Otley All Saints CofE Primary School

CONTROLLED) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 7 th - 9 th June 2004

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CONTROLLED) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - ii 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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CONTROLLED) 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. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - iii

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Controlled Age range of pupils: 3 to 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 193

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Lisker Drive Otley West Yorkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01943 464703 Fax number: 01943 464703

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Dr Joan Kirkland

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

All Saints Church of England Primary School is a new school that opened in September 2002. Pupils currently in Years 5 and 6 have had a very difficult time, in the last two years, through the turbulence caused by closure and restructuring of schools in the town. Things have settled down well now. The school is of average size with 193 pupils; situated in Otley, near Leeds and serves an area of typical social advantage. Most of the pupils live locally. The school, in its first year, received funding from Excellence in Cities to appoint a learning mentor, but now pays for this member of staff itself. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs is well below average compared to all primary schools, but in Year 5 and Year 6 the number is much higher and this has a marked effect on the school’ s results in National Curriculum tests. A below average number of pupils has a statement of special educational need. The majority of pupils with special educational needs have

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

learning difficulties, but the school does cater for pupils with behavioural difficulties. Very few pupils have a minority ethnic heritage and are learning English as an additional language. A minority of pupils are in public care. Some musically talented pupils have been identified. The school’s population is a relatively stable one. Pupils’ attainment when they start school is broadly average. The deputy headteacher has been absent through ill health for the whole of this academic year. The headteacher is assisted, in the absence of the deputy, by a group of three teachers who form what the school calls its ‘planning group’. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - iv

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

4074 R Gill Lead inspector English Information and communication technology Music Religious education English as an additional language 8988 J Cross Lay inspector 15551 P Mitchell Team inspector Mathematics Art and design Design and technology Physical education Special educational needs 2810 C McBride Team inspector The Foundation Stage Geography History Science

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

CfBT Primary Associates Suite 13 West Lancs Technology Management Centre Moss Lane View Skelmersdale Lancashire WN8 9TN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - v

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 3

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 3

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 6

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 26

All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 1

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This is a good school. Standards at the end of Year 6 in 2003 do not give a true picture of this new school. Pupils’ achievements are better than the test results show. The clear reasons for this relate to difficulties faced during the school’s first few terms. Progress made by all pupils at the end of Year 6 is now similar to the good achievements made in Year 2. This is as a result of good leadership and management and the good quality of teaching that exists throughout the school. The school provides good value for money.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

• Very thoughtful leadership has created a positive ethos of care and achievement; • Pupils with special educational needs are identified very well and make very good progress; • Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are satisfactory, but it is not used well enough in other subjects; • Pupils enjoy the school and lessons very much, but could be more involved in their own learning and in school life in general; • Effective management has overcome most of the barriers to learning that existed when the school began; • Children get off to a flying start in the nursery and reception classes (the Foundation Stage).

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school has not been inspected before. Since the school started as a full primary school, an extension to the building and the development of the school grounds has been very disruptive, but the school has improved well despite these difficulties.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English n/a n/a C E mathematics n/a n/a D E* science n/a n/a C E Key: A - well above average; B - above average; C - average; D - below average; E - well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is good. Children’s achievement is very good in the Foundation Stage. They generally exceed the goals they are expected to reach by the end of the reception class. Pupils achieve well by the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The work seen during the inspection confirms that:

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

• Children in the nursery and reception classes make very good progress and go, at least, beyond what is expected nationally in all areas of learning by the end of the reception year; • Standards in reading and mathematics are well above the national expectation by the end of Year 2 and above it in writing and science. This represents good achievement for these pupils; • Standards in Year 6 are in line with national averages in English and science and above them in mathematics. Pupils are achieving well, except in science where knowledge is acquired well but skills of testing whilst satisfactory could be better. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 2

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Pupils’ personal qualities are very good. Spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is

good. Pupils’ attitudes are very good. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is very good. They invariably work hard and show a lively interest in lessons and school life. Attendance is very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching and learning are good. The good teaching that contains some very good features, translates a well designed curriculum into engaging activities. This begins well in the Foundation Stage and continues throughout the school, having a good effect on pupils’ learning. The breadth of learning is limited by the lack of opportunities to use ICT in many subjects and to involve pupils in talking about how well they have done and what could be improved. Teaching assistants work closely with teachers to ensure that pupils with special educational needs make very good progress. The school has very few pupils who are learning English as an additional language and those that do speak it well and progress at a similar rate to other pupils. The school provides good care, guidance and support for pupils. It works well with parents, Church and the community. Its productive links with other schools have a very good effect

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

on pupils’ learning, particularly in physical education and ICT. The curriculum is good and contributes to pupils’ good achievement.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher, who leads well, provides a strong sense of purpose that has guided the school through some difficult times since its inception. She has been ably assisted by a team of co-ordinators, particularly this year since the deputy headteacher is absent through ill health. The leadership and management of special educational needs and the Foundation Stage are very good. Governors fulfil their statutory duties well and are effective in the way that they support the school, check its progress and challenge it to do better. They ensure that the school successfully includes all pupils and promotes racial equality well.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are generally pleased with the school. Many appreciate the well written information that they are given. Some parents have correctly identified that there are not enough opportunities for them to learn about the school’s curriculum. Pupils have a good opinion of the school. They talk with enthusiasm about school life and the lessons they enjoy. The school has established some methods by which pupils can be involved in thinking about their learning in lessons and in school improvements in general, but recognises, correctly, that there is more to accomplish in these respects.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Improve the use of ICT across the curriculum; • Ensure that pupils are more involved in assessing their own learning and in school development. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 3

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils’ achievements are good by the end of Year 6. They attain what is expected nationally in English and science and go beyond expectations in mathematics. By the end of Year 2, standards are well above the national expectations in reading and mathematics and above them in writing and science. They have achieved well to reach these levels. Children go at least beyond what is expected nationally for their age, by the end of the reception year, in all areas of learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards often are well above average by the end of Year 2; • Pupils achieve well by the end of Year 6 to reach satisfactory standards; • Pupils’ achievements in ICT across the curriculum are weak; • Children achieve very well by the end of the reception year; • Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well; • Most higher attaining pupils achieve well, but occasionally some could do better.

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Commentary

1. It is not possible to determine a trend in the school’s results in National Curriculum tests because it has only been open one year. Nevertheless, the difference between what is achieved at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 is acknowledged and evaluated correctly by the school.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 17.9 (n/a) 15.7 (15.8) writing 16.0 (n/a) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 17.6 (n/a) 16.3 (16.5) There were 20 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 27.2 (n/a) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 26.0 (n/a) 26.8 (26.7) science 28.8 (n/a) 28.6 (28.3) There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

2. At the end of Year 2, pupils’ performance in the national tests was well above that achieved nationally in all three aspects in 2003, while at the end of Year 6, pupils attained at around the national average in English and science and were slightly below it in mathematics. This is because the education of pupils in Year 2 had not been interrupted by the introduction of the new primary school, but the turbulence caused by the transition had a significant effect on All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 4 the older pupils. A group of pupils, with special educational needs, arrived at the new primary school in September 2002 with little support for their learning difficulties. The school was very proactive about identifying what was needed and set the wheels in motion to be able to appoint teaching assistants to support these children, but this all took time. Thus, the school

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Commentary

rightly believes that the subsequent test results in May 2003 were not a true reflection of pupils’ capabilities. To a similar extent, it is anticipated, this will be true of the results in 2004. Meanwhile, the school has put in place some very comprehensive methods with which to support pupils with special educational needs and these are having a marked effect already. These pupils are now making very good progress throughout the school.

