Wigton Moor Primary School

WIGTON MOOR PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: June 16 th -19 th 2003

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WIGTON MOOR PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection number: 246724 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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WIGTON MOOR 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. Wigton Moor Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs J Nathan

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 12 th – 15 th January 1998 Wigton Moor Primary School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

21094 John Brennan Registered inspector Information and Communication Technology English as an additional language What sort of school is it? How high are standards? How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? 12511 Linda Buller Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 310212 Ann Welch Team inspector English Music Religious Education 22881 George Halliday Team inspector Mathematics Geography Education Inclusion How good are curricular and other opportunities?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

11510 Keith Oglesby Team Inspector Science History Physical education Special Educational Needs 12900 Lea Short Team Inspector Art and design Design and Technology Foundation Stage Wigton Moor Primary School - 6 The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Quality and Focus Thresher House Lea Hall Park Demage Lane Lea-by Backford Chester CH1 6LP

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Wigton Moor Primary School - 7

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

With 418 pupils on roll, Wigton Moor is a large primary school. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. Seventy one pupils come from a variety of minority ethnic backgrounds, with significant groups of pupils with Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani or Chinese backgrounds. Twenty one pupils speak Punjabi, Cantonese or Arabic and are at the early stages of learning English. Pupils’ attainment on entry varies, but in general is above that typical for pupils of a similar age. The proportion of pupils (22) who have special educational needs, either, learning, physical or emotional, is well below average. Of these six have statements of special educational needs. This is in line with the national average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school. By the end of Year 6 pupils achieve very well in comparison with similar schools. Pupils’ very positive attitudes to school, backed by good teaching and very good relationships, supports their learning. The school’s leaders are committed to doing their best for pupils, a strong team spirit between staff serves pupils’ needs well. The school gives very good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Standards in English, mathematics, science and art and design are very high. • Pupils who speak English as an additional language make rapid progress. • Pupils develop a set of values which result in very positive attitudes towards learning, themselves, other pupils and adults. • Actions taken to promote pupils’ personal development, including seeking and valuing their opinions and ensuring the curriculum encompasses a wide range of experiences. • Leadership that is committed to providing the best for its pupils.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards in information and communication technology. (ICT) • The way the school plans for the future. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

There have been substantial improvements since the last inspection. A higher proportion of good teaching has led to higher results in National Curriculum tests, by the end of Year 6 standards are higher in art and design and religious education, and by the end of Year 2, standards are higher in geography and music. Standards in ICT have declined throughout the school. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is better. Subjects are brought to life, with pupils enjoying a wider range of experiences and trips. The needs of higher attaining pupils and pupils who are at the early stages of learning English are better met and assessment in English and mathematics has improved markedly. Wigton Moor Primary School - 9

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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. compared with

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

2000 2001 2002 2002 very high A* English A A A B well above average above average A B mathematics A A* A* A average below average C D science A A A A well below average E

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STANDARDS

Children in reception make good progress towards the goals set for their achievement and many are on course to exceed them by the time they leave reception. Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2 and 6 are very good and are higher than they were at the time of the last inspection. Results in writing at the end of Year 2, and mathematics at the end of Year 6, are in the top five per cent of schools. The school has consistently exceeded its targets in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6.

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STANDARDS

Pupils make quick progress in learning basic skills and knowledge and in their ability to use and apply what they know to problems solving, research and investigations. Pupils do particularly well in art and design, where standards are very high and they make good progress in history, geography and religious education, where standards are above expectations at the end of Year 6. Pupils make good progress in music through Years 1 and 2, benefiting from the co-ordinator’s expert teaching. Throughout the school pupils make steady progress in design and technology and in physical education and through Years 3 to 6, in music, to reach standards that are in line with national expectations. Progress in ICT is too slow and pupils do not meet national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils who are at the early stages of learning English make very good progress, while those who have special educational needs make good progress. In both instances most pupils reach

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STANDARDS

satisfactory standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are happy in school and ready to learn.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils understand right from wrong and take responsibility for their own actions.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils are very keen to be involved in a range of duties. An awareness of the feelings of others leads to very good relationships.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good. High levels of attendance have a positive effect on standards. The value given to what pupils have to say results in pupils who feel good about themselves and the difference they make to school, and leads to trusting relationships with staff.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Wigton Moor Primary School - 10 Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Effective teaching in reception builds on good teamwork between staff, the provision of an interesting range of activities, and good teacher knowledge of how young children learn. Teachers make good use of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, providing stimulating tasks for pupils to apply what they know to write for a good range of purposes and to solve problems. An over emphasis on the teaching of skills in ICT means that pupils do not always use computers in an interesting way. Teachers make good use of trips to enliven pupils’ interest in subjects. Occasionally teachers play safe, with pupils completing mundane tasks, which either do not inspire them, or are not well enough matched to their abilities. In general though, the use of interesting resources, good planning and demanding tasks mean that the needs of higher attaining pupils are well met. Teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good, based on clear and achievable targets. Expert teaching of pupils

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

who are at the early stages of learning English, followed up well by teachers and teaching assistants, results in very good progress. A positive feature of all teaching is the quality of relationships between teachers and pupils, which means that pupils work with confidence and in peace, making the most of their time in lessons.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good, with a particularly good range of trips and visitors adding interest to pupils’ learning. The curriculum meets statutory requirements

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Extra help is well organised, with good arrangements for additional help in English and mathematics .

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very Good. A concentration on developing speaking skills and vocabulary means that pupils soon learn to read and write and so join in well in all subjects.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. High quality provision is central to the work of the school and is the major reason why pupils develop such positive attitudes to each other and learning.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good levels of care for the emotional and physical needs of pupils. Much improved systems for assessing pupils in English and mathematics.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The information given to parents is good and the school makes an effort to get parents involved in school. Very good specialist teaching, a welcoming environment and the very close partnership established with parents and ethnic communities, serves the needs of pupils who join the school speaking little English. Wigton Moor Primary School - 11

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good leadership seeks the best for pupils. The headteacher knows the school well and works in partnership with staff with management responsibilities to move the school forward.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. While some governors are very influential and statutory duties are well met, the governing body as whole is not sufficiently involved in developing plans for the future.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The school monitors its performance conscientiously but has shortcomings in the way it draws information together when planning for the future.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Very good. Finances are very well planned, day-to-day administration is good and staff are well deployed.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

A strong emphasis on teamwork, created by the headteacher of the school, ensures that this well qualified and experienced staff move the school forward. The school seeks to get good value from staff and from finances; the very good way in which pupils are drawn into partnership with the school ensures that the principals of best value are applied well. The school has plans to overcome the present shortcomings in the library and ICT facilities.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • The high standards achieved. • The teaching pupils receive. • The progress their children are making. • The high standards of behaviour. • The level of homework. • The information the school provides. • The way the school works with parents. • The range of activities outside lessons.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspectors support all the positive views of parents and judge that the concerns are largely unfounded. Pupils receive reasonable amounts of homework, activities outside of lessons are satisfactory and parents are kept well informed. The school is committed to involving parents with their children’s learning. A small number of parents raised concerns about end of the day procedures. Inspectors judge these to be satisfactory, but that on occasion staff and parents do not always adhere to them.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Throughout the school pupils make good progress in English and mathematics and by the end of Year 6 achieve very high standards. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make particularly quick progress, so that by the end of Year 6 many attain standards that are in line with other pupils in the school.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Children in both reception classes make good progress in all areas of learning, with a significant number already working on lower levels of the National Curriculum when they leave reception. By then, the children have gained in confidence and, most importantly, have developed good learning habits which serve them well as they begin life in the infants.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Throughout the school pupils make steady progress in speaking and listening to reach standards that are above what is expected for pupils’ ages. By the end of Year 6, most pupils are assured speakers and are able to justify their opinions. In the 2002 National Curriculum tests and teacher assessments for pupils in Year 2, the school’s results were well above average in both reading and writing and, in the case of writing, were in the top five per cent of schools. Results have risen since the last inspection, most especially in writing and in the proportion of pupils who reach standards that are higher than the norm.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The school has enjoyed similar success at the end of Year 6, where results also follow an upward trend. In the 2002 National Curriculum tests in English, results were well above average, with closer analysis showing that the action the school has taken to narrow the gap between attainment in reading and writing, beginning to pay dividends. The gap is narrowing over time and pupils now write for a wider range of audiences and purposes. As in the infants, the proportion of pupils exceeding the national average has also increased over time and is indicative of the greater success the school now has in meeting the needs of higher attaining pupils. The school’s success is borne out by comparison with results of schools in similar circumstances, which show that, by the end of Year 6, standards are above those of similar schools.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. In the National Curriculum tests for mathematics for seven and 11 year olds in 2002 the results were outstanding. Almost all pupils reached the expected standard while the proportion of pupils reaching the higher levels was twice the national average. This put Wigton Moor in the top 5 per cent when compared to all schools. In recent years, pupils in Year 6 have reached this level regularly. Pupils in Year 2 have been consistently above average, but the 2002 results were their best ever.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The school sets challenging targets for raising standards in English and mathematics, with over 90 per cent of pupils expected to achieve the national average in both subjects. In both instances the school exceeded these and has set even more challenging targets for National Curriculum test results at the end of Year 6 for 2003.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. An investigational approach to science ensures that pupils reach standards that are well above average by the end of Year 6. Because of a tendency in one Year 2 class for the teacher to over direct pupils, standards overall by the end of Year 2, are above average. Very good results in the 2002 National Curriculum tests at Year 6 show that even when compared to similar schools, results are well above the average, both for pupils who reached the expected levels of attainment and for those who went beyond this to reach higher than expected levels.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Of the relatively high proportion of pupils who come from families in which English is spoken as an additional language, a significant number join the school speaking little English. Wigton Moor Primary School - 13 The school has responded very well to the rising number of pupils by providing very good specialist teaching, a supportive environment and by establishing a very close partnership with parents and ethnic communities, resulting in very good progress. In many instances pupils go on to reach the standards expected of pupils in national tests at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils who join the school with similar standards of English to other pupils make good progress, reaching standards that match their peers.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Throughout the school, pupils who have special educational needs make good progress towards their personal targets. Nearly all reach the expected level in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6. Support is well matched to their individual needs and progress is monitored closely. They do well because teaching is good and there are very good relationships within classes.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. By the end of Year 2 pupils reach standards that are in line with national expectations in design and technology, history and physical education. Pupils make steady progress in design and technology and physical education, so that standards remain in line with national expectations at the end of Year 6. Progress picks up in history through Years 3 to 6, so that standards are above expectations by the end of Year 6. Standards in music are in line with national expectations at the end of Year 6 and, because of effective specialist teaching by the co-ordinator, are above expectations at the end of Year 2. Throughout the school, pupils make good progress in geography to reach standards that are above the norm at the end of both Years 2 and 6. Standards are above average in art and design at the end of Year 2, with pupils particularly high standards at the end of Year 6.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. The school has responded well to the need to raise standards in religious education, a relative weakness identified in the last inspection, by ensuring that standards are now in line with expectations at the end of Year 2, and above average at the end of Year 6. However a combination of inadequate resources and ineffective leadership, have resulted in standards declining in ICT, so that they are now below expectations at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils have very good attitudes to school and to learning. They are very well behaved in and around school. The relationships among pupils and between pupils and adults are also very good. All of these aspects of school life have been maintained since the time of the last inspection.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils arrive in school happy and ready to learn. Their enthusiasm for learning is one of the reasons why they achieve high standards. For example, in an English lesson in Year 2, pupils were enthralled by the quality of the book the teacher was reading and responded very well to the high level of challenge that was set for their independent work. In the Foundation Stage children have good levels of independence because they know what their teachers expect, for instance they can change for physical activity without adult help and are pleased with their own success.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils’ behaviour is very good. Through the very good provision for pupils’ moral and social development pupils understand right and wrong and the need to take responsibility for their actions. They recognise when they have not behaved to the required standard and are able to discuss what they will do to improve. For example two of the youngest children in school were able to explain how and why they had upset each other. They knew that by apologising they would each feel better about the situation and remain friends, as a result tears turned to smiles and they continued to play happily. Wigton Moor Primary School - 14 15. Relationships between all members of the school community are very good. There is an atmosphere of mutual respect in which teachers and pupils flourish. Throughout school, all teachers and other adults value the contributions of their pupils and this has a very positive

