Boarshaw Community Primary School

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996

Boarshaw Community 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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Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996

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. Boarshaw Community Primary School - 3

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Boarshaw Community Primary School is a slightly larger than average sized school for pupils aged 5 to 11, plus nursery provision for children aged 3 and 4. It is situated in the Boarshaw ward of Middleton, between Manchester and Rochdale. The school is subject to reorganisation and is moving gradually from two classes in each year group to one class in each year group. Currently, there are 282 children and pupils in the Reception to Year 6 classes. In addition, 31 children attend the nursery with a full-time equivalent attendance of 16.5 pupils, giving the school a total full-time equivalent roll of just over 295 pupils. The school serves a mixed area of privately owned and local authority housing. The area experiences some social deprivation, as seen in its location within the Rochdale Education Action Zone (EAZ) and in the higher than average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, at

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

nearly 40 per cent. The school is part of the Excellence in Cities (EiC) initiative. In 1999 the school received Investor in People (IiP) status and in 2003 it achieved the silver Healthy Schools award. Breakfast and After School Clubs provide care for pupils outside of the normal school day. Pupils come from mainly White British backgrounds, with a small number of pupils coming from mixed Caribbean, African and Asian British backgrounds. A few pupils, less than two per cent, are at an early stage of acquiring English. Nearly 29 per cent of pupils are identified as having special educational needs (SEN). This is above the national average of 17.5 per cent. The percentage of pupils with statements of special educational needs, at 1.5 per cent, is similar to the national average. Attainment on entry is well below the national average. Boarshaw Community Primary School - 4

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CW8 4DU

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the 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.oftsed.gov.uk). Boarshaw Community Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Boarshaw Community Primary School provides a satisfactory education for its pupils. Because there is good provision for the personal and social development of pupils, they behave well have very good, trusting relationships with adults in the school. The school has effective links with parents, who value the care that the school provides for their children. The pupils also have good views of the school because they value the way their teachers seek, respect and act on their views. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. Children in the nursery learn well because there are very good arrangements to help them to settle into school quickly and because the teaching is consistently very good. Pupils with special educational needs achieve as well as most other pupils. Weaknesses in the management of teaching, learning and subject leadership mean that teaching, while satisfactory overall, is not as good as it could be. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Good behaviour by the pupils and positive attitudes to learning result from their teachers’ insistence on high standards of behaviour. • Good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education and good opportunities for their spiritual, moral and cultural development result in very good relationships among the pupils. • Pupils at an early stage of acquiring English are not provided for well enough. • Expectations of teaching and learning are not clearly stated or checked and assessment is not used well enough to raise standards. • Not all teachers’ leadership and management skills are used as effectively as they could be. • There is good, spacious accommodation with satisfactory resources and good enrichment of the curriculum, including through the arts and sport. • There are effective links with parents, who value the information provided for them.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. Improvements to resources for information and communication technology (ICT) have resulted in better standards. The curriculum is better planned but teachers’ planning does not always reflect the learning needs of different groups of pupils. Leadership responsibilities are shared with key staff but the impact of their work is not checked consistently well.

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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 D C E E Mathematics E D E E Science D E E D Key: A – well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2. Boarshaw Community Primary School - 7 The achievement of pupils over time is satisfactory. Currently, good achievement from a low level on entry to the nursery ensures that a small minority of the children in the Foundation Stage meet the goals expected for their learning by the end of the reception year. In Years 1 and 2 pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. By the end of Year 2 standards in science and information and communication technology (ICT) are in line with nationally expected standards. In reading, writing and mathematics, standards are below those expected. Achievement in Years 3 to 6 is satisfactory.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Standards in the current Year 6 are below those expected nationally in English and mathematics and similar to those expected nationally in science and ICT.