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Commentary

3. Currently, pupils in Year 2 are attaining well above the national expectation in reading and mathematics. They are above it in writing. The variation, this year, is caused by a slightly larger group of pupils, than last year, who find writing difficult. They have achieved well in both aspects, but have attained a little better in reading owing to the particularly effective development of reading undertaken in this and other classes throughout the school. Pupils in Year 6 are achieving well to be in line with the national expectation in English and science and above it in mathematics. They are forging ahead faster in mathematics because they are less encumbered by difficulties in reading and writing that were present when the school began, less than two years ago.

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Commentary

4. Children enter the Foundation Stage with broadly typical skills, for their age. Their ability to speak clearly and communicate their ideas, on entry to the nursery, is an area of relative weakness, but teaching is particularly adept at compensating for this and the progress made is rapid. This is particularly important since children’s ability to communicate verbally has such an important bearing on their ability to read and write. Children’s achievement is very good by the end of reception. The majority of them will go beyond the nationally required levels. Standards are higher still in creative development because children have so many good opportunities to develop their own ideas through very well planned imaginative play.

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Commentary

5. Standards in Year 4 are above the national expectation in English and well above it in mathematics because these pupils do not have gaps in their knowledge and understanding. This is because the education of pupils in Year 4 was not disrupted by the creation of the new school. This class transferred directly from the previous infant school on the same site.

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Commentary

6. Pupils, throughout the school, achieve well in art and design and design and technology. This is because the school is committed to maintaining a broad curriculum and pupils get plenty of opportunities to use and develop their skills in these subjects. Talented pupils achieve very well in music because opportunities to sing and play in choirs and orchestras are very good. Pupils’ achievement in physical education, particularly for those with talent, is satisfactory, but limited by a lack of opportunity for pupils to take part in extra-curricular competitive sport with other schools. The school is well aware that pupils’ achievements in ICT could be better. The hiatus in being able to provide pupils with anything like adequate computers, with which to meet the national requirements, has meant that the school has had to pull out all the stops to help Year 6 and Year 2 pupils to reach the required levels. The

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Commentary

room for computers was only opened in May 2003 and the machines have since been dogged regularly by failure. The main weakness now that restricts pupils’ progress is that lack of opportunity to use ICT in subjects across the curriculum. Achievement in this respect is unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

7. Pupils learning English as an additional language and those capable of higher attainment are generally achieving well. There is no real difference in progress between boys and girls. The few pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties are making very good progress owing to the very well organised support to meet their particular needs. Occasionally, even in the good lessons, some higher attaining pupils are not achieving commensurate with their abilities. This is because they are not given additional challenges designed to stretch their abilities. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 5

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have very good attitudes towards their learning and they behave very well in lessons and around the school. Provision to promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Attendance and punctuality are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are well motivated and very keen to give of their best; • Pupils achieve very good standards of behaviour, courtesy and consideration for others; • Relationships are very good throughout the school; • Pupils do not have enough opportunities to take responsibility; • Pupils are rarely absent so they are able to build progressively upon prior learning.

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Commentary

8. Staff have worked diligently and cohesively to establish a very positive climate for learning in the new school. Year 5 and 6 pupils have had a particularly rocky ride in the recent past through the turbulence caused by closure and restructuring of schools in the town. Things have settled down well now. Pupils, drawn from several closed schools, get on remarkably well together now and have formed equally trusting, mutually respectful relationships with the staff. This ethos is enabling all pupils to concentrate fully on their learning and achieve highly.

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Commentary

9. Pupils enjoy school and value the staff and their friends greatly. Attendance is well above average and nearly all pupils arrive at school on time, factors that contribute significantly to their good achievement because they are able to learn step by step.

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Commentary

10. They work conscientiously and are positive about almost all aspects of school life. Some pupils and parents, however, are disappointed that protracted site-work to build the extension, later replace a roof, and now restore the field has relentlessly curtailed space outdoors for play and sports. Whilst these views are perfectly understandable, the staff have no control over the situation and are trying hard to tackle the deficiencies through alternative provision. Morning break and lunchtimes, for instance, are held at staggered times because of the limited space. This arrangement successfully promotes pupils’ welfare, health and safety but greatly reduces opportunities for older pupils to befriend and care for younger ones.

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Commentary

11. Parents are rightly pleased with pupils’ behaviour throughout the school. Few intimated any concerns about harassment. Rare incidents of bullying are taken very seriously by the staff and dealt with effectively. Racism is similarly not tolerated. One pupil was excluded from the school for a fixed period last year.

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Commentary

12. The pupils are delightfully polite, thoughtful and affable. Their sensitivity towards those with special educational needs is particularly noteworthy. The school’s very strong moral code successfully helps pupils to distinguish right from wrong behaviour. Encouragement to fundraise for charities promotes their sense of social responsibility effectively. Multi-faith work in religious education, enlivened by visitors and artefacts from different faith communities, actively encourages them to respect the beliefs and cultural traditions of others. The school has good plans to further enhance pupils’ preparation for life in a multicultural society by linking with a school of greater ethnic mix.

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Commentary

13. Now that the bedrock for high personal and academic achievement has been firmly established the pupils are ready to mature still further through greater involvement in their learning and school life. Duties as monitors and as elected representatives on the ‘pupil All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 6 committees’ provide some opportunities for pupils to take responsibility. Pupils, however, are not sufficiently encouraged to set themselves targets or assess how well they are getting on. Self-awareness is an aspect of their spiritual development that particularly needs strengthening. Pupils’ involvement in decision-making processes through the committees, although very worthwhile, is rather limited, something the school is keen to extend.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.6 School data 0.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 202 1 0 White – any other White background 2 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 1 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 3 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education that includes good teaching and learning. The assessment of pupils’ work is good. There is a good curriculum, which is well enhanced by activities beyond the classroom. Pupils appreciate what the school does for them. The school acknowledges, correctly, that it could do more to take pupils’ views into account.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good throughout the school and a significant proportion of teaching is very good. A range of good, and sometimes, very good, assessment methods has been introduced and is having a good effect, except that pupils could be more involved in the process.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Foundation Stage receive some very good teaching in three areas of learning; • Teaching is often very good in Years 1 and 2 and particularly so in mathematics; • Good teaching in Years 5 and 6 has helped to fill gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding; • Pupils are not involved strongly enough in judging how well they have done and how they need to improve; • ICT is not taught well across the curriculum; • The school makes very good use of visitors to enhance pupils’ learning. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 7

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Commentary

14. Teaching is having a positive effect on pupils’ learning in the vast majority of lessons. Well planned tasks are taught by staff who are knowledgeable about what pupils need. Work is purposeful and pupils respond by showing very positive attitudes and behaviour in class.

