Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 7 th – 8 th October 2002

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SCHOOL

Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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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. Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Carr Head Lane Poulton-le-Fylde Lancashire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Cllr G Horrocks

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: March 1998 Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 2

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Team members

17531 Mr P M Allen Registered inspector 11474 Mr P Berry Lay inspector 17310 Mrs A McAskie Team inspector

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Team members

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 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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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 17 - 21

Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Carr Head Primary is an average sized primary school serving an area of mainly private housing in the village of Poulton-le-Fylde near Blackpool. Of the 248 pupils on roll, there are a very similar number of girls and boys, although there is a gender imbalance in some year groups. The vast majority of pupils are of white UK heritage background. There are a very small number of children with English as an additional language, mainly from a Chinese heritage background, with none at an early stage of language acquisition. There are eight classes, including four with relatively small numbers at Reception and Key Stage 1, with two of them having mixed age groups. There are four large classes in Key Stage 2, one for each year group. At the time of the inspection, two key members of staff, one being the deputy head, were on long term absence and their classes were taken by temporary teachers. Eighteen

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

pupils are identified as having special educational needs, with none having a statement of special educational need; these proportions are below the national averages. The proportion of pupils taking free school meals is well below the national average. Virtually all the children have had experience of pre- school education. Attainment on entry to the Reception class varies, sometimes significantly, from year to year. In the recent past, it has been broadly in line with what could be expected, although currently attainment on entry is just above what could be expected. Just prior to this inspection the school’s status as a ‘Beacon school’ had been renewed.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school which helps the pupils become responsible and caring members of society. It ensures that pupils reach high standards in their work and in their behaviour. Standards are very high by the time they leave the school and this is due to the good and very good quality of the teaching they receive. The headteacher has led the school very effectively in its drive to raise standards and improve the quality of education provided. On current levels of expenditure, the school gives very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils attain very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the time they leave the school. • The headteacher provides very good leadership and is well supported by the governors and the hard working staff. • There is a significant amount of good and very good teaching which enables the pupils to achieve well. • The standards and the provision in information and communication technology represent a significant improvement. • The pupils are very responsible and very well behaved, with very positive attitudes towards school. • There are very good practices for assessing, monitoring and target setting for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What could be improved

• The monitoring of teaching and learning. • The plans for dealing with surplus income. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in March 1998. The improvement the school has made since then is very good. The school is very well placed to maintain this improvement and build on it further. The issues from the previous report have been largely addressed. Consequently, standards have improved significantly in information and communication technology, particularly at Key Stage 2. The provision for the Reception children has been reviewed and developed as part of an on-going process. A system for monitoring teaching across the school was introduced, although this is now ready for renewal. The Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 5 school improvement plan has become more strategic and manageable, now presenting a coherent, long term view of development. Since the previous inspection, the leadership and management of the school have improved, the quality of teaching is higher and, as a consequence, standards have risen.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

English 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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Key

Children make good progress in the Reception year and are likely to achieve the nationally prescribed Early Learning Goals across the six areas of learning, with around half exceeding most of the goals. Standards at the end of Year 2 are good and above national averages in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Standards at the end of Year 6 are very good and well above national averages in English, mathematics and science. The quality of work seen reflects these standards. These judgements reflect the school’s recent trend of creditable results which have included results (graded as A*) in English, mathematics and science at the end of Year 6, which were in the highest five per cent of all schools nationally. The lower attaining pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well, enabling most of them to meet the expected standards for their age. Standards in information and

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Key

communication technology are above national expectations; they are likely to be good at the end of Year 2 and good and sometimes very good at the end of Year 6. Standards in religious education are broadly in line with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. The school continues to set challenging, but achievable, targets for the pupils to maintain and build upon the very good results.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils hold their school and their teachers in high regard. They have very positive attitudes and involve themselves in the wide range of activities the school provides.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils’ behaviour in and around school is very good. They are courteous to each other and to adults. They are very welcoming to visitors.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is very good. There are very good relationships between the adults and the pupils and between the pupils themselves. All ages and both genders mix well.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance The attendance rate is very good compared with other schools nationally. The pupils enjoy coming to school and spending time with their friends.

