Clitheroe Brookside Primary School

COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 23 rd – 26 th June 2003

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COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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COMMUNITY 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. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Bright Street Clitheroe Lancashire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1998 Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 10638 Mr M Newell Registered inspector English as an additional language Science Information and communication technology Physical education The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What could the school do to improve further? 9224 Mr M Vineall Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 31807 Mr D Carpenter Team inspector Foundation Stage Art and design History 10911 Mrs C Deloughry Team inspector Special educational needs English Geography Music How well does the school care for pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

17543 Mr R Coupe Team inspector Educational inclusion Mathematics Design and technology Religious education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 13

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 36

Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is about the same size as other primary schools and is situated close to the town centre of Clitheroe in Lancashire. The school draws pupils from a larger catchment area than just around the school, although this is diminishing because of continued housing developments in the area. There are currently 237 pupils on roll with 125 boys and 112 girls. There is a relatively high level of pupil mobility in the school. For example, a third of the present Year 6 pupils have not spent their full educational lives at the school. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at approximately 10% and this is broadly in line with the national average. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs is 10% and this is below the national average with the percentage of pupils with a statement of special educational need being in line with the national average. The percentage

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

of pupils’ whose mother tongue is not English stands at 4% and this is higher than in most schools. Assessment data shows that attainment when children start school covers the full ability range and is at an average level overall.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school. When the quality of teaching is good and at times better in a number of subjects pupils reach good standards and achieve well. Most pupils have good attitudes and behave well. The school provides a stimulating range of learning opportunities which add much to the ethos of the school and the quality of the learning environment. Pupils are cared for well and parents make an important contribution to supporting and enhancing their child’s learning and to the life of the school as a community. The headteacher leads the school well and has played a significant role in its continued development and improvement. Taking all factors into account the school is providing good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils attain and achieve well in a good number of subjects. • The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage is good. Teaching in Year 1, Year 2, Year 5 and Year 6 is good and at times very good in many subjects. In addition teaching in Year 3 and Year 4 is good in some foundation subjects. • Most pupils have good attitudes to school and behave well. Attendance is very good. • The school provides a good, broad and balanced curriculum which is enhanced by good opportunities for personal development and a good and at times a very good range of learning opportunities outside of the formal curriculum. • The procedures for ensuring the welfare and well-being of pupils are of a good standard. • The school has established strong and effective links with parents, many of whom make a significant contribution to children’s learning and to the life of the school. • The headteacher provides good leadership and management of the school and is well

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What the school does well

supported by an effective deputy headteacher and Governing Body.

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What could be improved

• The quality of teaching in Year 3 and Year 4 in English, mathematics and science. • Assessment and target setting procedures. • The role curriculum co-ordinators play in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning. • Aspects of the school’s accommodation. 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

Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 7 The school has made satisfactory progress since the time of the last inspection. Many of the strengths identified at the last inspection have been maintained and in some instances built upon. Where improvements in standards or provision have not been as swift as the school would have liked it has been due to circumstances outside of the school’s control such as a relatively high level of staff turnover, increased pupil mobility or changes in the intake of pupils. In terms of the specific key issues that were identified at the time of the last inspection, the school took immediate steps to place a secure guard around the pottery kiln. Many more opportunities are now provided for pupils to develop skills as independent learners. The school has ensured that in most instances work is challenging and demanding enough to meet the needs of the higher attaining pupils whilst at the same time recognising

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

that there is still work to be done in improving teaching in some subjects in some year groups. The headteacher and staff are always looking to improve the school and readily take on board and act upon constructive pointers for development which clearly indicates that this is a school that has a shared commitment to achieve high standards and a good capacity to succeed further.

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STANDARDS

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

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schools

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

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schools

The above table shows that on the basis of the end of Year 6 National Curriculum tests in 2002, attainment was in line with the national average in English, mathematics and science. When compared to similar schools, attainment was above average in science and at an average level in English and mathematics. Inspection findings show that attainment in English, mathematics and science is at an average level overall. The statistics do not tell the full story. There are a fluctuating number of pupils with special educational needs in different year groups and importantly there has been an increase in the level of pupil mobility over the last 3 years. For example, in the present Year 6 class, approximately one third of pupils have not spent their full educational lives at the school. Evidence shows that pupils who have spent their full time at the school generally attain higher standards. The progress that pupils

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schools

make, including those with special educational needs and pupils for whom English is not their mother tongue, in Year 3 to Year 6 is satisfactory overall but is good and at times very good for pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 where the teaching is consistently good or better. Progress and the achievement of pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 is satisfactory but could be better. The school’s trend of improvement is similar to that found nationally and the school sets sufficiently challenging targets for the percentage of pupils to reach the expected level for 11- year-olds (Level 4) and those expected to reach the next higher level (Level 5). Evidence indicates that standards are set to rise in 2004. By the end of Year 6 standards in design and technology are well above average. All pupils make good and at times very good progress and achieve well. Standards in information and Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 8

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schools

communication technology, religious education, art and design, geography and physical education are above the expected level with all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those whose mother tongue is not English, making good progress and achieving well. A good number of pupils are accomplished musicians due to the good quality of specialist teaching provided by peripatetic teachers. Music standards overall however are at an average level as are standards in history. The progress by all pupils in these subjects is satisfactory.

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schools

On the basis of the 2002 National Curriculum tests and teacher assessments at the end of Year 2, attainment in writing was above the national average and below the national average in reading and mathematics. A similar picture emerges when pupils’ attainment is compared to that found in similar schools. Teacher assessment in science showed attainment to be similar to the national average. Attainment in writing was stronger because this had been a focus for improvement at Key Stage 1 for the previous 2 years. Inspection findings show that attainment in reading, writing, mathematics and science is above average. The staff changes and instability in Year 1 and Year 2 over time have been fully addressed and all pupils benefit now from consistently good and at times very good teaching which ensures that pupils are now making good progress and achieving well.

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schools

Standards in information and communication technology, religious education, art and design, design and technology and physical education are above average. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and pupils whose first language is not English make good progress and achieve well. Standards in music and history are at an average level with all pupils making satisfactory progress.

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schools

Attainment when children start school covers the full ability range and is at an average level overall. Children get a good start to their educational lives and all children make good overall progress. By the time that children start in Year 1 their attainment is well beyond the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals in terms of their mathematical development. Attainment exceeds the Early Learning Goals in personal and social development, communication language and literacy and in knowledge and understanding of the world. Attainment in children’s physical and creative development is in line with the Early Learning Goals. Children of all abilities make good progress in most areas of learning but progress is less accelerated when children are not provided with enough opportunities to develop as independent learners. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils’ attitudes to work and what the school has to offer are good and this adds much to the ethos of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Most pupils behave well in class and around the school. Pupils are polite and courteous and show a good awareness of the needs of others.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Relationships are good across the school and this enhances the quality of the learning environment. Pupils respond well to responsibility, carry out tasks with a good level of maturity and show good levels of initiative in advancing their own learning.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good. Pupils enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in the attendance rates which are well above the national average.

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Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

Teaching is good overall in the Foundation Stage. The children learn well through formal instruction and through the direct teaching of specific skills enabling them to make good progress in most areas of learning. The quality of planning and ongoing assessment are of a high standard. On occasions teaching is a little too adult directed and opportunities are missed for children to learn independently or to learn through their own mistakes.

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Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teaching in English, mathematics and science is good in Year 1 and Year 2 and satisfactory overall in Year 3 to Year 6 although teaching is consistently good and at times very good in Year 5 and Year 6. When the quality of teaching is good or better in these subjects across the school it is because reading and writing skills are taught well, opportunities are provided for pupils to learn through investigative and problem solving activities and work is challenging and demanding and captures the interest and imagination of the pupils. In Year 3 and Year 4 where teaching is not as effective in these subjects, it is because of a lack of pace, over long introductions or because the teaching style does not hook the attention or interest of the pupils.

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Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teaching is good across the school in information and communication technology, religious education, art and design, deign and technology and physical education with examples of very good teaching observed in some of these subjects. Often in these subjects teachers’ own subject knowledge or enthusiasm shines through and enhances pupils’ desire to learn and to want to do well. Teaching in history and music is satisfactory overall with good quality teaching provided by the peripatetic music teachers that visit the school on a regular basis. Throughout the school the teaching support staff make a most important contribution to how well pupils learn and achieve. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage is good. In Year 1 to Year 6 the school provides a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum which is enhanced by a good and at times very good range of learning opportunities outside of the formal curriculum that add much to the quality and experiences of pupils’ learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils are supported well. Individual education plans are of good quality and help to ensure that pupils make similar progress to their classmates.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. The school makes good provision for pupils whose mother tongue is not English and this enables pupils to take a fully inclusive part in all elements of the curriculum and to the life of the school as a community.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ moral and social development and good provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. This level of provision makes an important contribution to pupils’ personal development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. This is a school where the welfare of pupils is given a high priority. Procedures for promoting good attendance are very good and good for the promotion of good behaviour. The school has identified the need to improve assessment procedures in the foundation subjects.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school works in partnership with parents. Very good. The school has established a strong partnership with parents and provides them with good quality information. Parents play an important and valued role in supporting their child’s education and the work of the school in general. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 11

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher provides good leadership and management of the school. He has a very good grasp of the strengths and areas for development in the school. He has played a very important role in helping the school to move forward and is well supported by an effective deputy and a dedicated and committed teaching and non-teaching staff.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Governors are very supportive of the school and show an astute awareness of the school’s strengths and areas for development and are effective in holding the school to account for the quality of education that it provides.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. Good procedures are in place for analysing test and assessment data but the school has accurately identified the need for an even more rigorous approach to target setting and the tracking of pupils’ progress. Not all co-ordinators play an active enough role in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in subjects that they are responsible for.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. The school uses its funds and access to grants in a very effective manner to support identified educational initiatives and priorities and to enhance pupils’ learning. Financial planning is of a high standard and the school applies the principles of best value very well when purchasing goods and services.

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Aspect Comment

The adequacy of staffing, accommodation and learning resources. The school has an appropriate number of teachers and a good number of support staff to meet the demands of the curriculum. Resources are very good in information and communication technology, and good in English, mathematics, science, art and design, design and technology, music and physical education and satisfactory in history and geography. This makes resources overall good. Although the accommodation has some attractive features it is unsatisfactory overall because many of the classrooms are too small for the pupils to carry out practical activities effectively. Some are thoroughfares to other parts of the school or have little or no access to natural light. These factors all impact negatively on the quality of the pupils’ learning environment. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 12

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The fact that their children like coming to school. • The good quality of teaching and the good progress that children make. • The good behaviour in school. • The approachability of the school. • The expectations that the school sets. • How well the school is led and managed. • The way in which the school helps children to become mature and responsible. • The amount of homework that is set. • The quality of information. • The partnership with parents. • The range of activities that are provided outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The vast majority of parents are happy with the quality of education that the school provides and inspection findings agree with many of the positive views of the parents. A number of parents at the meeting and in their written responses on the questionnaires questioned the reward systems for children in the Reception class. Inspection findings show that the children are very well cared for, although a minority of parents have commented on the rewarding of children with sweets. The school is to address this issue as part of its ’’Healthy Schools’’ initiative and is seeking to further canvass parents’ views and opinions on this matter. The amount of homework that is set is satisfactory and the quality of information and partnership with parents are generally of a good standard. In terms of the extra-curricular activities that are provided they are better than those found in the majority of primary schools.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The majority of Foundation Stage children are educated in a class containing only reception aged children with a small number of children educated in a class with Year 1 pupils. The children’s attainment when they start school covers the full ability range and is at an average level overall. The overall quality of teaching is good for all reception aged children although some opportunities are missed for the children in the single aged Reception class to develop as independent learners. However, children in the Reception classes, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is not their mother tongue, make good progress in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and in their knowledge and understanding of the world. By the end of the reception year the children’s attainment exceeds the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals in communication, language and literacy

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

and knowledge and understanding of the world and they attain well beyond the Early Learning Goals in mathematical development. Attainment in personal, social and emotional development is at an expected level and progress is good because a number of children are socially immature when they start school. Attainment in physical development and creative development is in line with the Early Learning Goals for the majority of children by the time that they are ready to start in Year 1 and all children make at least satisfactory progress in their physical development and often good progress in their creative development because of the more consistent good quality of teaching. Overall the children in the Foundation Stage get off to a good start in their educational lives and are well prepared to start work on the National Curriculum Programmes of Study when they enter Year 1.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. By the end of Year 2, on the basis of the 2002 National Curriculum tests, attainment in writing was above average and below average in reading and mathematics. Attainment in science, on the basis of teacher assessments, was in line with the national average. When compared to similar schools, attainment was also above average in writing and below average in reading and mathematics. Attainment in writing was stronger because this had been a focus for improvement over the previous two years. Inspection findings show that attainment in reading, writing, mathematics and science is above average. The staffing instability which had been a feature during the last three years in Key Stage 1 has now been tackled. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is not their mother tongue, are making good progress in these subjects and are achieving well. There is no significant

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

difference between the attainment of boys and girls.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Inspection findings show that by the end of Year 2 standards in speaking and listening are above average. Most pupils listen attentively and readily join in discussions with many having a well developed vocabulary. Pupils communicate their ideas clearly. Standards in reading are above average with the higher attainers attaining very high standards. Pupils read with a good level of accuracy and fluency, tackle unfamiliar words and phrases using a good range of different strategies and have well developed comprehension skills. Writing standards are above average by the end of Year 2. Most pupils are confident writers for a variety of audiences and purposes, use punctuation well to help their writing come to life and apply their phonic knowledge well when spelling words for themselves. On occasions pupils’ presentation and handwriting skills are not as good as they could be. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 14

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Inspection findings show that standards in mathematics and science are above average by the end of Year 2 and all pupils are achieving well. In mathematics pupils have good number skills and use these skills well to help them solve problems although there are occasions when some pupils find word problems a little more difficult and daunting. Pupils collect and interpret data well and have a good knowledge and understanding of shape and measures. Most pupils have a well developed mathematical vocabulary which they use confidently when talking about and explaining their work. In science pupils have a good knowledge of materials, physical processes and electricity. Pupils identify and classify similarities and differences between humans and plants, recognise and explain reversible and irreversible changes in materials. They have a good understanding of what constitutes a fair test. Pupils use a good level

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

of technical vocabulary when explaining their work. The area for further development is in ensuring that pupils put their good level of scientific knowledge to its most effective use to predict and hypothesise more accurately.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. By the end of Year 2 standards in information and communication technology, religious education, art and design, design and technology and physical education are above average. The good quality of teaching and learning in these subjects ensures that knowledge and specific skills are taught in a direct and specific manner. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is not their mother tongue, make good progress and achieve well. Standards in geography, history and music are at an average level and all pupils make satisfactory progress in these subjects.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. At the end of Year 6, on the basis of the 2002 National Curriculum tests, pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science is in line with the national average. When the school’s performance is compared to similar schools attainment is above average in science and average in English and mathematics. Inspection evidence shows that standards are at an average level overall in English, mathematics and science. There are factors that help to partially explain varying levels of attainment over time at the end of Year 6. These factors include the fact that the percentage of pupils with special educational needs varies from year group to year group. Pupil mobility is also a significant factor at the school with, for example, approximately a third of the present Year 6 pupils not spending their full educational lives at the school. Well- collated evidence provided by the school shows that pupils that have spent their full

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

time at the school generally attain higher standards. However, there is another important factor that impacts on standards. The progress that all pupils make, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is not their mother tongue, is satisfactory overall in Year 3 to Year 6 and is good and at times very good in English, mathematics and science in Year 5 and Year 6 because of the quality of the teaching. Progress and achievement for pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 are only satisfactory and could be better in these subjects. The school is aware of the issue and has already put procedures in place to tackle the situation. Progress is better in other subjects in Year 3 and Year 4 because of better teaching, particularly in terms of subject knowledge in subjects such as art and design, information and communication technology and geography. The school’s trend of improvement is similar to that found