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Commentary

15. The reason children achieve well in the Foundation Stage is that teaching is good overall and very good in literacy, mathematics, creative and personal development. All adults in both the nursery and reception class have a strong influence on children’s ability to speak clearly, express themselves well and listen purposefully to others. These enhanced skills in speaking and listening are the bedrock of literacy development and teachers and their assistants treat them seriously. For example, conversations between an assistant and groups of children in the nursery about photographs of pets were very productive. The skilful way that children are placed in situations where they talk well to each other fosters their personal development very well. The strong emphasis on accentuating rhymes in language gets children off to a brisk start in reading and writing. Teachers’ knowledge of how particular activities have wider significance in children’s learning is the real strength in this department

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Commentary

16. Consistently good and at times very good teaching in Years 1 and 2 has a good result in terms of pupils’ achievements by the end of Year 2. The difference between good and very good teaching, in Years 1 and 2, is the degree to which teachers begin to tease out from children how they think they have done in the lesson. Most lessons, such as those in mathematics, are taught at a brisk and enthusiastic pace. Pupils know what they are trying to learn by the end of the lesson and the direction towards that goal is clearly established. This effective teaching is very successful in making sure those capable of higher attainment learn as well as those with special educational needs: the balance between challenge and support is just right. High expectations coupled with very warm relationships result in pupils who work very hard. Moreover, individuals with particular difficulties, such as those with behavioural problems, learn well with the assistance of the learning mentor. Occasionally,

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Commentary

gifted pupils are not given more demanding things to do, but higher attainers in general are catered for well. In the best lessons pupils talk well about what they have done and also are beginning to make an appraisal about how close they have got to the learning objective.

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Commentary

17. Good teaching continues in Years 3 and 4. Achievements made by pupils at the end of Year 2 are considered carefully and work is well planned to makes sure that pupils progress at a good rate. The key to the success in these classes is the detailed planning to meet pupils’ individual needs given the very wide range of attainment that exists. For example, in a Year 4 mathematics lesson some pupils had a full understanding of angles within a circle and could quickly recall the number of degrees in three-quarters of a turn, while others were only able to talk about a right angle.

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Commentary

18. Teaching in Years 5 and 6 is making up well for the difficult start that many pupils had when they started nearly two years ago. A relatively high proportion of pupils had difficulties in their learning for which they received little support. Good teaching, led very well by the headteacher, has diagnosed the difficulties and arranged for additional support to be given. These pupils are achieving very well now after the disruption of moving schools mid-way through their primary education and having to wait some time until bespoke support could be given. Generally, the good teaching in Years 5 and 6 is having a positive influence on pupils’ learning. The school makes very good use of visitors and links with the local secondary school to accelerate learning even faster. For example, pupils in Year 6, and to some extent in Year 5, are taught very well in ICT by a specialist teacher from the secondary school. This

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Commentary

has helped them reach the nationally expected levels in quite adverse circumstances. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 8 19. The good use of visitors to enliven pupils’ learning is also found in religious education. The local clergy and members of the inter-faith centre in Leeds ensure that pupils understand aspects of different religions in a personal and sometimes dramatic fashion. For example, a Sikh talked to pupils in Year 6, dressed in full traditional costume which made an immediate impact, particularly when the significance of each item was explained.

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Commentary

20. The main weakness in teaching, across the school, even in good lessons, is lack of involvement by pupils in discussing how well they have done and what they could do to improve their learning another time. Teachers inform pupils about the purpose of the lesson and ensure that the content of the work is discussed well. It is the element of self- assessment that is missing in many cases. The school is aware of this and has placed it in its action plan for improvement.

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Commentary

21. The difficulties with the school’s computers and general provision for ICT have left their mark on pupils’ learning. There is not enough use of ICT across the curriculum. For example, there is almost a total absence of the use of computers to help pupils consolidate their understanding in mathematics. This is not due to a lack of confidence in teaching, but more to issues of equipment. The school is well aware of these difficulties and the school’s resources are about to be radically upgraded.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 26 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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The curriculum

The curriculum provides a broad and interesting range of worthwhile opportunities that meet the needs of pupils of all abilities well. It offers good enrichment opportunities. The accommodation and resources are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision for pupils in the Foundation Stage is very good; • The provision for pupils who have special educational needs is very good; • There is a good range of enrichment activities both within and outside the school day; • The school works hard to provide equal opportunities for all; • Achievement in ICT is limited by out of date resources and too little use of ICT across other curriculum areas.

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Commentary

22. The curriculum meets the requirements of the National Curriculum, religious education and collective worship, and it is relevant and worthwhile to pupils of all abilities. The National Literacy Strategy has been well implemented, reading is well taught in a variety of ways and pupils enjoy writing, both in the literacy lessons and in other subjects and they achieve well. Speaking and listening skills are promoted well through performances and drama and throughout the curriculum. For example, a Year 2 physical education lesson started with pupils discussing what they knew about basketball, why they needed to warm up and what All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 9 happens to them when they do. By the time they reach Year 6 pupils are able to talk maturely and confidently about their attributes and aspirations. 23. Mathematics is well planned to help pupils become adept at mental calculations, in using

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Commentary

different strategies to solve problems and in using specialist mathematical vocabulary. One day ‘master classes’ in literacy and numeracy for higher attaining pupils, that take place at the local secondary school, stimulate and enthuse pupils.

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Commentary

24. In science the local environment is well used to enhance the provision, however, there are too few opportunities for pupils in Years 3 to 6 to experiment and investigate and this limits achievement, especially of higher attaining pupils. The ICT room provides opportunities for pupils to learn ICT skills, however the computers are old, slow and prone to unexpected failure and this limits what pupils can learn. There are too few opportunities for pupils to practise their ICT skills in other subjects, which hampers their achievement. The school compensates for this very well by employing a specialist teacher from the secondary school to teach some lessons in Years 5 and 6.

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Commentary

25. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage is very good. It gets pupils off to a flying start by providing plenty of opportunities for pupils to explore, investigate and try things out for themselves. Consequently they achieve very well.

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Commentary

26. Learning is reinforced by a wide range of enrichment activities that take place in and out of school, including orchestra, choir, drama and ICT clubs. Visits, visitors and residential visits contribute to the diversity of pupils’ experiences. Particularly good use is made of specialist teachers from local secondary schools. Pupils in Year 6 benefit from a weekly Spanish lesson and specialist physical education teaching, this term in rugby skills. There are many lunchtime activities organised that pupils really enjoy such as football, skipping, volleyball, Lego and other small table games.

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Commentary

27. The school is committed to ensuring that all pupils have equal opportunities. Provision for pupils who have special educational needs is very good. Pupils are identified at an early age and carefully thought out strategies are put in place to help them to succeed. Consequently many pupils move off the special educational needs register as they get older. Additional support is carefully planned and targeted where it is most needed. Teaching assistants are well trained, experienced and very effective. Teachers plan work that is carefully adapted to pupils’ needs. The progress made by pupils with special educational needs is meticulously monitored and appropriate targets are set for, and with, them. This enables them to achieve very well and they often reach national expectations by the age of eleven. There are behavioural programmes for pupils with emotional and behavioural problems. These are very

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successful and pupils learn to control their behaviour, to concentrate and to join in lessons successfully.

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Commentary

28. Higher achieving pupils have challenging work planned for them in English and mathematics lessons and they achieve well. Pupils who are talented musically benefit from the opportunities to learn to play musical instruments, to play in the orchestra or sing in the choir. The school benefits from a partnership with a specialist physical education college which provides training for staff, coaching for pupils in physical education skills, such as rugby, football and hockey and some after school clubs. However, there are no school teams to play competitive sport. Pupils say they really miss having school teams and it limits the opportunities of pupils talented in sport.

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Commentary

29. Throughout the school colourful and informative displays celebrate pupils’ work and make it a stimulating environment.

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Care, guidance and support

All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 10 Staff take very good care of the pupils and provide good support and guidance. They seek pupils’ views about the school and involve them satisfactorily in its work and development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very strong pastoral care enables pupils of all ages and abilities to feel safe and secure; • Very good induction arrangements help new pupils to settle in smoothly; • Pupils with special educational needs and those in public care are supported and guided very effectively; • Very high standards of behaviour and attendance are successfully promoted; • Pupils are not sufficiently involved in setting and reviewing personal targets.

