Bankwood Community Primary School

BANKWOOD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 29 th September – 2 nd October 2003

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BANKWOOD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Bankwood Primary School - 2 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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BANKWOOD 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. Bankwood Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 348

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Bankwood Close Sheffield Postcode: S14 1LW

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0114 2396711 Fax number: 0114 2494085

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs C Gibbins

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 3 rd November 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school serves a council-built housing estate in the Gleadless Valley to the south east of Sheffield. The area faces many economic and social challenges. The attainment of children when they enter the reception class is very low. The number of pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds, mainly Caribbean and Asian, including refugees, is much higher than found in most other schools. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs and with statements of special educational need is above average and linked mainly to learning and behavioural difficulties. The percentage of pupils from homes where English is spoken as an additional language is also above average. The mobility of pupils is very high when compared with that found in other schools. At the time of the inspection the newly appointed headteacher had been in post for four weeks. Bankwood Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

3687 Godfrey Bancroft Lead inspector Science, physical education, the Foundation Stage 19698 David Hirons Lay inspector 23204 Christina Wojtak Team inspector English, music, religious education, special educational needs 32180 David Sleightholme Team inspector Mathematics, information and communication technology, art and design, design and technology, English as an additional language 30590 Peter Tuttle Team inspector Geography, history

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

3 Harrowby Road West Park LEEDS LS16 5HN

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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). Bankwood Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8-10

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8-10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11-15

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school provides a satisfactory quality of education. Pupils achieve satisfactorily . Teaching and learning are satisfactory . Leadership and management are unsatisfactory . The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • pupils achieve satisfactorily and children in the reception class achieve very well because the provision is very good. However, throughout the school standards in speaking and listening and the use of pupils’ literacy skills across the curriculum are well below average; • the provision for pupils with special educational needs is good; • pupils have positive attitudes to their learning and personal relationships are very good, ensuring that each pupil has a good and trusting relationship with a known adult; • the leadership of the newly appointed headteacher is very good, although the role of subject co- ordinators in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory; • the rate of pupils’ attendance is unsatisfactory; • the governing body is not sufficiently well placed to act as a ‘critical friend’ to senior managers and does not ensure that the statutory requirements for teaching information and communication

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Improvement since the time of the last inspection is satisfactory . Standards have improved and the quality of teaching has improved. Many of the issues raised by the previous inspection have been addressed. However, the use of information and communication technology and the way in which the governing body meets its statutory requirements remain unsatisfactory.

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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 E E C A mathematics E* E C A science D E D A Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals E* indicates the results in the lowest 5%of all schools

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils achieve satisfactorily . Children in the reception class achieve very well , although their attainment of the goals they are expected to reach by the end of reception is likely to be below that expected. Inspection findings show that standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2 are well below average. By the end of Year 6, standards are below average in mathematics and science and well below in English. Pupils in Year 1 to Year 6 achieve satisfactorily and the most recent national tests (2003) show that pupils, by the end of Year 6, attained standards in English, mathematics and science that are well above those found in similar schools. This year group contained a larger number of higher-attaining pupils than usually found at the school. The attainment of many pupils is held back by their well below average speaking and listening and literacy skills. Pupils’ achievement in information and communication technology is unsatisfactory .

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Changes in standards from year to year are caused by significant pupil mobility and by the differing numbers of pupils with special educational needs within each year. Bankwood Primary School - 7 Pupils have good attitudes to their learning and the provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory. The majority of pupils behave well, though the poor behaviour of a small minority of pupils frequently disrupts lessons. The school has introduced effective arrangements to meet the needs of these pupils. The rate of pupils’ attendance, although improving, remains well below average and this restricts the learning of those pupils who are frequently absent.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a satisfactory quality of education and provides well for pupils’ learning in English, mathematics and science. Teaching is satisfactory overall. Teaching and learning are very good in the reception class, good in Years 1 and 2 and satisfactory in Years 3 to 6. Teachers’ planning is good and pupils are supported well by teaching assistants. Teachers work very effectively to ensure that pupils are included well in all aspects of their learning. Not enough is done to assess pupils’ attainment and progress in subjects other than English, mathematics and science. The provision made for pupils with special educational needs is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The breadth of opportunities provided for pupils’ learning in Years 3 to 6 is unsatisfactory . This is because the requirements for teaching information and communication technology are not met. The provision of support, advice and guidance for pupils is good and each pupil has a good and trusting relationship with one or more well-known adult in the school. The school’s links with parents are satisfactory , whilst links with the community and other schools are good .

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are unsatisfactory . This is because, whilst governors are very supportive of the school, they are not sufficiently well placed to fill the role of ‘critical friend’. Some of the duties required of them by law are currently not undertaken. This was also the case at the time of the last inspection. The leadership of the recently appointed headteacher is very good and under his guidance the school is well placed to improve. The co-ordination of some non-core subjects is also unsatisfactory . This is because there are not enough opportunities for co-ordinators to monitor the quality of teaching and learning.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents feel that the school provides well for their children’s education and pupils agree with their parents’ positive views. Parents feel welcome in the school, but some feel the information contained in the annual reports is not sufficiently clear about how well their children are doing.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • improve the rate of pupils’ attendance; • improve standards in speaking and listening and the use of pupils’ literacy skills across the curriculum; • improve the provision made for information and communication technology; • develop fully the role of all subject co-ordinators in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning and in responding to the issues raised by the monitoring; • develop fully the role of the governing body to ensure that it is well placed to act as a ‘critical friend’ to the senior management.and: • meet statutory requirements for the provision of information and communication technology. Bankwood Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Children in the reception class achieve very well. The achievement of pupils in Years 1 and 2 is good, whilst that of pupils in Years 3 to 6 is satisfactory overall. By the end of Year 2 standards in reading writing and mathematics are well below average. At the end of Year 6, standards in English are well below average and standards in mathematics and science are below average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The most recent national test results for the end of Year 6 show a significant improvement over those of previous years. These results show that standards in English, mathematics and science are very high when compared with the results of similar schools. • Pupils with special educational needs and those speaking English as an additional language achieve well. This is because they are supported well. • Standards in speaking and listening are well below average. This holds back pupils’ learning in many subjects. • Standards in information and communication technology are well below those typically expected for the pupils’ age. This is because provision for this aspect of their learning is unsatisfactory and there are too few opportunities for pupils to use computers. • Very high levels of pupil mobility have a disruptive effect on pupils’ learning and lead to variations in the standards they attain.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 10.7 (13.3) 15.7 (15.8)

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Commentary

There were 40 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 2002

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 26.9 (23.8) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 27.0 (24.6) 26.8 (26.7) science 28.4 (26.8) 28.6 (28.3) There were 45 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

1. Children’s attainment when they enter the reception class is very low in all areas of their learning. Provision for these children is very good and, because of this, they make very good progress and achieve very well. By the time they leave the reception class, children’s attainment is below that expected by the early learning goals for each of the six areas of their learning. Bankwood Primary School - 9 2. In recent years, by the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics have been well below average and below average when compared with similar schools. The most recent test results (2003) show standards in are in the lowest 5 per cent nationally. Inspection findings show that standards are still well below average. However, pupils achieve well and make good progress. This is because the quality of teaching is good.