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

nationally. The targets that the school sets are challenging and realistic. Inspection evidence indicates that if the present Year 5 cohort remains constant the school is set to achieve considerably higher standards in 2004.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Standards are at an average level in speaking and listening by the end of Year 6. Pupils listen attentively to teachers and classmates and answer questions using precise language. Older pupils often ask pertinent questions to clarify their thinking but opportunities to extend and expand their language through role-play or debate are more Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 15 limited. Reading standards are at an average level. Most pupils read fluently and with expression. Many have developed the skills of skimming and scanning to locate information and justify why they prefer one author or character to another. Pupils’ comprehension skills are suitably developed and they use text to support their answers although fewer pupils read and understand beyond the literal level. Writing standards are at an average level by the end of Year 6. Progress in Year 3 and Year 4 is slower in the development of writing. Although the necessary skills are taught, too few

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

opportunities are provided for pupils to put these skills to their best use in creative, imaginative and meaningful activities. Progress accelerates greatly in Year 5 and Year 6 so that by the time that the pupils leave school many pupils write effectively for a range of audiences and purposes with the higher attainers using an imaginative and precise vocabulary. Spelling standards are at an average level. Although standards of handwriting in handwriting lessons are good not enough pupils carry this standard over into general writing activities. This is partly due to the fact that not all pupils take enough pride in their work and partly because some teachers do not demand enough in terms of presentation.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Standards in mathematics and science are at an average level by the end of Year 6. In both subjects all pupils make satisfactory if a little pedantic progress initially in the key stage and then progress accelerates in the final two years. With more sustained and dynamic early progress in the key stage standards could be higher. By the end of Year 6 pupils’ number skills are secure and for the higher attainers mental agility is of a high standard. Lower attaining pupils take too long to answer quick fire mental arithmetic questions. Investigative skills are at a satisfactory level overall and pupils’ knowledge of shape, space and time are satisfactory although pupils’ recall of their previous learning is not always as secure as it could be. Data handling skills are at a satisfactory level and are used well in other subjects such as science and geography. In science, pupils have a satisfactory understanding of forces, know how to separate substances,

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

understand the process of evaporation, have a good knowledge of how plants and animals adapt to different habitats to survive, explain clearly about how light is reflected and which materials make good or poor conductors or insulators. Pupils are well aware of the factors that are needed for a fair test with the areas for development being the need for pupils to use their scientific knowledge and understanding to better inform their hypotheses, to explain why things happen as they do or to help them instigate their own scientific investigations.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. By the end of Year 6 standards in design and technology are well above average and all pupils make good and at times very good progress and achieve well. Standards in information and communication technology, religious education, art and design, geography and physical education are above average. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and those whose mother tongue is not English, make good progress and achieve well. In all these subjects the pupils benefit from good quality teaching which enables them to make good strides in their learning. Standards in history and music are at an average level and all pupils make satisfactory progress.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. The overall picture that emerges in terms of standards is that teaching is good in most subjects in Year 1 and Year 2 enabling pupils to make good progress and achieve well. In Year 3 to Year 6 although teaching is strong in English, mathematics and science for the older pupils it is only satisfactory for the younger pupils, which prevents standards from being even higher. However there are strengths in teaching throughout Year 3 to Year 6 in many of the foundation subjects and it is in these subjects where the pupils make more consistently good progress, achieve well and in turn attain higher standards. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 16 11. The provision that is made for pupils with special educational needs and for pupils whose mother tongue is not English is good. This is an inclusive school where the personal and academic needs of these pupils are met in an effective manner enabling

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

pupils to make similar progress to their classmates. The support staff throughout the school play an important and significant role in supporting and meeting the needs of individual pupils and in enabling pupils to achieve well in relation to their abilities. Provision for the higher attaining pupils is often good but there are occasions when work is not always demanding and challenging enough and this adversely impacts on how well pupils learn and achieve.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Good attitudes prevail amongst the pupils of this school and they have been maintained since the time of the last inspection. Pupils are keen to come to school. They want to learn and many take an enthusiastic part in the many activities that are on offer after the school day has finished. Almost two thirds of the pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 take part in after school activities. Pupils’ attitudes in lessons are generally good. Many pupils contribute well to class discussions, work well together and are always ready to help out a classmate that might be struggling. When presented with stimulating and demanding tasks pupils invariably rise to the challenge. Overall pupils’ positive attitudes to work and all that the school has to offer reflect the school’s positive ethos and contribute well to the effective learning environment that pervades the life of the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils have successfully maintained the good behaviour noted at the time of the last inspection. The behaviour of many pupils is good and in many instances very good. In the vast majority of lessons behaviour is a strength. Only occasionally is behaviour not of a good or better standard within lessons, and this is when teaching lacks the sparkle to capture the interest and imagination of the pupils. Pupils speak to one another in a friendly and courteous manner and play well together with one another at break and lunch times They are most polite to visitors and are very keen to talk about their school experiences and any visitor to the school notes how friendly and polite the pupils are, readily engaging adults in conversation, often in a very mature manner. Pupils’ behaviour is based on a clear, well understood and consistently implemented policy with well known sanctions and rewards that lead to public recognition within the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

The older classes agree themselves the core rules for behaviour in their classrooms and these are clearly displayed. Two fixed period exclusions were necessary last year, but none have been made this year. Pupils with special educational needs have equally good attitudes to school and respond well to the good levels of support from teachers, support staff and classmates. No racism or other forms of oppressive behaviour were seen during the inspection and pupils for whom English is not their mother tongue are fully included in all aspects of school life.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Children in the Foundation Stage have very positive attitudes to learning and are keen to do well from an early age. Children are well behaved and take an enthusiastic part in all the activities that are on offer for them. Children respond well to the models of co- operation and respect provided for them by adults and listen most attentively to adults, and classmates, contributions. Occasionally opportunities are missed for some reception aged children to develop as independent learners because the teaching is too directed but overall the quality of relationships and the high expectations of good behaviour lead to an effective learning environment.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Much of the good behaviour and the good attitudes seen are underpinned by the good relationships that exist throughout the school. Those between pupils and teachers are noticeably good, with the individual needs of pupils and their backgrounds well Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 17 understood. This is especially seen when teachers deal with misbehaviour, which is done with great sensitivity and in a very positive manner. But equally good relationship are seen between pupils and all other adult staff. Teaching assistants, lunchtime supervisors and catering staff relate particularly well with children in a positive manner. The school has a wealth of good role models. Relationships also underpin the good personal development of all pupils. In the warm ethos of this school, pupils’ personal development flourishes and some pupils overcome significant personal difficulties to become mature pupils, a factor that is recognised and valued by many parents. The

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

pupils frequently display good initiative and personal responsibility. This is seen at an everyday level by visitors being brought a chair or helped to find something. Pupils help around school in many ways including helping to set the hall up for assembly, helping at lunchtime or in helping teachers prepare for lessons in addition to many other monitorial tasks. Pupils have organised collections for many charities which as well as enhancing their personal development demonstrates the care and concern that they have for others less fortunate than themselves. Pupils also take good responsibility and initiative for their own learning and in helping to improve the life of the school as a community. Many pupils carry out research projects at home, others undertake voluntary extra mathematics lessons to help them improve their chances of attaining higher test results whilst a particular group of pupils wrote a letter to the headteacher to

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Attendance is very good. It is well above the national average for primary schools and there is little unauthorised absence. The vast majority of pupils arrive promptly to the school and these high levels of attendance and punctuality reflect the fact that pupils enjoy school and all that it has to offer and have a positive impact on pupils’ attainment and achievement.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage is good overall. Teaching in Year 1 to Year 2 is good in many subjects including importantly the core subjects. The staffing instability at Key Stage 1 that has been a feature over the last 3 years has now been addressed. Teaching in Year 3 to Year 6 in English, mathematics and science is satisfactory overall although it is good and at times very good for pupils in Year 5 and Year 6. The area for further development is to improve the quality of teaching in these subjects in Year 3 and Year 4 where although it is satisfactory it could be better and have a greater impact on how well pupils attain and achieve. However, teaching throughout Year 3 to Year 6 in many foundation subjects is good. All teachers have good subject knowledge in many foundation subjects and use this well to motivate and enthuse the pupils. During the week of the inspection teaching was good or better in

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

almost seven out of ten lessons and very good or better in just over 20 per cent of lessons. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. Teaching has improved since the time of the last inspection and has been further enhanced recently by the fitting of interactive whiteboards in many classes which is adding to the quality of the learning environment and in some instances the attentiveness of the pupils who are engrossed in this very visual teaching and learning aid.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good. Planning is of a very good standard and ensures that a wide range of activities is provided which are based on children acquiring the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals. Very good use is made of ongoing assessment to ensure that tasks that are provided match the individual needs of the children. Reception aged children are taught in two classes, one containing only reception aged children and a small number of children are taught in a smaller class Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 18 with Year 1 pupils. Good liaison procedures are in place to ensure that children take part in similar activities and evidence clearly shows that the needs of the younger children are fully met in the mixed aged class. A strength of teaching is that the formal skills in areas of learning such as communication and language and mathematical development are taught in a direct and systematic manner and this impacts most

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

positively on children’s learning. There are occasions when teaching is a little too adult directed and this prevents children developing as independent learners or benefiting from learning through making mistakes. The contribution made by support staff is good and impacts positively on the quality of children’s learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. The quality of teaching in English is good in Year 1 and Year 2 and satisfactory overall in Year 3 to Year 6 with teaching good and at times better in Year 5 and Year 6. The school has implemented the National Literacy Strategy in an effective manner. Reading and writing skills are taught in a direct manner and this enables younger pupils to use a variety of strategies to help them tackle unfamiliar words and phrases and for older pupils to use strategies such as skimming and scanning to locate required information. In writing, pupils are taught the necessary skills to write for a variety of audiences and purposes. The weaker element is that pupils are not provided with enough imaginative, creative or stimulating activities in Year 3 and Year 4 where they can put these skills to their best use. By contrast there are some very good writing stimuli provided in other classes where pupils are consistently encouraged to write in meaningful and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

stimulating contexts. In, for example Year 1, Year 2, Year 5 and Year 6, teaching is good and in some instances very good at times because expectations are high, questioning techniques are effective in enhancing pupils’ speaking skills and because ongoing assessment is used to guide and inform future planning. Not all teachers however place enough emphasis or expectation on how pupils present their work and this sometimes detracts from the content of the work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. The quality of teaching in mathematics and science follows a similar picture to that of English with teaching being good for pupils in Year 1, Year 2, Year 5 and Year 6 and satisfactory for pupils in Year 3 and Year 4. In mathematics the school has introduced the National Numeracy Strategy effectively. Lessons start with quick fire mental agility questions which the pupils thoroughly enjoy, although there are instances in some classes where these sessions lack a little sparkle or overt enthusiasm from the teacher to capture the interest of the pupils. Conversely there are occasions where such is the enthusiasm of the teachers that the interest of the pupils is immediately captured and sustained for the whole lesson. Teaching is at its best, for example in Year 5, where high expectations, challenging activities and very good use of correct technical vocabulary led to very good progress being made in an exciting and stimulating lesson

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

on shape and measures. Where teaching is less effective it is because introductions or explanations are too long or the delivery or the teaching style simply lack any verve or dynamism to captivate the pupils. In these instances pupils are not particularly attentive, quickly lose interest and do not always make the progress of which they are capable.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. In science a similar picture emerges. A good balance is generally struck between the development of pupils’ scientific knowledge and in enhancing their ability to carry out investigative and practical activities. Teaching is at its best when pupils are expected to use their scientific knowledge to inform and guide the exploration of scientific hypotheses and to work independently in exploring various scientific avenues. Examples of this were seen in a Year 1 and Year 2 lesson on forces and a Year 5 lesson on germination and pollination. In these lessons good attention was paid to previous learning and there was a clear emphasis on pupils finding things out for themselves. Less successful teaching is characterised by teachers not setting high Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 19 enough expectations in terms of how pupils should behave and contribute to group work and class discussions. This has an adverse impact on the learning of all pupils

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including those who clearly want to learn and make very pertinent contributions to the lessons. Such examples are however the exception rather than the norm.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. Teaching in information and communication technology is of a good standard throughout the school and all pupils make good progress and achieve well. In information and communication technology the skills to enable pupils to tackle all aspects of the subject are directly taught, and interesting activities provided where pupils can put these skills to good use. Teachers have a secure subject knowledge and capitalise on opportunities to enhance pupils’ learning in other subjects of the curriculum such as science, English, geography and design and technology. Equally good opportunities are also provided for pupils to use their mathematical skills in other areas of the curriculum and although there are some very good examples of pupils’ literacy skills being enhanced across the curriculum, these examples are more frequent for the older pupils in school with instances of opportunities being missed in

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

some other year groups. In religious education teaching is good across the school. A good balance is struck between the study of Christianity and other world faiths. Plenty of opportunities are provided for pupils to explore their own feelings and beliefs which deepen their understanding of religion in a wider context. The effective use of artefacts in lessons enhances pupils’ interest, and teachers are quick to capitalise on pupils’ differing faiths and traditions, such as a Muslim pupil demonstrating the use of a prayer mat, to further the understanding of all pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. The school places a good emphasis on the development of pupils’ attainment in a broad and balanced manner across many of the foundation subjects. Teaching in many foundation subjects is good across the school. In art and design and design and technology teaching is good and at times very good. Good use is made of the work of famous artists to stimulate the interest of pupils and sketchbooks are used extensively for pupils to try out new skills and techniques which are taught well in a direct and systematic manner. In design and technology all elements of design, making and evaluating are covered well through exciting projects where pupils are consistently encouraged to be imaginative and innovative and where teaching is sometimes of the highest calibre. Teaching in physical education is good across the school. Pupils take part in gymnastic and dance activities as well as games, athletics and swimming.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Teaching is effective because pupils are taught well how to improve their performance in all aspects of the subject. They are provided with plenty of opportunities to practise and refine newly learnt techniques and high expectations are set in terms of pupils being kept physically active throughout lessons. Teaching in geography is satisfactory in Year 1 and Year 2 and good in Year 3 to Year 6 where geographical skills are taught well alongside the development of pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the wider world in which they live. Teaching in history is satisfactory in Year 1 to Year 6 with pupils acquiring knowledge and skills at a steady rate. Teaching in music is satisfactory. Whist a large number of pupils benefit from high quality instrument tuition from peripatetic music teachers these skills are not tapped into enough in class music lessons and as a result tasks set are sometimes too easy for some pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is generally good. Individual education plans contain challenging yet achievable targets. Classroom assistants play an important and pivotal role in supporting these pupils. Support is directed to where the need is greatest. Support staff play a very important role in cajoling and encouraging the pupils to take an active role in question and answer sessions that are a feature of many lessons. When working in groups with pupils, support staff ask pertinent and challenging questions whilst at the same time taking full Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 20 account of the academic and social needs of the pupils. Good liaison procedures are in place to discuss pupils’ progress with the class teacher so that future activities that are planned take account of advances or problems that pupils may have encountered in their learning. The special educational needs co-ordinator or a liaison assistant

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

withdraws pupils, individually or in small groups, for short periods each week to provide specialised and specific support. The teaching here is very good. Care is taken to vary the times of withdrawal, so that full inclusion is maintained. Pupils with behavioural problems are managed very well, in accordance with their individual behavioural plans. Equally good support is provided for pupils for whom English is not their mother tongue. Levels of support from outside agencies vary from year to year but the school always ensures that the individual needs of these pupils are met effectively. Pupils’ needs are assessed at an early stage and programmes of teaching and learning put in place that enable pupils to quickly acquire communication skills both verbally and written. The inclusive nature of the school means that the provision that is made for pupils with special educational needs and pupils whose mother tongue is not English is effective in

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

enabling pupils to have access to all aspects of the curriculum and to take a full, active and inclusive role in the life of the school as a community. The needs of the higher attaining pupils are generally met effectively although there are some lessons where the work is not challenging or demanding enough and when pupils do not always make the progress of which they are capable.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

25. Relationships across the school are generally good and in some instances very good and this adds much to the quality of the teaching and learning environment. In many instances pupils are managed well although there are occasions when pupils are not managed as well as they could be or the teacher does not gain the full attention of the pupils when making very pertinent teaching points and this impacts negatively on how well pupils learn. Pupils generally respond well to praise and act on the verbal pointers that are provided for improvement. On occasions, particularly for the youngest children in school, generous praise is too readily awarded. Although there are some good examples of the marking of pupils’ work with clear pointers for improvement, there are occasions when insufficient comment or constructive criticism is made, particularly with regard to how pupils present their work. A number of classrooms in school are

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

either too small in size, are irregular shapes, are thoroughfares to other parts of school or have little or no access to natural light. These factors are not conducive to the carrying out of practical activities and do not provide a pleasant learning environment for pupils or staff. Although teachers cope well and seek to make the learning environment as attractive as possible the situation is far from ideal and in some instances, particularly in the Year 4 classroom, unsatisfactory. The vast majority of parents, 98 per cent, are happy with the quality of teaching that is provided with a similar percentage happy with the progress that children make. 16 per cent of parents are not happy with the range and amount of homework although inspection findings show that the amount of homework that is set is similar to that found in the majority of primary schools and is therefore judged to be satisfactory.

