local church. They commented on the size of the building and the feeling of calm and peace that they felt when they were in the church. Pupils develop a sound knowledge of the names of parts of the church, such as pews, altar and pulpit. Pupils in a mixed class of Year 1 and Year 2 pupils learned about the Jewish festival of Purim. Lessons such as these make a valuable contribution to pupils’ spiritual and cultural development.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

125. Teaching is satisfactory overall. It is at its best when the teacher has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. For example, in a good lesson with Year 6 pupils, the teacher used her good knowledge of the subject to interest pupils and expand their learning. She used questions well to encourage pupils to say what they knew and to move them on to new learning. All pupils were expected to take part in the lesson; pupils who did not answer were asked direct questions and given praise for trying to answer. This meant that pupils were fully involved in the lesson. The concluding written work was well matched to pupils’ abilities. Lessons are less successful when the teaching fails to use the sanctions available to control pupils and their restless and disruptive behaviour stops learning taking place.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

126. The co-ordinator has only recently taken on the position and is in the process of collecting pupils’ work to assess standards. Her role is underdeveloped because she does not yet check teaching and learning in lessons or see teachers’ planning. Good use is made of visits to the local church but there are no links as yet with other religions. Pupils enjoy the regular visits of local vicar for events like Harvest and Christingle. Ley Top Primary School - 42

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