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Commentary

30. Staff have done extremely well in the short time that the new school has been open to establish trusting relationships that enable pupils of all ages, and parents, to be at ease in sharing concerns and anxieties. Parents rightly feel that the school provides a very caring and nurturing environment within which their children can flourish.

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Commentary

31. The process of building trust begins even before children start school when nursery staff visit their homes. Getting to know the families and sharing important information at this early stage helps staff to pick up on any personal or academic needs that the school needs to tackle. Parents are very appreciative of these and other arrangements to ease their children into school routines and expectations.

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Commentary

32. Staff look after the pupils very well. They work hard to protect them from harm and have their best interests very much at heart. They show a very high level of care and concern for the pupils. Staff, for example, go to quite extraordinary lengths to make pupils whose personal needs are greatest feel comfortable, such as those who are injured or unwell.

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Commentary

33. The learning mentor plays a large part in helping the most vulnerable pupils to feel good about themselves through discussions that are specially designed to meet their needs and sensitivities. The mentor also actively encourages co-operative play during pupils’ free time by organising impromptu games that enable them to bond with others. This support and guidance helps to remove barriers to learning for these pupils.

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Commentary

34. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very well tailored to their difficulties and enables them to achieve very highly in relation to their capabilities. Booster classes and ‘catch up’ programmes, for example, bring benefits for specially selected groups. Pupils who find it hardest to behave acceptably are helped to conform by staff who are sensitive to underlying causes and who treat them with respect. These pupils are not allowed to set the tone. The others are remarkably good at ignoring any attention seeking behaviour because of the very high expectations regarding conduct that are consistently set by the staff. The small number of pupils with identified emotional and behavioural difficulties benefit from the support of outside agencies and individualised plans that set targets for their improvement.

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Commentary

35. Setting and review of personal goals for other pupils is not sufficiently well developed. Lack of specific enough guidance about improving their work through marking, for example, tends to slow pupils’ progress in some cases.

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Commentary

36. The school succeeds in achieving very good attendance and punctuality by strongly discouraging parents from taking holidays in term time and by rewarding pupils. Unauthorised absence is minimal because the school explains clearly to parents the types of absence that it cannot authorise. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 11 37. Staff conduct surveys of pupils’ views and take them on board appropriately. Committees of elected representatives, from all classes apart from the nursery, have come up with good ideas that have improved lunchtimes. Older pupils say that these committees have not functioned in recent months. The school recognises that pupils need greater empowerment in decision making.

p.15

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The new school has established a good partnership with parents and its good use of the wider community brings many benefits for the pupils. Its very good links with other schools and colleges significantly help to raise standards.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Nursery and reception staff play a very important part in establishing the partnership with parents; • Parents are welcomed into school to chat to staff at the start and end of the day and as helpers; • Information for parents is generally good but they require more detail about how the curriculum is taught these days; • Links between Year 6 pupils and the secondary school are very productive; • Church and town connections enrich pupils’ learning and personal development effectively.

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Commentary

38. The new school’s partnership with parents is already proving successful. The welcome they receive, building upon bonds established during home visits by nursery staff before their children first started school, helps parents to feel comfortable about approaching the staff with questions or concerns. Whilst inside the nursery and reception classrooms parents can learn such a lot about the way young children learn from the many displays of information that are specially devised for this purpose.

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Commentary

39. Teachers throughout the school provide detailed information for parents about the curriculum each term. Many make useful suggestions as to how parents might help their child to learn at home. Parents appreciate this information but some say that they would like to know more about how mathematics is taught nowadays to enable them to support their children’s learning better. The school, due to other more pressing priorities, has not arranged any curriculum meetings for parents since it opened. This is a gap in provision that the school correctly wants to rectify.

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Commentary

40. The headteacher is keen to ascertain parents’ views and recent surveys show that they are generally positive about the new school. They particularly like the annual written reports on their child’s progress and other informative documents that they find easy to understand. These views are entirely justifiable. The annual reports on progress tell parents very clearly how well their child is doing in relation to national expectations and give useful pointers for development in English, mathematics and science. The prospectus includes more about the curriculum than is common in such booklets and is beautifully exemplified with pupils’ work.

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Commentary

41. Homework diaries and reading records encourage parents to become involved in their children’s learning through homework and offer good channels of communication with teachers. Several parents and carers volunteer to assist in school, as do other adults most of whom have church connections. The parent and teacher association successfully organises well supported fundraising and social events. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 12 42. Links with the local secondary school to which almost all pupils transfer are very beneficial, particularly for Year 6 pupils, in terms of broadening the curriculum, raising standards and preparing pupils for transition. Specialist teachers from this and other schools and colleges enable older pupils to learn Spanish, to attend much enjoyed ‘master classes’ in English, mathematics and science, and to experience aspects of ICT and physical education that

p.16

Commentary

would otherwise not be possible. Year 5 pupils, for instance, extend their understanding of control technology by visiting the computer suite at Leeds Bradford Airport to learn about robotics, a link set up by the high school.

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Commentary

43. Pupils’ personal development benefits hugely from participation in the town’s carnival, its Victorian Fayre and local music festivals. Close links with the church bring visiting clergy and enable use of church premises for religious festivals and performances that draw larger audiences than the school’s hall can accommodate. Pupils frequently visit the local area to help them learn and they profit from the expertise of visiting professionals, such as musicians and sports coaches.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The school has made good progress since it began in 2002. Leadership and management are good. Barriers to progress, some quite substantial, have been tackled well by the headteacher and staff. Moreover, governors have played a good leadership and management role in developing the school.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A very positive ethos has been created by strong leadership; • The management of provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good; • Leadership and management for children in the Foundation Stage are very good; • Good leadership has helped the school overcome many of the barriers with which it started.

p.17

Commentary

44. The leadership of the headteacher has been very good at establishing a sense of purpose and direction within the school since it began in 2002. This has been very well shared with the governors and staff. The results of this sense of purpose within the school are the very good relationships that exist, pupils’ very good attitudes to learning and the very good behaviour in classes and around the school. This is a school in which pupils want to learn and every consideration is given to how they can succeed. The headteacher is ably assisted by a team of three staff, in the absence of the deputy headteacher, who work hard in helping to create and maintain the ethos and direction of the school.

p.17

Commentary

45. There have been several significant barriers to progress: many older pupils joined the school with difficulties in their learning. Building works interrupted the school’s normal working for many months; and a common culture amongst staff had to be created without the assistance of the deputy headteacher for much of the time. The school has tackled these barriers with fortitude and progress has been generally good. Top priority has been given to the provision for pupils with special educational needs. The analysis of their difficulties and the system to support them have been most effective. As a result, these pupils are now making very good progress in lessons. The breadth of the school’s curriculum has been limited by the loss of the field while pupils were housed in temporary accommodation. This has meant that facilities for physical education have suffered, but the school has made every effort to make up for by forging productive links with a nearby college for sport.

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Commentary

All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 13 46. Governors have played their part well. The governing body has been involved tirelessly in giving strategic and practical support in the very many issues that have arisen in relation to the start of this new school. They have ensured that funds have been apportioned well and effective in their use. Individual members are highly capable and skilled at their tasks. They bring a good blend of support and challenge to their work and relationships with the school.