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Aspect Comment

The pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good, having a positive impact on the quality of learning. Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 6

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

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

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

The quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection and is one of the reasons for the success of the school. All the teaching observed at Key Stage 2 during this short inspection was good or very good except for one Year 6 lesson which was excellent. The teaching at Year 6 is particularly successful and has a significant impact on the very good National Curriculum results achieved. Amongst the many strengths of the teaching are that English and mathematics are taught well and teachers use effective methods to teach the skills of literacy and numeracy. Very good relationships underpin the teaching and learning. Support staff make a very positive contribution to the quality of learning. The teaching generally meets the needs of all the pupils, including those who are higher attainers and those with special educational needs. The pupils are very enthusiastic about their learning, with a will to achieve well.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and balanced and of a good quality. One of its strengths lies in information and communication technology and in its use to provide support for the teaching and learning in other curricular areas. The school is reviewing its Foundation Stage curriculum and planning to ensure similar provision for Reception children across the two classes. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good, enabling the pupils to make very good progress. The pupils are provided with effective personal support. Pupils who are very high attainers are provided with challenging work. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language There are no pupils who require specialist help. However, teachers ensure that pupils have equality of opportunity to enable them to take full advantage of all the learning experiences and to achieve well.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The provision for social and moral development is very good. The provision for spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory. The school ensures that pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong, helping them to grow as mature and responsible individuals. How well the school cares for its pupils The school ensures the care, safety and protection of all its pupils. The arrangements for assessing, monitoring and target setting for pupils’ attainment and progress are thorough and well organised.

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Aspect Comment

Overall, the school works well in partnership with its parents. Information and communication technology is a particular strength of the school. The school’s assessing and monitoring of pupils’ achievement are amongst its many strengths. The school is an inclusive community where every individual is valued. Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 7

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff One of the main reasons for the success of the school is the very good leadership and management of the headteacher. The head, well supported by a committed and hardworking staff, has been instrumental in the way the school has embraced the national agenda to raise standards. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors, led by an experienced chairman, are knowledgeable and keenly interested in the school, with plans to further develop their monitoring role. The school’s evaluation of its performance There is a rigorous analysis of standards, involving careful checking of progress towards targets. This gives the school a clear picture of pupils’ achievement and of steps towards improvement. Less well developed is the monitoring of teaching and learning. The strategic use of resources The school links decisions on spending to educational priorities.

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Aspect Comment

Although the school budgets systematically for all expenditure and is clear about the cost of its development, insufficient consideration has been given to the budget surplus which has been accruing since a time prior to the previous inspection. The school needs to review the use of surplus income when setting its budget for future years.

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Aspect Comment

The school benefits from very good leadership. There is an adequate number of teaching staff, but a relatively low number of classroom support assistants. The school is clean and well maintained with good classroom sizes and a very large field. The school is well resourced, overall, especially in information and communication technology. Appropriate consideration is given to the principles of best value.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The children like school and are making good progress. • The children behave well. • The amount of homework. • The quality of the teaching and the leadership and management. • The way the children are helped to be responsible with the expectations that they will work hard. • Some would like more information on how their children are progressing. • A significant number are concerned about the very large class sizes at Key Stage 2. • A third of respondents feel that there should be more extra-curricular activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors agree with parents’ views on the value of more information on pupils’ progress. The school has firm plans to increase communication with parents about children’s progress, including the provision of an additional consultation evening. The inspectors share the parents’ concerns about the large class sizes. The range of extra-curricular activities is considered to be appropriate and compares favourably with other schools of similar size. The vast majority of views expressed were very positive about the school. Many spoke very highly of the school and its good reputation. The inspection team support these positive views and endorse the view that this is a very good school. Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 8

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Pupils attain very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the time

1. When the school was previously inspected in March 1998, standards at the end of Year 2 were judged to be in line with national averages in reading, writing and science and above the national average in mathematics. Progress was judged to be satisfactory. Pupils are now achieving better than they were previously. The good standards have been maintained in mathematics and, significantly, standards have improved in reading, writing and science, so that they are now good and above national averages.

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Pupils attain very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the time

2. In the Reception year, a strong emphasis is given to the early development of literacy and numeracy skills. This leads to the children making good progress in the area of communication, language and literacy and in the mathematical area of learning, laying a strong foundation for Years 1 and 2 of the National Curriculum. It leads to the good standards at the end of Year 2 which are reflected in the 2001 and 2002 National Curriculum test results.

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Pupils attain very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the time

3. The school’s detailed monitoring of attainment and progress indicates the good progress made over the first two years after the Reception year. In the four years at Key Stage 2, progress gradually becomes more marked, this being particularly so in Year 6. The pupils’ learning is very good because of the very good quality of teaching, resulting in the very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the time they leave the school.