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Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 21

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26. The school offers its pupils a good curriculum, which is broad in content and appropriately balanced in structure and time allocation. It fully meets statutory requirements. Since the last inspection the school has made good overall improvement in terms of curriculum provision. The school provides a good and often very good range of learning opportunities outside of the formal curriculum that add significantly to pupils’ learning experiences and to the standards that they achieve. All subjects have good quality policy documents and many of the school’s schemes of work are appropriately based on national guidance. The school places a good emphasis on the foundation subjects and there are a number of strengths in these areas of the curriculum, particularly in information and communication technology, design and technology and art and design, although music is not particularly strong. The school has implemented

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the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies in an effective manner but has already identified the need to ensure that curriculum provision and learning in English, mathematics and science are uniformly good across the school as some year groups are stronger than others at the present time.

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27. The quality of the curriculum in the Foundation Stage is good. Planning is of a high standard and fully reflects the agreed areas of learning. There is a very good emphasis on helping the children to acquire early literacy and numeracy skills alongside more practical, creative and imaginative activities. Some reception aged children are taught alongside Year 1 pupils but the good quality of curriculum provision ensures that they receive similar learning experiences to the other reception aged children.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. The provision that is made for pupils with special educational needs is good and this has a most positive impact on how well pupils learn and achieve. Support staff make a valuable contribution to the quality of pupils’ learning. The quality of the individual education plans for every pupil on the special educational needs register is very good. A range of assessment tests are applied and used by the co-ordinator and the class- teacher to draw up detailed targets to meet the pupils’ needs. Suitable strategies and the level of support required are then determined and discussed with the parents. Achievement criteria are decided upon and evaluated at least every term when the plans are reviewed and new targets set. The quality of provision for pupils for whom English is not their mother tongue is of a good standard. Pupils’ needs are identified at an early stage and good levels of support are provided where needed. The provision

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that is made for the higher attaining pupils is generally good and this ensures that in most instances the individual needs of pupils are met. Appropriate provision is made for gifted and talented pupils who are named in the school’s register. The school is keen to promote equality of opportunity across the curriculum and is generally very successful in its aim with the school clearly an inclusive school.

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29. The school’s extra curricular provision is very good and these activities add to the quality of pupils’ learning experiences as well as significantly enhancing pupils’ personal and social development. Activities include netball, cricket, football, cross-country, a range of musical activities, dance, technology and French. Younger as well as older pupils are provided with opportunities to take part in activities. In addition the school runs additional activities such as clog dancing and cheerleading which pupils are taking part in, in anticipation of performing at the school’s summer fete. The school also runs an over subscribed before and after school care club which is very much appreciated and valued by working parents. The school’s curriculum is further enhanced by a wide and varied range of trips and activities away from the school. Visits are made to wildlife parks, local churches, a quarry, a water treatment works, galleries, museums and

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 22 many other places of educational interest. Special events are included – such as an Institute of Electrical Engineering event at Preston University. A residential visit is included each year where pupils take part in a range of exciting outdoor pursuits. In addition a good number of visitors add to the quality of pupils’ learning experiences. These range from the Mayor of Clitheroe, through students from several local colleges, to cycling proficiency instructors, theatre workshops, clog dancers, performing musicians and representatives of local industry. All these activities add significantly to the quality of pupils’ learning and help to bring education to life in a highly meaningful and relevant manner.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. The provision that is made for pupils’ personal, social, health and citizenship education is good. Arrangements have been formalised over the last two years so that the provision is thorough, rigorous and co-ordinated. The co-ordinator has put in place a good quality scheme to ensure that many aspects such as prejudice, racism, emotions and feelings are all dealt with in a direct and sensitive manner. The pupils are most enthusiastic about this aspect of the curriculum and are always willing and eager to make important and relevant contributions in discussions. The scheme makes good reference to drug awareness and sex education which is also taught as part of the science curriculum. Good references are made to healthy lifestyle and the school is increasing the attention it pays to this element of provision as it seeks to attain an award for being a healthy school.

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31. The school has established very good links with the local community and partner institutions. The headteacher has done substantial work to build and maintain links with all aspects of Clitheroe life in a way that is beneficial to the school and the work of the pupils. Unusually for a primary school, good links have been forged with local industry and businesses through the headteacher and key governors with one of the benefits being the donation of a computerised lathe to the school which has provided a wealth of new learning opportunities for the older pupils in school. Many links have been made with other educational institutions, including primary and secondary schools and tertiary colleges that produce many benefits. For example, a new teacher, joining in September, completed her teaching practice in school and the computer network facilities the school enjoys draw heavily upon the facilities of a local college.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. The judgements for the provision of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are similar to those of the last inspection. The provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is good. Moral and social provision is very good. These aspects of pupils’ learning are promoted in a caring and welcoming school, guided by its aims, and in which pupils feel happy and secure.

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33. The good provision for pupils’ spiritual development is often witnessed in lessons when pupils are spiritually lifted through exciting experiences. In a Year 6 art lesson, for example, pupils expressed joyful excitement when viewing the splash of vibrant colours in the paintings of Kandinsky and others. Similarly reception pupils enjoy the feeling of sand running through fingers and “raining “into the plastic tray. Spiritual opportunities in assemblies enable pupils to reflect about what they have heard or activities in which they have taken part. They learn to explore feelings and emotions and how to respond to their peers in times of celebration or sorrow. They are also made aware of their growing understanding of their personal responsibility to their world and environment. This has resulted in Year 6 pupils providing a voluntary litter-picking group, to ensure that the school grounds are enhanced and attractive. Although the curriculum offers

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many opportunities for spiritual development, and teachers make good use of spirituality when it arises, there are lost opportunities to specifically plan for its better use in lessons. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 23 34. Moral provision is very good, ensuring pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong. Their involvement in writing class rules, leads to better conformity and understanding. Religious education lessons provide a good insight into the beliefs of others, leading to subsequent respect and understanding. Programmes of study promoted through personal, social and moral education lessons, teach pupils about themselves, their relationships with others, and the need for understanding and fair play. In lessons pupils are provided with opportunities to talk about moral problems such as issues surrounding racial harmony, wars and world famine. Practical action is sometimes generated. Thus pupils have independently arranged fund raising activities

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to help people in third world countries.

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35. Provision for social development is very good. Relationships throughout school are good. Teachers care about their pupils and are good role models. Their example is reflected in the caring attitudes displayed by pupils looking after reception children at playtime, dinnertime and in the dining room. Extra curricular provision is very good. Through this, additional opportunities are arranged for pupils to learn, play, and to engage with one another in meaningful activities. Many are of a sporting nature and reinforce pupils’ understanding of teamwork and the need for rules in sport. Educational visits not only encourage learning, but also teach pupils how to relate to others in different situations and circumstances. This is particularly true of residential visits, enjoyed by Year 6 pupils, when they learn how to live and share with others.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

36. Cultural provision is good. Many opportunities are provided through art, enabling pupils to study the art of many cultures, including European, Islamic and third world art. It is less well developed through music, where some opportunities are lost. Many visitors, theatre groups and musicians have been arranged to provide cultural experiences for pupils in school. Included amongst these is the provision of a French speaking course for pupils in Year 6 and a traditional clog dancing class through which pupils gain the confidence and skills to perform publicly at a town festival. Appropriate multicultural provision is made in curriculum subjects, such as geography and religious education. However, no contacts are made with other schools or organisations, which may help to further develop this aspect of pupils’ development.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The school has good procedures that ensure the safety and welfare of all its pupils and this aspect of school is afforded a high priority. Health and Safety issues are competently handled by the Governors’ Buildings Committee and through the caretaker. Child Protection is taken very seriously and good procedures are in place to ensure that all requirements are fully met. The headteacher is the named person within the school and all members of staff are kept aware of their responsibilities and the signs to look out for. Other issues like first aid and fire precautions are efficiently handled and effectively recorded where necessary.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. There are very good procedures in place for promoting and improving good attendance. Attendance statistics are reviewed on a regular basis and any regular absences are followed up in a rigorous manner. The school stresses the importance of good attendance to parents and pupils, and parents are made aware of the detrimental impact that absence in school time can have on their child’s education. Good reward systems are in place for pupils having high attendance rates. The success of the school’s procedures is reflected in the school’s attendance rates which are well above the national average. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 24 39. Good procedures are in place for monitoring and promoting good behaviour. The school’s clear and effective behaviour policy is well communicated, consistently applied and sensitively operated by all staff working at the school. Staff are good at promoting

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

the school’s ethos of tolerance, consideration and respect by the examples that they set for the pupils. Good reward systems are in place for promoting good behaviour whereby the pupils receive both praise and recognition in lessons and in assemblies. Bullying, racist comments or behaviour, or other oppressive behaviour are other areas where an ethos has been created where such activities are as unacceptable to pupils as they are to staff. Any unacceptable behaviour, when identified is quickly dealt with, usually in the spirit of it transgressing mutually agreed standards of the school community. Discussions with pupils show that they feel that any form of unacceptable behaviour is dealt with swiftly and fairly and they feel confident in approaching any member of staff should they have any concerns. This is further in evidence in the good educational and personal support and guidance for the pupils which is built upon the

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

good relationships that exist within the school. Pupils look to all adults they come across in school with respect and trust and this is justified by the warm yet firm and consistent response they get.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Good procedures are in place for assessing and tracking pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science. Data collated from tests and assessments in these subjects is analysed in an effective manner to look for strengths and for areas for development and improvement. Data analysis takes account of factors such as gender, ethnicity and pupil mobility. The information also enables the school to build up accurate records of the progress of individual pupils which are used effectively by the staff to form ability groups in the classroom. However, target setting for groups and individuals is not as secure and could be having more effect on raising standards. The school has also identified the need to ensure that pupils are more actively involved in setting their own targets for improvement both in terms of their academic and their personal and social development.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Procedures overall for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress in most other subjects of the curriculum are unsatisfactory. Assessment in these subjects is more informal and does not provide a clear picture of the level at which pupils are working and attaining at and therefore it is more difficult to assess the progress that pupils are making over time within different year groups. Most of the subject co-ordinators are aware of this shortcoming and plans are already in hand to address the issue. Many co-ordinators are also in the process of developing moderated portfolios of work to assist staff in the accurate assessment of pupils’ work and to make clear to pupils exactly what they need to do and achieve to attain at a particular level.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The procedures for assessing pupils with special educational needs are good. Test results and the acquisition of academic and social skills are carefully recorded and used to inform targets on the individual education plans. Good procedures are in place for assessing the needs of pupils for whom English is not their mother tongue and the information is used well to ensure that support is targeted to where the need is greatest. Good procedures are in place for assessing children in the Foundation Stage and good use is made of the information to identify children with special educational needs or higher attaining children and to guide and inform future planning. Good ongoing assessments mean that all staff in the Foundation Stage have a good awareness of the level that children are working at and the next step that they need to be working towards.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 25 43. The responses to the questionnaires and the pre-inspection meeting with parents were generally very positive and the majority of parents are very happy with the quality of education that the school provides. A small but significant number of parents of children in the Reception class expressed some concern regarding the reward systems that operate in the Reception class although a number of other parents expressed total satisfaction with the systems. Inspection findings show that there are occasions when children are rewarded with sweets although parents can ask that this does not occur. Procedures are already in place to review this initiative in line with the school’s desire to gain an award for being a healthy school. The overall impression however is that parents are more than happy with many aspects of school life, particularly with the quality of teaching, the progress that children make, the standard of behaviour and how

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

well the school is led and managed. Some parents were less happy with the quality of information, the amount of homework that is set and the range of extra-curricular activities. Inspection findings show that the range of extra curricular activities is very good, the quality of information is good and the amount of homework that is set similar to that found in most primary schools. Parents’ positive views about the school have been maintained since the time of the last inspection.

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44. The school has built up effective links with the parents and parents’ involvement in the work of the school and in their child’s education is significant and adds to the quality of pupils’ learning and to the sense of community that is a strong feature of the school. Many parents are closely involved in what the school does, from the very proactive parent governors, through some twenty or so parents who regularly work voluntarily in the school running the library, helping with reading, assisting in lessons to the many parents who now have jobs in the school such as teaching assistants, lunchtime supervisors, ‘’Before and After Club’’ helpers and many that assist on school trips. Others run or help with the many fundraising and social events of the Friends Association of the school. Almost any school activity will yield a good number of parents present. Parents appreciate what is being done for their children and speak

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

enthusiastically of the ethos that exists within the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. Communications with parents are good. Regular newsletters keep parents fully informed of events at the school and parents are kept up to date with different topics that pupils are covering. Reports on pupils’ progress are of a good standard and contain clear information relating not only to what pupils have achieved well in, but also pointers for development and improvement. Regular parents’ meetings are provided which give parents the opportunity to talk to the class teacher about the progress and attainment of their child. Parents are also provided on these occasions with opportunities to look at their child’s work. These meetings are very well attended and are much appreciated by parents. Parents are also provided with a series of evenings designed to give insights into the nature of teaching in the school in the different subjects. All of these initiatives are in addition to the ‘’open door’’ policy that the school

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operates whereby parents are more than welcome to see a teacher before or after school to discuss any concerns they might be experiencing with the personal or academic development of their child.