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Commentary

47. Co-ordinators play a good role in school leadership and management. For example, staff responsible for English, mathematics and science all have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision in their subjects and know precisely what needs to be done to make improvements. To date their influence has been good because pupils are achieving well in virtually all cases. Pupils with special educational needs and children in the Foundation Stage are achieving very well because provision for them is very well managed. All co-ordinators contribute well to the school’s development planning process. They evaluate the success of any innovation and make helpful recommendations for improvement. The fact that staff contribute so well helps to make the school’s system of planning for improvement and evaluating progress very thorough and productive.

p.18

Commentary

48. Financial management is good. The budget is carefully monitored and the principles of best value applied well to all budgetary decisions. The administrative staff are good and ensure the smooth running of the school on a day-to-day basis. The larger than usual carry-forward figure is earmarked for essential spending in relation to this new school, such as for ICT.

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 572,810 Balance from previous year 61,140 Total expenditure 514,897 Balance carried forward to the next 57,913 Expenditure per pupil 2,754 All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 14

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

49. Provision in the Foundation Stage is very good. Children are admitted to the nursery after their third birthday and enter reception in the September before they are five. The curriculum is lively and imaginative and it is appropriately planned to provide a wide range of interesting and relevant activities, which are well matched to the children’s needs. These are carefully balanced between activities that children choose and explore for themselves and those that are directed by adults. Teaching is consistently good and on occasions, very good. Staff in the Foundation Stage form a strong team; leadership and management are very good and this results in consistency of curriculum planning and teaching methods. Children’s progress is monitored very closely; staff know the children well, so that individual needs are taken into account. A very effective partnership with parents is established by the nursery staff and this

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

is continued when children transfer to the reception class.

p.19

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is very good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Adults set high expectations for children’s work and behaviour; • Assessment is extremely thorough and staff plan well to meet children’s needs; • Children flourish because the atmosphere in both classes leads them to feel secure and settled.

p.19

Commentary

50. As a result of the very good teaching in this area, children achieve very well from their starting points and many exceed the expected goals by the time they leave reception. Staff have high expectations of them and the warm relationships between the staff and children create a happy, secure environment in which children can do their best. Staff in the nursery for example, encourage children to tidy up after themselves; when children are reluctant, they persist with a firm, but kind approach. In both classes, children have lots of different opportunities to work together and to choose activities for themselves. Their confidence grows tremendously so that by the end of the reception year, their social skills and their sense of responsibility is better than usually seen at this age.

p.19

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s speaking and listening skills are developed really well; • The teaching of early reading and writing skills is very good and enables children to develop confidence; • Classroom assistants are very effective in supporting language development. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 15

p.19

Commentary

51. Teaching is very good and as a result, children achieve very well. The majority will reach the expected goals in this area by the end of reception, and approximately one third will exceed them. Children get off to a flying start in the nursery where adults place a high importance on developing their speaking and listening skills. In both classes, adults who work with the children are very skilled at encouraging a dialogue in all activities. As a result, the majority of children are becoming confident speakers by the time they reach the end of reception.

p.20

Commentary

52. In the nursery, children’s interest and enjoyment of books is carefully nurtured. Plenty of opportunities are provided for children to read books and listen to stories. This good start is built upon by the systematic phonic teaching in the reception class so that by the end of the summer term, most children recognise and can spell the key words, appropriate to their age and ability. They use phonic strategies and visual clues well to work out unfamiliar words in the books they choose from the class library. Children progress well in writing because they are encouraged to ‘have a go’ for themselves and this develops their confidence. In nursery, children make marks; some write their own name with recognisable letters and know that their writing has meaning. The confidence with which children attempt writing tasks in the reception class is a striking feature.

p.20

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have many opportunities to learn through games and practical activities; • The work undertaken in the reception class builds well on what children already know and can do.

p.20

Commentary

53. Children achieve very well in response to very good teaching; the majority are on course to meet the expected goals by the end of reception. Some higher attainers attain much more than usually seen for 6-year-olds. Most activities in the nursery involve children in developing their early mathematical skills. They learn to estimate for example, through filling the containers in the water trough, or selecting the correct length of sticky tape to join their models. They count out ice creams in the role play shop and talk about the comparative size of their construction toys. As a result, they become confident with number and mathematical ideas; they are ready to face the challenge offered by the harder work in the reception class where the teacher sets very high expectations. In both classes, songs and rhymes are used in helping children learn to count and to remember number facts. Staff ensure that

p.20

Commentary

mathematical language is effectively developed, through direct teaching and through the dialogue they engage in with children in small group activities.

p.20

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good.

p.20

Main strength and weaknesses

• Teaching successfully develops the knowledge that children already have when they come to school; • Very good use is made of the school’s outdoor environment. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 16

p.20

Commentary

54. Good teaching and a strong curriculum ensure that children achieve well from their starting points. The majority are in line to exceed the goals expected by the time they enter Year 1. In nursery, children are encouraged to explore and investigate through the many different activities set up for them, which change regularly.

p.21

Commentary

55. For example, they build with large and small construction toys, and observe the changes that occur as they make ice lollipops. Computer skills are developed well; nursery children begin to use the mouse independently to choose and click on items on the screen, for example, to create their own patterns. In the reception class, children use both the keyboard and mouse independently and with confidence when using computer programs to support their learning. Adults in the nursery are skilled at helping children to develop their ideas through designing and making models. The strength of pupils’ work in the infant and junior classes owes much to the strong teaching of early skills in designing and making in the school’s Foundation Stage. Staff take every opportunity to help children develop their knowledge of the natural world. For example, children are provided with magnifying glasses to study the insects and

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Commentary

minibeasts collected during their explorations in the school grounds. They are taught about the life cycle of animals such as frogs and butterflies; a firm grounding is laid for children’s future learning in science.

p.21

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The provision for outdoor play is thoughtfully planned to ensure children have as wide a range of experiences as possible; • All children develop their dexterity in handling equipment and small objects well; • Higher attainers could be better challenged in some outdoor activities.

p.21

Commentary

56. The majority of children are on course to meet the expected goals in this area by the end of reception. They achieve steadily, overall in their large movement skills and make good progress, as a result of good teaching, in developing their manipulative skills. Both nursery and reception children have daily, well organised opportunities to develop their large movement skills outdoors, using bikes, wheeled toys and climbing apparatus. Whilst children are active and adventurous, those with more advanced skills could be taken a little further with more structured or demanding tasks on the large apparatus. Pupils’ manipulative skills are developed well through the many opportunities provided, for example, to cut, colour, thread beads and do jigsaws. Nursery children make particularly good progress in their dexterity through handling equipment such as scissors and glue when they make models.

p.21

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Adults in the nursery support children’s role play really well; All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 17 • Children in both nursery and reception have many opportunities to develop their own ideas and to use their imagination. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 18

p.21

Commentary

57. Children’s achievement is very good; all reach and many exceed the goals expected by the time they enter Year 1. Teaching is consistently very good in both the nursery and reception classes. Plenty of very well planned opportunities are provided for them to work with a range of tools, materials and media. For example, pupils mix colours to paint patterns and use everyday recycled materials to make models. In the nursery, children often opt to work quietly at the drawing table or at model making and become absorbed in their work. Children’s imaginations are developed very effectively through role play. Adults in the nursery nurture this well by helping to fire children’s imaginations and ‘kick start’ ideas. For example, children playing in the classroom picnic area quickly entered into a dialogue with their support assistant about where they were going and what they would like to take with them.