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Pupils attain very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the time

4. At the time of the previous inspection, standards at the end of Year 6 were judged to be very good and above national averages. These standards have been maintained, so that, year on year, since the time of the previous inspection they have been consistently high. National performance data reflect this pattern of high standards. Taking the three years from 1999 to 2001 together, the performance of pupils in English exceeded the national average for their age group by a significant margin; in science, the performance exceeded the national average by a more significant margin and in mathematics by an exceptional amount.

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Pupils attain very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the time

5. The standards achieved by boys at the end of Year 6 in each of the core subjects is highly creditable. The trend of underachievement by boys nationally is not reflected in the school’s data. The performance of boys over the three years from 1999 in English, mathematics and science exceeded the national average for their age group by a more significant margin than the girls exceeded the national average for their age group.

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Pupils attain very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the time

6. A key feature of the results in recent times is that, although the vast majority of pupils achieved Level 4, the expected standards for a typical eleven year old pupil, a very high proportion achieved the higher Level 5. For example, in the 2002 tests in English, mathematics and science, the percentage reaching Level 5 was 71 per cent, 63 per cent and 74 per cent respectively. In recent times, a small number of pupils reached Level 6 in mathematics. The results in mathematics and science year on year since summer 1998 have been in the highest five per cent of all schools nationally.

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Pupils attain very high standards in English, mathematics and science by the time

7. As the inspection took place early in the school year a scrutiny of work from the previous year, mainly in English, mathematics and science, was undertaken. The work in the books reflects the very high standards, most notably that of Year 6. The pupils are set challenging work and they respond to the high expectations by producing a great deal of work. The very good standards come about because of the very good quality of teaching and learning. The school is not complacent and makes very good use of all available data to calculate the ‘value added’ by the school to the pupils’ achievements and to inform the setting of targets to maintain and, where possible, improve the standards achieved. Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 9

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and is well supported by the

governing body and the hardworking staff.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and is well supported by the

8. One of the main reasons for the success of the school is the very good leadership and management of the headteacher who, well supported by a committed and hardworking staff, has been instrumental in the way the school has embraced the national agenda to raise standards. Significant progress has been made since the previous inspection when the leadership and management was judged to be satisfactory. The quality of leadership and management is a most significant factor in the high standards attained by pupils. The headteacher has a very clear vision of what sort of school it should be and this vision is shared by all staff, pupils and the governing body. Pupils work hard and seek ways to improve their performance. Staff and pupils are committed to learning and have high expectations of success.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and is well supported by the

9. One significant improvement has been the quality of the school improvement plan which is now more strategic and manageable and more effectively guides the work of the school. It presents a long term view of developments, with clearly defined objectives and targets for implementation. The governors, led by an experienced chairman, are knowledgeable and keenly interested in the school and make a very good contribution to setting priorities and targets which are reflected in the plan. The relevant sub-committees meet regularly and are well aware of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They are fully involved in reviewing the standards achieved in national tests and in target setting. They have plans to further develop their monitoring role, so as to gain more insights into the workings of the school, including the teaching and learning.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and is well supported by the

10. The headteacher’s leadership is clear and well structured. He has a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses from the thorough analysis of assessment data and from his direct involvement in teaching and learning. He has a high profile in the school and his calm and non-confrontational approach contributes well to the school’s ethos. Although much informal monitoring of teaching and learning is done through his frequent visits to classrooms, he recognises the need for structured and focused monitoring which leads to target setting. His significant contribution to the work in information and communication technology during the past two years has enabled standards to rise considerably. He clearly knows his staff and pupils well. The regular contact with pupils enables him to convey his high expectations of conduct, behaviour and productivity.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and is well supported by the

11. Throughout the school, there is a high degree of professionalism amongst all staff. This is partly a consequence of the approach of the headteacher who values them and has sufficient confidence to allow them to make important decisions. He appreciates the need to delegate responsibilities in order to pursue his own priorities, to allow staff to act in their various leadership roles to support the school’s work and to further their own professional development. The teamwork is very good and teachers with curricular responsibilities are effective in targeting improvements in their subjects. The senior management team oversees the work of the school. The two key stage co- ordinators have taken on extra responsibilities during the absence of the deputy head who normally plays a significant part in curriculum and assessment procedures; they are making a very strong contribution to the leadership and management within the school.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and is well supported by the

12. The management and administration of special educational needs is very good. Teachers and support staff work closely with the co-ordinator to ensure that appropriate work is planned. The funding for pupils with special educational needs is used effectively. Assessments are done at the beginning of each year and support is provided as quickly as possible.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and is well supported by the

13. Financial administration is good. The governing body has a clear commitment to ensure good value for money in its spending. The information and communication technology rooms are very well equipped and this has a very positive impact on the standards being achieved. The governors have been overly prudent in budget setting each year and there is need for a strategic plan for the use of the significant surplus income. Day to day financial administration and control are effective with good use made of financial software. Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 10 14. The school makes an important contribution to the wider community by sharing its good practice with other schools through its Beacon status. The commitment to continuing self-evaluation and high expectations has helped to create a very effective school which has the capacity to improve further.