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

impact on raising pupils’ self-esteem and confidence. In almost all the activities that were observed in school, pupils were helping each other, particularly those who were less able than themselves. This was clearly evident in a physical education lesson in Year 6 where pupils’ understanding of team work and supporting one another enabled them to make good progress in developing their bowling skills.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils thoroughly enjoy taking responsibility. They look forward to being in Year 6 when they can apply to be involved in a wide range of activities many of which are aimed at helping the younger children in school. The opportunity for pupils from Year 1 to 6 to participate in the school council enables them to discuss and take ownership of many aspects of school life. For example they identify improvements that are needed to the school buildings and take responsibility for writing to the governing body to put forward their suggestions. Pupils demonstrate a very good awareness of the needs and feelings of others including those less fortunate than themselves. For instance during a religious education lesson in Year 5 pupils talked knowledgeably about the plight of children in some other countries where there is war. They discuss the work of Christian Aid in combating drought and floods and understand the

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

implication of the slogan its an unfair world . In response to this knowledge they make generous donations each year to a variety of charities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Pupils who speak English as an additional language flourish in an environment, which values the contribution they make to the whole school community. They benefit from working alongside good role models, settling into school quickly, showing very good attitudes to learning and taking a full part in the life of the school. Pupils from all backgrounds work well with each other and are considerate of each other’s needs. The high self-esteem of pupils who speak English as an additional language and the strong feeling of community in the school are major factors in the rapid progress made by pupils.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Pupils who have special educational needs have good attitudes towards their work, both in their own classroom and when they are withdrawn from classes to work in small groups. This contributes well to the good progress they make. Standards of behaviour are usually very good in lessons. Relationships with teachers and teaching assistants are very good. Other pupils are particularly appreciative of the gains made by pupils who find learning difficult; in this they take a lead from the way teachers support and praise. This has an important impact on the pupils’ self-esteem .

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Pupils’ attendance is very good and is well above the national average. Unauthorised absence is broadly in line the national average. As at the time of the previous inspection there are a small number of pupils whose attendance is poor due to extended periods of absence to visit the countries of their birth or cultural origin. The school does all it can to provide additional support for these pupils and on their return, enable them to share experiences, contributing to the cultural development of their classmates.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. The quality of teaching is good and is a major reason why pupils achieve well. The proportion of good teaching has increased since the last inspection, as has the amount of very good teaching. Improvements to the teaching of key skills in English and mathematics, to meet the needs of higher attaining pupils and those who are at the early stages of learning English, are increasingly helping pupils reach their potential. Wigton Moor Primary School - 15 21. Teaching in the reception classes is good. Teachers have a thorough knowledge of how young children learn. They use this to plan a good range of activities, achieving an appropriate balance between those directed by the teacher and those, which are initiated by children themselves. Effective partnership with teaching assistants ensures that strong teamwork across the classes contributes well to pupils’ learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Teachers set clear and achievable learning targets for pupils and plan work well to meet their needs. In addition, teachers make the most of pupils’ strengths to motivate them. Teaching assistants have a key role to play within classes. They know the children well and make sure that they work towards the same learning objectives as the rest of the class. Support is unobtrusive. Adults guide and motivate pupils well and work hard to raise self-esteem.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. The teaching of pupils who are the early stages of learning English is of a high quality. Based on a thorough understanding of how pupils learn, the teacher utilises every opportunity to encourage talk. In reception, for example, she will work almost unnoticed as part of a group, quietly guiding and shaping the direction of talk. Particularly close attention is paid to teaching technical words for different subjects. The close attention paid to developing speaking is paying dividends and as pupils gain in confidence, the teacher is able to target reading and writing in a similarly effective manner. Class teachers, in partnership with teaching assistants, ensure that all pupils are included in lessons. This is often through teaching assistants providing close support or, as was the case in reception, by the teacher providing picture clues for instructions, which enable pupils to work independently. A

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

successful tactic used by some teachers is to partner pupils with good role models to help with instructions and the understanding of difficult words.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. Teachers have a good knowledge of the approaches needed to teach basic skills, so that pupils reach very high standards in these areas. Improvements to the teaching of writing, which encourage pupils to apply what they have learnt to interesting tasks, and the greater attention paid to problem solving in mathematics, are enabling pupils to decide how to shape their response to what is often stimulating work. For example, a well chosen poem galvanised Year 1 pupils into action, when they learned that they were to perform it for other pupils. A very good demonstration by the teacher of how to write poems inspired them to write their own thoughtful poems.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

25. Teachers have developed several strategies to meet the needs of higher attaining pupils, a relative weakness in teaching noted in the last inspection. By taking account of their needs in planning and through good organisation, which enables teachers and teaching assistants to work with particular groups of pupils for part of lessons, teachers ensure that work is pitched at the right level for pupils’ abilities. As well as higher attaining pupils, this approach benefits all groups of pupils, particularly in English and mathematics lessons. In addition, the use of interesting resources and tasks for pupils to complete, motivate them to learn . For example, in a very good geography lesson in Year 4, the judicious use of a video on the changing landscape of Kenya was viewed with a sense of purpose by pupils. Reference books, carefully chosen to match the abilities of pupils, were used to extend their

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

26. Where teaching is less successful it is largely because pupils are asked to complete tasks that are mundane. Such tasks fail to ignite pupils’ interest so that they become reluctant to join in discussions. Although they still work hard, they do not reach their potential. For example, despite providing an interesting range of models for pupils to study cams, teaching in a design and technology lesson in Year 5 played safe. Pupils spent an undue amount of time drawing and labelling a cam, despite bursting with creative ideas about how to make use of them in models of their own. The use that teachers make of computers in Wigton Moor Primary School - 16 lessons varies considerably and is heavily dependent upon individual teacher’s confidence and expertise. While teachers’ knowledge of how to teach ICT has improved through their commitment to training, a tendency still exists to underestimate the pupils. Lessons

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

concentrate on the acquisition of skills rather than using the computer in an inventive way, which requires pupils to think more carefully about how to apply the skills they have learnt.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

27. A very positive feature of teaching and learning is the very good quality of relationships between teachers and pupils. Teachers place great value on pupils’ opinions, imbuing pupils with a confidence to learn. Little time is needed to control behaviour and pupils work in a calm atmosphere without disturbance. In English and mathematics in particular, teachers take good care to track pupils’ learning and their personal development. By reminding them of their targets for improvement and keeping them aware of the objectives for learning, teachers ensure that pupils become increasingly responsible for themselves, their work and their behaviour.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

28. The quality of marking is generally good, with particularly good marking in Years 5 and 6, ensuring that pupils receive clear guidance about what they need to do to improve. Teachers make reasonable use of homework to further develop learning, with homework being set regularly across a range of classes and subjects.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. The curriculum is good and meets statutory requirements to teach all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, when the curriculum was judged to be satisfactory, but the school’s provision for religious education failed to match the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. The curriculum is enriched by a wide programme of educational visits and visitors, which provides valuable first-hand experiences for pupils, and has a telling impact on standards, on pupils’ very positive attitudes to learning and on their personal development. In Year 5 and Year 6 pupils are given the opportunity to take part in residential visits that broaden their geographical and scientific skills, and also contribute to their personal development. Provision for pupils’ personal, social, health and citizenship education, including drugs awareness and sex education, is good.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. The strategies used to teach literacy and numeracy skills are good and ensure that pupils achieve as well as they can. More time is devoted to teaching English and mathematics than other subjects and the curriculum includes additional support for pupils who need help in reading, writing and mathematics.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. The provision for pupils who are at the early stages of learning English is very good. The curriculum correctly targets basic skills and the learning of key vocabulary necessary for pupils join to in with the learning of others. The school recognises the various backgrounds of pupils through themed events, which deliberately draw on the background of pupils. Pupils, for instance, speak highly of the India day , and of the traditional instruments they played. The best practice enriches both the learning of pupils who speak English as an additional language and other pupils by looking for opportunities in everyday lessons to utilise pupils’ cultural backgrounds. In art and design, for example, pupils study patterns from a range of ethnic backgrounds including patterns from China, Africa, the Caribbean and India. In Year 4 a Muslim pupil was able to give his classmates a deeper understanding of his faith.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. The school makes good provision for pupils with special educational needs. Learning needs are identified early, and pupils benefit from the good relationships and inclusion which Wigton Moor Primary School - 17 is evident throughout the school. Records are kept in good order and all staff are brought into the process of developing an appropriate curriculum for each pupil. Individual education plans are regularly monitored by the co-ordinator and support is organised well, so that pupils can make the best possible progress in their classes or groups. There are good arrangements to provide extra help in literacy and numeracy. All staff give great importance to pupils’ personal development, encouraging them to reflect on their learning or behaviour and think about how to improve. Teachers have only recently begun to identify pupils who are gifted and talented. Procedures have been set in motion to ensure they achieve their full