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Pupils have good attitudes and they behave well. The school makes good provision for

pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development. Very good relationships in the school result from the teachers’ high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. As a result, the personal and social development of the pupils is good. Pupils are conscientious and work hard. Attendance is unsatisfactory, largely due to the poor attendance of a small group of pupils. The school takes satisfactory action to improve attendance. Pupils are keen to attend and most are punctual.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is satisfactory. Teaching is satisfactory overall with good teaching in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. Learning is satisfactory. Teaching and learning in Years 3 to 6 is satisfactory overall because there is inconsistent use of assessment to provide for the different learning needs of all pupils. Teachers insist on good behaviour from the pupils and this leads to calm and well-ordered lessons. Teachers take good care of their pupils, respecting their views and making them feel safe and secure. The curriculum is satisfactory. The pupils enjoy a good range of activities that enrich the curriculum. Provision for personal, social and health education and citizenship is good. There are satisfactory links with the community. Relationships between staff and pupils are very good. Together, these promote good attitudes among the pupils, helping them to value their school and learning. The school works hard to establish positive links with parents, resulting in an

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

effective working partnership between home and school.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall, leadership, management and governance are satisfactory. The headteacher provides good moral and spiritual leadership. However, the leadership of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory. Management systems for checking and improving the quality of teaching and learning are not as effective as they need to be to ensure that teaching is matched consistently to the learning needs of pupils and thereby improve standards. The headteacher and governors have managed the school’s reorganisation to single form entry well to minimise disruption. Financial and day-to-day management is satisfactory. The governing body ensures that statutory requirements are met and has a sound understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents like the school. They know that the school cares for their children well and helps them to be interested in learning. Pupils also like the school. They value the varied and enjoyable activities that the school provides. They know that their teachers will care for them well and help them to do their best, so they try hard with their work.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

In order to improve further the school should:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Make better use of day-to-day assessment to set learning targets matched closely to the learning needs of pupils and to improve standards in English and mathematics. • Develop the use of information and communication technology across the curriculum. • Improve the leadership of teaching and learning and the management of leadership responsibilities. Boarshaw Community Primary School - 8 • Improve the provision of English language teaching for pupils at an early stage of acquiring English.

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils in Years 1 and 2 make satisfactory achievement . By the end of Year 2 standards in reading, writing and mathematics are below average . Pupils in Years 3 to 6 also make satisfactory achievement but the standards in the current Year 6 are below average in English and mathematics and average in science, information and communications technology and religious education.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Improved provision for children in the Foundation Stage leads to good achievement. • Most pupils begin school with well below average levels of attainment. In Years 1 and 2 pupils make satisfactory achievement but standards remain below national expectations in English and mathematics by the end of Year 2. • Standards for the current Year 6 are below average. Inspection evidence shows that this is the result of a higher than average proportion of pupils with special educational needs. • Results in national tests in the years prior to the inspection have been satisfactory and sometimes good in comparison with similar schools. • The attainment of the current Year 5 group indicates the likelihood of improved standards next year. • Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are average throughout the school, an improvement since the last inspection.

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Commentary

1. Because of their good achievement, resulting from the mainly good teaching and learning, some children in the Foundation Stage are likely to meet, and a few exceed, the learning goals in all six of the areas of learning for their age. Children who begin the Foundation Stage with low levels of attainment achieve well but most are still working towards the learning goals for their age by the end of the Reception class. Good achievement in language and communication and mathematical understanding leads to good preparation for learning in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy by the start of Year 1.

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Commentary

2. The children’s personal and social skills are developed well in the Foundation Stage so that they establish good routines and are keen to learn. This is a direct result of the good encouragement they receive from adults in the school and from the good partnerships that the nursery and reception classes establish with parents. These partnerships have a good effect on the children’s achievement. Boarshaw Community Primary School - 9 3. The Foundation Stage unit of nursery and reception classes has only been operating for a short time and the good work in preparing children for Years 1 and 2 of the National Curriculum has not yet had the required impact on achievement for these pupils. Consequently, the achievement of pupils in Years 1 ands 2 is satisfactory rather than good and standards of English and mathematics in Year 2 are below the average. Standards in science and in information and communication technology are satisfactory, which is better than at the time of the last inspection.

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Commentary

4. The table below shows that standards in Year 2 in 2003 were below the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Other than in writing, standards are below those of the previous year, reflecting the increasing numbers of pupils with learning difficulties and special educational needs. The impact of the effective work being done by the recently established Foundation Stage unit has not yet been felt in the results attained by pupils at the end of Year 2.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results Reading 13.9 (14.2) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 13.4 (13.2) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 14.7 (15.1) 15.5 (15.5) There were 46 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

5. Similarly, the learning skills of pupils in Years 3 to 6 are barely satisfactory and, because teaching is also satisfactory overall rather than consistently good, achievement is satisfactory overall. However, there are groups of pupils within each ability group who do not achieve as well as they could because, in many lessons, the use of assessment to target learning is unsatisfactory. Standards in the current Year 6 are below those expected nationally in English and mathematics. Standards in science are in line with national expectations and an improvement in provision since the last inspection means that standards in information and communication technology are also in line with those expected nationally. Standards in physical education are good in Year 6 as a result of recent initiatives to improve the leadership and management of the subject.