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Commentary

3. The national test results from 1999 to 2002 for the end of Year 6 show that standards in English and mathematics are well below average. They are also well below average when compared with similar schools. The tests for science over this period show that standards in science are well below average, but average when compared with those in similar schools. The 2003 national tests for this age group show standards in English and mathematics to be average and standards in science to be below average. This is a significant improvement over previous years, and the percentage of pupils attaining at higher than expected levels is the most the school has ever had. This is because the quality of teaching in Year 6 was good and the school successfully channelled its efforts into raising standards in these subjects. Inspection findings show that standards in English are well below average and those for mathematics and science

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Commentary

are below average. This is because the current Year 6 classes contain a higher number of pupils with special educational needs. Standards for this year group are also influenced adversely by the high level of pupil mobility. However, pupils currently in Years 3 to 6 achieve satisfactorily and make satisfactory progress. This is because the quality of teaching for these year groups is satisfactory. The standards in information and communication technology, which are lower than those expected, are caused by the unsatisfactory resources, leading to insufficient opportunities to enhance pupils’ learning in the subject and across the curriculum. Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as additional language achieve well because they are supported well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good as a result of the care they receive from all adults in the school. Pupils’ behaviour is satisfactory. Sometimes the poor behaviour of a small minority of pupils disrupts lessons. The needs of these pupils are understood well by the staff and the school has effective procedures to manage such instances. The rate of pupils’ attendance remains below that found in other schools, despite the extensive efforts of staff and external agencies. Pupils’ absences have a negative effect on their ability to learn and make progress. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ attitudes to their work are good. • The school promotes strong moral values which impacts positively upon pupils’ behaviour. • The attendance rate for the school remains below national averages.

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Commentary

4. Many pupils, in discussions and on the pupils’ questionnaire, confirm that they enjoy their work and indicate a strong liking for subjects such as art and design and mathematics. A significant number of parents feel that pupils do not behave well. The findings of the inspection do not agree with these views. Pupils generally behave well although, on occasions, a few pupils and those with identified problems behave unacceptably. This rightly results in temporary exclusion where their behaviour is deemed to be a risk to themselves and others. The school makes rigorous efforts to deal with these pupils in school, and has very effective and appropriate practices in Bankwood Primary School - 10 place. Staff are well trained to be able to handle these most difficult situations with sensitivity and consideration. Pupils learn and play happily together in an atmosphere free from bullying. This is helping pupils to become increasingly confident learners. For example, pupils greet visitors

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Commentary

eagerly and are happy to talk about their work. Teaching and support staff have high expectations of pupils and provide good encouragement. This is particularly noticeable with those pupils who find some aspects of school life difficult. The relationships between pupils from different ethnic backgrounds are good and the school encourages this successfully.

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Commentary

5. The rate of pupils’ attendance in school is unsatisfactory, despite the extensive efforts of staff and outside agencies. A comprehensive range of rewards, telephone calls from school, letters and home visits by the Learning Mentor and Education Welfare Officer have, as yet, failed to rectify this outstanding problem identified in the previous inspection report. Too many parents remove their children from school during term time for family holidays. This has a negative impact on the ability of some pupils to learn and make progress. This is particularly disruptive when pupils fail to arrive in school at the start of the school year.

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Commentary

6. Assemblies provide good opportunities to enhance pupils’ speaking and listening skills through singing and the attention paid to diction and word sounds such as ‘th’. However, assemblies lack a focus on spirituality and the celebration of Christianity and other religions. This limits the ability of pupils to experience a wider understanding of their own faith and that of others. Consequently, the assemblies do not enhance the work undertaken in class during religious education lessons. The school’s insistence upon and promotion of good behaviour provides a solid platform upon which pupils can experience and demonstrate good moral values. This is exemplified during playtimes where pupils play happily together and share the climbing equipment available to them. Through work in geography, residential visits, and visitors to the school such as during ‘Zulu’ week, pupils experience a range of cultural and multi-cultural opportunities. This good

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Commentary

provision broadens their knowledge and understanding of their immediate culture and of those in the wider world.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 8.9 School data 0.1 National data 5.4 National data 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 258 1 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Bankwood Primary School - 11

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a satisfactory quality of education. The quality of teaching is satisfactory . The breadth of opportunities provided for pupils’ learning in Years 3 to 6 is unsatisfactory . The provision of support, advice and guidance for pupils is good. The school’s links with parents are satisfactory , whilst links with the community and other schools are good .

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are very good in the reception class, good in Years 1 and 2 and satisfactory in Years 3 to 6. In subjects other than English, mathematics and science, the procedures to assess pupils’ attainment and progress are unsatisfactory . The provision made for pupils with special educational needs is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teaching of English, mathematics and science is good. • Teachers’ day-to-day planning is good and meets the needs of all pupils well, especially those with special educational needs. • Teaching assistants make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. • All teachers promote equality of opportunity very well. • Not enough is done to assess pupils’ attainment and progress in subjects other than English, mathematics and science. • Teachers do not do enough to ensure that pupils are fully aware of how well they doing. • Teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to use information and communication technology to enhance their learning.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 51 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

2 (4%) 9 (18 %) 22 (43 %) 18 (35 %) 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

7. Children in the reception class are taught very well in all areas of their learning. They also receive very good support from teaching assistants. Consequently these children learn and achieve very well. Throughout the school, planning is an effective feature of teachers’ work and has improved well since the time of the last inspection. Planning recognises the needs of each pupil well and is central to the good support that pupils receive, enabling many to acquire skills, knowledge and understanding well. The recognition of and response to the needs of pupils with special educational needs is a very strong feature of teachers’ planning. The teaching of English, mathematics and science is good. The school has good strategies to develop pupils’ skills in speaking and listening and teachers apply these well. Many of these strategies are at an early stage in their development and have not had sufficient time to improve standards in this area of

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Commentary

pupils’ learning. The provision includes the deployment of a teacher dedicated to the development of speaking and listening in the reception class and in Years 1 and 2. This teaching is very effective. What is taught in information and communication technology is taught satisfactorily, but the lack of resources means that teachers are unable to create enough opportunities for pupils to use this aspect of provision to enhance their learning. The quality of Bankwood Primary School - 12 teaching at Key Stage 2 in subjects other than English, mathematics and science is satisfactory. Parents feel that the quality of teaching is good.

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Commentary

8. Teachers expect high standards of behaviour. Most pupils respond well to these expectations. Because of this, the majority apply themselves well and work productively. Often pupils will help each other and work well together. However, many pupils find it difficult to work independently without direct supervision and significant amounts of support. In several classes, from time to time, a minority of pupils exhibit very challenging and disruptive behaviour. Teachers understand the needs of these pupils well and respond effectively, applying the agreed procedures for the management of such instances very well. Teachers and teaching assistants have very good relationships with their pupils and this is helping pupils to become increasingly confident learners. They also ensure that all pupils are included very well in everything that is taught.

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Commentary

9. Procedures to assess pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactory in English, mathematics and science. The procedures used to assess attainment and progress in the reception class are very good. In Years 1 and 2, teachers assess pupils’ attainment and progress thoroughly and work effectively to ensure that pupils understand how well they doing. In Years 3 to 6, procedures to assess pupils’ attainment and progress are unsatisfactory in subjects other than English, mathematics and science. Not enough is done to ensure that pupils in these year groups are sufficiently aware of how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve further. Often the final part of lessons is not used sufficiently well to enable pupils to understand how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve.