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

potential. There are plans to develop a teaching programme for these pupils from the beginning of the autumn term.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. Extra curricular activities are satisfactory. Although the range of activities at present is limited, those available are of a high quality and contribute well to pupils’ skills and knowledge. For example, the Art Club provides pupils with additional high quality teaching, which adds significantly to pupils’ skills and their attitudes to this subject.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. Links with the community provide a very good contribution to pupils’ learning; this aspect of school life has improved since the last inspection. Pupils have visited the Civic Hall and met with the Deputy Lord Mayor and they have explored the immediate locality, where they looked at features of settlements as part of their topic in history. Additionally, the school has developed links with the wider international community through the support they provide for the El Shaddai Children’s Home in India. This has provided excellent opportunities for pupils to study the life styles of children from the other side of the world. The school links all these activities very clearly to the curriculum and as a result they have a very positive impact on pupils’ learning and development.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

36. Links with other schools and institutions are also very strong. Through the effective partnership with their local family of schools the needs of pupils who are gifted or talented, for example, in mathematics have been met. Similarly the expertise of staff from a local special school has been used well to provide help for those pupils who are experiencing difficulty with their learning. Links developed with the Muslim, Chinese and Arabic schools have helped staff to understand the needs of those pupils who speak English as an additional language.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

37. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good and has improved since the last inspection to become a very strong feature, central to the work of the school.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

38. There has been considerable improvement in the provision for pupils’ spiritual development since the last inspection when it was satisfactory. The school’s character embodies clear values such as honesty, fairness and respect for others and there is a strong commitment to helping pupils explore and understand what inspires them and increases their self-belief. Pupils’ work in English, science, history, art and design, music and religious education enables them to gain spiritual understanding through reflection on their own and other people’s achievements and beliefs. One Year 6 pupil wrote of Tutankhamun’s death mask As I sit and stare at the shiny, golden, wondrous masterpiece in front of me, I can’t help but wonder. Pupils’ self-esteem is boosted by the way their achievements are celebrated by adults. Pupils take great pride in achieving their personal targets and the public recognition that goes with it. One Year 6 pupil commented it makes you feel appreciated and want to do

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

39. Provision for pupils’ moral development has also improved and is now very good. A strong aspect of the provision lies in the school’s clear moral code, which is promoted very effectively in all aspects of school life and is shown convincingly on display boards throughout Wigton Moor Primary School - 18 the school. Teachers’ expectations that pupils will make the right choices when considering their behaviour are very high and sanctions rarely need to be applied.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

40. Provision for social development remains very good. The headteacher knows all the pupils and encourages them to care for and help one another on all occasions. Pupils in Year 6 were proud of the part they had played in helping a classmate to become fluent in English. They commented that in September she had very little English and said but she’s brilliant now ! Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to work together and to talk things over as partners. Year 6 pupils take the responsibility for their share in the running of the school very seriously, particular their role as a red cap at playtimes when they keep a watchful eye for pupils who seem anxious. The school also develops pupils’ understanding of citizenship through the School Council and links with other agencies including fund raising for charities and projects with local businesses. The many educational visits, including residential ones, help pupils to get along with each other in unfamiliar surroundings and

p.18

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

41. Provision for cultural development has improved and is now very good. Teachers plan work in English, history and geography to give pupils a clear understanding of their own cultural traditions. Studies of contemporary societies such as India help pupils to broaden their knowledge of other cultures and compare them with their own. Pupils learn of the cultural and ethnic diversity of British society in a sensitive but natural way through daily contact with the different cultures represented within the school. Pupils in Year 6 are looking forward to a pupil’s forthcoming presentation about an Indian wedding when she shortly returns from there. The many displays around the school confirm the richness of the school’s multicultural community. Music has a very strong influence on cultural development. The success enjoyed by the orchestra, coupled with visits to the school by a variety of musicians, guarantees that pupils are introduced to a wide range of musical styles and

p.18

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

traditions. Visitors including theatre groups and religious leaders, together with visits to theatres, museums and places of interest are built into the curriculum and make a very valuable contribution to cultural development.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The school provides very good levels of care for the emotional and physical needs of its pupils. There are very good procedures in place for the promotion and monitoring of attendance and to promote and monitor behaviour.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The school maintains appropriate records for first aid, fire drills, accidents and pupils’ medical needs. The procedures for child protection are very good and the designated teachers ensure that all members of staff have a good understanding of it. The school looks after pupils very well at lunchtime and in the playground; the midday supervisors are an important part of the school community. A small number of parents expressed concern regarding the end of school day procedures. Inspectors’ views are that these procedures are satisfactory, however staff and parents do not always adhere to them and this does at times impinge on their effectiveness.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development are very good, and are a significant strength of the school. Teachers know their pupils well and work very hard to build on their levels of self-esteem. Pupils value the care and support that the staff provide for them. Excellent relationships exist between pupils and the learning mentor. This has a significant impact on the confidence and well being of pupils who know that they will always be helped to do their best, and that any concerns or problems they have will be dealt with sensitively. It is also very apparent that pupils take good care of each other and this Wigton Moor Primary School - 19 reflects the happy, caring ethos of the school. For example, Year 6 pupils take very seriously their responsibility to act as Play Pals for younger pupils.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The school promotes and monitors attendance very well. This results in levels of attendance that are well above the national average. The learning mentor, bi-lingual support teacher and education welfare officer work well together to monitor attendance and provide support for pupils and their families to bring about improvement.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The school promotes and monitors behaviour very well through the very good provision for moral development and the way that it is implemented. The procedures for monitoring and eliminating oppressive behaviour are also very good. Pupils are fully involved in setting their own class rules and teachers’ management of pupils is one of the strengths of teaching. Pupils understand that they must take responsibility for their own behaviour and that they will receive all the help they need to meet the standards expected of them.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. The procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics have improved considerably since the last inspection, when they were judged to be unsatisfactory. There are now thorough systems, which are used consistently in all classes, ensuring that teachers have detailed information about pupils’ attainment and year-on-year progress. Close analysis of the results of National Curriculum tests and a raft of other tests provides an array of information to check how well individuals and classes are doing, to set targets, inform parents and to see where extra help may be needed. The school has worked very hard on these two subjects since the last inspection; this is one reason why standards are so high.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. In other subjects there are few whole-school systems in place to record what pupils know and can do. Teachers keep their own notes and some of these are very detailed. These give them enough information to report to parents, and in some cases to check how successful their teaching has been.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. The school has good systems to share information on pupils who have special educational needs and the help they need. There are good records of pupils’ progress. During lessons, adults support pupils who have special educational needs well, encouraging them to take a full part in the activities and praising each small step towards their personal targets. There is a good team of teaching assistants, some with specialist training, and these make an important contribution to the good progress these pupils make.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. The co-ordinator, with the help of the learning mentor, succeeds very well in ensuring newly arrived pupils who speak little English settle into school. Other pupils are chosen as buddies to help with school routines, especially playtimes. After a period of assessment, clear targets for improvement are identified. Close liaison between the co-ordinator and class teachers ensures that opportunities to address these through forthcoming work are identified. The co-ordinator keeps extensive records so that new targets are quickly arrived at.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. The majority of parents hold the school in very high esteem. They feel that the school is doing a good job in educating their children and are happy with the standards achieved. The concerns raised by some parents about homework, extra curricular activities and the information provided for parents are, in the main, not supported by inspection findings. However, although satisfactory, the range of extra curricular activities is at present limited. Those that are available are of a high quality and contribute well to pupils’ skills and knowledge. Wigton Moor Primary School - 20 52. The information provided by the school for parents is good. Newsletters are well designed and easy to read. Information evenings have been arranged for parents and attendance at them has been good. Letters to parents regarding visits and visitors provide a clear explanation about how these add to pupils’ learning and help parents work with their

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

children at home. Annual reports on pupils’ progress are satisfactory. They provide parents with good quality information about what their children know and understand in English, mathematics and science and provide targets to enable pupils to make further progress. However, these are not always written in language that would be easy to share with pupils. Information about other subjects of the curriculum, although satisfactory, concentrates too often on what has been taught rather than the progress pupils have made.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. The school remains fully committed to getting parents involved with their children’s learning, as a result parents’ contribution to school life is very good. A number of parents help out in school on a regular basis and many more willing share their expertise to enrich the curriculum. For example, those parents who are doctors have visited school to contribute to science lessons. The school values this help. The school also benefits from a very active Parent/Teacher Association, which organises a wide range of events throughout the year. Most parents provide very good support for their children’s learning at home. In many classes there are displays of the work that pupils have undertaken at home with the support of their families. These are valued by teachers and used well to extend the learning of the whole class.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

54. Parents of pupils who have special educational needs are kept well informed of their children’s progress and have opportunities to be fully involved in their work. They are involved appropriately in annual reviews. The school has productive links with outside agencies such as the educational psychologist and health workers. Parents are consulted before outside help is requested.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

55. The co-ordinator establishes very good partnerships with the parents of pupils who are at the early stages of learning English. From the very first contact parents are seen as partners. For instance, regular meetings are organised outside of the usual pattern of parents’ meetings, so that discussions about progress and future needs can be made. Together with the learning mentor, the co-ordinator has forged close links with wider ethnic communities. Visits to the Chinese school and the local mosque, plus return visits by local representatives, are adding to the mutual understanding of how each contributes to pupils’ development.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The school’s very good leadership is characterised by a determined commitment to seek the best for pupils and means that the school is successful in living up to its aim of ensuring pupils experience a ‘sense of enjoyment and achievement.’ The headteacher has been very successful in building a very strong sense of teamwork with teaching and non- teaching staff, creating a capacity to improve even further. It is to the headteacher’s credit that pupils also feel drawn into the ‘team’, benefiting both themselves and the school. The headteacher’s knowledge of individual pupils is very extensive and is a significant factor in why pupils feel valued. The school carries out a range of monitoring tasks, which have resulted in significant improvements since the last inspection, and ensures that the headteacher knows the school well. Standards are very high, pupils’ attitudes are very good and parents are very appreciative of the work of the school. Much of this is due to very good