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Commentary

6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve satisfactorily because of the effective support provided for them. However, the support provided for the small minority of pupils who are at an early stage of acquiring English is unsatisfactory and these pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

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Commentary

7. The table below shows that the standards achieved at the end of Year 6 are below the national average and lower than those attained the previous year. The inspection identified the factors contributing to this dip in standards, including a higher than average proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the year group in 2003. An analysis of pupils’ work shows that pupils in the current Year 6 could not be expected to attain results in national tests near to the national average due to the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the year group. Further examination of the work of Years 3 to 5 shows that there is likely to be fluctuations in levels of attainment in subsequent Year 6 groups. The work of the current Year 5 shows that these pupils are likely to attain results closer to the national average in national tests at the end of Year 6.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results English 23.4 (27.3) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 24.0 (26.1) 26.8 (26.7) Science 26.1 (27.3) 28.6 (28.3) There were 42 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year Boarshaw Community Primary School - 10

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good . Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Attendance is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ attitudes to school and their work are good. • Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is good. • The behaviour of most pupils in classes and around the school is good. • Relationships with adults and peers are very good. • Attendance is below the national average.

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Commentary

8. Pupils’ views of the school are good. They value the care they are shown and the good relationships they establish with their teachers. They like the opportunities they have to learn outside the classroom, especially residential visits and the work they have been doing with the Education Action Zone (EAZ) to develop their creative skills. In the majority of lessons, pupils show positive attitudes to their work. This is similar to the findings at the time of the last inspection. They listen attentively, maintain concentration and have good working habits. They mix well and enjoy very good and harmonious relationships with adults and classmates throughout the school. Pupils with English as an additional language and those from ethnic minority backgrounds are keen to participate fully in activities. Overall, the school focuses well on pupils’ personal and social development.

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Commentary

9. Good opportunities to support pupils’ spiritual development are provided, particularly in assemblies, religious education lessons and through special projects and themes, for instance when pupils are enabled to empathise with fugitive slaves in their dramatisation of the American Civil War. Pupils are regularly given time to reflect on particular themes and many show confidence when expressing feelings and thoughts.

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Commentary

10. There are whole school rules and pupils are effectively encouraged to learn right from wrong. They respond positively to the high expectations that staff have of them. Good use is made of golden rules to reward good behaviour and to foster among pupils a sense of fairness. Older pupils support younger ones and are always ready to mediate between peers to resolve conflicts. The response of all members of staff to any poor behaviour and instances of bullying is managed in accordance with school policies in a consistent way, and both pupils and parents recognise that this is handled quickly and efficiently. Older pupils are given tasks both in class and around the school that develop their sense of responsibility well.

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Commentary

11. Some opportunities are used well to develop pupils’ cultural awareness particularly through visitors, for instance to celebrate festivals like Diwali and the Chinese New Year. The use of the EAZ to develop the arts has been instrumental in enabling the pupils in Year 6 to develop their understanding of discrimination and racial conflicts.

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Commentary

12. The school works hard to promote good behaviour and this is largely successful. By introducing a Behaviour Improvement Plan (BIP) the school has improved behaviour and relationships through consistent implementation of sanctions and rewards. All the adults set a good example to pupils in the way that they treat everyone with respect. Teachers and classroom assistants make their expectations clear, and pupils understand what is expected of them. Pupils know and understand the rewards that they can earn in their classes for good work, effort and behaviour. At playtimes, pupils play well together, if somewhat boisterously. In the dining hall, pupils chat happily together and welcome visitors.

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Attendance

Boarshaw Community Primary School - 11 13. Attendance is unsatisfactory. The school operates an electronic system for monitoring attendance. Registers are taken in the morning and afternoon, and pupils’ absence is marked unauthorised unless an acceptable reason is given. Attendance performance is monitored each week by class and an award made to the class whose record for the week is best. The unsatisfactory attendance statistics are caused in part by the habitual absence and lack of punctuality of a significant minority, but the measures taken to date have not achieved any improvement.