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How well does the curriculum meet pupils’ needs?

The breadth of the curriculum is unsatisfactory because the school is failing to meet statutory requirements in information and communication technology (ICT). There are good opportunities for enrichment through extra-curricular activities, especially in sport and the arts. There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs and for those with English as an additional language. Pupils are well prepared for the later stages of education. There is an unsatisfactory match of support staff to meet the needs of the curriculum.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are good opportunities for enrichment through extra-curricular activities and learning outside the school day • There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language. • Equality of access and opportunity is good for all pupils. • There has been unsatisfactory improvement in the curriculum since the previous inspection. • The provision for information and communication technology is unsatisfactory because statutory requirements for teaching the subject are not met. • Support staff make a good contribution to pupils’ learning, but there are not enough to support learning in all classes for much of the time. Bankwood Primary School - 13

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Commentary

10. The curriculum does not meet statutory requirements because there is unsatisfactory provision in ICT. This is because some aspects of the programme of study in this subject are not being covered and, consequently, there are gaps in pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding.

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Commentary

11. There has been unsatisfactory improvement in the curriculum since the previous inspection when curricular planning was unsatisfactory, some subjects did not have schemes of work and pupils did not have consistent experiences in ICT. The picture is broadly the same today. All subjects have schemes of work. However, not all schemes are applied consistently and some, for example ICT, have yet to result in sufficiently improved standards.

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Commentary

12. There is an appropriate emphasis on delivering the national strategies for literacy and numeracy. The school has worked hard to ensure that these strategies are in place, and staff have undertaken a significant amount of training in order to teach these subjects effectively. The school has appropriately identified the improvement of speaking and listening skills across the curriculum as a priority, because these are poorly developed and are holding back pupils’ progress. Since the time of the last inspection, the school has ensured that there is satisfactory provision for religious education and for a daily act of collective worship.

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Commentary

13. The school provides well for pupils of different backgrounds, and for those who arrive at short notice. All new pupils settle into the school quickly because of the school’s commitment to ensure equality of opportunity for all. For example, pupils with English as an additional language are quickly assessed so that support programmes are put in place quickly. Teachers use a range of strategies well to support pupils with English as an additional language. In a very good Year 2 mathematics lesson, a teaching assistant spent several minutes at the end of a lesson checking pupils’ progress and understanding, so that she would know where they would need to start next time.

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Commentary

14. The school provides good opportunities for enrichment, including a range of extra-curricular provision, and offers pupils good opportunities to participate in sport and the arts. For example, the school has a choir and a sports club, and sometimes participates in sporting fixtures against other schools. By organising ‘theme’ days, such as the Zulu Nation Day, educational visits, including residential ones, and visitors to the school, the pupils are effectively introduced to a range of activities that promote the arts. The school’s involvement in the local children’s festival contributed to the development of pupils’ skills in music, art and literature. The learning mentor organises holiday clubs for pupils, and these are well attended.

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Commentary

15. The school prepares pupils effectively for the next stage of education. During the week of inspection the headteacher of a receiving secondary school visited Bankwood to talk about opportunities in his school. A number of joint activities take place, including the sharing of resources. The pupils in the final year at Bankwood are taught in ability groups for literacy and numeracy. This helps pupils develop organisational skills as they move from classroom to classroom, and get used to working with more than one teacher.

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Commentary

16. The school faces significant challenges in raising pupils’ standards of attainment by meeting their very diverse needs. The support for pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language is very good. However, there are insufficient support staff to make a big enough impact on raising standards. For example, one of the Year 4 classes has 32 pupils, and a significant number of them have special educational needs or English as an Bankwood Primary School - 14 additional language. The range of abilities is very wide, but there are a number of lessons where the teacher is unsupported and has to cater for these pupils’ needs on her own.

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Commentary

17. The quality of resources to support pupils’ learning is satisfactory overall. Accommodation is also satisfactory and is maintained very well by the very good work of the site manager.

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Care, guidance and support

The provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is satisfactory . The school provides pupils with good support, advice and guidance. The strong caring ethos of all staff ensures that pupils enjoy and benefit from trusting relationships with many known adults in school. The school involves pupils very well through seeking, valuing and acting on their views.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The personalised care provided to all pupils is excellent and ensures that the school is a safe haven, enabling pupils to enjoy their work and feel safe. • The very high profile, throughout the day, of the headteacher, deputy headteacher and senior teaching staff enables pupils’ immediate needs to be recognised and acted upon quickly. • Involvement of pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is very good.

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Commentary

18. All staff contribute very effectively to the strong ethos in which pupils are valued and cared for in an environment free from harassment and pressure. Arrangements to ensure child protection are good. Pupils receive good support and guidance based upon their individual needs. All staff know the pupils very well, which enables them to react quickly when normal patterns of behaviour or attitudes to work change without known good reason. The high visibility of the senior teaching staff throughout the day ensures that pupils experiencing difficulties of any nature receive comfort, a listening ear and caring support.

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Commentary

19. Children arriving into the reception class are very well cared for. Effective and sensitive systems in place enable parents to share in their children’s entry into school. The personal development of these children is routinely assessed. Monitoring is carried out informally throughout the day by the class teacher and support staff, and is later more formally recorded to ensure that their needs are quickly identified and acted upon. In Year 1 to Year 3, class teachers systematically monitor pupils’ personal and academic development. Pupils with identified special needs and those with personal education plans are well managed through a comprehensive range of support programmes. The practice of class teachers having immediate access to these plans enables lessons to be effectively planned, ensuring that pupils can achieve at an appropriate level.

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Commentary

20. Involvement of pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is very good. The school council is in its infancy but is beginning to establish itself within the school community. It is making itself known to pupils with notices and minutes of a previous meeting on display in the main entrance and on the parents’ notice board. Comments from pupils and feedback from the pupils’ questionnaire feature strongly in the development plans of the school. Bankwood Primary School - 15

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents are satisfactory and links with the community and other schools are good. Parents are pleased with the quality of education their children receive. Some have recently transferred their children to the school by choice in recognition of the standards the school promotes. The school makes very good use of additional, external educational services and experiences to extend pupils’ learning and personal development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents confirm that the school handles their concerns, suggestions or complaints very effectively. • Educational visits and residential trips promote learning of good quality and accelerate pupils’ personal and social development. • The arrangements for pupils transferring to the secondary schools are good • The information contained in the pupils’ annual progress reports is unclear for many parents.

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Commentary

21. The significant number of parents who attend the two parents’ evenings each year are pleased with the quality of information they receive about their children’s progress. However, many have indicated that they find the information contained in the annual progress reports to be difficult to understand. Inspection judgements confirm the views of these parents. The ‘breakfast club’ enables parents to attend school each morning to enjoy a pleasant social opportunity with their children. It is well attended and has a positive effect on pupils’ speaking and listening skills, behaviour and social development. Parents are confident to approach staff with concerns or, on occasions, complaints. They are pleased with the way the school listens and acts appropriately.