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

leadership, particularly by the headteacher. Wigton Moor Primary School - 21 57. The headteacher sets the right tone for the school. She leads from the front and brings a very good knowledge of the staff and pupils to her work, much of which is gathered by her presence within the school and the value she places on talking to and listening to staff and pupils alike. Leading by example, she is committed to change and improvement, ensuring that there is no place for complacency. This transfers to others in the school, so that staff are willing to change and together with pupils accept responsibility, for improving the school. The headteacher is aided in her work by an efficient management team, which helps ensure that the school runs smoothly. Along with the deputy headteacher, she invests much effort in the development of staff, with training for both teaching and support staff bringing the most out of people.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. With the exception of ICT, the management of subjects is good and it is no coincidence that there have been improvements in many subjects since the last inspection. There are clear systems for monitoring teaching and learning, with co-ordinators carrying out a range of tasks that ensure they have a good grip on how well their subject is doing and what needs to be done in the future. All are responsible to the headteacher and on the whole keep her well informed. However, too little of the work of co-ordinators is incorporated into the school improvement plan, which, rather than building on the work of co-ordinators, sits somewhat divorced from the key messages arising out of co-ordinators’ work.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The experienced co-ordinator for special educational needs gives adequate time to carrying out the role and is leading this area well. Records are kept very well. Communication with the team of teaching assistants is good and the statutory procedures are adhered to. There is a well-informed governor for special educational needs who makes a good contribution to the school’s work.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The school’s improvement plan includes well thought out plans for the buildings, but developments in the curriculum lack clarity and detail. The plan relies too heavily on the headteacher’s knowledge of the strengths and weakness of the school, rather than resulting out of the collective monitoring of all in leadership positions, including committees of the governing body. In this way, key weaknesses, such as in ICT, can slip through the net. In addition the potential for collective school improvement to add further to the sense of shared priority is missed. Many priorities are not backed up by rigorous enough action plans. Deadlines, resources and criteria by which success will be measured lack depth. So although the plan is implemented, its imprecision makes it difficult to monitor and to judge the impact of actions.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. Key governors ensure that statutory duties are well met. Several give up a great deal of their time provide and a good level of support and challenge for the school. In particular they work very well with the headteacher to help track finances and plan future developments in buildings. Although the headteacher has successfully fostered teamwork among staff and pupils, the governors have been less successful in operating as a team. The makeup of committees is not well thought out, with a little over half of the governors represented on the main working committees. Too little attention has been given to making sure that all governors are enabled to play a full part and to ensure that the school gets best value from individuals’ obvious commitment, and that all share in shaping the future work of the school.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The finances of the school are very well managed. With the dedication and attention to details shown by the chair of the finance committee and the efficient running of day-to-day financial matters, not a penny is wasted. Grants are well used for their intended purposes. Through good management, the school is able to take a long-term view of finances and systematically plans for improvements, particularly in premises. The school has advanced plans to use a good proportion of its current underspend to overcome present shortcomings in the ICT suite and school library. Accommodation and resources for the teaching of Wigton Moor Primary School - 22 reception children are good otherwise accommodation is satisfactory. Generous levels of resources for geography, art and design and history, have a significant impact on learning. There are no major shortcomings in other subjects.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The school is well staffed by qualified and experienced teachers and support staff. Under the impetus of Investors in People Award , the school places a strong emphasis on the professional needs of staff. Well devised procedures successfully link the development of staff with development identified for the school as a whole. A significant feature of the school, and one of the main reasons why it has the capacity to improve even further, is the potent sense of teamwork among staff.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. Given the good level of teaching, the high quality of leadership, the very good standards the school achieves, the very good attitudes of pupils and the good progress made by pupils; the school gives very good value for money. Wigton Moor Primary School - 23

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

65. To build on the substantial strengths that already exist, the school should:

p.23

Raise standards in information and communication technology by:

improving facilities for teaching and learning; ensuring that skills and use of ICT build systematically on each other; ensuring that the co-ordinator acts upon the school’s plan for improvement; closer monitoring of developments and their impact on standards.

p.23

Raise standards in information and communication technology by:

See paragraphs 11, 58, 60, 62, 120,121,123 and 124 of the main report

p.23

Improve planning for school improvement by:

giving staff and governors a full part to play in the preparation of written plans; making full use of the information gleaned from monitoring; incorporating detailed action plans; including clearly defined arrangements for the senior management team and the governing body to monitor the plan’s progress and evaluate its effectiveness.

p.23

Improve planning for school improvement by:

See paragraphs 58 and 60 of the main report.

p.23

In addition the governing body should consider:

establishing better teamwork among governors. See paragraph 61 of the main report. Wigton Moor Primary School - 24

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 38

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellen t Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 418

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 24

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 22

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 71

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 17

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 18

p.24

Attendance

% % Wigton Moor Primary School - 25 School data 3.8 School data 0.2

p.24

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.25

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Wigton Moor Primary School - 26

p.25

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 32 26 58

p.26

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.26

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

Boys 32 31 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 24 26 26

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 97 (92) 98 (94) 100 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.26

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.26

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

Boys 32 32 32 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 25 26 25

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 98 (94) 100 (91) 100 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.26

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

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

p.26

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 33 25 58

p.26

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.26

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

Boys 30 33 33 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 22 25

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 91 (92) 95 (95) 100 (98) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.26

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.26

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

Boys 26 33 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 22 22 25

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 83 (88) 93 (93) 91 (92) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

p.26

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Wigton Moor Primary School - 27

p.26

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.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 0

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 1

p.27

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.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 16.7 Financial year 2002/0

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 27.6 : 1

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 845,330

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 16 Total expenditure 1,001,200

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 362 Expenditure per pupil 2,395

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 76,650

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) - Balance carried forward to next year 83,511 Wigton Moor Primary School - 28 Number of pupils per qualified teacher -

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff -

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Wigton Moor Primary School - 29

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 49 46 3 1 1

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 53 42 2 0 3

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 32 47 19 1 1

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 32 47 20 1 1

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 51 39 7 1 2

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 56 39 3 0 2

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 31 46 15 5 3

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 51 43 3 0 3

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 44 51 2 0 3

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 29 35 26 3 7 Wigton Moor Primary School - 30

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66. Children are admitted to the reception classes in September in the year in which they are five years old. Although there is a very wide range of attainment, many children enter the reception classes with skills above those expected for their age. The quality of teaching is good enabling all children to make good progress. By the time they leave the reception classes, most children exceed the goals set for their achievement in all areas of learning.

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. A well-established curriculum planned in line with the goals set nationally for children in the Foundation Stage and linked to the National Curriculum means that children’s education gets off to a good start. Planning is good, identifying learning outcomes for different groups of children and focusing the teaching. Thorough procedures for checking children’s progress are used well when children are at work and play and help teachers move learning along at a quick pace. Teachers and support staff work well as a team, with support staff adding significantly to children’s learning. Children who are learning English as an additional language are fully included in lessons and also have some additional teaching by a specialist teacher. They make very good progress. Pupils with special educational needs are given additional support so they can participate in lessons and make good progress.

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

68. The co-ordinator for the Foundation Stage has a very good understanding of how young children learn and provides good leadership so that all staff are involved in planning activities. Parents are well informed about the curriculum.

p.30

Personal, social and emotional development

69. Teaching is good in this area of learning and children make good progress. High expectations of behaviour and routines, which encourage independence, and the ease with which children can access equipment, contribute to children’s growing maturity and confidence. By the time they leave reception many attain standards above those typically expected of pupils of this age. For example with very little help, children change and dress themselves for physical education and tidy up well after activities. An appropriate balance is struck between activities directed by the teacher and activities pupils initiate for themselves. Children and adults get on very well together, creating a good climate for learning. This helps children develop positive attitudes to school so that they make the most of their time and progress well. On boy for example commented it’s really fun at school . Opportunities for

p.30

Personal, social and emotional development

children to work alone, as part of a group or whole class enable them to develop good levels of co-operation. In physical education, for example, the teacher’s careful pairing of children ensured that less confident children were sensitively drawn into putting their ideas forward for a partner to follow. Probing questions and the opportunities taken to encourage talk result in children speaking confidently to adults, discussing their feelings and the feelings of others in a considerate manner. For example, before embarking on some work by themselves, the teacher asked the children to say what their target was for such work. One boy replied, to work by myself . In this way children learn to be responsible for their own actions. Wigton Moor Primary School - 31

p.30

Communication, language and literacy

70. Good teaching with an emphasis on speaking and listening enables children to learn new words quickly and begin to explain their thinking. This is the catalysis for the good progress children make and standards that are above average. This approach suits the needs of children who are at the early stages of learning English, which, together with carefully planned activities and the judicious use of extra support, ensures that learning is very good. For example, in the opening part of a mathematics lesson, the teacher varied the questions she asked children well and successfully met the needs of the range of abilities. Children at the early stages of learning to read were asked, what does this say , thus reinforcing key words, while higher attaining children were asked to explain what minus meant, thus giving them a chance to explain their thinking. The range of books and the opportunities teachers take for children to listen to stories, joining in with repeated phrases

p.31

Communication, language and literacy

and rhyming words, cultivates a love of books and a keenness to read. As a result standards of reading are above average, with most children reading the first books in the reading scheme and higher attaining children reading a good range of early books. Children are provided with a variety of opportunities to write and they make good progress, quickly gaining in confidence in the early stages of writing. Higher attaining children write sentences independently, spell many words themselves and use simple punctuation. Standards in writing are above those expected nationally.