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There is a significant amount of good and very good teaching which enables the

15. During the two days of a short inspection it is possible to observe only a relatively small number of lessons. On this inspection, most of them were in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology. The quality of teaching was good overall with some very good teaching. It was excellent in one of the lessons, very good in just under a third, good in half and satisfactory in the small number of remaining lessons. Apart from literacy and numeracy, very good teaching was observed in information and communication technology. All the teaching seen at Key Stage 2 was good or very good. The teaching at Year 6 was particularly successful and included the lesson where excellent teaching was observed. This high calibre teaching in Year 6 is one of the main reasons why standards at the end of Year 6 are as high as they are.

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There is a significant amount of good and very good teaching which enables the

16. Teachers plan and prepare lessons which both engage the interests of the pupils and have a clear focus on what is to be taught and learnt. This is shared with pupils at the start of lessons and reviewed at the end. This worked well in all the literacy and numeracy lessons observed. Teachers give priority to the acquisition of the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. Good opportunities are given for pupils to develop these skills and those learnt in information and communication technology across different curricular areas.

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There is a significant amount of good and very good teaching which enables the

17. The issue from the previous report about raising standards in information and communication technology, particularly at Key Stage 2, and ensuring full access to the programmes of study, has been well addressed. As a consequence of this, information and communication technology is increasingly being used as a very valuable means of supporting the teaching and learning. Pupils are given opportunities to enhance their learning across different subjects. Pupils from Year 1 and Year 2 create graphs to depict such things as food preferences. They make very good use of a special software program to practise and reinforce their knowledge of spelling patterns at a level appropriate to their ability, receiving clear feedback on their success. Year 2 pupils create advertisements for a school concert. Year 4 pupils search databases for information about the residents of Poulton. Older pupils access information from the Internet, for example to learn about

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There is a significant amount of good and very good teaching which enables the

Islam and the Victorians. Throughout the school, pupils are given good opportunities to develop word processing skills.

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There is a significant amount of good and very good teaching which enables the

18. Pupils’ learning is good, because of the high quality of teaching. They respond to the challenge of the work set and show a willingness to concentrate, thus making good progress in most lessons. Pupils adjust well to the demands of working in different situations. They are able to select the appropriate methods for doing something and can effectively organise the resources they need. The teaching enables the pupils to have a good knowledge of their own learning. They are confident and ask questions and persevere with their work. Pupils readily help one another and there is an ethos of co-operation. The quality of teaching and learning was very good in a very well organised Year 3 literacy lesson on reading play scripts. The teacher gave a very good explanation of the tasks ahead which engaged the enthusiasm and full participation of the pupils. The written work on phonemes was carefully planned to meet the needs of the different ability

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There is a significant amount of good and very good teaching which enables the

groups. The teacher inspired the very good attitudes and behaviour of the pupils which meant that the pupils stayed on task and all were enabled to achieve well. The very good teaching and very good learning are interlinked and underpinned by the very good relationships.

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There is a significant amount of good and very good teaching which enables the

19. The very effective teaching observed enables all pupils to achieve well relative to their abilities. It involves very high expectations of the level and quality of work, where pupils respond very positively to the demands made upon them. This was the case in an excellent Year 6 numeracy hour. The lesson began with quick fire questions on the conversion of fractions to decimals and percentages, followed by a series of graded questions, using individual whiteboards. The pupils worked very Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 11 industriously, with excellent support provided by the classroom support assistant for the lower attainers. The teacher gave a very clear explanation of probability. Pupils stayed on task during the very focused quarter of an hour, working out answers to questions related to probability using dice. This teaching promoted the self-esteem of the pupils through constant feedback in an

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There is a significant amount of good and very good teaching which enables the

atmosphere where effort and care are valued. The higher attainers were challenged and the excellent quality and organisation of the support enabled the lower attainers to achieve relatively high standards. The teaching was charismatic, inspiring pupils to give of their best; they enjoyed the humour of the teacher and were helped to see that learning can be fun.