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Commentary

22. Pupils benefit greatly from the many visits and trips within the immediate community. Pupils in Year 5, for example, study local environmental pollution from litter. The benefits pupils received during a Year 6 residential visit to Whitby are evidenced by the very good displays of pupils’ work reflecting the photographic skills of Frank Sutcliffe. Some parents fulfil support roles in school which bring many benefits for those pupils experiencing difficulties with their behaviour or learning. However, too few parents assist their children with their work at home . A visit from a secondary headteacher to Year 6 pupils to provide an insight into life within the ‘big school’ was received in awe. Pupils received the news about the number of teachers they would be involved with and the amount of homework they could expect each night with a spontaneous gasp of surprise.

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Commentary

23. The provision and arrangements for pupils transferring to the secondary schools are good. Visits to a secondary school by pupils to undertake lessons in information and communication technology and science provide pupils with an exciting flavour of ‘things to come’. Staff meet to discuss the transfer arrangements, which ensures that pupils’ individual needs are well catered for and that pupils transfer easily, reducing stress and unnecessary anxiety. Bankwood Primary School - 16

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are unsatisfactory . The governance of the school is unsatisfactory . The leadership of the newly appointed headteacher is very good . The management of the school is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The leadership of the recently appointed headteacher is very good. • The governing body is very supportive of the school, but is not sufficiently well placed to act as a ‘critical friend’ and to challenge the decisions and actions of senior managers. This was the case at the time of the last inspection and improvement since that time is unsatisfactory. • The curriculum provided for information and communication technology does not meet statutory requirements. • The co-ordinators for subjects other than English, mathematics and science do not have enough opportunities to monitor the quality of teaching and learning in the subjects for which they are responsible.

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Commentary

24. Governors are very supportive of the school and have a strong knowledge of the community it serves. They have developed a committee structure that enables them to work efficiently and to undertake many of their duties satisfactorily. Governors have an approved policy for the management of good race relations and this works well. The role played by governors in monitoring the quality of education provided by the school is at an early stage of development. They are not yet sufficiently well placed to act as ‘critical friends’ and to challenge the school’s senior managers in addition to the support they provide.

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Commentary

25. The work of the recently appointed headteacher has already had a very positive impact on the work and ethos of the school. He has rapidly gained the respect and trust of pupils, teachers, parents and the community. He has a clear vision for the development of the school. He is formulating plans that identify appropriate areas for development and show clearly how these will be addressed. The commitment of the leadership of the school to the inclusion of all pupils, the concern shown for individual needs and the level to which it promotes equality of opportunity is excellent.

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Commentary

26. The school has satisfactory procedures for self-evaluation. The management of the reception class is very good and the management of mathematics is good. However, the co-ordinators of many of the subjects, other than English, mathematics and science, are recently appointed, and their role in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in the subjects for which they are responsible is not developed sufficiently well. Approaches to the financial management of the school are satisfactory. Governors are provided with clear and accurate reports that enable them to monitor the progress of the school budget across the financial year and to target resources at areas for development satisfactorily. Governors apply well the principles of best value to the purchase of resources and services for the school. Bankwood Primary School - 17

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Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 916,935 Balance from previous year 68,083 Total expenditure 934,785 Balance carried forward to the next 50,233 Expenditure per pupil 2,640 Bankwood Primary School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children’s education in each of the six areas of their learning is very good. Improvement since the time of the last inspection is good. Attainment on entry to the reception class is very low in all areas of children’s learning. Children achieve very well because the quality of teaching is very good. The support they receive from teachers and from teaching assistants and visiting students is very good. By the time they are ready to leave the reception class, children’s attainment is below that expected for their age in all areas of their learning. However, during their time in the reception class they make very good progress towards the identified early learning goals for their age. Children, in the reception class who have special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language also achieve very well. The current policy for the intake of children at the beginning of each term, depending on their date of birth, means that some children spend only a very

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

short time in the reception class. This limits the progress that these children are able to make.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Teachers’ planning shows a very good understanding of the foundation curriculum. Their planning provides very well for the very good achievement that children show in each area of their learning. The reception classroom is organised very well to ensure that children have daily experiences that meet their curricular needs very well. Teachers also use a range of teaching methods effectively that enable children to learn very well. There is a small, secure, outdoor area that is used very well to extend children’s learning.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The management and leadership of the foundation curriculum are very good and the foundation co- ordinator has a very good grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision and of what needs to be done to improve provision further. Procedures to assess the attainment and progress that children make are very good. Teachers mark children’s work in detail and this contributes very well to the assessments they make. Record keeping about the needs and progress of each child is thorough and detailed. The information gained from assessments is used very effectively to plan the next stages of children’s learning. Parents are made to feel welcome and valued in the reception classroom and many are daily visitors. Teachers and teaching assistants make very good use of these visits to keep parents well informed about how well their children are doing.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and the opportunities provided in all areas of learning are very good. • The support for children to develop their speaking and listening skills is very good. • Arrangements to assess children’s attainment and progress are very good. • Links with parents are developing very well.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.18

Commentary

27. Children behave well and respond well to the high expectations that teachers have of them. They are learning to control their behaviour and behave very well. The ability of children to play together and also to sustain their interest when they work on their own is developing well. This is illustrated by the prompt way in which children begin activities as soon as they arrive at the start of the day. From a starting point at which many children are uncertain and diffident, many are Bankwood Primary School - 19 becoming increasingly confident learners. This is because of the very good teaching and support they receive which brings about their very good achievement.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision for communication, language and literacy is very good.

p.19

Commentary

28. Standards in speaking and listening are very low when children start in the reception class. Some children are becoming increasingly confident speakers. However, many are still not competent speakers for their age. Teachers use opportunities for children to sing to improve the clarity of children’s speaking and to ensure that they pronounce words correctly. Children are also taught very effectively to recognise the sounds that certain letters and combinations of letters make. The additional teacher dedicated to developing speaking and listening makes a significant contribution to the improvement that many children make. This provision is also helping children to begin to acquire early reading skills. Many children clearly enjoy looking at and talking about books. However, the early reading skills of many children remain at a low level.

p.19

Commentary

29. Children are provided with good opportunities to improve their writing, but only higher-attaining children write letters legibly and can explain what they have written. Higher-attaining children can also place pictures of stories in the correct sequence and understand that stories have a beginning, a middle and an ending. By the time they leave the reception class the highest attaining children can construct simple sentences, but very few are able to do this consistently. Teachers work very skilfully to create links between children’s writing and their reading. This is helping children to achieve very well from their low starting point.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is very good.

p.19

Commentary

30. From a very low starting point children make very good progress at counting up to ten. Teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to sing number rhymes, such as ‘Five Fat Sausages in the Pan’, helping them to do this well. Even so this remains a challenge for some lower-attaining children. Higher-attaining children can count correctly much further. These children also write numbers legibly. Again, teachers provide very good opportunities for children to do this. Whilst there is good emphasis on number, higher-attaining children can also name regular two- dimensional shapes correctly. However, lower-attaining children struggle to do this. The very good progress that children make is attributable to the very regular opportunities to experience mathematical activities that are linked very well to other areas of children’s learning. Bankwood Primary School - 20

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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

p.20

Commentary

31. There are daily opportunities for children to use computers and children respond well to these. Children make rapid progress in their understanding of science. For example, during the inspection the teacher made sounds from behind a screen for children to identify. Children participated in this activity very thoughtfully and with great enthusiasm, deciding sensibly if the sound was quiet or loud. Teachers provide children with good, daily opportunities to comment on the weather, but sometimes their observations do not have any relationship to what the weather is really like. Children are also beginning to understand how they grow and change by looking back at their early lives and the lives of animals. During the inspection, teachers made good use of the outdoor area for children to build shelters. The children did this very thoughtfully and explained in great detail how they had made the shelters and for whom they were intended.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is very good.