p.31

Mathematical development

71. Children make good progress, so that by the time they leave reception many have reached standards that are above those typical for their age. Teachers provide a broad range of activities, including number rhymes, action songs and pretend play situations, to involve children in responding to and using mathematical vocabulary. For example, the teacher provided instructions in the form of pictures for a lower attaining group, which meant that the were able to work alone to make different numbers of butterflies. Such activities make learning fun and children join in with enthusiasm. It also freed the teacher to work with a higher attaining group, who were subtracting numbers from 15 and recording them as sums. Teachers successfully link the playful development of mathematics through number stories such as 10 butterflies and 6 went away, 4 are left, with the early stages of recording sums. A significant number of children have a good grasp of adding and subtracting.

p.31

Mathematical development

Teachers’ insistence on carefully presented work helps children form numbers properly. The curriculum is successfully extended beyond number, with practical activities, such as comparing the length of objects, promoting learning in shape and measure, so that by they time the leave reception children can name two dimensional shapes such as triangles, squares and rectangles, while higher attaining pupils are able to describe some of their properties, such as the number of corners or sides.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

72. As in other areas of learning children progress well, and leave reception attaining above average standards. Good teaching is typified by well planned and interesting activities which ensures that children have a good knowledge of a range of topics by the end of their time in reception. Particularly good use is made of the Ark, a well equipped room that can be turned into a variety of imaginary worlds. Teachers and support staff are quick to spot opportunities in imaginary play to help children learn more about the world around them. For example, while using models to create a new town, the teacher asked a string of questions, such as what makes this stick together, which improved children’s knowledge of technology and science. On another occasion the children had planted seeds and watched them grow. Teachers made good use of this work to help children observe closely and to learn about Wigton Moor Primary School - 32

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

change and growth in the natural world. Teachers ensure that children have easy access to computers which are used regularly to reinforce work in language and mathematics, as well as enabling children pick up early ICT skills. Outdoor learning forms an integral part of children’s learning in this area of the curriculum, with a very good range of activities such as large construction kits, sand and water areas having the potential to add to children’ learning. However, these are not always used purposefully enough and while the children enjoy playing, there are occasions where they are not learning enough because staff are not clear enough about the intentions behind the activities they set up.

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Physical development

73. In response to good teaching children achieve well in this area of learning to reach standards that are above average by the time they leave reception. Physical education lessons are used well to increase and reinforce children’s vocabulary, so that children make appropriate use of besides , below and so on, and this has a positive effect on children’s language development. Teachers use the opportunities exercise presents to help children learn about the effects of exercise on their bodies. For example, children know that the heart pumps blood around the body and that exercise is good for the heart. With an eye to safety, teachers plan a good range of activities, with children responding with enthusiasm and, even when moving at speed, having a thought for the safety of others. Good demonstration of basic throwing and catching skills help children learn new skills, while well chosen pieces of

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Physical development

music allows children to work in a more creative manner, by putting together their own sequences of movements. The practical and hands on nature of the curriculum gives children ample opportunities to use scissors, pencils and paintbrushes accurately and safely. Teachers demonstrate well how such tools should be used and their high expectations means that children use them properly.

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Creative development

74. The children make good progress in creative development and attainment is above the average by the time they leave reception. Teaching is good, with a very wide range of creative activities planned to promote learning. Children have many opportunities to express their imagination through painting, drawing and making collages using different textures, colours and materials, so that children recognise the name of the primary and many of the secondary colours. However, on occasions they are told what to do and how to do it, which restricts their creativity. For example, when printing caterpillars the member of support staff was too quick to direct the children's work, giving instructions such as, stick five green and one red circle to make a caterpillar , rather than giving children the chance to design their own. The Ark is well used by the children to dress up as various characters, with sensitive

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Creative development

intervention by the staff using these occasions to extend and consolidate their knowledge and skills in other areas of learning. One child, for example, proudly announced I’ve got money and I paid for the carrot and showed the coins he got as change from the shop he was visiting. The good use of a variety of songs and instruments promotes a sense of performance, with children showing assurance as they play in front of others.

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ENGLISH

75. Standards in speaking and listening have been maintained since the last inspection and remain above average by the end of Years 2 and 6. Standards in reading and writing have risen since then and are now well above those expected by the end of Years 2 and 6. This rise is attributable to the quality of teaching, which is good overall and consequently pupils achieve well throughout the school. This good teaching is a result of teachers’ subject knowledge and their love of literature. Strong leadership for English has also had a marked Wigton Moor Primary School - 33 impact on raising standards. Checks on the quality of teaching and learning identified the need for changes to the strategies teachers used to teach writing. The benefits from these changes are already apparent, not only in the numbers of Year 2 pupils reaching the higher levels in national tests but in the narrowing of the gap between pupils’ achievements in

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ENGLISH

76. Teachers provide plenty of opportunities for pupils to take part in discussions and to give their points of view in English and other lessons. By the end of Year 6, most pupils are articulate, confident speakers who generally explain their ideas clearly. For example, pupils in a Year 6 class gave coherent explanations as to why there are times when parts of a newspaper article could be both fact and opinion. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 quickly learn the importance of listening carefully when they are asked to talk about the characters and plot of the books they have read in small groups, with their teacher. However, there are a number of pupils in each class who are reluctant to answer questions and who are not consistently drawn into discussions by their teachers. Strong teaching, and supportive guidance from classroom assistants, always makes sure that pupils who are learning to speak English

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ENGLISH

understand the ideas and language of other subjects such as mathematics and history.

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ENGLISH

77. The teaching of reading is good throughout the school. Teachers in Years 1 and 2 make very good use of reading lessons to develop pupils’ appreciation of a wide range of books. During these lively sessions teachers review many points of grammar, spelling and language use, as well as teaching basic reading skills. In a very good lesson in a Year 2 class, the teacher reminded pupils of previous work on the use of the contents page and then extended their skills in reading in order to extract information. Younger pupils’ quickness in learning to read is helped by parents’ diligence in hearing their children read at home. A good feature of teaching is the focus and structure of lessons with small groups. Questions such as What do you think....? encourage pupils to discuss and justify their views. The teacher’s prompts helped Year 5 pupils to deduce information about the main character and his

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ENGLISH

relationships with others in Dinner Ladies Don’t Count. Most Year 6 pupils read fluently, and confidently identify aspects of the style of authors such as J. K. Rowling and Jacqueline Wilson. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language make very good progress in reading because they are helped to choose books, which are well suited to their achievements so far. One aspect of teaching that could be improved is the way that teachers use the school library. Although rather small and with a number of outdated books, it is not used often enough for either independent or class research and slows progress in how well pupils use books for research.

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ENGLISH

78. Pupils write for a wide range of audiences and purposes to express their thoughts and ideas, especially in Year 6. A very strong feature of the teaching is the teachers’ choice of resources to stimulate pupils’ imagination and to extend their choice of vocabulary. Pupils in Year 6 were captivated by the performance of Macbeth by a visiting theatre company and this led to their choice of alliterative descriptions including Dastardly dagger, dedicated to death from an average-attaining pupil while a lower-attaining pupil wrote evil emerges eagerly. A Year 3 teacher’s well-chosen examples of story openings had the desired effect of emphasising the importance of the opening lines to make the reader want to read on. One average-attaining pupil wrote It was a sunny day everywhere in the land. But not so in Mark’s house....... A visit to Ingleborough inspired pupils in Year 5 to write, for example, Over the

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ENGLISH

moor towards the gaping, cavernous black hole that was the cave....

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ENGLISH

79. Another strength of teaching is that teachers use English as a powerful tool for learning in other subjects. This is driving standards up and accelerating pupils’ achievements by constantly reinforcing and extending their learning. Pupils in Year 2 wrote fitting postcards home as part of their geography work about a seaside resort. Pupils in Year 4 retold the myths and legends of Ancient Greece in their moving books made as part of a design and Wigton Moor Primary School - 34 technology project. In the Year 6 classes, pupils use their word processing skills to improve the presentation of their work. However, the use of computers in English is limited in some classes.

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ENGLISH

80. Teachers make particularly good use of initiatives such as early and further literacy schemes to help pupils who have special educational needs or who just need the extra impetus with their reading and writing. Pupils benefit considerably from the help they get from trained classroom assistants. As a result of the very good, supportive guidance that is provided by all staff, pupils who are learning English as an additional language make very good progress and many reach the level expected by the end of Year 6.

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ENGLISH

81. Teachers work together in teams to produce detailed lesson plans and this has raised their expectations about the range and quality of pupils’ work. The planning of work, which is now suited to the different abilities of pupils within the class, is an improvement since the last inspection, which highlighted weaknesses in planning work for the higher-attaining pupils. For example, the teacher in a Year 4 class challenged the higher-attaining pupils to prepare for a counter-argument from the headteacher in response to their letter requesting a bun sale in the school. Occasionally, however, there are times when all pupils are expected to complete the same task, particularly during spelling activities and this can affect the progress of higher attaining pupils.

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ENGLISH

82. The quality of assessment has also improved since the previous inspection. By tracking pupils’ performance and providing them with clear achievable targets, teachers help pupils to improve because they know their own weaknesses and are keen to address them. A lot of effort has been put into giving target setting a high profile. All classrooms have very striking target displays which pupils are eager to talk about and show where their targets are at present. Comments in pupils’ books, such as I would like you to add more complex sentences into future work from a Year 6 teacher, also point to where pupils need to improve. However, this is not common to all classes although marking does show pupils where their strengths lie.

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ENGLISH

83. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator has a very clear understanding of the educational direction to be taken in the subject and there is a strong commitment on behalf of staff and governors to raise standards even further. There are plans in the pipeline to extend the size of the library and increase the number of both fiction and non-fiction books with the aim of improving pupils’ access to books and increasing their pleasure in reading.

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MATHEMATICS

84. Standards in mathematics are well above average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. They were above average at the time of the previous inspection, so the school has continued to improve. The main reasons for this success are thorough, consistent teaching and pupils throughout the school who are highly motivated and work very hard. The school keeps a close eye on how well each pupil is learning, and so pupils of all abilities, including those who have special educational needs and those at the early stages of learning English, make good progress.

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MATHEMATICS

85. Despite this very good picture, the school is constantly trying to improve teaching and learning. This is why standards have stayed so high. For example, pupils’ strengths and weaknesses in national and other tests are carefully analysed each year and findings used to make changes to future lessons. In addition the school reviews its assessment materials to see which are most useful. A current priority is to help pupils to acquire a wider range of Wigton Moor Primary School - 35 problem solving strategies and to improve their ability to reason and explain their answers. These are now beginning to form strong features in many lessons.