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46. Parents are equally ready to contribute and support their child’s learning at home with many parents co-operating on reading and homework and helping their children research projects at home and in ensuring that such work and projects are returned completed and on time. Parents are kept fully informed regarding the progress of pupils with special educational needs. They are invited to all reviews and sent copies of the Individual Education Plans. Advice is also offered to parents of pupils with behaviour difficulties on ways in which they can be supported at home. Good arrangements are in place for children and their parents and carers to visit the school prior to commencing Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 26 their full time education. One such visit took place during the course of the inspection and parents find it helpful as part of the settling in process that they are able to visit the

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The school is well led and managed. The quality of leadership and management of the headteacher are good. He has a very good grasp of the school’s strengths and areas for development and tackles identified issues in a rigorous and effective manner. He provides strong educational direction for the work of the school and has a clear vision of what he wants to achieve. The headteacher has a strong commitment to improving and sustaining high standards and the identified areas for improvement are clearly and articulately centered on raising standards and the quality of education provided. The headteacher has a very good understanding of how to set realistic yet challenging targets and uses a variety of different management styles and techniques to get the best out of people and to ensure that targets are met. He has played a pivotal and important role, despite staff instability, in creating a very effective team spirit where all

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

staff work together well for the benefit of all pupils. The headteacher’s leadership and management skills have earned him the full respect of staff, pupils, parents and governors.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The headteacher is supported very well by the deputy headteacher. Together they form a very effective partnership which is committed to raising standards. The deputy has specific identified areas of school life for which she is responsible including areas such as day-to-day discipline and pastoral support in addition to subject responsibilities and areas such as data analysis where she works alongside the headteacher. The head and deputy meet on a regular basis both formally and informally and regularly discuss and review identified priorities for improvement. The school also has an extended senior management team which includes the Foundation Stage co-ordinator. Meetings with the extended management team also take place on a regular basis and again are used to identify and review areas for development and to discuss issues pertinent to standards, pupils’ progress and the pastoral care of pupils and staff. Once issues or

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

targets for development have been identified they are fully discussed with all staff before becoming embedded in school practice. Such procedures are effective in ensuring that all staff make an important contribution to the decision making process.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The procedures for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning across the school are satisfactory with the school recognising that there is scope for further development and improvement in this aspect of school life. The headteacher and deputy headteacher, together with the LEA adviser have carried out formal lesson observations and provided feedback for teachers. Most of these observations have been carried out in the core subjects. There have been a more limited number of observations carried out by co-ordinators. The school has already identified the need for co-ordinators to play a more active role in monitoring teaching and learning through more regular observation of lessons and through the scrutiny of pupils‘ work so that the information gained can then be used to have a greater impact on helping to improve standards and in some instances the quality of teaching.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. Good procedures are in place for analysing test and assessment data in the core subjects. Much of this is led by the headteacher and deputy headteacher with support from the subject co-ordinators. The information gained from this analysis is then used effectively to identify areas for development and improvement and for setting targets for different year groups. Data analysis takes account of factors such as gender, ethnicity Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 27 and pupil mobility. The collation of data is effective as it clearly shows, for example, the fact that pupils that spend a longer time at the school generally attain higher standards. The headteacher recognises the importance that data analysis and target setting can play in helping to raise standards and with this in mind is already seeking to improve the target setting process still further by using the analysis of data more rigorously to set

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

targets and track the progress of individual pupils and of small groups of pupils.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The school has good procedures in place for performance management and for the professional development of teaching and non-teaching staff. The headteacher ensures that targets that are set for teachers as part of the performance management process are met and geared towards having the biggest possible impact on helping to raise standards. Staff are provided with good opportunities to attend training activities and courses and the school is keen to ensure that the professional development of all staff matches the needs of the school as well as the individual. Staff development in areas such as information and communication technology have led to improvements in the quality of teaching and learning and in standards.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The Governing Body carries out its duties in an effective manner. All statutory duties and responsibilities are met in full. Many governors visit the school on a regular basis, and many have observed the quality of teaching and learning on a first hand basis. Some governors have established effective links with subject co-ordinators and have a good grasp of the provision that is made within different subjects. Governors discuss and debate policies in great detail before they become accepted as school practice. The Chair of Governors meets with the headteacher on a regular basis and the very detailed information provided by the headteacher for all governors keeps them fully involved in and informed about all aspects of school life, particularly with regards to standards and the school’s performance. As well as many governors visiting the school on a regular basis, governors also attend the many social occasions that the school

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

provides whilst others take part on residential visits with staff and pupils. All these factors demonstrate the governors’ level of commitment to the school and give them a strong overview on all that the school provides. Good use is also made of governors’ professional skills in areas such as health and safety and building maintenance to support and enhance the work of the school. Governors regularly attend training courses which enable them to set the work of the school in a regional and national context. Relationships between the governors and staff are very good and add much to the ethos, team spirit and sense of community which are strong features of the school.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The School Development Plan is a good quality document and is an accurate appraisal of the areas that the school needs to tackle to improve still further. The main thrust of the document is geared towards raising standards. All issues have appropriate time scales, costings and good quality procedures for ensuring that progress towards stated targets is carefully monitored. All staff and governors are given every opportunity to contribute towards drawing up the plan and this means that there is shared awareness and responsibility in helping to achieve the stated areas for development and a shared vision of what is needed to further improve the quality of education provided for all pupils.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The school has made satisfactory progress since the time of the last inspection. Many of the strengths identified at the last inspection have been maintained and in some instances built upon. Where improvements have not been as marked or significant as the school would have liked it has been because of factors outside the school’s immediate control such as high staff turn over or high levels of pupil mobility. The school addressed the identified key issues from the last inspection report in a thorough manner and in doing so immediately addressed the health and safety issue regarding Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 28 the pottery kiln and ensured that more opportunities were provided for pupils to function as independent learners. Much work has been done in making sure that work is more consistently challenging for the higher attainers and the school recognises that there is still work to be done in improving the quality of teaching in the core subjects in Year 3

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

and Year 4. The desire and commitment of all staff to raising standards and the quality of education provided indicates that this is a school that has a good capacity to improve further.

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The quality of leadership by the special needs co-ordinator is good. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and committed and maintains all documentation relating to special educational needs in a highly effective manner. Support is targeted to where the need is greatest and the co-ordinator plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the academic and social needs of the pupils are fully met. The support provided by the classroom assistants is very well managed and has a most positive impact on the progress the pupils make. The school complies fully with national recommendations relating to special educational needs and the requirements for the statemented pupils are fully implemented. The management of the Foundation Stage is good. The co-ordinator is effective in ensuring that provision is of a good standard and that it is carefully geared to meeting the needs of the children. The management of provision for pupils for whom

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

English is not their mother tongue is good and ensures that pupils have full access to all aspects of the curriculum and are able to take a full and active part in all that the school has to offer. The policies of the Governing Body for equal opportunities and racial equality are fully implemented throughout the school and monitored closely by the senior management team. The school complies fully with requirements to report racist incidents, although such incidents do not occur often. The school is rightly proud of its assertion that it is an inclusive school.

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The quality of financial management is very good. The finance committee of the Governing Body meets on a regular basis and plays an important role in the setting and monitoring of the school budget. Spending patterns are closely matched to the identified educational priorities in the School development Plan. The few specific grants allocated to the school are used very well for their intended purposes and their effectiveness is very well monitored. The school is well administered and the school secretary plays a significant part in ensuring a high degree of administrative efficiency as well as providing a very welcoming first point of contact for anybody visiting the school. Where new purchases have been made to extend the resources available in school, evaluations are made to assess their impact on the pupils’ performance and learning. The local authority carried out a financial audit of the school in 1999. It

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

revealed some minor shortcomings in the financial arrangements and procedures being followed. Action has been taken to fully address these areas and ensure that the necessary procedures are in place.

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The headteacher and the Governing Body apply the principles of best value very well both in the purchase and use of resources. The school compares its results against all schools nationally and against similar schools. A range of options is considered before financial decisions are made with the school showing a very good awareness of the need for a competitive approach and there is a sense throughout the school that all staff are concerned to get the best value for the pupils. Parents’ and pupils’ views are being increasingly sought on major policy decisions that could have an impact on how the school operates. Taking all factors into account this is a school that is providing good value for money.

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The school has a good number of teaching and support staff to meet the needs of the curriculum. There is a good balance of experience of teachers and provision is made Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 29 for the individual expertise of each teacher to be put to good use in more than one class in subjects such as art and design and dance. Good use is also made of the very effective peripatetic music teachers. The support staff are well trained and provide valuable support to the teachers. These factors enhance the quality of pupils’ learning. Resources are another good feature of the school. Resources are very good in information and communication technology and good in English, mathematics, science art and design, design and technology, music and physical education and satisfactory in the remaining subjects. Resources and accommodation are good overall in the Foundation Stage with very well equipped classrooms but with some shortages of

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

outdoor play items. The quantity and quality of resources in the school add another dimension to the learning environment.

p.29

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The accommodation in the school is unsatisfactory. The buildings are modern and kept well maintained, clean and tidy and staff work hard to provided attractive and informative displays that act as a good learning resource. The outside accommodation is satisfactory with some attractive features. Where accommodation is unsatisfactory is in the classrooms, many of which are of quite inadequate size for some thirty children and inhibit practical work and movement around the room. Some classrooms are effectively corridors, with pupils and adults having to pass through them during lessons, with resulting disturbance, to get to other parts of the school. Some have problems of sound entering excessively from neighbouring activities and several have no external windows. The result in these classrooms and in those that do have external windows, but cannot open them for noise reasons, is very poor air quality. All these

p.29

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

factors impact adversely upon teaching and learning. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 30

p.29

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to further improve the quality of education that the school provides, the Governing Body, headteacher and staff should:

p.30

1. ensure that the teaching of English, mathematics and science in Year 3 and

Year 4 matches the good quality of teaching in other year groups.

p.30

1. ensure that the teaching of English, mathematics and science in Year 3 and

(paragraphs 6, 7, 8, 17, 19, 20, 85, 92, 100)

p.30

2. improve procedures for target setting and assessment by:

• making best use of test and assessment data to set challenging targets for individual pupils and groups of pupils; • developing rigorous procedures for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress in the foundation subjects; • providing opportunities for pupils to be involved in setting their own targets for improvement; • consistently using the marking of pupils’ work as a vehicle for identifying areas for improvement.

p.30

2. improve procedures for target setting and assessment by:

(paragraphs 25, 40, 41, 50, 83, 87, 93, 94, 100, 116, 122)

p.30

are not in place, to have the maximum impact on raising standards by:

• providing co-ordinators with opportunities to support, monitor and evaluate teaching and learning in subjects that they are responsible for, so that good practice can be disseminated and any weaknesses tackled; • the regular and rigorous scrutiny of pupils’ work.

p.30

are not in place, to have the maximum impact on raising standards by:

(paragraphs 49, 87, 94, 101, 106, 111, 117, 123, 129, 133, 139, 145)

p.30

4. continue to examine ways in which the accommodation of the school could be

improved to provide a better learning environment.

p.30

4. continue to examine ways in which the accommodation of the school could be

(paragraph 59, 87, 95, 117) Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 31

p.30

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 32

p.31

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.31

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 two percentage points.

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR-Y6

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 237

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 21

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 2

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 24

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 7

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 7

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 10

p.31

Attendance

School data 4.0 School data 0.1 Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 32 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.31

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 33

p.32

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 21 13 34

p.33

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.33

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

Boys 19 20 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 10 12 11

p.33

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

Percentage of pupils School 85(91) 94(97) 94(94) at NC level 2 or above National 84(84) 86(86) 90(91)

p.33

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.33

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

Boys 20 21 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 11 11

p.33

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

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

p.33

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

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

p.33

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 21 13 34

p.33

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.33

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

Boys 16 17 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 8 12

p.33

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

Percentage of pupils School 76(73) 74(73) 89(76) at NC level 4 or above National 75(75) 73(71) 86(87)

p.33

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.33

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

Boys 11 15 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 8 10 12

p.33

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

Percentage of pupils School 58(61) 76(79) 85(82) at NC level 4 or above National 73(72) 74(74) 82(82)

p.33

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 34

p.33

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.34

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

p.34

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.34

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 3 0 0

p.34

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 1 0 0

p.34

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 2 0 0

p.34

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.34

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.34

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. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 35

p.34

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.2 Financial year 2002/2003

p.35

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.2

p.35

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR– Y6 Total income 523 224

p.35

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 474 034

p.35

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 71 Expenditure per pupil 2000

p.35

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 55895

p.35

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A Balance carried forward to next year 105 085

p.35

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

p.35

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A

p.35

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

p.35

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2.8

p.35

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4.6

p.35

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0.0

p.35

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0.0

p.35

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0.0

p.35

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 36

p.35

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.36

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.36

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 54 44 2 0 0

p.36

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 57 40 1 0 2

p.36

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 39 43 14 2 2

p.36

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 50 42 7 1 0

p.36

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 75 18 4 2 1

p.36

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 63 31 4 1 1

p.36

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 50 39 9 1 1

p.36

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 61 32 2 3 2

p.36

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 61 36 2 0 1

p.36

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 43 42 9 4 2 Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 37

p.36

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. Children start school in the academic year in which they become five. The majority begin attending full-time but some parents exercise the option for their children to start on a part-time basis. The vast majority of those admitted are in the Reception class but a smaller number are in a mixed age group with Year 1 pupils. Very few children are admitted during the course of the year. Most children have had some form of pre- school experience and the school has good links with the various pre-school groups that serve the community. Arrangements are in place for children and their parents and carers to visit the school prior to commencing their full time education. One such visit took place during the course of the inspection and parents find it helpful as part of the settling in process that they able to visit the school in this way.

p.37

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61. The overall provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good and good progress has been made since the previous inspection. The quality of the curriculum and the curriculum planning is a major strength of the provision. Activities are planned in line with the Early Learning Goals for the age group and detailed records of assessment are kept through the year. The children in the mixed age class receive the same well- planned curriculum as those in the Reception class and are at no disadvantage in being separate from their peers. Children experience a daily routine of structured activities and imaginative play and they have access to a pleasant outdoor play area adjacent to the classroom. A spacious school hall is also available for indoor physical education and other activities. Both classrooms are very well resourced and teachers use the resources to best advantage in their teaching. Children learn in an attractive

p.37

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

and stimulating setting and adults provide good role models in their desire that the learning environment should be as clean and accessible as possible.

p.37

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

62. The overall attainment of the children on entry is average, although a number enter with well-developed personal and social skills and are confident in their use of spoken language. The requirements of the small number of children with special educational needs are effectively addressed. Children make good progress in the Reception classes overall with progress in children’s physical development being satisfactory, and by the time they are due to enter Year 1 they exceed well beyond the Early Learning Goals in mathematical development and exceed the Early Learning Goals in communication, language and literacy and knowledge and understanding of the world. They attain the Early Learning Goals in creative development, physical development and personal, social and emotional development. A few more able children are already working within national curriculum levels.

p.37

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

63. The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage is good overall with occasional very good examples being seen during the course of the inspection. Teaching in children’s physical development is satisfactory. The co-ordinator has a good understanding of the concepts of child development and chooses and plans for a variety of learning activities. Classroom organisation is very effective in both classes and there is a good rapport between both teachers and the learning support assistant who makes a significant contribution to the children’s education. Assessment information is used well to guide the teaching and forms a good record of the efforts and achievements of the children. Children behave very well and enjoy their successes, which they share with one other. On occasions during the inspection some of the teaching was too directed and the children were not in a position to make the mistakes that can be used to inform

p.37

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

future learning. Also there some are occasions when children are given material Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 38 rewards such as sweets, which they enjoy, but these lack the cumulative build up of non-material rewards for achievement. In both classes children are given frequent praise and encouragement, which enhances their confidence and self-esteem. The quality of relationships between the children is very good and combined with the good teaching has a beneficial impact on the very good attitudes to learning.