p.20

Commentary

32. Some children are poorly co-ordinated. However, all children achieve very well and make very good progress because of the good opportunities provided for them to learn. Teachers and teaching assistants make very good use of opportunities to visit the school hall and the secure outdoor area. This helps children to achieve very well and make very good progress. During the inspection, children danced to the theme from ‘Mission Impossible’. Inspired by their teacher, they became totally enthralled as spies looking for the ‘bad guy’. There are also daily opportunities for children to improve their handling of implements such as pencils, paint brushes and scissors. These opportunities contribute significantly to the very good progress that children make.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for creative development is very good.

p.20

Commentary

33. Teachers use music well to provide a calming influence at the start of the day and children respond well to this. Role-play is used very effectively to challenge pupils’ imaginations. During the inspection one pupil became the self-appointed photographer of the class, taking photographs of everyone with great enthusiasm. The ‘Doctor’s Surgery’ provides a focal point for children’s interest, and their expertise in all things medical is improving rapidly. Excellent opportunities are available for children to make music and they do this well, with guidance and support from their teacher. Teachers link these experiences very effectively to children’s work on sound in science. There are also good opportunities for children to draw and paint in a variety of ways and to make models from a good range of materials. Bankwood Primary School - 21

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in English are well below average. However, pupils achieve well. • Teaching is good and there are good strategies in place to address the weaknesses in pupils’ speaking and listening, particularly in Years 1 and 2. • The implementation of assessment procedures is inconsistent. • The role of the co-ordinator is not developed fully.

p.21

Commentary

34. Standards by the end of Years 2 and 6 are well below average. This reflects the standards attained in the national tests in recent years, other than in 2003 when tests results at the end of Year 6 improved significantly. The 2003 results are better because the year group contained a larger number of higher-attaining pupils than usual and the teaching met their needs well. Inspection findings show that standards in most years are no higher because many pupils enter school with very low literacy skills. There are still many pupils in Year 1 who need a Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception classes) curriculum because they are not able to concentrate on structured reading and writing. This is the main factor underpinning the low results in reading and writing throughout the school. Teachers work extremely hard to sustain interest and to match work to the pupils’ ability.

p.21

Commentary

35. Teachers have recently improved opportunities for speaking and listening throughout the curriculum, which is working effectively. By the end of Year 2, pupils listen well but they struggle to explain their ideas because they have limited vocabulary. Even in Year 6 there are many pupils who cannot explain their thoughts and ideas in full sentences and need a lot of support. Lack of concentration is sometimes an important factor. The stability of each teaching group is also adversely affected by the number of pupils with special educational needs who enter and leave during the school year. Teachers are very sensitive but sometimes the problems are so severe that learning is hindered.

p.21

Commentary

36. Given the limitations of pupils’ skills on entry, they achieve well and make good progress. Despite making gains, the standard of reading remains below average across the school. Pupils read regularly to adults but records of progress are not always kept in the Year 3 to 6 classes. The link with parents through their child’s reading diary is good in the Year 1 and 2 classes but inconsistent in the Year 3 to 6 classes. Younger pupils are taught strategies to decipher meaning. The school libraries are adequately stocked but at this early stage in the term were not used frequently enough. The most capable pupils enjoy reading but cannot recall many different authors. They have limited skills to research information, which is not helped by the limited access to ICT. There are still many pupils who find learning difficult and who make progress very slowly. For this reason ‘catch-up’ programmes are introduced to support pupils struggling

p.21

Commentary

with their reading. These programmes help lower-attaining pupils and those with special educational needs to achieve well.

p.21

Commentary

37. Sometimes teaching is very good in the way that teachers feed pupils’ imaginations through creative approaches to writing. In Year 6, for example, the group was enthralled by the teacher’s charismatic reading of an extract from ‘Dracula’ by Bram Stoker. The teacher used the interactive whiteboard to conjure up an image of Dracula on which blood appeared. Another Bankwood Primary School - 22 teacher with a lower-attaining group used the sound effect of howling wolves, which led to some inspired pieces of descriptive writing. Attainment in writing is well below average, but work in books often reflects good progress for most pupils, including those with special educational needs, from their very low attainment on entry to the school. In Year 2, higher-attaining pupils use conjunctions to join their ideas. Lower and average-attaining pupils make less use of conjunctions. They write in simple sentences containing one idea. Progress in Years 1 and 2

p.21

Commentary

and in Years 3 to 6 is good. By Year 6, pupils show a growing grasp of punctuation and spelling and are starting to write in different styles. Lower-attaining pupils spell words of one syllable correctly but struggle with words of more than one syllable. All teachers do not insist on the same standards in other subjects and this sometimes prevents pupils from applying their literacy skills as well as they should. Marking does not always offer enough help to encourage pupils to improve. Books are used for re-drafting pieces of writing but computers are rarely used for this purpose and pupils have little chance to use the spell-check provision.

p.22

Commentary

38. Assessment information is analysed and appropriate priorities identified and shared. The quality of analysis has suffered in the past from a system that was not readily available to all the staff. This has been improved. The new assessment strategies appear to be useful and very relevant but are too new to ensure proven success. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The role of the co-ordinators has also suffered in the past from a lack of direction and authority. This has improved recently, but there is more work to be done in the checking of pupils’ learning.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

39. English skills are used frequently and effectively across the curriculum to extend learning in subjects such as history and religious education. However, in many other subjects teachers do not plan sufficient opportunities for pupils to apply these skills regularly.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject is well led and managed. • Teaching is good in Years 1 and 2. • Pupils enjoy mathematics and they achieve well. • Lessons are well planned to match pupils’ abilities. • Marking is good and helps pupils to understand what they need to do to improve. • Pupils’ poor speaking and listening skills hinder their progress.

p.22

Commentary

40. Standards are well below average by the end of Year 2, and below average by the end of Year 6. By the time they leave the school, pupils achieve well in relation to their potential because they have positive attitudes to mathematics; teachers plan lessons well. Teaching in Years 1 and 2 is good; whilst the teaching in Years 3 to 6 is satisfactory overall; there are a number of lessons where the teaching is good, or better. Consequently, pupils make good progress throughout the school and, by the end of Year 6, their attainment compares very well with that found in similar schools. There are no significant differences in the attainment of girls and boys or in the Bankwood Primary School - 23 achievement of pupils from different backgrounds, including those who have English as an additional language, or those with special educational needs. Pupils in the final year of school benefit from grouping arrangements that ensure that individual needs are met well because

p.22

Commentary

41. Improvement since the previous inspection is satisfactory. This is because standards have improved marginally since that time, and the quality of teaching has remained largely the same. However, some of the changes introduced since the previous inspection are beginning to contribute well to improvement. For example, standards of attainment are improving at the end of Year 6. The results of the 2003 national tests at the end of Year 6 show attainment to be nearer to the national average than previously. This improvement is mainly due to the larger number of higher-attaining pupils in the 2003 year group. The introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy has ensured greater continuity and progression in the development of pupils’ skills and improved lesson planning. For example, in a very good lesson in Year 3, pupils participated enthusiastically in a three-part lesson about recognising coins. The lesson opened

p.23

Commentary

with oral and mental activities where the teacher checked pupils’ understanding of doubling numbers. She did this by asking finely graded questions so that pupils of all abilities were able to take part. In the main activity pupils’ recognition of coins was developed very well through thinking about their characteristics. For example, the teacher thought of a coin and pupils had to use their knowledge to guess which one it was. Pupils made choices thoughtfully based on questions such as, ‘How many sides does it have?’ and ‘Does its value end in a nought?’ When pupils worked in groups there was a very good match of tasks to their level of attainment. As a result, all pupils made very good progress in this lesson. In the final part of the lesson the teacher gave pupils a money problem. Through her analysis of past test results she had identified this area as a weakness, and therefore ensured that pupils were taught strategies to

p.23

Commentary

help them solve this kind of question. The quality of lesson planning and targeted teaching of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses is contributing to lessons that pupils enjoy and in which they are successful.