p.23

Commentary

They soon took up roles and began to drive the bus or prepare food for their adventure. In the reception class, children’s musical interests are developed well. They have regular opportunities to respond to and make music, and pick up instruments to give an impromptu demonstration of musical patterns and simple rhythms they have learned.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 is good; • Reading and writing is taught well and pupils make good progress; • Good leadership and management know exactly what is successful and what needs to be improved; • Literacy is used well across the curriculum; • There are too few opportunities for pupils to publish their work using ICT; • Pupils are not involved enough is assessing their own progress.

p.23

Commentary

58. There is no pattern of attainment because this is a new school. However, the well above average results in reading and writing in 2003 at the end of Year 2 reflect the good progress that these pupils have made since the beginning of Year 1. The same is true of the average results at the end of Year 6 in 2003. Pupils made good progress in the circumstances. Their achievement was limited at the beginning of their time in school owing to the absence of support for many pupils with special educational needs, the disruption caused by temporary accommodation and the inevitable settling in period needed, midway through the junior years, with new teachers. This good achievement has continued in this academic year. Currently, standards for pupils in Year 2 are well above average in reading and above it in writing. The difference is due to a slightly larger group of pupils with special educational needs than last year that has made an extra special spurt in reading, but nevertheless

p.23

Commentary

achieved well in writing. Pupils are in line with national expectations by Year 6, which represents good achievement for these pupils who suffered the same drawbacks as those in 2003.

p.23

Commentary

59. The good teaching, throughout the school, contributes greatly to pupils’ attainment in reading and writing. Furthermore, good quality, work orientated conversations, in lessons help pupils to achieve well in speaking and listening. The teaching of reading is particularly well organised. Teachers and their assistants take responsibility for various groups of pupils and All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 19 work intensively on skills of reading and comprehension related to a common book to the group. This very well planned and executed teaching has a strong influence on pupils’ ability to read new material with understanding. Writing is given a genuine boost by knowledgeable teaching that expects a lot and knows precisely how to build up pupils’ skills, layer by layer. Typical of the good progress made, higher attaining pupils in Year 2 were able to write a well

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Commentary

crafted short paragraph at the beginning of this academic year and can now produce two pages of interesting and confident script. One pupil recently wrote, ‘Deep in the forest, a really dark place stood. In the place was a long giant spider. Part of the spider was…..’ - an example of confident scene setting by a pupil who is experimenting with the order of words to create an effect. Similarly, pupils in Year 6 enjoy playing with words to entertain a reader. As part of a topic about rainforests, one average attaining pupil wrote, ‘Taunting monkeys, swinging down from twisted branches, let off screeching, ear popping sounds, which reflect off soaked trees ….’

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Commentary

60. The good provision is well understood by the subject co-ordinator who keeps a very close eye on the progress of pupils throughout the school. The school has a good knowledge of what pupils have achieved and what targets they need to reach. These targets are often, but not always, translated into helpful comments in pupils’ books for them to think about when completing new work. The below average pupils are more likely to receive the detailed comments than the higher attaining ones. This would account, in part, for their faster progress and very good achievement. Leadership and management are good in the way that the most important areas for development are already firmly placed with the school’s plan for development. For example, pupils’ lack of skill in using ICT for word processing and publishing their work is a well recognised weakness that the school plans to tackle with the new computers on order. Furthermore, the school has a clear idea of how pupils could do

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Commentary

better at talking about their learning. Pupils are used to talking with confidence and skill, about the content of what they are doing. However, they often get too little opportunity to talk about how well they have done and what they think needs to be improved. This is a particular drawback for average and higher attaining and gifted pupils.

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

61. Pupils get good opportunities to use their skills in literacy across the curriculum and what they produce is good and sometimes very good. It is most evident, in every year group, that pupils enjoy expressing their thoughts in writing. The variety of ways that writing is used in other subjects is striking. For example, in Year 2 pupils have written scripts for use in drama, in Year 3 they have conveyed emotion well in poetry and in Year 6 writing about photosynthesis is strong, factual and accurate. Pupils regularly read widely when researching historical or scientific themes and pupils in Year 5 have produced some superb diaries depicting their findings about life in a Victorian schoolroom.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and reach above average standards by the time they leave school; • Pupils who have special educational needs achieve very well; • Teaching and learning are good; • Pupils’ behaviour is very good; they work hard and enjoy the lessons; • Leadership and management are good; • ICT is not used enough to support mathematics. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 20

p.24

Commentary

62. The standards achieved by pupils in Year 6 have improved since last year and are now above average with over a third of the pupils working at levels above those expected in relation to their ages. Pupils are achieving well. Teaching is good, particularly in the way that it has closed the gaps in pupils’ learning through painstaking analysis and dedicated tuition. As a result, pupils are able to calculate the perimeters and areas of shapes using a simple formula and understand some of the properties of angles and triangles. They can change fractions to decimals and percentages. They work carefully and accurately both when working out calculations and when drawing angles accurate to 1 degree. Pupils concentrate extremely well and are justifiably proud when they complete work correctly.

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Commentary

63. The standards reached by pupils in Year 2 are well above average and they achieve well. Over half the pupils are working at levels above those expected for their ages and are able to find halves and quarters of shapes and numbers and solve word problems using fractions. Teaching is consistently very good in the way that it moves learning along quickly and expects a great deal from pupils. As a result, pupils work hard and productively.

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Commentary

64. Pupils who have special educational needs make very good progress. This is because their needs are carefully assessed; they have clear mathematics targets to meet in their individual plans and teachers plan work that is adapted to take account of these. Expert teaching assistants help them to join fully in class lessons and guide them sensitively during group sessions. Other pupils who are having difficulties receive extra small group tuition which helps to boost their achievement.

p.25

Commentary

65. Higher attaining pupils achieve well throughout school. Work is planned that is challenging for them and teachers make sure there are harder questions for them to answer during whole class sessions. For example, pupils in Year 5 worked on recognising where a shape would be after reflection in a mirror line. Higher attaining pupils were challenged to draw complex shapes, as a result of the reflections, on plain paper using rulers to measure accurately. While pupils with special educational needs worked in a small group, with a teaching assistant, to draw regular reflected shapes accurately on squared paper. Some higher attaining pupils have had the opportunity to attend Saturday ‘master classes’ at the local secondary school which they find challenging and stimulating.

p.25

Commentary

66. Teaching and learning is consistently very good in Years 1 and 2 and good in Years 3 to 6, although many lessons have very good features. Assessment is thorough and the results are well used to plan future work, although not yet to provide individual targets for pupils, except those with special educational needs, to reach. Teachers have a good knowledge of the numeracy strategy and so are able to provide clear demonstrations and explanations and help pupils to see connections and patterns. Teachers use questioning well to ask pupils to explain how they worked out their answers and to encourage pupils to explore a range of strategies to solve problems. Particularly effective are the mental and oral sessions at the beginning of lessons. These are brisk; provide challenges to pupils of different abilities and pupils become agile and accurate in mental calculations.

p.25

Commentary

67. Correct mathematical vocabulary is always used and teachers ensure pupils understand and use this naturally. Homework is well used to extend learning. It is taken seriously by pupils and followed up in lessons. Marking, although completed conscientiously, does not always help pupils to know what they need to do to improve and pupils get too few opportunities to consider what and how they have learnt in a lesson. The very good relationships between adults and pupils, aided by humour, means classrooms are very pleasant learning environments where pupils enjoy their work, work hard and gain in confidence as well as achieving well. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 21 68. The numeracy co-ordinator has a good grasp of the subject’s strengths and has identified how to improve standards further, for example, by improving the use of ICT. Problem solving had been identified previously as an area where pupils did less well in tests and this is now

p.25

Commentary

being successfully taught. Through very thorough tracking of individual pupils’ progress as they move through school, higher attaining pupils and any underachieving pupils are identified and effective strategies put in place to help them.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

69. Mathematical skills are promoted satisfactorily across the curriculum, such as in design and technology where, for example, pupils in Year 2 present their results of which is their favourite yoghurt in a pictogram.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching is helping older junior pupils make up lost ground; • Standards by the end of Year 2 are above average; • Good use is made of the outdoor environment; • Pupils in Years 3 to 6 could achieve more in their investigative work.