p.37

Personal, social and emotional development

64. A minority of children are socially immature when they start in the Reception class and are often unwilling to share activities with their new classmates. The good teaching ensures that children gain in confidence throughout the year and, by the time they enter Year 1 most children have attained the Early Learning Goals in this area of learning. All children make good progress overall, although on occasions not enough opportunities are provided for the younger children to develop as independent learners. By the end of the reception year, many children are taking responsibility for tidying up, have good attitudes towards their learning and play happily and sensibly with one other. In the more formal tasks they have opportunities for working together and sharing apparatus and information which they do in an appropriate manner. When engaged in the structured role-play activities that the good quality of teaching regularly provides, the

p.38

Personal, social and emotional development

children show a good understanding of the nature of the social roles they enact, such as that of ‘’travel agent’’ and ‘’customer in the travel shop.’’ Children in the mixed age class are able to share their achievements well with their older classmates and show no sense of inferiority because they are the younger members of the class. When getting changed for physical education, children are encouraged to leave their clothes tidy, which they do, and dress quickly on their return. In outdoor play during break times older and younger children mix and play well.

p.38

Communication, language and literacy

65. The majority of children enter the Reception class with average levels of attainment in communication, language and literacy although a small number have well developed communication skills. Teaching and support are good and, during the inspection, some very good teaching was observed in the mixed reception and Year 1 class. Children of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, make good progress. Planning allows for a varied range of activities matched to the children’s abilities and, by the time they enter Year 1, the majority attain above the Early Learning Goals for this area.

p.38

Communication, language and literacy

66. Early reading and writing skills are taught well. There is a good balance between providing time for children to read and write freely and the planned teaching of skills. The children are successfully introduced to elements of the Literacy Strategy. Adults are skilled at questioning children but teaching is at its best when open-ended questioning is used effectively and every opportunity is provided for children to answer the questions rather than adults pre-empting what the children are going to say. Children listen well and follow the instructions given by adults. The activities in the classroom, especially those where the children are able to interact with each other, when playing with sand or apparatus for example, give many opportunities for language development. Although initially shy in the presence of visitors, the children welcome the opportunity for talking about and sharing their experiences and by the end of the

p.38

Communication, language and literacy

Foundation Stage they are confident speakers when talking amongst themselves or to adults.

p.38

Communication, language and literacy

67. By the end of the Foundation Stage children have a good understanding of the basic elements of reading. They know that text on a page tells a story and are aware that the Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 39 illustrations contribute to the overall effect. In the good opportunities that teaching provides for shared reading, the majority of children recognise the words and read them aloud with considerable verve and accuracy. Children recognise full stops, know about capital letters and know what an author does. In the shared reading the higher attaining children help the lower attainers in their reading development and children of all abilities enjoy contact with books and stories. Children make good progress in their ability to write and they understand that writing has a purpose in communication. By the time they enter Year 1, many of the children write their names and higher attainers

p.38

Communication, language and literacy

describe events in simple sentences and the children work well together when engaged in their writing activities.

p.39

Mathematical development

68. Most children enter the reception year with average levels of attainment in mathematics. By the end of the Foundation Stage the good quality of teaching ensures that all children make good progress and by the time that children are ready to start in Year 1, their attainment is well beyond the Early Learning Goals in this area of their learning.

p.39

Mathematical development

69. The good quality of teaching ensures that all children have access to a very good range of resources to foster mathematical skills. The very good planning ensures that both formal and free choice activities are making an effective contribution to learning. During the inspection, the teacher used a puppet that makes deliberate mistakes to capture the imagination of the children, all of who can count in twos to ten and many of whom can count in twos to twenty. Children are able to explain how they solve problems and teaching in both classes reinforces prior learning whilst encouraging further development. When working in groups, children help one other and they are well supported and supervised in their activities.

p.39

Mathematical development

70. The use of mathematical concepts flows over into other activities and adults insist that the children use an appropriate vocabulary when testing capacity in the water play area. Using dough when making a three dimensional model of Monet’s bridge at Giverny gave the children an opportunity for discussing ’’ longer and shorter,’’ ‘’ thicker and thinner,’’ elements of their work, which they did very well. When playing in the wet or dry sand the children use a vocabulary that includes ‘’heavier/lighter than’’ and ‘’more/less than,’’ in a very accurate context. The vast majority have no problems in sorting by size, colour and name and recognise a variety of two and three dimensional shapes.

p.39

Knowledge and understanding of the world

71. Good teaching in both classes ensures that all children, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in their knowledge and understanding of the world. By the time they enter Year 1 children have exceeded the Early Learning Goals in this area of their learning. Good use is made of the immediate environment, hunting mini-beasts for example, and children also learn a great deal about routines and structures from their very well organised classrooms and resources. Through their work in art they have explored and understood well the world of plants and animals still further. They also make good progress in their understanding of the role of individuals and services in helping them and the community in its daily life. Many of the children walk to school and are beginning to develop a good knowledge of the features and landmarks of their route. Many of them also accompany adults on shopping trips to

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

local shops and supermarkets and give examples of some of the small shops in the locality. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 40 72. The good quality of teaching capitalises on occasions such as a birthday to engage the children with the concept of growing up. Typically many of the children think of growing old as something that happens only to adults but they have already developed a good understanding of the basic relationships within their own families. Teachers make good use of celebrations and festivals to mark special events in life. Much of this is incorporated into the religious education provided for the children where they have studied and gained a good basic knowledge of the Hindu festival of Diwali for example. Good use is made of information and communication technology to add an extra dimension to the children’s learning and to develop basic skills in this aspect of learning. A good number of the children also have access to a computer at home and,

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in some cases, older siblings act as role models in developing information and communication technology skills.

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Physical development

73. The quality of teaching in this area of learning is satisfactory. All children make satisfactory progress and by the end of the reception year most children have attained the Early Learning Goals. Children move around their classroom in a confident manner and are aware of the needs of others. In their outdoor play they make good use of the space and apparatus available to them and show considerable dexterity in their movements. When they have physical education sessions in the school hall children change into suitable clothing and get dressed again when they return to the classroom. During a lesson in the school hall observed during the course of the inspection the children showed an awareness of warm-up and cool-down procedures but were over- directed in their activities and had insufficient opportunity for experiment and innovation in their movements. This prevented them from making bigger gains in their learning. In

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their work in the classroom all children show appropriate fine motor control when using pencils, scissors and brushes in their tasks. Teaching provides opportunities for children to have access to construction kits and materials to improve their dexterity and they show good co-ordination in basic computer related activities.

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Creative development

74. By the end of the Foundation Stage, the children have attained the Early Learning Goals and all children have made good gains in their creative development. Teaching is good and children have access to a wide range of practical and creative activities, using a wide range of resources.

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75. The attractive nature of the classrooms and the quality of the work on display gives the children a tangible ‘buzz’ in their attitudes towards creativity and they are proud to share their work with others. They paint, draw and model with enthusiasm and they are adept at describing the design problems when making their often imaginative constructions. Their work in art shows a good appreciation of the impact of colour and they know that mixing two primary colours produces interesting changes in making a secondary colour. The good quality of teaching capitalises on opportunities for children to enhance their artistic and creative skills in other areas of learning such as knowledge and understanding of the world. When making their models the children are encouraged to set them in the context of their mathematical understanding and/or language development as they discuss the design problems and compare height and length for

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example. Using clay and dough also gives them the opportunity for trying out new descriptive vocabularies as they enjoy the tactile sensations of the materials.

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76. Provision for creative development also includes good opportunities for creative role- play that also contributes to their knowledge and understanding of the world. During the Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 41 course of the inspection children were able to use the classroom travel shop to act out a variety of roles and relationships. Music is also used to good effect and the children respond well to the stimulus it provides. They sing with enthusiasm and are growing in their understanding of the sounds made by simple musical instruments.

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77. On the basis of the 2002 National Curriculum tests for pupils in Year 2 attainment was above the national average in writing and below the national average in reading. When compared to similar schools a similar picture emerges. National Curriculum test results for Year 6 pupils in 2002 showed attainment to be in line with the national average and average when compared to similar schools. Inspection findings show that attainment by the end of Year 2 is above average and average by the end of Year 6. The instability of staffing at Key Stage 1 that has been a feature of the school over the last 3 years has been addressed and the good quality of teaching ensures that all pupils in Year 1 to Year 2, including those with special educational needs and those whose mother tongue is not English, are making good progress and are achieving well. The picture at the end of Year 6 is a little more complex. Pupils in Key Stage 2 make

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satisfactory progress overall but progress for the pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 is good and at times very good because of the quality of the teaching. The progress made by pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 is satisfactory and could be better. Other factors, however, such as the fluctuating number of pupils with special educational needs and the high level of pupil mobility which is particularly significant for the oldest year group in the school, have an impact on attainment. Evidence indicates that standards are set to rise in 2004. Improvement since the time of the last inspection has been satisfactory.

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78. Standards in speaking and listening are above average by the end of Year 2. Most pupils have well developed speaking and listening skills. Pupils listen attentively to instructions and questions, responding confidently, using full sentences and appropriate vocabulary. Year 1 pupils, for example, when discussing, “Big Bad Bill the Burglar”, adopt a vocabulary that is rich in adjectives, describing Bill as ‘very scared’ and the ghost as ‘shimmery’. In Year 2 they recall and retell a story fluently and one pupil provides an accurate definition of the word ‘alliteration’. They discuss well in small groups, communicating their ideas clearly, listening to each other before reaching appropriate conclusions. Pupils make satisfactory progress at Key Stage 2 and by the end of Year 6 pupils are answering questions thoughtfully in well-constructed sentences using precise language. These skills are being particularly well developed in

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Year 5 and Year 6, where the pupils are effectively encouraged to participate in discussion and where the teachers are successfully utilising the opportunities which arise, to extend and refine the pupils’ vocabulary. Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 often ask pertinent questions in order to clarify their ideas but opportunities are missed to further extend and enhance pupils’ speaking and listening skills through role-play, drama and formal debates or to help pupils to adapt their style of speech, including the use of Standard English, to different situations.

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79. Standards in reading are above average by the end of Year 2, with the higher attainers achieving very well. The pupils are taught to read using a wide variety of well-graded and attractive books. As a result, by the end of Year 2 pupils are able to recognise many words on sight, and because they have been given plenty of opportunities to learn and apply phonic letter sounds, they successfully and confidently decipher unfamiliar words. The good standards are also due to the fact that pupils read frequently. They read regularly to adults in school, both in groups and individually and, as they take their reading scheme and library books home on a daily basis, they usually read to a parent Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 42 also. Their levels of comprehension are good, and they are able to discuss the plot and characters in the books they are reading and predict what might happen next. They are

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forming clear ideas of the stories they like to read and choose their books accordingly.

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80. Standards in reading at the end of Year 6 are at an average level. Most pupils read fluently, accurately and with expression. Pupils readily apply a range of reading strategies such as context clues to assist their comprehension and often skim and scan a text for relevant information. Pupils are aware of the author’s style and describe and justify their appreciation. In one Year 6 lesson, pupils clearly demonstrated their ability to analyse the strategies adopted by an author when introducing his characters. They made good use of referring to the text to justify their opinions and were able, by the end of the lesson, to make pertinent, comparative judgements about the characters. Few pupils are confident or adept at reading and understanding beyond the literal level or in using skills of inference. The pupils are enthusiastic readers and have their favourite authors such as Ann Fine, Roald Dahl, and Jacqueline Wilson as well as

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being avid followers of Harry Potter. Their preference is to read fiction but they also enjoy poetry, appreciating how it differs from prose and how much emotion and imagination inform the writing. They are able to locate and access information from non-fiction books, but they do not have sufficient opportunities to work independently in the school library.

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81. Standards in writing are above average by the end of Year 2 and average by the end of Year 6. The pupils make a good start in Year 1, where they are given plenty of practice in developing neat legible handwriting and composing logical sequenced sentences to write about events in their own lives as well as creative short stories. By the end of Year 2 most pupils have become confident writers for many different purposes. Their stories and poems are imaginative and pupils often use carefully selected language to express ideas and feelings. One pupil, for example writes the line, “Curtains shake, and I hug my teddy”, in a poem, entitled, “After Dark”. Another, in Year 1, describes snow as “cold, crisp and crunchy”. Pupils know how to structure a letter and write clear instructions for others to follow, such as directions to school or how to decorate a Christmas tree. Pupils apply their knowledge of phonics confidently and attempt to spell

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words for themselves, often with considerable success. Most use capital letters and full stops correctly, with a small minority appropriately introducing commas and exclamation marks into their writing.

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82. Pupils in the lower part of Key Stage 2 continue to make progress but the limited range and amount of written work are slowing the process down. The pupils are taught and practise the necessary literacy skills of drafting, structuring, punctuation and grammatical rules, but have too few opportunities to apply these skills to write creatively. The acceleration of progress in Year 5 and Year 6 means that by the time most pupils leave school, they are able to write confidently at length, for a wide range of purposes, including stories with exciting plots, sensitive poetry, interesting play scripts and a variety of book reviews and criticisms. They express their thoughts and opinions with clarity although pupils sometimes find difficulty in sustaining a plot or characterisation over an extended piece of writing. In Year 5, pupils effectively employ suitable strategies of style and vocabulary in order to persuade others to adopt an

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endangered species of animal. One writes emotively, ”Koalas are cute, cuddly creatures who always want a hug” and a Haiku, in the same class, reads, ”Sweets are like Rainbows, In lots of different colours, In a little tin”. Year 6 pupils write good factual biographies of characters such as Anne Frank and Indira, Ghandi but can also make humorous adaptations from Shakespeare’s ”Macbeth” and create their own witches’ brew, for example, “Smelly, smelly in goes a wellie”, and, “Earwig dipped in Dijon mustard”. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 43 83. An overall weakness in the writing, in both key stages, is the standard of the handwriting and presentation. The quality in handwriting lessons is good, but not enough expectation is put on pupils to carry this over into their general writing activities. A significant minority of pupils in Key Stage 2 do not always join their letters and show insufficient pride in neatness of style. Not enough teachers comment on this fact in the

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marking of pupils’ work or refer to it in lessons.

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84. Most pupils enjoy their literacy lessons and behave well. This is impacting positively on their learning. A majority of pupils eagerly participate during discussion times and answer questions thoughtfully. They settle enthusiastically to their individual tasks and try hard to complete them successfully, although they do not always take sufficient pride in the presentation. They work independently but will seek help when required. They co-operate well in small groups. Year 2 pupils, for example, were seen working very productively with a partner when supplying alternative ideas to complete a poem.

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85. The quality of teaching is good in Year 1 to Year 2 and satisfactory overall in Year 3 to Year 6 although it is good and at times very good for pupils in Year 5 and Year 6. Good teaching makes an important contribution to the good progress and achievement of pupils in Key Stage 1 and in Year 5 and Year 6. The National Literacy Strategy has been implemented effectively and most teachers have secure subject knowledge. Reading and writing skills are taught well for the younger pupils in school. The skills are taught in a direct and progressive manner and the pupils are then provided with a good range of stimulating and exciting writing opportunities where they can put these skills to good use. Much is the same for the older pupils in school but a weakness is that not enough varied and captivating writing stimuli are being consistently provided for pupils in Year 3 and Year 4. Reading skills are generally taught well and pupils are constantly

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reminded of the strategies that they are to use when confronted with unfamiliar words or phrases both within literacy lessons and in other subjects of the curriculum. This works well in reinforcing reading skills. Higher order reading skills are generally being developed well with the school rightly identifying the need to further develop pupils’ confidence and ability to read for inference and to comprehend beyond the literal level.