p.23

Commentary

42. The leadership and management of the subject by the joint co-ordinators are good. They have a very clear picture of the subject’s strengths and weaknesses, gained by looking closely at samples of pupils’ work and analysing performance in the national and optional tests. As a result, this information is shared with staff so that teaching programmes incorporate further good practice and new approaches to areas identified as weaknesses. The co-ordinators have prepared year group files for each member of staff. These contain details of the subject’s action plans and guidance. For example, inspection evidence from pupils’ books found that marking is used effectively to help pupils understand what they are doing well, and what they need to do to improve. This system of marking has been implemented by the co-ordinators and serves to demonstrate the impact they are having on the development of the subject. The co-ordinators

p.23

Commentary

have linked mathematical activities well into whole-school curriculum targets. For example, many of the pupils’ speaking and listening skills are poorly developed, and this hinders progress in all areas of the curriculum, but especially in mathematics when pupils have to solve problems involving words. In order to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills more effectively, the co- ordinators have chosen a mathematical objective for the younger pupils that requires them to ‘Tell others how you worked out your answers, using mathematical language.’ As the co- ordinators have identified word problems as one of the weaknesses in the most recent tests for seven-year-olds, this strategy is well targeted to address improvement. Bankwood Primary School - 24

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

43. Pupils are given good opportunities to use their mathematical skills across the curriculum. For example, pupils in Year 2 have compared the fictional Isle of Struay with their own environment, using geographical skills to sort human and physical features, and recording them on a range of simple graphs and mathematical diagrams. They have used such diagrams to show the similarities and differences between Struay and Sheffield. In Year I good links with literacy have been explored when events in ‘The Bad Tempered Ladybird’ have been linked to telling the time. The results are very effectively displayed for reference. In Year 6, mathematics and information communication technology link well when the interactive whiteboard is used to support work on area and perimeter.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good and pupils achieve well. • Pupils show good attitudes to their learning. • The inclusion of all pupils in the provision for the subject is very good. • The leadership and management of the subject are good. • Improvement in provision since the time of the last inspection is good. • Pupils’ progress is restricted by poor literacy skills; consequently their ability to record their investigations is weak.

p.24

Commentary

44. Standards by the end of Years 2 and 6 are below average. In the most recent national tests (2003) pupils in Year 6 attained below average standards compared with all schools and very high standards compared with those found in similar schools. Standards for the current Year 6 group are not as good as those found in 2003 because the current Year 6 contains fewer higher- attaining pupils and more pupils with special educational needs.

p.24

Commentary

45. In Year 6, teachers make good use of resources to capture pupils’ interest in magnetism. Higher- attaining pupils are able to define magnetism correctly and draw well on their previous learning. With prompting from their teacher they also use the correct scientific language for the topic. Teachers also challenge pupils well, for example by asking ‘Can you design a fair test to find out which is the strongest magnet?’ Pupils respond well to this challenge, but struggle when they come to record their ideas. Pupils in Year 4 experience similar difficulties. They respond well to the good challenge of designing a test to find out what sort of habitat wood lice might prefer. However, pupils’ unsatisfactory speaking and listening skills mean that they find it hard to put their thoughts into words, and poor writing skills make it hard for them to transfer their findings onto paper. In some lessons pupils do not have enough guidance about how to record

p.24

Commentary

the findings of their investigations. In other lessons, teachers work very effectively, helping pupils to use the correct scientific vocabulary and providing structures for pupils to record their findings. When this happens, pupils make good progress.

p.24

Commentary

46. In Year 1 and Year 2 the curriculum is very broad and well balanced. This is helping pupils to achieve well. Teachers in Year 2 provide exciting topics that capture pupils’ interest very well. The visit of ‘Baby Oliver’ to a Year 2 class encouraged pupils very successfully to ask well thought out questions about Oliver’s lifestyle and how he is growing. This lesson provided pupils Bankwood Primary School - 25 with valuable insights into human growth and development. Pupils in Year 1 also show great enthusiasm for their learning is science. This is because they are taught very well and lessons are planned very effectively to meet pupils’ needs. Pupils in a Year 1 class conducted a survey of the colour of pupils’ eyes. However, many needed significant amounts of help from their teacher to record their findings accurately on a graph. They were also shown how a computer can be used to record this information, but few pupils had opportunities to do this for

p.24

Commentary

47. The co-ordinator has done a good job in promoting improved standards in the subject. She undertakes a thorough analysis of the results of the annual national tests and ensures that teaching is modified to address any weaknesses revealed by the analysis.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communications technology (ICT) is unsatisfactory

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy work in ICT and have positive attitudes to the subject. • The interactive whiteboard makes a good contribution to ICT provision. • There are not enough opportunities for pupils to develop skills in ICT. • The school does not fulfil statutory requirements in ICT because some of the curriculum is not taught. • The school is not meeting the recommended number of computers per pupil.

p.25

Commentary

48. Standards of attainment are well below national expectations at the end of Year 2 and 6, and pupils’ achievement is unsatisfactory in relation to their potential. Pupils make unsatisfactory progress in ICT throughout the school. Pupils with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs make progress at a rate similar to their classmates. There is no difference in the attainment of girls and boys.

p.25

Commentary

49. Improvement since the previous inspection is unsatisfactory because pupils’ progress in gaining ICT skills remains unsatisfactory, and there are still too few opportunities for pupils to develop and consolidate skills. For example, pupils talk confidently about word processing and working with spreadsheets, but a classroom observation of pupils’ skills in Year 5 indicated that these skills are poorly developed. Pupils used the word processor to write letters during a literacy lesson. When they needed to correct a mistake, they only knew how to use the backspace key and consequently deleted all the letters after the mistake in order to change the incorrect letter. This meant that they constantly had to keep re-typing large amounts of text. Standards of attainment were below national expectations at the previous inspection; they are now well below. However, there has been satisfactory improvement in two areas: pupils have greater

p.25

Commentary

opportunities to develop ICT skills across the curriculum, and teachers’ confidence and expertise has improved following intensive training at a local secondary school.