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MATHEMATICS

86. Teachers generally succeed in matching work to pupils’ ability so that the more able are challenged and the less able are not left behind. Teachers know pupils’ strengths and weaknesses very well, both from the school’s good assessment procedures and from their own questioning and good marking. There is always good support for less able pupils and those who have special educational needs. Some of this comes from the teaching assistants who are well prepared and make a good contribution to learning. They support individuals and groups, making sure that these take a full part in the lessons. However, on occasions teachers miss the opportunity to build on pupils’ enthusiasm and eagerness to move on, with higher attaining pupils in particular, completing the tasks chosen by the teacher that do not always extend their mathematical ideas through more demanding work. For example, pupils in Year 5 were very involved in calculating an imaginary order for musical

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MATHEMATICS

instruments for the school, but some might have gone further, for example, in making an audit of the school’s needs, looking at best value or using a spreadsheet to help purchasing decisions.

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MATHEMATICS

87. Teachers in all classes prepare lessons well. They set the scene clearly and use good materials to illustrate what is to be taught. For example, in a lesson in Year 1, the teacher used attractive cards, charts and number lines to demonstrate odd and even numbers in several different ways. As a result, pupils were soon involved in lively oral work and discussions about mathematical ideas. This helped to develop their skills in thinking, calculating mentally and remembering key facts. Teachers divide lessons into small steps so that new work builds on what the pupils already know. This works well in ensuring that no pupils are left behind. However, in just a few lessons, the teachers are too anxious about this and continue explaining even when all the pupils are ready to show what they can do and so the pace of learning slows. In the final part of lessons, teachers usually review what has

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MATHEMATICS

been achieved and what comes next. Only on rare occasions do teachers present a new challenge, pushing thinking further. In a lesson on data handling in Year 2, the teacher avoided this trap by presenting the main idea of the lesson in a fresh way. The class enjoyed this, solved this new problem and gained better understanding.

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MATHEMATICS

88. A strength in many lessons is that teachers ask searching questions that make pupils think, and encourage them to explain their answers. This helps understanding. Teachers set a brisk pace, but take account of each pupil’s ability and make sure everyone has time to answer fully. This was seen to good effect in a lesson in Year 3, where the teacher’s planning included reminders on matching questions to ability. One of the reasons that this works well is the good relationships and trust seen in classes. Pupils of all abilities volunteer answers because they know that mistakes will be explored positively. Pupils who have special educational needs and those who are at the early stages of learning English benefit particularly from this approach. Both teachers and pupils listen to answers and explanations with respect and patience and so learn from each other. In a lesson in Year 4, for example,

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MATHEMATICS

the teacher said, would you like me to ask someone else while you work it out?

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MATHEMATICS

89. A weakness in a few discussions is that teachers do not encourage pupils to look for patterns or short cuts in their answers. As a result, pupils do not have much experience of using words and symbols to express a general rule or derive a formula. Some pupils in Year 6, for example, intuitively used some generalisations and repetitions when finding ways to make 1 –10 using only two numbers, but there was no opportunity to share or develop the ideas. The subject leader is aware of this, and good materials have been prepared to support this sort of learning. Wigton Moor Primary School - 36 90. The National Numeracy Strategy has been fully implemented. Teaching reflects recommended approaches and teachers are buoyed by the success they are having and in turn pupils have developed similarly positive attitudes. Good strategies are used to maintain involvement and build upon such positive attitudes. For example, teachers encourage

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MATHEMATICS

cooperation and improve confidence by sometimes asking pupils to quickly check with a partner before answering questions. Pupils like this and use it with common sense. While in some lessons individual dry wipe boards enable pupils to test their ideas privately.

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MATHEMATICS

91. Teachers give pupils useful opportunities to use their mathematical skills in other subjects. For example pupils make accurate timelines in history, or graphs and charts in geography and science. In Year 5, pupils use a calculator to plot changes in heartbeat over time and make good deductions from their data. There is some use of information technology in mathematics lessons, for example in the work on naming and describing shapes in Year 4. However this has rightly been identified as the next area for development.

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SCIENCE

92. By the end of Year 6 standards are well above expectations for pupils’ ages. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. Standards remain above expectations by the end of Year 2. Standards reach these levels because of good teaching and strong leadership in the subject. As a result, all pupils, including those who have special educational needs, achieve well and have good attitudes towards their work. A comprehensive and interesting curriculum contributes positively to pupils’ enjoyment of lessons.

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SCIENCE

93. Teaching is firmly rooted in investigative and experimental science. Teachers show pupils how to plan and carry out investigations and to record their observations and results in a scientific way. This encourages pupils to become independent learners, as they get older. By the end of Year 2 a significant number of pupils understand the need for a fair test and record results of investigations independently in reports, tables and charts. However, in one class too much work is heavily directed by the teacher and this holds back how quickly pupils become independent learners. In Year 3 pupils showed what they could do when they were given a free rein to test the hardness and softness of rocks for themselves with a selection of tools. They carefully checked with magnifying glasses the effect of their scraping and poking on each sample and ranked their findings in order on a hardness line . Differences of

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SCIENCE

opinions led to a vigorous and reasoned discussion and, because pupils were so thoroughly engaged, they all worked productively.

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SCIENCE

94. Teachers’ good knowledge of the subject enables them to give interesting and informative explanations and to question pupils in a way that makes them think scientifically. As a result by the end of Year 6, many pupils write conclusions in a scientific way and link any predictions made to outcomes. For instance, in Year 2 a teacher asked pupils, What classification does a spider come under? ... and a pupil quickly replied, arachnid . In Year 5 questions such as, Why do plants exist? helped pupils to understand life cycles. Teachers explain ideas in a clear scientific language, so pupils quickly acquire new ideas and talk about them fluently. In Year 4 this led to very good learning about habitats and food chains. Pupils showed great interest and determination when finding out how to make webs and developed complex examples of their own. The subject co-ordinator is keen to improve pupils’ technical

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SCIENCE

language and this emphasis pays dividends. In Year 6 pupils readily use words such as prey, predator and camouflage in their explanations about survival in different habitats.

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SCIENCE

95. Teachers make good use of resources in investigations to help pupils become independent learners. In a lesson in Year 1 pupils found out for themselves how roots vary between plants, by looking for differences between living roots. This led to good learning and lively discussions. Higher attaining pupils explained how roots take up water to feed the plant Wigton Moor Primary School - 37 and keep it alive. Others suggested that roots keep the plant in the ground when the wind blows .

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SCIENCE

96. A very good feature of teaching is the use teachers make of visits to stimulate pupils’ interest and to encourage them to see science as part of life. In Year 2 pupils visited a nature reserve and observed differences in local habitats, then applied their learning in a mini-beast hunt in different habitats around the school. When they recorded the results of their investigations in the classroom pupils gave good reasons why they found particular mini- beasts in certain areas. An excellently planned residential visit to Whitby for pupils in Year 6 is used to investigate science in coastal environments. Pupils make good gains in real-life situations in understanding how plants and animals adapt to challenging environments such as rock pools.

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SCIENCE

97. Teachers plan lessons well and take pupils’ needs into account. This helps support staff to give good help to different groups of pupils. For instance, in Year 1 a list of key questions enabled support staff to target pupils well and move their learning forward quickly. This makes a significant contribution to the progress made by pupils who are at the early stages of learning English. Teachers have high expectations of higher attaining pupils, and often provide lower attaining pupils, including those who have special educational needs with an easier task of recording their findings. Occasionally, however, higher attainers do not get as good a deal as others. In one lesson at Year 6 the teacher planned an extra challenge for higher attainers. However, because they had to complete the same work as others before going on to this, time ran out before they could attempt it. In another, while lower attaining

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SCIENCE

pupils learnt well, it was clear that higher attainers could have achieved more than they did.

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SCIENCE

98. A good feature in many classes is the quality of teachers’ marking. In Year 6 it is exemplary and consistently fosters improvement and promotes scientific thinking. For instance, a lower attaining pupil was given a house-point as a reward for a good, clear explanation . Another, who found difficulty in formulating a hypothesis, was advised to try to explain why you think sugar in hot water will dissolve first . Other pupils were urged to reach high levels when they were encouraged to use and refer to your results when writing your conclusion .

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SCIENCE

99. The co-ordinator for the subject is aware of some areas in need of development and has plans drawn up for improvement. One of these concerns is the use of computers in science, currently an underdeveloped area, whilst another is to ensure the co-ordinator more closely monitors teaching and learning in classrooms. Nevertheless the school is doing well and, with the shared commitment to succeed evident in strong teamwork within the school, is well placed to build further on current strengths.

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ART AND DESIGN

100. Standards of attainment in art and design are above those expected by the end of Year 2 and well above by the end of Year 6. Progress is good, both in learning practical techniques and in pupils’ knowledge of artists and their work. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are fully included in all lessons and achieve equally as well. Those pupils who have special educational needs make good progress, with some achieving high standards. Much of this is due to the effective use of teaching assistants helping lessons to run smoothly and providing help when necessary. Standards have improved since the last inspection because the teaching of art and design has improved and techniques are taught systematically. Much of this improvement is down to good leadership and management of the subject. Wigton Moor Primary School - 38 101. Teaching is good, with some very good teaching in Years 3 to 6. The best teaching

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ART AND DESIGN

helps pupils develop particular skills and techniques, which they then use in their own work. This pattern of work is underpinned by very good questioning, encouraging pupils to evaluate their work as it proceeds. This attitude of critical reflection leads to constant improvement. Teachers treat pupils as ‘artists’ entering into dialogue with them about the quality of their work, resulting in self-assured and enthusiastic learners. In a good lesson at Year 6 this was taken a stage further, as pupils were asked to examine each others work, reflecting on the success of the technique used and the overall quality of the work. In all lessons relationships are easy and time is well used, with pupils responding well to the change of emphasis art and design provides.