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86. Lesson planning is of a good standard and the learning objectives are shared with the pupils so that they too know what it is they are to achieve. The best teaching sees these objectives revisited at the end of the lesson and future planning and activities taking account of the progress and attainment or lack of it by different pupils. The most effective teachers have high expectations and use good questioning techniques, which challenge the pupils to extend their thinking and provide fuller and more precise answers. They have a good understanding of the literacy skills the pupils need to acquire and fully utilise the opportunities that arise throughout the lessons to teach and reinforce these. Where teaching is less effective lessons lack a sense of pace or the teaching style is not dynamic or lively enough to capture the attention of the pupils, some of whom lose interest or start to distract others. Support staff make a very

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important contribution to supporting pupils with special educational needs and have a significant impact on how well these pupils learn and achieve. Support is equally good for pupils for whom English is not their mother tongue enabling pupils to make similar progress to their classmates. Good use is made of computers to support pupils’ learning in the subject although there are some missed opportunities for computers to be used more for drafting and editing purposes. There are some good examples of pupils’ literacy skills being promoted in other subjects of the curriculum and this has a positive impact on further developing pupils’ writing skills. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 44 87. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator monitors planning and together with the headteacher analyses test and assessment data in a thorough manner to identify strengths and identify areas for improvement. Good

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procedures are in place for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress. The progress of pupils by gender and ethnicity is carefully monitored with the school identifying the need for an even more rigorous approach to the target setting for individual and small groups of pupils in order to have the biggest possible impact on helping to raise standards. Not enough opportunities have been provided for the co-ordinator to monitor teaching and learning through direct observation and regular scrutiny of pupils’ work in order to disseminate the good practice that clearly exists and to tackle any weaknesses. Resources for the subject are good and the manner in which the school promotes a love of literature makes an important contribution to the cultural development of pupils. The standard of accommodation is unsatisfactory and has a detrimental impact on the quality of the pupils’ and teachers’ learning environment.

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MATHEMATICS

88. On the basis of the National Curriculum tests in 2002 at the end of Year 2 attainment was below the national average and below average when compared to similar schools. In the tests in 2002 for Year 6 pupils’ attainment was in line with the national average and average when compared to similar schools. Inspection findings are that attainment by the end of Year 2 is above average and attainment by the end of Year 6 is at an average level. The consistently good quality of teaching pupils receive in Year 1 to Year 2 is a significant influence on the much-improved standards at the end of Key Stage 1 together with the greater level of staffing stability which has not been the case over the last three years. However, there are other reasons that help to explain the differences in attainment between the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Firstly, pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 receive satisfactory teaching in Year 3 and Year 4 but good teaching in Year 5 and Year

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6 when their rate of progress and achievement accelerate. Secondly, pupils in different age groups are of different inherent levels of attainment, and thirdly, the cohorts have considerably changed as pupils move through the school. For example, about one third of pupils in the current Year 6 did not start their education at the school alongside other pupils. Records show that these pupils do not achieve as well those who have an uninterrupted education through the school. Standards at Key Stage 1 are similar to those identified at the last inspection. However, whilst standards are rising at Key Stage 2, they are not yet as high as they were when the school was last inspected. Nevertheless the overall progress in mathematics since the previous inspection is satisfactory. In Year 1 and Year 2 all pupils including those with special educational needs and those with English as second language make good progress whilst

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progress overall in Year 3 to Year 6 is satisfactory and good in Year 5 and Year 6.

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89. Overall across the school, pupils’ skills are well developed in computing numbers and pupils regularly demonstrate that they are secure in applying all four rules. More recently the school has placed emphasis upon extending pupils’ knowledge of number into solving word problems involving more than one process. In particular, pupils at the higher end of Key Stage 2 are benefiting through this and tackle this type of work confidently. However some difficulties occur when they are asked to call upon some aspects of their earlier learning, because they cannot always remember certain skills, such as how to calculate area. There is, therefore, a need to include regular but brief revision opportunities into their programmes of study. This will enable pupils to more readily draw upon an established bank of previously learned knowledge and demonstrate their understanding through its effective application.

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Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 45 90. In Key Stage 1, pupils enjoy working with numbers and are very happy to demonstrate their counting skills. By the end of Year 2 pupils count forwards and backwards in 2,3,5 and 10, sometimes sequencing combinations such as 28, 33, 38. They apply this knowledge to money problems so that higher attainers buy from the shop, three articles totalling over £1.00. Consequently coin recognition is good and pupils supply appropriate change, although some pupils find word problems a little more daunting. Pupils are able to add and subtract and by learning about halves and quarters they understand the rudimentary facts of division. By the end of the key stage all can tell the time to a quarter of an hour and many identify it to the correct minute. Pupils collect information about favourite foods and colours through the effective use of tally charts. After displaying it in block graphs, they make comparative judgements about their

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findings. Simple regular two and three-dimensional shapes, such as squares, triangles, pentagons cubes and cylinders are recognised by most. Pupils eagerly show off their knowledge of these shapes by talking about the number of their relative corners, sides and faces. Appropriate use of correct mathematical language, including ‘’longer,’’ ‘’shorter,’’ ‘’heavier’’ and ‘’lighter’’ enables them to properly express themselves when handling standard and non- standard weights and measures.

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MATHEMATICS

91. By the end of Year 6, pupils have continued to build on the skills they acquired in Key Stage1. However, the progress they make, in this key stage, is slower at first, but accelerates in the final two years of their education. By Year 6, pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the four rules of number are very secure and are consistently applied accurately and effectively. For the higher attainers, mental arithmetic is very good. Pupils have well-honed skills, allowing them to instantly recall number facts and arrive at answers quickly. Pupils of average and below average attainment would benefit from a more regular diet of “quick-fire” questions. Pupils are becoming confident “maths- detectives” as they identify clues in written problems, leading them to successfully choose correct methods and approaches to the solutions. Shape, space, time and measures are all used satisfactorily, although sometimes pupils forget previous

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learning so that on occasions their knowledge appears to be lacking. For example some good work on shape is effectively covered in Year 5, but when asked to talk about regular three dimensional shapes in Year 6, some pupils had difficulty in clearly expressing what they had earlier known and learned. Some good work in data handling and graphs is carried out. This aspect of mathematics is also effectively used in other aspects of the curriculum, such as science and geography to record and retrieve facts and information.

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MATHEMATICS

92. The overall quality of teaching and learning is good in Year 1 and Year 2 with examples of very good teaching. Teaching in Year 3 to Year 6 is satisfactory overall with consistently good and at times very good and excellent teaching in Year 5 and Year 6. In the lower part of the key stage, however, it is seldom better than satisfactory. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed during the inspection. Lessons are usually well planned and the quick fire mental agility questions at the start of lessons are thoroughly enjoyed by pupils of all ages. Behaviour in lessons throughout the school is generally good and pupils show good levels of interest and motivation when the work is challenging and demanding. Some excellent teaching in Year 5 was the result of very good preparation, high expectations of pupils, and challenging tasks that enabled the teacher to develop pupils’ learning through small stages of increasing difficulty.

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MATHEMATICS

Because of this, the pupils rapidly increased their knowledge and understanding of shape in an exciting and stimulating lesson. Mathematical terminology was extended and very good progress achieved. In lessons like this, pupils become willing learners. They maintain high levels of interest and concentration and when required collaborate well. Sometimes however, in the lower part of Key Stage 2, the lessons are neither exciting nor very well paced. When this occurs, the pupils achieve at a slower rate than Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 46 other pupils in the school and the extent of their knowledge is restricted. For example, when Year 4 pupils were attempting division problems, the teacher’s explanation became over long and the pupils could not clearly comprehend the situation. With more forethought, the use of apparatus would have provided a visual understanding of the concept, made the learning more realistic and helped the pupils to achieve at a faster

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93. When it is available, pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language benefit from the good help of well-prepared specialist support staff. There is a school policy about the setting of homework. Teachers often apply this well and homework is used effectively to reinforce, at home, the work pupils do in lessons. There are some good examples of the marking of work to provide pointers for pupils to improve but this good practice is not as consistent as it could be. Good examples were seen across the school of pupils’ numeracy skills being put to good use in other subjects of the curriculum such as science, geography and design and technology and good use is made of computers to further develop pupils’ mathematical skills in some classes. This good practice needs to be disseminated to all classes.

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MATHEMATICS

94. Subject leadership is good. There is strong support for staff. In-service training has been arranged enabling teachers to extend their professional development. Teachers’ planning is regularly and carefully monitored, as are the quality of teaching in lessons and the evaluation of standards through the scrutiny of pupils’ work. There is positive action to develop numeracy across all subjects and mathematics makes a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Many pupils have taken up the opportunity of attending additional after school mathematical activities. Similarly, a healthy take-up by parents to attend a mathematics evening has enabled them to be more effective in supporting their children’s learning at home. Procedures for the assessment and the recording of pupils’ achievement are good and the information they provide is put to good use in enabling the school to identify

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curricular strengths, and to take effective action to address areas identified as in need of development. The progress of individuals and groups of pupils is tracked annually and new targets are set for the next stages of their learning. However, pupils may well further benefit by sharing these targets, thus becoming more involved in their own learning and having the opportunity to celebrate their success in achieving them. Despite all these good measures, the subject leader is aware of additional measures required to further raise standards throughout the school. This includes the need to improve teaching by spreading and sharing good practice in all classes. There is also the need to consistently sharpen all pupils’ mental arithmetic skills, particularly in the instant recall of mental arithmetic facts, and to implement the more regular and effective use of computers to support learning in lessons.

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MATHEMATICS

95. The quality of resources is good and teachers in most classes use them well to support both teaching and learning. The overall quality of accommodation is unsatisfactory. In some classes there is a lack of natural light, restricted airflow and very confined space. Furthermore the problems are exacerbated by the through movement of pupils from other classes and by background noise from adjacent rooms. Where these conditions occur the quality of teaching and learning is unfairly and adversely affected.

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SCIENCE

96. On the basis of the 2002 teacher assessments for Year 2 pupils’ attainment in science was at an average level. The results of the National Curriculum tests for Year 6 pupils in 2002 showed attainment to be in line with the national average and above average when compared to similar schools. Inspection findings show that attainment by the end Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 47 of Year 2 is above average and average by the end of Year 6. The good quality of teaching in Year 1 and Year 2 ensures that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is not their mother tongue, are making good progress and achieve well. In Year 3 to Year 6, the progress that all pupils make is satisfactory overall and is good in Year 5 and Year 6 because the quality of teaching is good and at times very good whereas teaching in Year 3 and Year 4 is satisfactory. There are other factors which help to explain the differences in attainment between

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Year 2 and Year 6. Attainment over time fluctuates in Year 3 to Year 6 because of the different natural ability of the different year groups and pupil mobility is a significant factor at this key stage. For example almost a third of the current Year 6 pupils have not spent their full educational lives at the school. Inspection evidence clearly indicates that the school is on track to achieve significantly higher standards in 2004. There is no significant difference in the attainment and achievement of boys and girls. Improvement overall since the time of the last inspection has been satisfactory.

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SCIENCE

97. By the end of Year 2 standards are above average. Pupils are provided with a good range of opportunities to carry out investigations and experiments. Pupils have a well developed awareness of the importance of making predictions and of carrying out fair tests, although they do not always put their good level of scientific knowledge to its best use to inform their predictions. Pupils have a good knowledge of forces and of different sources of light. Pupils know and explain well how to make things speed up or slow down and that different surfaces can impact on how well or not vehicles move. The higher attaining pupils make good predictions about which materials light can pass through and which materials it cannot and are aware of terminology such as transparent, translucent and opaque. Pupils show a good level of understanding and knowledge of the fact that materials can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting or

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stretching. Pupils know which materials are magnetic and which are not. Pupils name the main body parts and differentiate well between living and non-living things. They show a good knowledge of what is needed for living things to grow and that different animals survive in different habitats. Pupils have a good knowledge of electricity. Another strength in pupils’ attainment is that they are already recognising the importance and usefulness of recording their results in different formats including text and tables.

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SCIENCE

98. During Year 3 and Year 4 pupils are acquiring scientific knowledge and skills at a steady rate and this progress accelerates in Year 5 and Year 6 because the quality of teaching is better. By the end of Year 6 pupils accurately measure forces in Newtons. Pupils carry out a fair test appropriately. Pupils’ understanding of forces is satisfactory and they understand terms such as surface friction. Many pupils know how to separate substances and have carried out experiments on evaporation effectively. Pupils' understanding and knowledge of micro-organisms are satisfactory. Pupils have a secure knowledge of magnetism, reversible and irreversible change, light, shadows and reflection and electricity. Most pupils recognise how animals and plants adapt to different habitats and talk knowledgeably about life cycles and know terms such as pollination and germination. Pupils’ knowledge of conductors and insulators is secure

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as is their awareness of the factors that are needed for a healthy lifestyle. The weaker elements are that pupils do not make enough use of their scientific knowledge to help guide their predictions and hypotheses or to help them explain and better understand why things happen as they do. Not enough opportunities are provided for pupils at this key stage to initiate and instigate their own investigations.

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99. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are good and pupils enjoy taking part in practical and investigative tasks. Pupils work together well and behaviour in lessons is generally of a good standard. The pupils show a good awareness of health and safety issues. This is Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 48 particularly important as a number of the classrooms in school are either too small or are irregular shapes and make the carrying out of practical tasks more problematic and difficult.

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100. The quality of teaching is good in Year 1, Year 2, Year 5 and Year 6 and satisfactory in Year 3 and Year 4. Throughout the school an appropriate emphasis is given to the development of pupils’ investigative and experimental skills. Such activities are well planned and pupils are encouraged to record their findings in a variety of different formats. More opportunities need to be provided for pupils to initiate their own investigations and to interpret the results with a greater level of sophistication. Teaching is at its best when greater open-ended questioning is used to tease our what pupils already know and to get them to use this knowledge to better inform their hypotheses and predictions. In good lessons on forces in Year 1 and Year 2 the teachers encouraged the pupils to test things out for themselves and to make informed predictions. The teachers assured the pupils that it is perfectly acceptable to learn

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through their mistakes and that experiments do not always go to plan and these factors help to develop the self-esteem of the pupils. In a very good lesson in Year 5 on pollination the teacher provided lots of practical activities to reinforce and deepen pupils’ understanding of different flower parts. The lesson had pace and high expectations and the teacher insisted upon the pupils using correct technical vocabulary. The teacher’s subject knowledge was very strong and this enabled pupils’ quite demanding questions to be answered in a highly effective manner. Teaching is less effective when pupils are not managed particularly well or when the teaching style is a little flat and does not capture the interest and attention of the pupils. In these instances pupils do not always make the progress of which they are capable and not enough work is completed within lessons. Good use is made of computers to support and enhance pupils’ learning with

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pupils using them for research purposes and for presenting results in different formats such as graphs, tables and charts. Although there are some good examples of the marking of pupils’ work being used to outline pointers for improvement, this good practice is not consistent across the school and there are times when not enough attention is given to ensuring that the presentation of pupils’ work is of a high enough standard.

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101. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory with some strengths. There are good procedures in place for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress and the co-ordinator, together with the headteacher, carries out a good level of analysis of test and assessment data. This information is then used well to set priorities for development and improvement and for setting targets. The co-ordinator monitors teachers’ planning but insufficient opportunities have yet been provided for the regular observation of teaching and learning across the school or for scrutinising pupils’ work so that the information gained could be used more effectively to help raise standards. The school has recognised this as an area for development and is to address the issue when the subject is a priority area on the School Development Plan. The co-ordinator is also in the process of developing a moderated portfolio of pupils’ work to further assist

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teachers in accurate assessments. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through opportunities for pupils to work together, and through the manner in which teachers draw pupils’ attention to the beauty of the natural world. Resources for the subject are good and are used well to enhance the quality of pupils’ learning.

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ART AND DESIGN

Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 49 102. Standards in art and design are above expectations at the end of Year 2 and at the end of Year 6. This represents good improvement in standards and provision since the time of the previous inspection. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is not their mother tongue, make good progress and achieve well in the development of their skills as they move through the school. The present co-ordinator, who is shortly to leave the school, is a semi- professional artist and has played an important role in raising the status of the subject in the curriculum. Pupils in all year groups are currently engaged in working with the artist in residence at the local gallery to produce a wall hanging made from felt which will, when finished, adorn the entrance foyer of the school.