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There is a significant amount of good and very good teaching which enables the

20. The school has a caring ethos which values each pupil, including those who need a lot of support. The careful use of assessment leads to early identification of special educational needs which enables teachers to support pupils early on. There are good quality individual education plans, involving targets which are clear and measurable. Teachers are aware of the needs of all their pupils. In lessons, pupils with special educational needs have good support from teachers and classroom support assistants. The careful planning of the work by the teachers and support staff ensures that pupils with special educational needs are enabled to achieve very well. Very good use is made of national initiatives such as ‘booster classes’, additional literacy support and extra literacy support which enable individual pupils to be targeted to achieve higher levels in their work.

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There is a significant amount of good and very good teaching which enables the

21. Members of the support staff and the enthusiastic parent helpers assist pupils’ learning very effectively and contribute very positively to pupils’ progress. All staff are committed to the school and its pupils. Across the school, the very good relationships, the close knowledge of individual pupils and their needs and the praise and encouragement all have an impact on the quality of learning. Homework is well used to enable pupils to follow up class work and practise skills. The very good quality of marking helps the pupils to be aware of what they have done well and what they need to do to improve.

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There is a significant amount of good and very good teaching which enables the

22. The quality of education provided by the school involves the quality of teaching and the children’s response to that teaching. The effectiveness of the teaching impacts very significantly on the rate, breadth, depth and consolidation of pupils’ learning; it helps pupils to gain appropriate knowledge, skills and understanding in a progressive and effective way. It enables all pupils to achieve well relative to their abilities. In this way, the quality of teaching observed leads to the very high standards being achieved. The teaching, learning and achievement are interlinked. The quality of teaching is one of the school’s main strengths.

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The standards and the provision in information and communication technology

23. The standards in information and communication technology are likely to be good at the end of Year 2 and good and sometimes very good at the end of Year 6 and above national expectations. Information and communication technology is a much improved curricular area. At the time of the previous inspection, standards at Key Stage 1 were considered to be satisfactory but those at Key Stage 2 were below the appropriate levels with pupils making unsatisfactory progress. Since then national expectations have risen and so a great deal of progress has been made for the school to reach the current standards. The quality of the curriculum and the teaching have improved considerably and this has had a significant effect on the standards now being achieved. Although good progress is made through the school, it is most marked for the older pupils whose good grounding in basic skills enables them to forge quickly ahead. The school now shares its

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The standards and the provision in information and communication technology

expertise in information and communication technology with other schools as part of its Beacon status.

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The standards and the provision in information and communication technology

24. Much of the progress which has been made is due to the commitment of the headteacher who is the co-ordinator. He has a very good grasp of the subject and a very clear vision for its development. Two years ago, the significant increase in hardware enabled information and communication technology to become a much more important part of the curriculum. The headteacher recognised the need to improve staff confidence and made a commitment to teach all classes as part of a teacher training programme. Extra classroom support was provided to allow Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 12 only half the class to be taught at once. The class teacher observed the lessons then repeated them with the other half of the class. The headteacher gradually withdrew as teachers became more confident and now provides support as and when required.

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The standards and the provision in information and communication technology

25. The success of this approach to professional development, which was combined with training provided by the local education authority, was clear to see in the quality of teaching observed which was at least good and sometimes very good. Teachers use the smartboard effectively when introducing pupils to new procedures. They try to make tasks relevant to pupils’ lives; for example, in using data from science and geography lessons to create spreadsheets. Instruction is clear and teachers ensure that pupils understand what is required of them before working independently. Teachers provide challenging, but interesting, tasks appropriate to the pupils’ needs. Lessons move at a quick pace and teachers have high expectations of the amount of work and the standards of behaviour. Pupils respond well to these expectations with good and, sometimes, very good quality of learning.

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The standards and the provision in information and communication technology

26. The pupils enjoy their lessons. They are enthusiastic, interested, willing to share their skills with one another and enjoy working collaboratively. Older pupils are capable of working unsupervised for long periods of time. A carefully structured programme of work has been produced to promote continuity and progression and to enable information and communication technology to support other areas of the curriculum well. Word processing is used extensively in subjects such as English and history. Many Year 6 pupils have gained a special qualification in this.

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The standards and the provision in information and communication technology

27. Pupils use the Internet for research into local history; for example, why Blackpool became a holiday resort. They access information on the religious teachings of other faiths. They find out about famous people such as Queen Elizabeth I, Florence Nightingale and Dr Barnardo. Many of them are sufficiently interested to do much of this work at home. They become very skilled at producing competent posters, pamphlets and newspapers on a range of topics relevant to their school. Younger pupils create and follow simple commands, using the programmable floor toys and older ones can write sequences of commands which control traffic lights. They also use data logging graphs to examine the properties of different kinds of music; for example the singing of Robbie Williams or samba music.