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ART AND DESIGN

102. The effective demonstration of skills and the way work builds over time is characterised in the closely observed landscapes produced by pupils in Year 6. With a residential visit to Whitby acting as the stimulus for practising sketches in the field, the teacher demonstrated how to shade work for particular effect. Once back in school, pupils were shown how to use their sketches to produce landscapes in watercolour that paid very good attention to detail and succeeded very well in capturing the colour of the landscape

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ART AND DESIGN

103. Teachers prepare pupils well for the work they are to do. Careful thought is given to ensuring that pupils use a wide range of media and a good balance is struck between two and three-dimensional work. By the end of Year 2 for example, pupils have worked with a variety of media, including collage and paint to produce spring flowers linked to science, clay to produce thumb and coil pots, and have learnt weaving and printing techniques and designed book covers.

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ART AND DESIGN

104. Art and design is used very well to complement other subjects through displays, with other subjects acting as a starting point. A high quality display of Kenyan images and artefacts, for instance, provided the inspiration for work on landscapes, with the teacher skilfully linking the use of a colour wash technique to recreate Kenyan scenery. Such work, together with work on pattern from the different cultures represented in the school, adds to pupils’ cultural development. Art and design features prominently in high quality displays of pupils’ work, giving a real sense of value to pupils' efforts. The use of ICT, though, has little impact on standards, while some teachers use art and design programmes to help pupils make pictures, the emphasis is on pupils finding their way around the programme, rather than creating and critically reflecting on particular effects.

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ART AND DESIGN

105. Those pupils who are gifted or talented in art and design are given encouragement and opportunities to excel. The Art Club is very effective in providing extra opportunities for all pupils who are interested in experimenting with different techniques and skills. The co- ordinator brings energy to the subject organising the curriculum so that work builds systematically, ensures that art and design is well resourced and keeps an eye on standards by maintaining a portfolio of work.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

106. As was the case at the last inspection, attainment meets national expectations at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. All pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language and those who have special educational needs, make steady progress.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

107. Teachers are guided by a useful scheme of work, which ensures that skills are built upon systematically and now includes appropriate experiences in food technology, a weaknesses noted in the last inspection. By and large teachers strike a good balance between designing, making and evaluating models. For example, in Year 2 before designing Wigton Moor Primary School - 39 a vehicle of their own, pupils studied wheels and axles and began to consider how the design of the vehicle is determined by its function. One pupil commenting, a delivery van needs doors that can open .

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

108. The teaching is well organised and teachers provide a good range of resources for pupils to study how mechanisms work and for making their own models. An equally strong feature is the attention given to technical language. This equips all pupils, including, those who speak English as an additional language, with the correct vocabulary, which they use well when labelling and talking about their work. In a good lesson at Year 3, pupils were set the challenge of making a free standing photo frame. This linked well with an earlier lesson on stiffening objects to make them stand up and gave pupils an opportunity to use this knowledge in a creative way as they arrived at their own solutions to the problem. The teacher’s probing questions challenged pupils to explain how they were going to overcome difficulties and moved learning along at good pace. It is this pace and level of challenge that sets good teaching apart. By contrast, in a well resourced lesson in Year 5, pupils were

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

denied an opportunity to explain their thinking and while they made gains in their technical knowledge, too much time was spent completing a diagram showing how the cam worked. Although pupils worked hard, they were denied the opportunity of incorporating the mechanism into the creative ideas, which many had developed themselves.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

109. Although there are occasions when teachers use presentations on the computer to show pupils how mechanisms work, for example in a lesson on cams in Year 5, teachers make too little use of ICT for pupils to design models. The co-ordinator has been effective in implementing the scheme of work, keeps an eye on standards and has produced some useful assessment guidelines. However design and technology does not feature strongly in the school’s plan for improvement and so there are few further opportunities to influence teaching and learning.

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GEOGRAPHY

110. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6 standards in geography are above those expected for pupils’ ages. This is an improvement since the previous inspection which has been brought about by better teaching, good leadership in the subject and a curriculum that offers pupils interesting challenges. As a result, pupils achieve well and have good attitudes towards their work. The co-ordinator has improved the subject well and has an ambitious range of plans, which gives the school the capacity to continue moving forward.

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GEOGRAPHY

111. Teaching is good. It is solidly based on a practical approach and teachers give pupils lots of opportunities to learn in fieldwork. This provision is at its best in Year 5 and Year 6 when pupils go on residential visits. For instance, pupils in Year 6 get excellent opportunities to develop their geographical skills in fieldwork when they compare physical and human features in two contrasting coastal areas. Very good teaching in the field at Whitby enabled pupils to learn quickly at first-hand about erosion and cliff formation and make comparisons with features at nearby Robin Hood’s Bay. Pupils have a good awareness of how these places fit into a wider geographical context in human terms and make meaningful comparisons with Leeds. Teachers in Year 2 give pupils lots of interesting lessons. The highlight of this provision was a recent India Day, which gave pupils memorable experiences of Indian culture and customs. They recalled with enjoyment Indian art, music, dance, food

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GEOGRAPHY

and clothes…and spoke with feeling of the street children and poverty in Delhi. The good knowledge pupils showed of features of life in India, together with good learning in local studies, gave them a sharp awareness of contrasting lifestyles beyond their own locality and country. Together with the experiences gained through residential visits, ensures that geography makes a telling contribution to pupils’ social and cultural development. Wigton Moor Primary School - 40 112. Teachers’ secure knowledge of the subject is exemplified by the skilful way they use the school’s good supply of resources to make lessons interesting. In Year 4 a video showing the contrasting features and landscape of Kenya fascinated pupils so they enthusiastically delved into reference books to find out more for themselves. Consequently, they learnt very quickly and compared Kenya with England. Most teachers encourage pupils

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GEOGRAPHY

to find out things for themselves in books. For instance, pupils in Year 3 use atlases to find out about places in Africa and the names of countries passed over on flights there. However, this is an aspect of teaching, which a few teachers do not promote well enough. Another good feature of teaching is the imaginative links teachers make with other subjects. For example, pupils in Year 4 extended their learning about Kenya in an ICT lesson when they interpreted weather graphs and wrote reports about when would be the best month to visit Kenya . However, most teachers do not make enough use of computers to help pupils learn in geography lessons. Links with other subjects flavour teaching and learning strongly in Year 6, particularly in history and literacy.

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GEOGRAPHY

113. Teachers pay good attention to developing pupils’ skills in map work. For instance, pupils in Year 1 draw routes of their journey from home to school, while in Year 2 they draw and interpret maps with 2-figure coordinates, and in Year 6 4-figure coordinates. Attractive displays in classrooms show a good emphasis on the study of large scale maps and aerial photographs of the locality. Consequently, most pupils interpret and draw maps well. Most teachers give pupils challenges according to their ability. This helps higher attainers to learn for themselves. It also helps lower attainers, including those who have special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language to learn at the same good rate as others.

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HISTORY

114. As was the case at the last inspection, standards at the end of Year 6 are above the national average. The school has achieved this through a rich curriculum, good teaching and pupils who work hard and want to learn. Pupils have a good knowledge of different periods in history and understand how to collect information about the past. They enjoy the lessons, are keen to find out more and present their work in an organised way.

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HISTORY

115. Pupils make sound progress through Years 1 and 2 and standards overall are about average. They have a reasonable fund of knowledge about famous people and events and can identify differences between the past and present and are beginning to look for details in historical evidence. As a result of a curriculum enhanced by a range of visits progress quickens through Year 3 to 6.

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HISTORY

116. Throughout the school teachers use a good range resources, including old documents and artefacts, as well as photographs, videos and books to enliven lessons and promote an interest in history. In Year 4, for instance, pupils were able to use replicas of Tudor household objects and clothes to make deductions about an individual’s social standing. The best teaching draws on resources to show pupils how the past can be interpreted in different ways, depending on a person’s point of view or motive. This was the case in Year 4, where the teacher made judicious use of differing accounts of the intrigues of Henry VIII.

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HISTORY

117. A common feature of teaching is the attention paid to the development of the skills needed to find out about the past. In all classes, good use is made of timelines to help pupils place different periods and events in order. Pupils in Year 2, for example, identify differences in holiday photographs to put them in order. Pupils are shown how to find information for themselves and are given opportunities to present what they find in different ways. This emphasis on research and high expectations of presentation result in work of increasing sophistication. For example, pupils in Year 3 made good quality illustrated booklets on the Wigton Moor Primary School - 41 Romans, while pupils in Year 6 put together informative leaflets on the lives of working people in Victorian times. These were added to by information brought from home, where many used the Internet to add to their knowledge. However, in general, teachers’ use of computers

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HISTORY

to aid the study of history is at an early stage of development.

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HISTORY

118. Perhaps the most striking aspect of history and the main difference for the quicker progress in the juniors is the use teachers make of visits to museums and other places of interest, bringing vibrancy to teaching and learning. These well organised trips provide a context for improving skills of historical research, a fillip to work back at school and lead to deeper understanding about the lives of people in the past. For example, when pupils in Year 6 spend a day at a museum of Ancient Egypt they dismembered and wrapped a mummy, made jewellery, and wrote in hieroglyphics with papyrus pens. One boy perceptively commenting, it was fascinating to think that the scribes were really good at it and we were struggling.