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103. By the end of Year 2 pupils have developed a good understanding of a range of media and techniques and are beginning to acquire knowledge of the work of well-known artists. Pupils have developed good drawing and model making skills by the end of Year 2. Work is often linked with other areas of the curriculum, the paintings of habitats linking art with science in Year 1 for example. Pupils in Year 2 have used the painting ‘Tigers’ by Lisa Kearney very effectively to experiment with their use of painting pencils in extending the view used by the artist. The temporary nature of sculpture has been investigated in an impressive manner by the use of polystyrene to make icebergs and its more permanent nature by the use of clay. The finished products are of a good standard. Other cultures are explored through the use of pictures to tell stories as in Chinese willow pattern designs.

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104. Pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 extend their knowledge and their skills still further as they explore the nature of art in various forms. In an innovative merging of art and information and communication technology pupils in Year 3 have produced a virtual sculpture park by incorporating images of their own three dimensional work into photographs of selected areas of the school grounds. In Year 4 pupils have produced high quality maquettes before making full-sized three-dimensional hats in a variety of materials and have also produced exciting interpretations of areas masked off in photographs by using oil pastels. In Year 5, prayer mats brought in to school by Muslim pupils have been used as a stimulus to making patterns and pupils in this year group have also produced attractive still life work based on the paintings of Georgia O’Keefe and Ferdnand Leger. During the course of the inspection pupils in Year 6 displayed a

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ART AND DESIGN

sense of awe and wonder at the beauty and intensity of work by artists such as Kandinsky who featured in the recent Masters of Colour exhibition. By the time that pupils leave school they have well developed artistic skills. Their observational drawing skills are of a good standard, they blend colours well to produce the desired effect, have a good working knowledge of the work of famous artists and produce work in three-dimensional form that is of a good standard and with a high level of imagination and creativity.

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ART AND DESIGN

105. The quality of teaching and learning in art and design is good throughout the school. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils and present them with exciting and interesting work. Good use is made of famous artists to stimulate the imaginations of the pupils and confidence builds up through the extensive use of sketchbooks as an aid to learning. By the end of Year 6 pupils have an insight into the turmoil of Van Gogh, the apocalyptic visions of Bosch and Breughel, the more gentle perspectives of the impressionists and the vibrant work of expressionists. In discussion they can talk confidently about artists whose work they enjoy and they are able to describe the techniques and approaches used by them. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of their own and effective use is made of everyday objects to sharpen pupils’ skills in observational drawing. Teaching ensures that a good balance is struck

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ART AND DESIGN

between the direct teaching of specific skills alongside the fostering of pupils’ creative Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 50 and imaginative abilities. Pupils are encouraged to be unique in their compositions and respond well to this expectation. There is little doubt that pupils thoroughly enjoy taking part in lessons and behaviour is often of a high standard despite the practical limitations posed by the size of some classrooms. Teachers use their own enthusiasm for the subject to motivate the pupils and good use is made of the co-ordinators' undoubted ability and subject knowledge by teaching in classes other than his own. Although teaching is good it could be improved by the use of a whole school approach to assessment that would make it possible to plan more closely in line with pupils’ achievements.

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ART AND DESIGN

106. Leadership in the subject is good largely as a consequence of the commitment and enthusiasm of the co-ordinator. Teaching and learning are monitored at a distance by collecting and levelling elements of work done by pupils in all year groups and by monitoring work on display. Leadership awaits further development by extending assessment into a whole school approach that will also allow for the monitoring of teaching and learning in the classroom. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and also enhances their self- esteem as they see their own work displayed so attractively around the school. Resources to support teaching are good in terms of quantity and quality and reflect the high status that art and design is afforded in the school.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

107. Pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 2 is above national expectations. By the end of Year 6 attainment is well above national expectations. Since the last inspection, improvement has been good. All pupils including those with special educational needs and those whose mother tongue is not English, make good progress in Year 1 to Year 2 and often very good progress in Year 3 to Year 6. Pupils make better progress in these years because learning is supported by the school’s very close links with industry and the local high school. These have enabled the teachers and pupils to experience opportunities and develop skills in design and manufacturing, through computer generated design and manufacturing, which are in excess of those usually observed in pupils from other primary schools.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

108. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ making skills are above national expectations. Pupils are encouraged to make drawings and plans of what they intend to produce. Often these show a good level of written intention that indicate pupils’ choices of colour, materials and identify technical names such as axle and chassis. Prior to designing and making a playground, pupils looked at pictures. They then designed one for their own age group before making it out of various construction kits. The designs were realistic and of a good standard. Pupils learned how to tie knots for the swings and realised that they could reinforce art straws with lollipop sticks. Pupils show good skills when working with paper, card and a wide range of materials. Their designs are imaginative and carefully executed, leading them to select the best methods and materials for the puppets they make. Pupils understand the mechanics of moving vehicles and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

demonstrate this well in manufacturing lorries. They use tools such as scissors and staplers with appropriate safety and learn that through cutting and folding they can create hinges. Control technology through the use of the Roamer is well developed. Vocabulary is good so that pupils can talk about overlapping and permanent and flexible and joints. On the whole there is more limited evidence to their regular use of resistant materials such as plastic and wood. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 51 109. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment is well above national expectations, and there are some particularly good examples in all aspects of their work. Design, making and evaluation help pupils to grow in confidence and to attempt new strategies next time. Year 4 pupils can talk about hydraulics, having produced a moving picture powered by air pressure. Year 5 pupils have a good understanding of food technology, after

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

designing recipes and baking pizzas. In Year 6, this was further explored when pupils tasted and analysed varieties of bread and later produced their own. Because of their good computer skills pupils are able to incorporate them into producing computer assisted designs and computer assisted manufacturing (CAD/CAM.) For example pupils demonstrated their computer control skills through the production of a model lighthouse. On this they controlled the model’s lights, which incorporated a light sensor, a timed sequence of flashing lights and alternative lighting systems. The very good teaching for the older pupils has been effective in producing pupils that are very skilful in making, and use an extensive range of materials and tools. This enables them to cut fine mitred corners with a saw for a wooden plinth.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

110. The quality of teaching is good and often it is very good. All elements of the subject are covered in depth. Specific skills are directly taught and refined as pupils move through the school. Teaching enthuses the pupils because of the exciting projects and activities that are provided for pupils of all ages. Pupils work with a variety of materials and make a selection of working models, constructions, puppets and containers and experience food technology as well. All these activities provide golden opportunities for the pupils to put their skills to the test and they like nothing better than rising to the challenge. Teachers are insistent on pupils achieving high standards. Good teaching was seen in Year 2 where high challenges were set as the pupils explored methods of joining various materials and measuring their suitability. The teacher encouraged pupils to learn through ‘’inter-pupil’’ discussion and by allowing them to be imaginative and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

innovative. This enabled them to learn independently and to aspire to the high challenges she set them. When possible cross-curricular links are made. For example, when pupils made puppets they were then asked to write short plays which they could perform for their peers. Pupils enjoy their lessons. They show very positive attitudes to learning and are delighted with their achievements. They work well together, share thoughts and ideas constructively, and readily acknowledge the work of others. As a result of the good teaching, the relationships in lessons and the excitement generated by pupils when testing their finished products, the subject makes a good contribution to the provision of pupils’ spiritual, social and moral development.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

111. Overall subject leadership is satisfactory although there are many strong features associated with it. Not least are the very strong links established, that provide some pupils with advanced learning opportunities. Collaborative work of the Year 6 pupils, at the local High school, led to a local firm supplying the school with a computer operated lathe. During a visit to the works, and later at the school, these pupils were able to design and manufacture their own games of a sufficiently high quality to warrant the production of an article in a national technical journal. The subject leader’s expertise is a good support to the staff. Similarly there is a good programme of studies arranged to guide their teaching. However there is need to develop a more systematic approach to monitor both the teaching and the curriculum. There is also the need to develop a manageable system to assess, record and use the information to plan the next stage of

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

pupils’ learning. Teaching and learning resources are good, enabling teachers to plan exciting lessons. However, the layout of the buildings makes some classrooms very cramped and restricts the opportunity for more effective learning in this area of the National Curriculum. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 52

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GEOGRAPHY

112. Attainment in geography is at an average level by the end of Year 2 and above average by the end of Year 6. This represents good improvement since the previous inspection. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, make satisfactory progress in Year 1 and Year 2 and good progress in Key Stage 2.

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GEOGRAPHY

113. By the end of Year 2 pupils have a satisfactory understanding of aspects of the local environment. They describe the differences in buildings, such as shops, factories, houses and churches. They know where they live and draw simple plans of their route to school. They have gained a satisfactory level of knowledge and insight into countries further from home by comparing Tocuaro in Mexico with Clitheroe. The teachers make good use of ‘’Barnaby Bear’’ to illustrate contrasting physical environments. The pupils show their understanding by dressing him in suitable clothing for visits to the Arctic, and a desert. They have also learned, from what he saw as he climbed a mountain that he encountered changes in temperature and animal and plant life at different altitudes.

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GEOGRAPHY

114. Good progress is made in Key Stage 2 as pupils investigate the local area further. In a Year 3 lesson pupils identify the cultural differences between Clitheroe and Chembakolli by studying a day in the life of a child in that village and recording their own experiences of a school day as a homework exercise so that similarities and differences can be noted. They do this well. Year 4 pupils use leaflets, photographs and brochures effectively as secondary evidence to research land use in Burnley and discover how it differs from Clitheroe. Learning in Year 5 builds very well on this previous knowledge and makes good use of the persuasive language strategies pupils have been practising in the Literacy Hour, as they design marketing posters for a local developer. Their previous knowledge and understanding enables them to evaluate and select which particular pieces of persuasive writing describe the geographical area to the best

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GEOGRAPHY

advantage. These pupils have developed a good understanding of the local economic structure and have gained insight into the features, which contribute to the quality of life. By the end of the key stage pupils have developed a good understanding of the relationship between places and people and their studies of topics such as water and mountain environments have taught them the geographical skills of map making, the value of secondary evidence and the use of specialist language. Pupils have developed a good knowledge of different countries around the world, are conversant with the names of continents and describe well features that can have an impact on the weather and climate. Pupils are also developing a good understanding of issues such as pollution, poverty and conservation and the impact that these factors can have on different communities around the world.

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GEOGRAPHY

115. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are good. Pupils enjoy learning about different countries of the world. They are keen to find things out for themselves. Pupils behave well in lessons and work together well. Pupils are always ready to offer their views and opinions whilst respecting the views of others. These factors contribute much to the quality of learning.

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GEOGRAPHY

116. The teaching and learning is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. A good balance is struck between the development of pupils’ geographical skills alongside their geographical knowledge. The teachers are enthusiastic and have a good knowledge of the subject so the pupils respond with interest and are acquiring a good understanding of geographical skills and vocabulary. Lessons are well structured and teachers recognise the value of utilising the pupils’ own experiences of the world and the local environment. Resources are used efficiently, especially the Digital Zoom Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 53 Projector, which effectively motivates most pupils to participate eagerly and thoughtfully in discussions. Teachers frequently utilise pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills in geography lessons to good effect. A substantial curriculum is in place, with the topics being carefully planned so that skills, themes and real places are well integrated,

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GEOGRAPHY

enabling the pupils to gain clear insights and understanding. The marking of pupils’ work is not consistently used to outline what pupils need to do to improve and at times not enough expectation is set as to how well pupils will present their work.

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GEOGRAPHY

117. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator monitors teachers’ planning and has an appropriate view of the quality of provision in the subject. The co-ordinator has organised the curriculum well but has not had sufficient opportunities to monitor the quality of teaching and learning through direct observation or through the scrutiny of work There are no formal assessment systems in place to inform and improve planning and to track and evaluate the progress that pupils make as they move through the school. Good use is made of the immediate environment to enhance pupils’ geographical skills and understanding and the subject makes a good contribution to the cultural and moral development of pupils. Resources are satisfactory although the standard of accommodation does not provide an ideal learning environment for the pupils.

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HISTORY

118. Standards in history are in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, maintaining the standards reached at the time of the previous inspection. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is not their mother tongue, make satisfactory progress as they move through the school.

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HISTORY

119. Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 cover a suitable range of topics and by the end of Year 2 they have a secure understanding of the links between the passage of time and events in their own lives. Pupils use photographs well as sources of evidence. As part of their study of holidays and visits to the seaside in the past they were observed interpreting photographic evidence in a satisfactory manner. Some of the more able pupils were also able to understand that photography also has a history and were fascinated by the changing quality of the evidence available. Toys, homes and famous people are also used to give pupils the feel for change over time that informs their work in later years. In discussion pupils talk knowledgeably about the work of Florence Nightingale and they have developed a satisfactory understanding that history and tragedy go side by side in war or in events such as the Great Fire of London.

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HISTORY

120. By the end of Year 6 pupils are more sophisticated in their mode of interpretation. As part of their understanding of their own culture they have a clear understanding of the succession of invaders and settlers from many areas who have formed the character of Britain. Through their study of life in Victorian Britain they empathise with the experience of children in the nineteenth century and match this to changes in life in more recent times. Good links have been made between history and pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development in their work on ancient Greece and ancient Egypt. In discussion, however, they are less certain about the nature of modern society in Greece and Egypt. Pupils have a satisfactory awareness that there are different sources of evidence to provide information about the past. Whilst pupils have built up a satisfactory level of historical knowledge, they are less secure in historical

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HISTORY

interpretations and in understanding why in history people acted as they did. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 54 121. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are good although work is not always presented as well as it could be. Pupils work well together and are always ready to help out a classmate who may be struggling. Behaviour in lessons is often of a good standard. These factors make an important contribution to the quality of pupils’ learning.

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HISTORY

122. The quality of teaching is satisfactory across the school with elements of good practice. Lessons are well planned and teachers provide an appropriate range of information for pupils. Teachers use focused questions and guided discussion to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the past. Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure and they use the subject well to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills. The teaching is at its best when pupils are asked to carry out historical research and find things out for themselves. Although there are some examples of pupils’ work being marked in a way that clearly outlines what is needed to improve, this good practice does not feature enough in teachers’ marking at the moment. There is some good practice of computers being used to enhance pupils’ learning but this good practice is not as consistent as it could be.