p.25

Commentary

50. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. However, teaching is not having sufficient impact on raising standards. This is mainly due to the unsatisfactory level of resources. Through its own work in self-evaluation the school is aware of some of the barriers to progress. Most ICT work takes place in classrooms equipped with two computers. In some classrooms teachers use these well to support areas across the curriculum. For example, in mathematics, work in Year 2 on the distribution of pupils’ birthdays was entered on the computer and pupils learnt how to use the program to sort birthdays into months, and created block graphs and charts from this Bankwood Primary School - 26 information. With only two computers in use it takes a long time for all the class to practise these skills. Similarly, in a Year 1 ICT lesson, most pupils had to be given a ‘holding’ activity because only four of them were able to use the computers at any one time. The teacher worked

p.25

Commentary

with pupils on computers whilst a teaching assistant supported the rest of the class. Pupils working on the computers began to develop skills in mouse control and in filling shapes with colour as they created masterpieces in the style of Mondrian. However, the rest of the class simply had to find numbers and letters on ‘dummy’ keyboards and colour these in on a keyboard plan. This activity familiarised pupils with a keyboard but, for most, learning was less meaningful because it was not from first hand. Pupils’ progress over time is unsatisfactory because it takes a long time for a whole class to develop the same skills. This means that teachers do not address all the activities in the ICT curriculum. Consequently, pupils have too few opportunities to practise previously acquired skills and develop new ones, especially as there is often a significant gap between pupils’ opportunities to use a computer.

p.26

Commentary

51. Some of the programmes of study of the National Curriculum are not met, and this is unsatisfactory. For example, there is no evidence of older pupils programming computers to make things happen, such as monitoring changes in temperature, detecting light levels or turning on a light. Pupils in the current Year 6 have used the digital camera, however, and talk with confidence about importing a photograph into text. The school is in the process of finalising a scheme of work and, until that is in place, gaps will persist in the statutory curriculum.

p.26

Commentary

52. Over the last few years a number of staff have been involved in leading and managing ICT, which is currently unsatisfactory. There is now some urgency to improve the quality of provision. The subject co-ordinator is implementing an action plan, formulated with the local education authority. The school is looking closely at hardware and software requirements, and seeking to restore the pupil to computer ratio to one to eight. The school has formulated a policy for safe use of the Internet, but it has not yet written to parents to seek permission for pupils to use the Internet for research.

p.26

ICT across the curriculum

53. The use of ICT across the curriculum is currently unsatisfactory. It is not used sufficiently to extend pupils’ learning. However, a few examples of good use are evident. Year 6 teachers used the interactive whiteboard well to support work in geography on erosion. Pupils watched with interest as graphics were used to demonstrate the effects of erosion at work on the coastline. In a Year 6 art and design lesson, pupils used ICT well as they produced screen printing in the style of Andy Warhol for their studies in ‘Pop Art’. The overall lack of use is mainly because resources are unsatisfactory. Bankwood Primary School - 27

p.26

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

The provision for religious education is satisfactory.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are below expectations because pupils’ literacy skills are low and lessons are sometimes cut short because of time pressure. • There are good opportunities for collaborative work in lessons and the focus on speaking and listening is helping pupils to learn about a range of world religions. • Teaching methods and good use of resources stimulate pupils’ interest in their learning. • Some lessons lack the spiritual focus that enables pupils to develop their own beliefs and values, although this is evident in some other lessons. • Assessment is not used consistently to identify weaknesses in learning and to raise standards.

p.27

Commentary

54. Standards are below the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. This is largely due to the low level of pupils’ literacy skills. However, there are good opportunities for collaborative work in lessons and the focus on speaking and listening is helping pupils to learn about a range of world religions. Pupils’ knowledge about religion is satisfactory, linked to satisfactory teaching. Many pupils have very little knowledge about the subject when they enter the school and they leave with a basic knowledge of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Older pupils can recall work carried out in earlier years but few have been encouraged to reflect upon the significance of religion for their own lives.

p.27

Commentary

55. Teaching and achievement are satisfactory. Some lessons lack the spiritual focus that enables pupils to develop their own beliefs and values, although this is evident in some other lessons. In the past there has been a tendency to use a weekly worksheet in some classes because the subject was squeezed for time. Teachers are aware of this and are developing more imaginative teaching strategies that focus on understanding and reflection rather than on colouring a sheet. There is still some way to go, but the chosen methods and resources are stimulating pupils to become interested in the subject. Year 5 pupils watched an animated version of ’The Good Samaritan’ which brought the message alive for life in the 21 st century. Displays of good quality have raised the profile of the subject.

p.27

Commentary

56. The new co-ordinator is aware of the lack of an effective, manageable assessment system and the need to check the continuity of learning throughout the school. The scheme of work is good and well resourced but not all teachers have copies to tailor the learning to their own class. The curriculum is enriched by visits to local churches but access to a synagogue or mosque is very difficult to organise and there is little evidence of ICT being used to enhance learning. Bankwood Primary School - 28

p.27

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

Provision in history and geography is satisfactory .

p.28

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

Pupils make satisfactory progress in learning historical facts and are aware of some major personalities in British history. They also know much about the geographical features and some of the history of their local environment.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use is made of the local environment to develop pupils' knowledge in geography and history. • Day and residential visits to places of geographical and historical interest extend pupils' learning through first-hand experiences. • Teaching of geography in Years 1 and 2 is good and as a result these pupils achieve well. • Standards attained by pupils in history by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are below national expectations. • Standards attained by pupils in geography by the end of Year 6 are below national expectations. • Teachers place too much emphasis on pupils’ filling in worksheets and there are limited opportunities for pupils to make effective use of their literacy skills. • The leadership and management of history and geography, where both co-ordinators are new to the role, are unsatisfactory.

p.28

Commentary

57. During the inspection, three geography lessons were observed but no history lessons were seen. From the analysis of planning, pupils' work and discussions with both co-ordinators and pupils, standards in history throughout the school are below national expectations; some average standards were noted in pupils' work on The Tudors. Standards in geography for pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 are average but standards by the end of Year 6 are below national expectations. Satisfactory standards throughout the school were noted in local studies but, from the analysis of workbooks and on questioning pupils in Year 6, they had limited knowledge and understanding of the other areas of geography they had studied.

p.28

Commentary

58. Teaching in geography in Year 1 and Year 2 is good. Lessons are well planned, learning objectives are shared with pupils, relationships between pupils and adults are very good and resources are used to good effect. As a result of the good teaching, pupils in these classes are confident learners, making good progress and achieving well. Analysis of previous geography and history workbooks shows that teachers have placed too much emphasis on pupils filling in worksheets. Pupils of all abilities tackle the same worksheets; above average pupils are not challenged enough and pupils with limited literacy skills are not able to complete them. Pupils do not write independently at their own level to show any new knowledge, understanding or acquired skills for each topic they study.

p.28

Commentary

59. The co-ordination of both geography and history is unsatisfactory. Both co-ordinators are new to their roles. They have not had the opportunity to monitor the planning, teaching and learning for their subjects. Analysis of work from each year group shows that National Curriculum requirements for geography and history are being met. However, whereas there is a satisfactory policy and scheme of work for history there is none for geography. Improvement in these subjects since the time of the last inspection is satisfactory.

p.28

ART AND DESIGN, and DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Provision in art and design is satisfactory. Provision in design and technology is satisfactory.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have positive attitudes to art and design. • Some classes use computers well to support work in art and design. • Pupils’ skills are not built upon progressively in either subject because insufficient thought has been given to long-term planning. • Sometimes there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to plan and evaluate their work in design and technology.