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HISTORY

119. The experienced and well qualified co-ordinator leads the subject well, although her work has been more effective in the juniors. A good quality scheme of work provides suitable guidance for teachers to plan work, with a well established pattern of visits and a growing collection of high quality artefacts particular strengths. While teachers make some useful assessments after each unit of work, these are yet to be developed into a whole school system for assessment detailing what pupils know and can do and guiding the next stages of learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

120. Standards of attainment in ICT are below national expectations for seven and 11 year olds. While pupils have reasonable word processing skills, abilities to input and interrogate data and use the computer to control other devices are undeveloped, and so progress by all groups of pupils is unsatisfactory. While teaching is satisfactory, shortcomings in resources and ineffective leadership of the subject, which has failed to organise the curriculum sensibly, keep a close enough eye on standards or put into practice previous plans for improvement, have led to a decline in standards since the last inspection. The school has well-conceived plans for overcoming present resource difficulties but there is an urgent need for more purposeful and knowledgeable leadership.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

121. All teachers battle against a cramped and inadequate computer suite which makes it difficult for teachers to demonstrate new learning to pupils. The piecemeal solutions to overcome this are largely ineffective. Teachers either use the suite with the whole class, resulting in pupils waiting for their turn, or they take half a class at a time, in which case pupils use the suite less often. In either case poor resources slow progress. By and large teachers make good use of projectors and the interactive whiteboard to show pupils what they want them to do, but follow up in the suite is less successful and there are instances when pupils work for long periods with too little input from the teacher. This also slows learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

122. The most successful teaching ensures pupils learn new skills which they apply in a creative and thought-provoking way. For example, in a good lesson in Year 4, pupils, having previously produced graphs comparing rainfall in Nairobi and London, used the information to advise tourists and write an advert to attract tourists to their chosen area. This successful teaching gave pupils a chance to draw upon a range of ICT skills in shaping their response.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

123. Not all teaching is as successful as this and, although satisfactory, is characterised by a tendency for teachers to concentrate too much on the development of skills to the detriment of using computers in a purposeful way. At its worst, teaching fails to build on Wigton Moor Primary School - 42 previously taught skills, misses the potential for computers to stimulate thought and allows pupils to ‘play’ at the computer. In a lesson in Year 3, for example, pupils spent the lesson playing each other simple tunes they had composed the previous week and learnt little that was new. This was because the teacher expected too little of them and did not show them clearly enough how to set about improving their work or critically appraise the work of others.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

124. The co-ordinator has put together a scheme of work for ICT but there is some repetition of work and, in some instances, work does not get progressively harder. This is compounded by a lack of clear guidance on assessment so that teachers find it difficult to know where to pitch work. There have been some developments in the way teachers use computers to enhance learning in other subjects, but the use of a computer in other subjects remains weak overall, with a tendency among some teachers to limit its use to improving presentation. The co-ordinator’s monitoring of the subject has been largely ineffective; gaps in the curriculum remain, with too little attention given to using the computer to give instructions to other devices. While the co-ordinator has produced a detailed plan for improvement, previous detailed plans have not been implemented well enough, and an urgent need remains to act in a decisive and considered manner.

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MUSIC

125. Standards are above those expected nationally by the end of Year 2. This is better than at the time of the last inspection and is due to very good teaching by the music co-ordinator. Standards at the end of Year 6 continue to match those expected nationally. Singing is a strength of the school. Pupils benefit from the expertise of both the co-ordinator and the headteacher who take weekly infant and junior singing practices respectively. A new scheme of work has recently been implemented with a view to helping teachers who do not have a musical background to plan lessons. This is too recent to have had an impact on standards. Music has a very high profile within the school. The co-ordinator devotes a great deal of time to making sure that the 70-piece school orchestra continues to flourish. It is a good mixture of string, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments.

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MUSIC

126. Singing practices are marked by the excellent attitudes and behaviour of the pupils. This reflects teachers’ high expectations, expertise and passion for music. Pupils sing a range of songs confidently and with clear diction and recognise the variations in mood created by changes in tempo and dynamics. One pupil in Year 2 suggested that softer voices would be needed for Love Somebody than for Rise and Shine. The quality of singing throughout the school is above national expectations.

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MUSIC

127. Pupils in Year 2 are taught to play the recorder as well as other instruments. The very good teaching is characterised by demonstrations of the techniques needed to play each instrument, the use of music notation and the emphasis on the importance of practising to improve. Pupils enjoy playing simple tunes on the recorder and feel a shared sense of achievement at the end of the lesson.

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MUSIC

128. Teaching in a Year 3 and a Year 6 class is good. Both teachers have some musical expertise, which they use well to enable pupils to make good progress. Pupils in Year 3 chose suitable instruments to relate sounds to a picture of a tropical sunset. Their teacher’s good organisational skills ensured that everyone had a part to play in creating layers of sound to build up the picture. Pupils in Year 6, working in groups to create backing music including vocals, make sensible suggestions to each other’s group as to how improvements could be made.

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MUSIC

129. Music makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Teachers select different styles and traditions of music for listening to and Wigton Moor Primary School - 43 discussion. Pupils in Year 2, for example, take part in an Indian music workshop, while pupils in Years 3 to 6 take part in Tudor music workshops, sing World War 2 songs and make Egyptian style instruments. Visitors to the school including a steel band and the Mozart Players add an extra dimension to the curriculum. Pupils’ sweet and tuneful singing of hymns often creates a spiritual atmosphere.

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MUSIC

130. Management of the subject is good. Standards by the end of Year 2 have risen since the last inspection, as have standards in singing across the school. Over 90 pupils receive either string, woodwind or brass tuition from experienced musicians. Under the guidance of the co-ordinator, pupils in the school orchestra take a very professional attitude to their music. Four recorder clubs, run by the co-ordinator, also flourish. Pupils who have special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language make the same good progress as other pupils because of the extra help they receive from teachers and classroom assistants. The use of ICT is still in the early stages of development and is included in the co-ordinator’s comprehensive- action plan.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

131. Standards are in line with those expected by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This is the same as the judgement made at the last inspection. Pupils have sound skills in gymnastics, dance and games, and nearly all swim at least the recommended minimum distance by the end of Year 6. Pupils try hard in lessons; they listen well, work together well and strive to improve. As a result, all pupils, including those who have special educational needs, enjoy their lessons and make steady progress.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

132. Teaching is generally satisfactory and at Year 6 very good. One unsatisfactory lesson, in Year 3, was due to weaknesses in organisation and an inappropriate choice of activity. As a result, pupils did not make enough progress in their fielding or striking skills. Teachers make sure that lessons start promptly; they explain clearly and set a brisk pace, so no time is wasted. They use demonstrations well, for example, pupils in Year 1 made a good improvement in their balance work after watching some of the more able pupils. Pupils co- operate well and learn from each other. In a gymnastics lesson in Year 5, for example, the best improvement came while the class was practising in small groups. Pupils showed reasonable body control and a good sense of balance while putting imaginative sequence of movements together.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

133. Where the teaching is very good, pupils are shown how to think about their performance and improve it. For example in a games lesson in Year 6, the teacher kept the lesson bubbling, and the pupils thinking, with a stream of helpful ideas, comments and questions. This kept pupils on their toes and improved both performance and teamwork. This lesson succeeded so well because the teacher made constant assessments of how well pupils were doing and adjusted teaching accordingly. In some other lessons, teachers are less confident and follow the lesson plans too rigidly. Opportunities are therefore missed to develop skills further and on occasions pupils are moved on before achieving a satisfying improvement. As was the case at the last inspection, pupils are not given enough opportunities for pupils to evaluate their own or others’ performance.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

134. Teachers ensure that pupils know the rules of a range of games and understand the importance of good teamwork. In Year 6, for example, the teacher gained agreement on fair rules which prevented any arguments. This meant that everyone had plenty of turns and so made good progress. Such an approach adds to pupils’ social and moral devolvement.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

135. There has been no co-ordinator this year, and physical education has not been a priority for the school. However the programme of work is well organised and all areas of the Wigton Moor Primary School - 44 curriculum are taught. A well qualified, enthusiastic teacher has been earmarked to take up the reigns of physical education and has appropriate ideas for development. The school offers a rich curriculum in lessons, which is further enhanced by a week of adventurous activities in Year 6, when pupils stay at an outdoor centre. In addition there are a number of sports clubs and pupils have opportunities to compete against other schools. Parents make a good contribution to these, for example in running the Saturday football clubs. The school makes good use of visiting coaches, for example from rugby and soccer clubs, and has improved the stock of games equipment through various promotions. The range of activities

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

after school is satisfactory, although some popular clubs are no longer running. However the new co-ordinator has ambitious plans to increase the number of opportunities soon.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

136. Standards in religious education have risen since the last inspection. They now meet the expectations of the Leeds Agreed Syllabus at the end of Year 2 and exceed them at the end of Year 6. This improvement results from stronger teaching and also from the positive way the co-ordinator has devised and implemented a new scheme of work, which supports the objectives of the Agreed Syllabus. This is now covered in sufficient depth, an issue highlighted at the time of the last inspection.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

137. Teaching is good overall in Years 1 and 2. A particular strength of teaching is the way teachers draw upon the experience of individuals and relevant resources to help pupils understand the reality and importance of religion to people. Pupils in Year 1 gained a good understanding of why the bible is special to Christians following the visit of the local vicar. In Year 2, the teacher encouraged contributions from Sikh and Muslim pupils, which helped other pupils to understand some of the similarities between symbols of faith.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

138. The quality of teaching is also good in Years 3 to 6. Lessons are planned to contain a balance between factual information and opportunities for pupils to think more deeply about religions. Teachers’ secure knowledge and understanding of the subject enable them to provide pupils with valuable insights into religious beliefs, moral values, feelings and behaviour. Pupils in a Year 5 class, although excited by the prospect of raising money for Christian Aid by organising fun activities, did not lose sight of the reason behind the need to do this. Sensitive teaching made them very aware of the plight of many children in other countries and why Christian Aid’s slogan is it’s an unfair world.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

139. Religious education makes a very strong contribution to spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, particularly spiritual development. Teachers develop pupils’ spiritual life by looking at the meaning behind the words of prayers and hymns. Spiritual development is enhanced by opportunities to empathise with people such as Martin Luther King and Mother Theresa. One Year 6 pupil wrote perched high on a tree, clinging onto the branches.......I thought to myself, he will save the world, as she empathised with one of the crowd on Palm Sunday.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

140. The way in which pupils use their literacy skills in religious education is very good. Pupils are stimulated to talk about their feelings and they listen thoughtfully to others’ points of view. They take an obvious pride in their written work, which is beautifully presented and enhanced by detailed drawings. They are particularly proud of their Record of Achievement religious education books, which are added to in each class as they move through the school. Another strength of teaching is the strong support given to pupils who have special educational needs and those learning English as an addition language. This helps them to make the same good progress as other pupils. However, there are times when all pupils in the class copy out the same work, particularly in Year 2. Not only does this deny the teacher Wigton Moor Primary School - 45 the chance to assess pupils’ understanding but also lacks challenge, especially for higher-

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

141. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The profile of religious education has risen since the last inspection and so have standards throughout the school. The co- ordinator’s comprehensive action plan highlights the need to develop the use of ICT, which is still at an early stage, and to take on board the Local Education Authority’s assessment scheme when it becomes available in September this year.

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