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Commentary

70. Test results for 2003 show the pupils in Year 6 to be slightly ahead of those in most schools nationally, but well below when compared to schools whose pupils come from similar backgrounds. Assessments carried out by teachers indicate that this may be a slightly improved picture in the 2004 tests. Pupils in these years experienced upheaval as the new school formed and initial assessments showed that on joining the new school, the work of a large proportion of them was below the expected standard. Inspection findings are that although much ground has been made up, this has not been sufficient to carry some pupils through to the expected levels. A higher than usual number of pupils with special educational needs, for example, has struggled to reach average standards. In Years 3 and 4, pupils are achieving well; most are working at expected levels or higher. All pupils in Years 3 to 6 are now achieving well overall in most aspects, but there is room for improvement in the

p.26

Commentary

development of their skills to experiment and investigate.

p.26

Commentary

71. The performance of pupils in Year 2 presents a much better picture and teacher assessments show that higher attainers in particular, do better that those from similar backgrounds in other schools. This is matched by inspection findings, which show most pupils reaching the average for their age, and a good proportion of them exceeding it.

p.26

Commentary

72. Teaching is good throughout the school. In Years 1 and 2 it enables pupils to build well on the good start they make in the Foundation Stage. By Year 2, their knowledge of scientific facts is secure, and higher attainers in particular are developing a good understanding of the requirements for fair testing. Work undertaken by pupils in Year 2 provides an ample illustration of this. Pupils carried out experiments with toy cars to find an answer to the question: Do light cars travel faster than heavy cars? They made predictions, chose materials to use and carried out their tests. Having scrutinised their results, higher attainers realised that the tests were inconclusive and needed to be repeated. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 22 73. Teachers in Years 5 and 6 have concentrated their energies into remedying the weaknesses found in pupils’ scientific knowledge. Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that this has raised

p.26

Commentary

standards and increased progress. It has however, proved more difficult to address the weaknesses in pupils’ experimental and investigative skills. This is being tackled well as a matter of priority with teachers offering pupils good guidance on planning experiments and skilful use of questioning to help them think more deeply about scientific problems. Teachers are good at bringing science to life, for example, by drawing on the outside environment as a resource. A Year 5 lesson encapsulated some of the features of the good teaching well. The class were studying the life cycles of plants and having used live plants to carefully explain this, the teacher and her assistants took the class outside and helped them to look for examples of pollination amongst the flowers and plants in the school grounds. Subsequent discussions with pupils revealed that they had gained a great deal from this practical experience and were able to use correct scientific terms to describe the processes involved

p.27

Commentary

74. The subject is led and managed well. The teacher with responsibility has a clear understanding of how well pupils achieve. Action is being taken to address the weaknesses in their learning including the need to improve their skills in experimental and investigative science and the use of ICT.

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is satisfactory.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s use of specialist teaching in Year 6 contributes very well to pupils’ progress; • Standards meet national requirements at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, but pupils could do better; • The use of ICT across the curriculum is unsatisfactory; • The subject is well led and the school knows precisely how well pupils are learning.

p.27

Commentary

75. The satisfactory standards reached by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are not a true reflection of pupils’ capabilities. They could do better, but they have achieved reasonably well given the unsatisfactory start that they experienced in 2002/3 when the school began. The computers that the school acquired from the schools that closed were old, slow and temperamental. This was compounded by the fact that the room for their use was not finished until May 2003. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding contains gaps, but they have made quite rapid progress in the short period that the facilities and resources have been operational that has resulted in satisfactory achievement overall. Broadly similar progress is made by pupils of all abilities and there are no issues relating to gender that affect achievement. However, those pupils that show a talent in using computers have had to mark time on many occasions

p.27

Commentary

76. Teaching is satisfactory in its influence on pupils’ achievements because it has been hampered in its effect. The use of assessment is good. Pupils’ work is assessed diligently to ensure that their understanding, and sometimes lack of progress owing to the failure of the hardware, is fully analysed. Teachers struggle to make sure that the curriculum is covered even if they have to return to a topic when the computers have been repaired. This year, pupils in Year 6 have had the added benefit of being able to work with a specialist teacher from the local secondary school. This has added a breadth to their learning that might not otherwise have been possible. Apart from, for example, the expert advice about Internet research in school, they have visited an ICT suite at Leeds airport and learnt very well about Robotics. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 23 77. Leadership and management of the subject are good despite the unsatisfactory resources

p.27

Commentary

and the subsequent hiatus in pupils’ learning. The curriculum has been well planned and rigorously pursued in the face of great adversity. The training of teachers has been prioritised well as a matter of urgency because many teachers had missed proper training owing to the elongated process of closing schools in the area and opening new ones. An ICT club has been provided to enrich the curriculum and very effective links have been made with the local secondary school. The co-ordinator’s plan for action is really well conceived because it takes into account lessons learnt from the comprehensive assessment of pupils’ work.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

78. This aspect of provision is unsatisfactory. Pupils receive some opportunities to use computers in the ICT room to complete artwork, pieces of writing and Internet research related to various projects, but in some subjects there is no use at all such as in music. It is the follow up work conducted in classrooms that is the weakest aspect of provision. This work is not planned because the school does not, as yet, possess software to allow it to happen. For example, CD-ROMs and websites to facilitate research in history, geography and religious education have yet to be used in any depth to further learning. Moreover, computers are rarely used to consolidate pupils’ understanding in mathematics or science.

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HUMANITIES

79. These subjects were not a main focus for the inspection and as such, they were sampled and not inspected in full, with only one lesson in history and geography seen. Discussions with pupils were held and their work was examined.

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HUMANITIES

80. In history, the work for pupils in the infant classes is stimulating and relevant to their needs; it helps them to develop a sound understanding of changes in people’s everyday lives between the past and present. Pupils in Year 1 for example, considered the topic of holidays. An excellent display of photographs and other artefacts gathered from pupils’ and teachers’ family archives brought learning to life. The teacher had skilfully ordered the photographs in a time line so that pupils could note changes between the 1920’s and the present decade.

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HUMANITIES

81. In the junior classes, pupils build well on the skills developed in the infants and their knowledge broadens into an understanding of the reasons why people acted as they did and why events occurred. In studying Britain since 1930 for example, pupils in Year 4 reflected on the causes and effects of air raids and how it might have felt to sleep in an air raid shelter. They studied the causes of rationing and the impact of this on the daily lives of ordinary families. During the inspection, a visitor in Viking costume provided a fascinating talk for pupils, increasing their interest and knowledge about Viking lifestyle and invasions.