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The standards and the provision in information and communication technology

28. Emphasis is placed on high quality and, although good standards are achieved, the further development of information and communication technology is a priority in the current school improvement plan. The school has set ambitious targets to further pupils’ achievement. There is great emphasis on using information and communication technology as a tool to support work in other areas of the curriculum. Separate planning documents give specific guidance on how information and communication technology can be used in each subject, together with a useful list of web sites for the relevant age groups. The policy gives very clear guidance on how information and communication technology is to be used and developed. It acknowledges the need to provide equally for all pupils. An assessment is made of facilities at home so that any homework set can be geared to what the pupil is able to access.

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The standards and the provision in information and communication technology

29. The school is very well resourced and this has a significant impact on the standards reached by pupils. In addition to computers in the classroom, the school has two computer suites, one with sixteen computers, the other with a smartboard, video conferencing facility and midi keyboards. All computers in the main suite and classrooms are connected to the Internet. Printers are also networked. One suite is used as a library. Most pupils can use a digital camera and older pupils are becoming familiar with the technology involved in making them work. Tape recorders are used for speaking and listening activities and for taping music as part of musical appreciation. Pupils in the younger classes use listening centres, and programmable floor toys on a regular basis. Staff from the local high school support the learning in information and communication technology. The school has in the past benefited from a useful video conferencing facility which offered extended

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The standards and the provision in information and communication technology

work for older pupils in mathematics. The headteacher hopes that this link can be re-established. The school also welcomes the support it receives from its link local education authority advisor who is also an information and communication technology co-ordinator.

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The standards and the provision in information and communication technology

30. The school is justifiably proud of its standards and the quality of its information and Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 13 communication technology curriculum. The headteacher’s expertise, vision and commitment, together with the hard work of all staff, have enabled the school to move forward very significantly.

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The pupils are very responsible and very well behaved with very positive attitudes

31. Throughout the school, pupils have very positive attitudes to their work. They hold their school in high regard. They listen carefully to information and respond enthusiastically when the teachers pose questions. The pupils are keen to learn and they can sustain concentration well. The children in the Reception classes enjoy the many activities and were observed during the inspection working well co-operatively, sharing resources, such as the play-dough. Pupils are able to work and play well together even when not directly supervised. The very good attitude of pupils towards school, particularly in the older classes, is often a reflection of their teachers' proficient management techniques and the very good supervision provided by all staff. Despite the variation in the ability levels in each class, the academic work is generally well planned to match the individual pupils' needs and this creates an appropriate environment for learning.

p.15

The pupils are very responsible and very well behaved with very positive attitudes

32. The behaviour of pupils both in and out of the classrooms is very good. There have not been any exclusions from school. On the rare occasions that a pupil's behaviour necessitates some form of intervention, the parents believe that the school deals very well with the problems. During the inspection no serious misbehaviour was observed; discussions with the pupils indicated that there is an absence of bullying, racism and other oppressive behaviour. The pupils know the school rules and are aware of the high expectations. When entering school, pupils form a straight line and walk systematically through the door, stopping occasionally to allow through the Reception children who are not required to join the line. The registration periods and the assemblies are undertaken efficiently with very good, orderly movement, to give a pleasant, purposeful start to the school day. The pupils' attendance is very good. The punctuality of the vast majority is also very

p.15

The pupils are very responsible and very well behaved with very positive attitudes

good. However, despite strategies being in place to deal with lateness, there is still a handful of regular offenders.

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The pupils are very responsible and very well behaved with very positive attitudes

33. The pupils are friendly, polite and courteous to visitors. They show pride when discussing the wall displays of their work; for example, the excellent presentation of the Year 5 word-processed work on ‘James and The Giant Peach’. There are very good relationships between pupils and adults and between the pupils themselves. The Year 6 pupils spend time supporting the Reception children, holding discussions and helping with reading. A Year 3 class was observed where a number of pupils participated in reading a play script and were given a spontaneous round of applause by their classmates. The school celebrates achievements and effort with entries into the Gold Book and presentations in the Friday assembly each week; the Reception children are also included in this event. The pupils are enthusiastic about the Christmas production, which usually needs four performances to cover the demand for tickets. The content of this production and of the

p.15

The pupils are very responsible and very well behaved with very positive attitudes

summer leavers' concert is specifically developed by the deputy head together with the pupils.