p.29

Commentary

60. By the end of Year 2, standards are in line with national expectations in art and design, and pupils achieve well from a below average starting point. By the end of Year 6, standards are below expectation because pupils’ skills have not been sufficiently well developed year on year for standards to be higher. However, pupils’ achieve satisfactorily. There are no significant differences in the attainment of girls and boys. Those with English as an additional language or special educational needs make progress at a rate similar to their classmates.

p.29

Commentary

61. Standards in design and technology are in line with those expected and pupils achieve well. However, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to plan and evaluate their work in this subject. In art and design, the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. The identification by the subject co-ordinators of what should be taught in each year is a recent development and is leading to improved provision. However, this development has not had time to lead to improved standards. Teachers select areas from the schemes of work that link with topics in other areas, geography or history, for example. In a satisfactory Year 5 art and design lesson, pupils designed shields to link with work on Tudors in history. They had completed two designs in their sketchbooks and selected one of them to put on a shield. In order to do this, pupils drew a shield and cut it out. A number of pupils found this task difficult because they had poorly developed

p.29

Commentary

cutting skills. Consequently, pupils’ completed work was at a lower level than expected because these skills had not been developed at an earlier age.

p.29

Commentary

62. In art and design, and design technology, pupils make a good start in the first two years of school because teachers have made decisions about the skills pupils need to cover. For example, in Year 2 a display of pupils’ work indicates that they have mixed paints, creating shades and tints effectively by adding black and white to primary colours. In design and technology, photographic evidence indicates that pupils have had opportunities to design and make a roundabout, a moving vehicle and a seaside ornament, indicating a satisfactorily broad and balanced curriculum.

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Commentary

63. The leadership and management of these subjects are unsatisfactory. This is because there have been no opportunities for the recently appointed co-ordinators to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning. They are both beginning to tackle long-term plans for the subjects, and decide upon schemes of work that will ensure curriculum continuity and progression, focusing on the development of skills. The design and technology co-ordinator has drawn up a good action plan to address the subject’s priorities. There are no procedures for assessment in place in either subject, and this is unsatisfactory. Good use of information and communication technology was made in a Year 6 lesson when pupils used a screen printing programme to produce ‘Pop Art’ in the style of Andy Warhol. Bankwood Primary School - 30

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MUSIC

The provision for music is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers use good quality resources well to promote learning. • Pupils have enthusiastic attitudes towards the subject. • Equality of access to specialist teaching is good. • Pupils in Year 3 learn to play recorders well. • The profile of the subject is raised through enriching opportunities such as the choir, which gives pupils the chance to perform for parents and the public. • There is no development plan for the subject and the co-ordinator does not check the rate of progress in different classes. • Pupils are not always challenged sufficiently because teachers’ knowledge and confidence varies from class to class.

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Commentary

64. Standards across the school are in line with the expected levels and achievement is good. Many pupils, however, shine out as examples of what is possible to attain through enthusiasm, commitment and dedication. The rich variety of experiences from specialist teachers helps many pupils to exceed the expectation for their age. Standards in appreciation of music are stronger than standards in singing and composing.

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Commentary

65. The quality of teaching is good. In all lessons, teaching promotes collaborative working and positive attitudes to music. Pupils in the Year 1 and 2 classes now have more opportunities to explore sound than at the time of the last inspection. A good example was seen when Year 1 pupils were captivated by and accompanied the sound from a trumpet which inspired a good appreciation of rhythm and pitch. The inspired teaching and shared enjoyment in a Year 5 lesson helps pupils to reach higher standards. In this lesson the pace of learning and the contribution of ideas by pupils was impressive.

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Commentary

66. The celebration of skills when the choir performs with pupils from other schools and for their parents is a credit to the work of the teachers and to the pupils’ own perseverance and confidence. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The subject leader has produced a clear scheme of work and teachers across the school say that this is helpful. Resources have been managed very well so that pupils now have access to good quality instruments. There is no development plan for the subject and little checking of learning in lessons takes place. At this time ICT is not used sufficiently to enhance pupils’ learning and teachers have not enough opportunities to develop their subject knowledge. Bankwood Primary School - 31

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Provision in physical education is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good programme of extra-curricular activities. • Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve very well in dance. • Good links with external partners and providers are helping to improve provision. • Teachers do not provide pupils with enough opportunities to evaluate how well they are doing and to suggest what they need to do to improve. • Procedures to assess pupils’ attainment and progress are unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

67. By the end of Year 2 standards are in line with those expected. By the end of Year 6, standards are below those expected. Pupils achieve satisfactorily and the quality of teaching is satisfactory. Improvement since the time of the last inspection is good.

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Commentary

68. Teaching is satisfactory. The oldest pupils benefit from teachers’ good planning which provides activities that are matched well to pupils’ needs. In games, pupils achieve satisfactorily in throwing, catching and moving in response to their partner’s actions. However, teachers do not provide pupils with enough information about what they need to do to improve. Nor do teachers provide pupils with sufficient opportunities to evaluate how well they are doing and to suggest, for themselves, what they need to do to improve. The same weaknesses in teaching are evident when games are taught in Year 4. However, pupils in this year group are enthusiastic and work hard in response to their teachers’ expectations and to the good range of challenging activities provided for them.

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Commentary

69. In games in Year 2, lower-attaining pupils show poor footwork and slow reactions. Teaching is providing them with activities to address these weaknesses and these are gradually improving standards. In Year 1 in dance, pupils achieve very well. This is because the quality of teaching is very good. Pupils work very hard, responding very well to the enthusiasm of their teacher, as they warm up their muscles to ‘The Bear Necessities’. These pupils show good movement skills and good recall of their previous learning. This is evident when they perform and add to their ‘Pearl Dance’, based on the movements of sea animals.

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Commentary

70. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has provided a supportive scheme of work, which is helping teachers to become increasingly confident. There have not been enough opportunities for the co-ordinator to monitor the quality of teaching and learning, and procedures to assess pupils’ attainment and progress are unsatisfactory. A valuable link has been created through the School Sports Co-ordinator Programme. This link is helping to improve the quality of provision for the subject. A well-attended programme of extra- curricular activities makes a valuable contribution to the development of pupils’ physical skills. These activities include a lunchtime dance club for younger pupils and a karate club. Both activities are led well by visiting instructors. Bankwood Primary School - 32

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education and citizenship is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The provision is helping pupils to understand their contribution to the community in which they to live and to address some of the challenges they face. • Good use is made of external agencies and providers to support pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

71. The school’s work in providing personal, social and health education and citizenship is satisfactory. The school recognises the important contribution this provision makes to pupils wellbeing. It also helps pupils to understand the contribution they make to the community in which they live and to resolving the challenges they face. The provision is beginning to make a positive contribution to pupils’ personal development through the satisfactory use of time set aside for pupils to discuss issues that are important to them. Satisfactory programmes of work are in place to cover sex and relationships education, and to alert pupils to the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse. The school nurse is involved well in supporting the development and delivery of these programmes. Pupils value the opportunities provided for them to discuss issues that worry them or are of topical importance. Many pupils respond well when these

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Commentary

opportunities arise. However, the contributions of many pupils are restricted by their poor speaking and listening skills. Bankwood Primary School - 33

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 5 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 5 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 4 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 5 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 4 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 4 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 5 The governance of the school 5 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 5 The effectiveness of management 4

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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); Bankwood Primary School - 34 unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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