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HISTORY

123. Leadership and management for history are satisfactory. The co-ordinator monitors teachers’ planning and has a good overview of the quality of curriculum provision. Monitoring ensures that all elements of the subject are covered in sufficient depth but there is insufficient direct monitoring of teaching and learning through lesson observation or the scrutiny of pupils’ work. Although teachers have a secure grasp of the level at which pupils are working there are no formal procedures for assessing pupils’ work and tracking their progress as they move through the school. The subject makes a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and teachers ensure the inclusion of all pupils in their activities. Resources are satisfactory although the size and layout of some classrooms are far from ideal in promoting an effective learning environment.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

124. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6 standards are above the nationally expected level. Pupils of all abilities including those with special educational needs and those whose mother tongue is not English are currently making good progress and achieving well because of the good quality of teaching across the school. Over the last 3 years the school has invested a good degree of time and money in developing provision and standards in the subject, and information and communication technology is afforded a high priority in the school curriculum. Improvement in the subject since the time of the last inspection has been good.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

125. By the end of Year 2 pupils use computers well to organise and classify information and to present their findings. Many pupils are confident when entering, saving and retrieving their work and have good keyboard skills. Pupils are adept at presenting information in different formats such as text, tables and graphs. They have a good understanding of the fact that instructions can be written for control purposes and that these instructions can then be followed by a programmable toy or for objects on the screen. Pupils can transfer their knowledge and understanding of using a paper binary tree onto a more complex binary tree on screen. Pupils assemble text when writing information with the higher attaining pupils putting together quite complex sentences and have a good awareness that computers can be used to merge text and pictures. Pupils are developing an increasing awareness of the power and use of computers in

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

the wider world but do not yet recognise their full potential. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 55 126. Pupils continue to make good progress in Year 3 to Year 6. Pupils are regularly taught specific skills in the computer suite and are then given ample opportunities to put them to effective use in meaningful and exciting activities. By the end of Year 6 many pupils have well developed keyboard skills and are able to word process well, although computers are not always used to edit or draft work. Pupils have good graphic design skills and produce good quality spreadsheets. Pupils are effective at writing command sequences with the higher attainers showing impressive skills when writing control sequences for a flashing lighthouse. Very good links are made with design and technology where pupils’ skills in both subjects are merged together very well to produce working models of a high standard. A very innovative experience that the

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

school provides is the writing of instructions for a computerised lathe. The school is one of, if not the only primary school in the country, to have and use such a facility. The finished products, such as spinning toys, are highly impressive and show the skills that pupils have developed in computer technology. The venture has gained the school national recognition as well as developing excellent links with local business. Pupils compile good quality PowerPoint presentations that combine graphics, text and sound and often use digital cameras confidently. Pupils regularly use computers for research purposes and to present results and findings using a wide variety of formats in subjects such as geography, science and design and technology. The pupils are not as conversant or confident in using computers as a source of communication, for example the sending or receiving of e-mails.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

127. Pupils have good attitudes to the subject and this has a most positive impact on their learning. Pupils are attentive and show a real desire to learn new skills. Within lessons pupils are interested and enthusiastic and put a good deal of effort into their learning and many are genuinely disappointed when the lesson comes to an end. Despite the small size of the computer suites the pupils behave well and are always ready to work together in sharing computers or in helping a classmate that might be struggling. This adds another dimension to pupils’ personal and social development and helps to create an effective learning environment.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

128. The quality of teaching is good across the school. The school has ensured that over the last three years a good emphasis has been put on developing the subject knowledge, confidence and expertise of teaching and non-teaching staff and this has paid off with most staff now confident in teaching the subject and in dealing with difficulties that sometimes occur when computers do not work as expected. The teachers provide the direct teaching of specific skills such as how to compose spreadsheets, how to put together PowerPoint presentations, how to write instructions for the computer to follow or what steps are needed to save or retrieve work. The teaching however is never over directed and pupils are encouraged to find things out for themselves or to learn through their mistakes and then rectify the situation. A very good example of this was seen in a Year 6 lesson where the pupils were writing a sequence

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

of instructions to enable a lighthouse to flash at designated times. This was a very challenging and demanding task but the excellent balance of teacher guidance and pupil experimentation meant that the pupils completed the task with aplomb. Teachers often fully capitalise on opportunities to enhance pupils’ computer skills in other areas of the curriculum and this adds another dimension to the quality of pupils’ learning. Examples were in evidence during the inspection in science, geography, design and technology and in religious education. The good management of pupils in the small computer suites enables lessons to move at a good pace and high expectations are set in terms of the amount of work and effort that pupils are expected to complete. Invariably the pupils rise to the challenge. Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 56 129. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory with some strengths. The

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

co-ordinator is knowledgeable and has played an important role in providing good quality in-service training for staff members and makes himself available on a weekly basis after school for any staff encountering any problems with computers. The co- ordinator monitors teachers’ planning, has set up a school website and is looking to develop a club for pupils and parents. However, not enough opportunities have been provided for the co-ordinator to directly observe the quality of teaching and learning across the school. He has established good links with the local high school and pupils take part in computer initiatives at the high school that have been borne out of these strong and effective links. The co-ordinator wants to build on the already effective use being made of computers to support learning in other subjects of the curriculum and is developing a portfolio of moderated work to assist teachers in the assessing of pupils’

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

work. Other areas for development that have been identified include the developing of the pupils’ abilities to e-mail and the development of more formal assessment procedures in order to assess and track pupils’ progress more rigorously as they move through school. The school has very good resources for supporting learning and they are used well although the small size of the computer suites means that not all the pupils in the larger sized classes can always be taught at the same time, although the school overcomes this with creative timetabling where associated activities take place in the classroom at the same time and the pupils then swap over.

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MUSIC

130. Standards in music by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are in line with the national expectations, with pupils, including those with special educational needs, and those with English as additional language making satisfactory progress. Although standards in instrumental music remain high, standards are not as high as at the time of the last inspection when pupils leave school mainly because pupils are not provided with enough opportunities to compose music.

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MUSIC

131. By the end of Year 2 pupils maintain a beat and enjoy doing so, using percussion instruments, clapping their hands, clicking their fingers and performing a variety of body movements. Pupils listen carefully to music and have developed a satisfactory ear for pitch. Pupils know about stringed instruments and name the parts of violins and guitars. They have a satisfactory understanding of the difference between plucking and bowing and can distinguish the musical effects this creates as well as recognising the sounds of other musical instruments but their ability to compose simple pieces of music is limited. By the end of Year 6 most pupils sing enthusiastically in tune and maintain a melody when singing two and three part rounds and have a good knowledge of different instruments of the orchestra. They understand dynamics and tempo but seldom pay enough attention to these aspects when playing the percussion instruments. In Year 3,

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MUSIC

for example, pupils beat time, in small groups, in order to create different moods for the verse of a song depicting features, such as wind, rain, rivers and fish. They maintain the rhythm accurately but the instruments, which have been chosen by the teacher, govern any variations in outcome. By the end of Year 6, the pupils confidently play and sing difficult rhythms, and understand the concept of composition but many are insecure in composing their own music and in appraising different pieces of music.

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MUSIC

132. Teaching and learning is satisfactory but there are some weaknesses in Key Stage 2. A large minority of pupils are receiving individual instrumental teaching. The peripatetic teaching of woodwind and brass instruments is very good and makes a very good contribution to the music curriculum. The pupils play very well together to form a high quality school band. There are three recorder groups, which meet each week, where Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 57 the good guidance of the teacher ensures steady progress. The curriculum is further enhanced when the choir sing carols in Clitheroe at Christmas and by visits from the Lancashire music service. Year 5 have participated in a singing day at a local secondary school. The weakness is that class teaching is failing to utilise the knowledge and skills these pupils have acquired in order to extend and challenge them further or to ensure that all aspects of the curriculum are covered in enough depth. The

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MUSIC

teachers maintain good relationships with the pupils who enjoy their lessons, and respond positively. The teachers use praise and encourage well but do not always allow enough time for evaluation of performance so that pupils become more self- critical in order to practise and improve. There are no formal assessment procedures in place to track pupils’ progress as they move through the school.

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MUSIC

133. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator who is a newly qualified teacher is to take over full responsibility for the subject in September and has not yet had sufficient time or opportunity to monitor provision, standards or the quality of teaching and learning across the school. However, the co-ordinator is knowledgeable and very enthusiastic and already has a very clear grasp of the areas that need to be tackled to help improve standards and provision further. There are already plans in hand to form a permanent choir, to ensure that all elements of the music curriculum are covered in depth and to increase the opportunities to combine musical activities with other schools. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development and resources to support teaching and learning are good.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

134. Standards in physical education are above national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. The good quality of teaching and the positive attitudes of many pupils to physical activity help to create a positive learning environment where all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those whose mother tongue is not English, make good progress and achieve well. Improvement has been good since the time of the last inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

135. By the end of Year 2 pupils show good levels of agility and poise. Pupils have good levels of co-ordination and interpret music well. They show a good awareness of space and the needs of others as they move around the hall. Pupils jump and land with good degrees of agility and have good balance and body control when twisting and turning to music. Many pupils show good levels of imagination and creativity in their movements and respond appropriately to different tempos. Pupils recognise that in order to interpret the music fully, different levels, speeds or movements are needed. Pupils work well together in groups and put together imaginative sequences of movements when requested to. Pupils fully recognise the importance of warm up and cool down activities, are always ready to keep physically active throughout the lessons and understand the importance of exercise for a healthy lifestyle.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

136. Pupils continue to make good progress in Year 3 to Year 6 and by the time that pupils leave school they have developed good skills in physical education. The school places a good emphasis on the importance of physical exercise and over the course of the academic year pupils take part in a good range of physical activities including dance, gymnastics, games and outdoor pursuits. Pupils fully understand the benefits of physical exercise and know the contribution exercise makes towards a healthy lifestyle and explain well how vigorous exercise causes an increase in the heart and pulse rate. Pupils have developed good ball skills. They throw and catch balls well and show good degrees of accuracy and power when throwing to a specific target. Pupils have good Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 58 levels of hand-eye co-ordination and hit the ball powerfully in games such as rounders. Pupils are good at transferring their skills to small games situations and in such games

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

show an appropriate level of competitiveness and sportsmanship. Pupils’ dance skills have continued to develop well. Many pupils show good levels of agility, poise, elegance and inventiveness. They move well to different kinds of music both traditional and from other cultures such as from Africa. Pupils’ interpretation of the music is of a high standard and they put together sequences of twists, turns, jumps and landings which are impressive to watch. Swimming standards are above average with almost all pupils able to swim 25 metres by the time that they leave school with the majority of pupils swimming well beyond this distance. The school enjoys success in inter-school competitions and pupils are provided with opportunities to take part in outdoor pursuits on residential visits.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

137. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are good and behaviour within lessons is usually of a good standard. Only occasionally is behaviour less than good and good class management soon gets the pupils back on track and performing to the best of their ability. Most pupils listen carefully to instructions and show a good awareness of health and safety issues. Pupils work well together in small group activities and are ready to take on board pointers to help them improve their level of performance. Pupils appreciate the contributions of their classmates as was seen in one lesson where pupils broke into spontaneous applause after watching the efforts of a group of pupils in performing a dance routine. These positive attitudes contribute much to creating an effective learning environment and make an important contribution to how well pupils learn and achieve.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

138. The quality of teaching is good across the school. Planning has clear objectives and ensures that all elements of the subject are covered well over the course of the year. Teachers are confident and secure in their subject knowledge and are enthusiastic in their teaching style which captures the interest and attention of all pupils. A strength of the teaching is the manner in which specific skills such as how to throw a ball accurately, or how to hit the ball with a bat with greater power, are directly taught. Pupils are then given time to practice and refine these skills before putting them to use in small games activities. Good use is made of exemplars of good performance which then lead to improvements in the performance of the whole class. Occasionally teachers do not insist on the full attention of all pupils when making relevant teaching points and good learning opportunities are missed. All teachers stress the importance

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

of keeping physically active throughout the lessons and high expectations are set in terms of the physical exertion that pupils are expected to put into lessons. Very good use is made of a specialist dance teacher who visits the school on a weekly basis. Her subject knowledge and expertise shine through and her enthusiasm rubs off on the pupils who, under her guidance, put together highly impressive, creative and imaginative dance routines which pupils are only too willing to perform to visitors.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

139. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory with some good strengths. The co-ordinator monitors teachers’ planning and ensures that all elements of the subject are covered in depth. The co-ordinator has a secure grasp of the quality of provision across the school but has not had enough opportunities to directly observe teaching and learning in classes other than her own. The school has a very good range of extra-curricular activities including athletics, netball, football, tennis, fencing and dance. The school makes good use of outside coaches to further develop pupils’ physical skills. The important emphasis that the school places on physical education also ensures that the subject makes an important contribution to pupils’ personal and social development. The co-ordinator has rightly identified the need to develop more formal assessment procedures so that teachers can more accurately track the

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 59 progress and attainment of pupils. The subject is well resourced and accommodation is satisfactory for both indoor and outdoor physical activities.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

140. Attainment at the end of both key stages is above the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus for religious education. Standards therefore, remain as high as they were at the time of the last inspection. All pupils including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make good progress as they move through the school.

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141. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ understanding and knowledge of Christianity is well established. They describe details well of stories from the Old Testament. For example, from the stories of Noah and Joseph, they explain why the flood was sent. They describe Josephs’ feelings when he was sold, and later, when he was reconciled with his brothers. Pupils also recall stories about Jesus, such as Bartimeus, Zaccheus and the ten lepers. They recognise Jesus as a good man and tell how he helped others through his miracles. Pupils of this age also have a good knowledge of the Christian feasts of Easter and Christmas. They explain the internal features they would expect to see in church, such as stained glass, the lectern and the cross. In addition to Christianity, pupils’ knowledge of other faiths is secure. They know about Sikhism and the five K’s. In their workbooks they are keen to show how they have drawn a

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decorative cover for the Sikh Holy Book. They are also able to show how they have acquired a good level of knowledge about Buddha and use their books as prompts to tell the story of Prince Siddhatha.

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142. By the end of Year 6, pupils have successfully extended their earlier learning. They have a good and mature understanding of Christianity. This enables them to study classical stories such as Bunyon’s Pilgrims’ Progress and Dickens’ Christmas Carol in order to link and explore Christian actions and principles. For example they explain that although Scrooge was an unsavoury character, he would have been worthy of Christ’s forgiveness. They have a good understanding of Christian symbols and the importance of religious ceremonies such as baptism and weddings. Pupils also show good knowledge and understanding of other world faiths. These include Islam and Buddhism and to a lesser extent Sikhism and Hinduism. Pupils show respect for the religious artefacts of other faiths, and recognise that whilst the Bible is the Christian Holy Book The Qur’an, the Guru Granth Sahib and the Torah are of equal importance to

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Muslims, Sikhs and Jews respectively. They also compare Christian precepts and stories to the teachings and stories of other faiths.

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143. Pupils have good attitudes to the subject. They listen attentively in lessons and value and respect the opinions of others. Pupils are keen to learn about different faiths and religions and show a good level of respect when talking about the differing beliefs, faiths and cultures of others. Behaviour in lessons is often good and this adds to the quality of the learning environment

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144. The quality of teaching in both key stages is good. Planning is in accordance with the Agreed Syllabus. The work pupils complete each year is primarily linked to Christianity, and to a lesser extent Islam. Lessons on these topics are often full of interest and the challenge offered is well matched to the pupils’ ages as they move through the school. However, each year, over a period of three years, pupils also study, in turn, one of the other great faiths, including, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism although on occasions there is not enough progression built in to the teaching so that a deeper level Clitheroe Brookside Community Primary School - 60 of understanding is developed. Good opportunities for debate are provided in lessons and the use of religious artefacts and displays often provide pupils with a greater understanding. Very good teaching was seen in Year 6, when pupils were asked to

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explore the lives of people with strong beliefs, for example, Martin Luther King and others. This led pupils to research their lives concluding in their clear understanding of commitment. Cross-curricular activities further help pupils’ understanding of other faiths. For example, one Muslim pupil brought her prayer mat to school to show her friends. They were very interested and the teacher took good advantage of this to encourage pupils to study Islamic patterns and to produce their own designs in art.

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145. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory, but there are areas for development. At the moment there are no established procedures for the recording and monitoring of pupils’ progress. The procedures for the monitoring of teaching and learning are not very advanced. Because of this, best practice is not always shared. The co-ordinator monitors teachers’ planning and has a good overview of the quality of curriculum provision. Good arrangements are made to encourage visitors into school to provide additional learning experiences for pupils. These include local clergy and parents who are practitioners of other faiths such as Buddhism, Islam and Judaism. School assemblies, especially when presented by pupils, and aspects of pupils’ personal, social and health education are often closely linked to pupils’ religious education programmes and make a good contribution to learning. Teaching resources

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are generally satisfactory, although religious artefacts for some of the world faiths are in need of improvement.

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