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The pupils are very responsible and very well behaved with very positive attitudes

34. The pupils enjoy the extra-curricular activities, participating in many sporting and musical activities, together with other clubs and events such as quizzes, gardening and drama. All the exciting opportunities for learning provided by the school have a strong impact on the pupils’ attitudes towards school and what it has to offer.

p.15

The pupils are very responsible and very well behaved with very positive attitudes

35. The pupils are encouraged to become responsible. Pupils, especially the older ones, are given jobs to do involving areas of responsibility; for example, pupils help in assembly by giving out hymn books and reading out their own prayers. The pupils know right from wrong and they show suitable respect for property and for the feelings and opinions of others. Many worthwhile charities are supported by the children, such as the Brian Hospice and the Macmillan Appeals. There are many educational visits, for example to Fleetwood Museum, Poulton Library and the Grundy Art Gallery. Within the local community Harvest gifts are distributed. Pupils are enabled to learn Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 14 about the dangers of drugs by the Life Education Centre. The very good provision for the pupils' welfare contributes to their well-being. The school values its pupils as individuals and this

p.15

The pupils are very responsible and very well behaved with very positive attitudes

36. The school has a harmonious atmosphere and a purposeful ethos, which stimulate an appropriate response from the pupils. The very good attitudes and behaviour of pupils were features of the school's previous inspection; these aspects have been maintained at a high standard. Together with the high level of maturity, which results from the very good provision for the pupils' personal development, these elements make significant contributions to the quality of education and to the standards that are achieved.

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There are very good practices for assessing, monitoring and setting targets for pupil

37. The school has high expectations of continued improvement in pupils’ attainment and progress and recognises the importance of effective assessment and recording in helping to achieve high standards.

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There are very good practices for assessing, monitoring and setting targets for pupil

38. The arrangements for assessment, recording and target setting are very thorough and are used well to provide useful information about attainment and progress. At the previous inspection, assessment and recording systems were judged to be very effective, with a thorough analysis of results. Systems are still as thorough, but have been successfully streamlined to make them more manageable. Despite the progress made, the school, in its quest for even higher standards, has identified a need for further improvements in individual target setting and more support and advice to pupils for their academic progress. Initial pupil profiles are done on basic skills and these are reviewed on a termly basis as one of a range of formal and informal assessments. This enables early identification of pupils who may need extra support.

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There are very good practices for assessing, monitoring and setting targets for pupil

39. The most detailed assessment procedures appropriately are for English and mathematics. Half- termly or termly assessments focus on the assessment of a piece of writing. Assessments in science and the foundation subjects are undertaken at the end of units, then matched with National Curriculum levels in a summative session at the end of year. Assessments done at the beginning of the year inform decisions about targeting extra support. Records of progress are clear and informative and are used to guide future planning.

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There are very good practices for assessing, monitoring and setting targets for pupil

40. Comprehensive tracking documents enable progress of various groups of pupils to be easily followed through the school. Very thorough arrangements are made for assessing the progress of pupils with special educational needs and also the higher attainers. The special needs co- ordinator is a very experienced specialist teacher and individual plans for the needs of these pupils have manageable specific targets so that progress can easily be measured.

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There are very good practices for assessing, monitoring and setting targets for pupil

41. An effective system for reviewing attainment and progress has been set up by the deputy headteacher who unfortunately was not in school at the time of the inspection. The headteacher has taken on the task of analysing test results to determine how much progress pupils, including those with special educational needs and those with English as a second language, make in a particular year. The analysis also includes gender and socio-economic groups. Useful comparisons are made with results nationally and with those of similar schools.

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There are very good practices for assessing, monitoring and setting targets for pupil

42. The school was aware of the national disparity at Key Stage 2 between standards in reading and writing. By analysing success and failure in individual test questions, they discovered where pupils were losing marks in the writing element. The issue was addressed and standards have improved. One aspect of this work was to include pupils in discussions about their performance and to give them targets for improvement. This has had positive effect on pupils’ attitudes to writing and has also contributed to the improved standards. The school now intends to extend this procedure to other areas of the curriculum.

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There are very good practices for assessing, monitoring and setting targets for pupil

43. The results of the data analysis are shared with key stage and subject co-ordinators and class Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 15 teachers who then use the information to inform curricular planning. It is the responsibility of the curriculum co-ordinator to ensure that work done in each curriculum area meets needs of all pupils. Each co-ordinator has a subject booklet which is annotated each half term after the scrutiny of teachers’ planning. At the end of term, pupils’ work is assessed by the co-ordinators and information fed back to the key stage co-ordinators and the headteacher.