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HUMANITIES

82. In geography, the curriculum enables pupils to develop a good balance between their knowledge of geographical facts and the development of skills such as mapping. In the infant classes, pupils study places and identify their features. Year 2 pupils for example, identified the features of Otley, and the use of different buildings. They considered the features of towns and designed their own. Older pupils take local studies further and Year 5 pupils for instance, study the implications of the construction of a new relief road in the area. One group of pupils had made a 3 dimensional model of the proposed route and could talk knowledgeably about it. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 show a sound geographical knowledge of understanding of the water cycle and the effect of water on people’s lives and the environment. Teachers also enable them to make useful links in their learning with other subjects. In Year 6 for example, pupils learning about weather across the world studied the

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HUMANITIES

physical features of Greece; this was further supported by their simultaneous work in history on the Ancient Greeks and life at that time.

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Religious education

All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 24 Provision in religious education is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The organisation behind pupils’ learning is good and pupils’ work is assessed well; • Good use is made of visitors and other resources from the local inter-faith centre; • Pupils learn about religions reasonably well but have too few opportunities to apply this learning to their own lives; • Little use is made of ICT in lessons and this inhibits pupils’ progress.

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Commentary

83. Standards in religious education, at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, are in line with expectations for pupils’ age and this represents satisfactory achievement. The headteacher is doing a good job of making sure that at least satisfactory achievement is maintained, in the absence of the deputy headteacher, establishing many of the good links on which pupils’ learning depends.

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Commentary

84. The curriculum is well founded on the study of five major world religions. The programme of work is ambitious. By the end of their time in school, it is planned that pupils will have an in- depth knowledge of Christianity and four other major world faiths. Good resources, borrowed from the local Inter-faith centre, are used to help pupils understand, for example, the customs and traditions of Islam. In Year 5, pupils have seen, at first hand, sacred objects and artefacts that Muslim believers use in their worship. Good use is made of visitors who share aspects of their faith. For example, in Year 2 pupils were captivated by a member of the local clergy telling them about Christian festivals and in Year 6 pupils were intrigued to learn about Sikh customs and beliefs from a Sikh dressed in traditional costume.

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Commentary

85. Despite the excitement caused by the frequent visitors, the quality of teaching is satisfactory throughout the school. Pupils’ work is assessed well in terms of what knowledge they have acquired. However, teachers do not always use these assessments well when planning new lessons. Consequently, there are too few lessons in which pupils use the knowledge they have gained to help them develop a better understating of what they think and believe. An exception to this was the very challenging task given by the Sikh visitor in Year 6 when he asked pupils to write, quickly and without much preparation, what they thought God was like.

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Commentary

86. Little use is made of ICT in lessons and where computers are used for research purposes they are liable to fail and inhibit rather than enhance pupils’ progress. This was the case when, in Year 4, pupils attempted to learn about Christian baptism using the Internet. The preliminary class discussion went very well, but pupils’ progress was much slower when they had to wait a long time for the computers to display the information or when some computers failed altogether.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

87. No lessons were observed in music. Only one lesson respectively was seen in art and design and design and technology , and two lessons in physical education , so no judgements are being made about the quality of provision in these subjects. However a range of pupils’ work and teachers’ planning was examined and discussions were held with teachers and pupils. 88. Pupils of all abilities achieve well to reach above average standards in art and design. Pupils learn skills well and then use these both in art lessons and to illustrate work in other subjects. For example, pupils in Year 4 paint portraits of King Henry the Eighth as part of their history work. These are carefully executed, in great detail and portray him showing All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 25 different emotions such as ruthlessness and anger. They enjoy a varied curriculum, including textiles, printing, painting, drawing and pottery; however the use of ICT is limited.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

The co-ordinator has built up art resources and a range of different artists’ work; however she acknowledges that this needs further development, especially with work from different cultures.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

89. Pupils in Year 6 draw pictures of fruit and vegetables using pastels, chalk and crayons. These are closely observed, detailed pieces of work showing shading, texture and light. Particularly effective are the illustrations of cut sections of peppers. Pupils are given the opportunity to use the skills they have learnt to produce an imaginative piece of work using any media of their choice. They have lots of ideas and set about the task with excitement and enthusiasm.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

90. Pupils are justifiable proud of their work, keen to show it and able to talk about how they produced it. The very good relationships between adults and pupils give pupils confidence to experiment and apply their skills imaginatively.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

91. Pupils achieve well in design and technology and many reach standards above the ones expected for their age. Pupils in Year 2 design a wind up toy based on a nursery rhyme. They investigate other toys, plan their work carefully, drawing their design and writing what they need and how they will make it. They make their toys with good attention to detail and are able to produce imaginative and well made toys, carefully decorated. They evaluate their work realistically and suggest appropriate improvements.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

92. By the time pupils reach Years 5 and 6 they are able to make moving toys using hidden cam mechanisms. These are imaginative, accurately measured and cut, and made to a high standard. Pupils work carefully and accurately and add many details, showing a real pride in their work. Very good questioning by teachers helps pupils to consider their work as it progresses, what works best, its end use, and any improvements that could be made.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

93. Music is a well led subject that adds a great deal to pupils’ spiritual and cultural education. The very well qualified co-ordinator leads an orchestra that comprises 24 pupils and five adults as well as providing lunchtime recorder clubs and a choir. Over 20 pupils learn instruments during school time. They are taught by peripatetic teachers in lessons that are subsidised by the school. The governors’ decision, in this respect, is having a very good influence on pupils’ education. The subject is generally well resourced except that there are no electronic keyboards and ICT software is not used to assist pupils’ skills in composition.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

94. Pupils reach the standards expected for their age in physical education. The school benefits from being part of a partnership with a specialist physical education college. It receives training for staff, specialist teaching for pupils and some out of school clubs. This specialist teaching helps pupils to learn skills, for example Year 6 are presently learning rugby skills in a six week course and have completed a course in gymnastics. Although pupils learn the skills well during the lessons there are not enough opportunities for them to follow up and develop these skills further, for example there are no sports teams. Pupils say they miss playing in competitive sport teams.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

95. There are a good range of activities organised at lunch times, for example, skipping, rounders, volleyball and football which pupils enjoy and provide good physical exercise. However, these sessions are for fun rather than teaching skills. Pupils take part in a range of sporting festivals, such as ‘unihoc’, five-a-side football tournaments, swimming galas and sports days. 96. Outdoor activities are limited by the space available although the school makes good use of what there is. A school field is now being prepared and should improve the provision for activities such as games and athletics. A day trip for Year 5 pupils and a residential trip for Year 6 give them experiences of problem solving and adventurous activities. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 26

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

97. Only one lesson was observed in personal, social and health education and citizenship (PSHCE) so it is not possible to make a judgement about overall provision. However, some short observations were made and pupils were interviewed extensively.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

98. There is a planned programme in place to teach pupils personal and social skills, to keep them healthy and to help them develop into mature young citizens. This leads to a very good work ethos where pupils behave very well, show respect and help each other. The school involves visitors, such as the school nurse, to help them deliver sex education and a theatre company visits to help make the drugs awareness programme in Year 6 more relevant and memorable. Pupils are encouraged to eat healthily and drink water when necessary.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

99. Pupils contribute to their class rules and two pupils from each class are represented on school committees. These committees are responsible for instigating the wide range of activities available at lunch times, however, presently, there are only limited opportunities to influence the life of the school and experience real responsibility and decision making. The very good relationships between adults and pupils give pupils the confidence to express opinions ands ask questions knowing their contributions will be valued.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

100. Throughout Years 3 to 6 pupils have dedicated PSHCE lessons. In a Year 6 lesson, pupils thought and talked maturely about themselves and their aspirations. They are generally developing confidence in making choices, expressing themselves and learning to respect the differences between people. All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - 27

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection n/a Value for money provided by the school 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 2 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7); (8) signifies an aspect that does not apply to this school.

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