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There are very good practices for assessing, monitoring and setting targets for pupil

44. The very thorough assessment procedures and effective use made of performance data are having a very positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning and, together with the high expectations being set, is making a very good contribution to the high standards found in school. Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 16

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The monitoring of teaching and learning.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

45. The school’s self-evaluation processes involve a rigorous analysis of standards, the close tracking of progress and effective target setting for individuals and groups of pupils. Less well developed is the monitoring of teaching and learning. This was an issue in the previous report. A system for the monitoring of teaching and learning was introduced subsequent to that inspection, but this is now ready for renewal.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

46. Some formal monitoring of teaching and learning, involving written outcomes, was undertaken in the years 1999 to 2000 and 2000 to 2001, but insufficient was done during the twelve months preceding the inspection mainly because of the school’s staffing difficulties. Just prior to the inspection, the teaching of the two newly qualified teachers was monitored. In the written outcomes of monitoring, strengths in teaching are emphasised, but targets for improvement are insufficiently identified. These need to be clear and very specific.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

47. The main area for development, which is recognised by the school, is to more formally monitor teaching and learning. Across the school, more use could be made of ‘modelling’ or demonstrating the very good and excellent teaching which was observed. Whilst the teaching seen during the inspection was very creditable, with much good and very good teaching, there was some variation in the quality between that which was judged to be satisfactory and that which was judged to be excellent. The more effective teaching had a very positive impact on the productivity of the pupils. The school aspires to benefit all its pupils with the best it can offer through consistently high quality teaching which promotes consistently high quality learning.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

48. In monitoring there is a need for more rigour. Targets for improvements have not been set on a formal basis and this is an area for development. Focused monitoring of teaching and learning can provide positive feedback as well as explicit targets for improvement, targets which are monitored and reviewed. This can enhance teacher performance and have a positive impact on pupils’ attainment and progress. This could help make the quality of education provided by this very effective school even better and add an important dimension to its well thought out self-evaluation processes.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The plans for dealing with surplus income.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

49. The school has been carrying forward an inappropriately high budget surplus over recent years. At the time of the previous inspection four years ago, a significant reserve fund, a surplus of £50,000 plus, was identified. This money was being kept back to maintain the staffing levels and also to fund better resources, including computer equipment and books. Since then staffing levels have been maintained, the book stock has improved very significantly and the computer provision has been very significantly developed so that the school has two computer suites and a very good pupil/computer ratio. However, this position of carrying forward income has continued since that time and in the financial year prior to the inspection, the surplus income was over £70,000.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

50. The surplus is likely to be somewhat reduced by the end of the current financial year, partly through staffing costs. However, when the school sets its budget for the next financial year there is a need to review the carry forward situation and link it to school improvement planning. The large surplus has not been used to benefit the pupils currently in the school, especially given the value that would be provided through extra classroom support. This is an appropriate consideration at Key Stage 2 where the classes are very large, ranging from 34 to 39 and given the national concern regarding teacher workload. The school has been overly prudent. Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 17

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The governors’ action plan will set out how the areas for improvement identified during the inspection are to be addressed.

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to build on the school’s many strengths and the quality of education provided and to further raise standards, the governing body, headteacher and staff should:

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• further develop the monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning through the introduction of a more formal system for monitoring which :

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- promotes the celebration of success; - involves structured lesson observation; - provides feedback and target setting; - enables the review of targets; - contributes more significantly to the professional development of the staff.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• develop a plan to review spending in light of the surplus income.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(paragraphs 49 – 50) Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 18

p.19

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 43

p.20

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 248

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 19

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 17

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 6

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Attendance

School data 4.7 School data 0.0 Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 19 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 20

p.21

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 2001 18 18 36

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 18 17 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 18 18 18

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (97) 97 (97) 100 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 17 18 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 18 18 18

p.22

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

Percentage of pupils School 97 (94) 100 (97) 97 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 21 16 37

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 17 20 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 14 14 14

p.22

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

Percentage of pupils School 84 (92) 92 (92) 95 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 17 20 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 15 15 15

p.22

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

Percentage of pupils School 86 (89) 95 (92) 95 (94) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 21

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: YR –- Y6

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.0 Financial year 2001-2002

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.8

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR -Y6 Total income 527,433

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4.0 Total expenditure 524,003

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 89 Expenditure per pupil 2,008

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 66,999

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 70,429 Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 22

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 2

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School - 23

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 50 47 2 0 1

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 47 49 1 0 3

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 36 56 4 1 3

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 41 46 11 2 0

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 65 23 9 1 2

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 61 38 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 37 50 10 2 1

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 55 44 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 47 52 0 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 17 36 24 9 14

p.25