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Attendance

14. The school takes special action when any pupils’ attendance falls below 80%. The Educational Welfare Officer is involved and attempts are made to involve parents in an effort to secure improvements. A new approach has started this year whereby individual pupils are awarded Platinum, Gold and Silver awards according to their attendance during the year. This initiative impacts well on the majority of pupils but there remains a small minority of pupils whose poor attendance has a negative overall effect on the school’s efforts to improve attendance.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 6.5 School data 0.7 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year (2003)

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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 213 4 0 White – Irish 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 7 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 4 2 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 3 0 0 Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 3 0 0 Parent/pupil preferred not to say 2 0 0 Information not obtained 11 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a satisfactory quality of education for its pupils. The overall quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory , as is the quality of assessment . The school provides a satisfactory curriculum and there are good opportunities for pupils to learn from activities outside the normal school curriculum, especially residential visits. The accommodation is good because it is spacious and well used. Resources are satisfactory overall, with good provision in the central library. The school provides a satisfactory standard of care for its pupils and links with parents are good. Boarshaw Community Primary School - 12

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall . Assessment procedures are satisfactory overall but in some lessons assessment is not used well enough to plan activities that meet the individual learning needs of pupils of all abilities.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Assessment is not used well to plan activities to develop and meet individual learning needs. Too many lessons were seen in which all pupils carried out the same activities. • Although the teaching of pupils with special educational needs is overall satisfactory and they are fully included in lessons, the teaching of pupils who are at an early stage of acquiring English is sometimes unsatisfactory, meaning that their learning is unsatisfactory also. • Pupils are managed well and as a result, pupils’ attitudes to work and their behaviour in lessons are very good. • Teaching and learning in the foundation stage are very good and are strengths of the school. • The teaching and learning of the humanities is good. • The use of information and communication technology to support learning across the curriculum is underdeveloped.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 30 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons on a scale from 1 (excellent) to 7 (very poor).

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Commentary

15. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good overall and in Years 1 to 6 it is satisfactory overall, with more good teaching seen in Years 1 and 2. The quality of teaching is similar to that found at the time of the last inspection. In all subjects, lessons were seen in which all pupils were expected to carry out the same tasks. Although a good level of assessment information is available to identify how well pupils are learning this is not consistently used well to plan lessons that meet individual learning needs. In mathematics lessons a reliance on the scheme of work and an expectation that pupils will work through the same pages of the textbook does not effectively meet the needs of all pupils. So, higher attaining pupils work at too slow a pace and the work is too difficult for lower attaining pupils. In literacy, lessons were seen in which pupils were expected to move around the same cycle of activities. For the more able pupils the pace of these lessons is slow

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Commentary

and they are not stretched. For the less able pupils this approach provides insufficient opportunities for pupils to consolidate and practise previous learning.

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Commentary

16. Teachers manage pupils well and, as a result, lessons run smoothly with little need for teachers to interrupt lessons to reprimand pupils. Teachers have clear expectations of pupils’ behaviour and pupils know this well, for example, pupils calling out without putting up their hands are reminded of the correct procedure. As a result, behaviour in lessons is good. Pupils generally concentrate well although some fidgeting and lapses of concentration were observed when the lesson was not exciting or failed to interest the pupils, for example, when introductions were unnecessarily long.

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Commentary

17. The teaching in the Foundation Stage is very good. The teachers, nursery nurses and teaching assistant work very well together as a team and share an agreed philosophy of how children of this age learn. The children’s positive response is apparent in the confident manner in which they Boarshaw Community Primary School - 13 conduct themselves and in the very good achievement hey make in all the nationally agreed areas of learning. A particular strength of teaching is the way in which all the staff work together to organise the ‘unit time’. This is time in which children have the apparent freedom to play and choose their own activities. In fact, the sociable and relaxed atmosphere created hides a well- organised structure in which activities offered are chosen carefully and children well targeted and encouraged to move towards the activities they need in order to further develop. Each adult has a

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Commentary

very clear understanding of the role they are playing at this time. Relationships between adults and children are very good and children respond well by having good attitudes to learning. This was seen in the introduction to a nursery afternoon taken by a nursery nurse. All children were individually welcomed and a boy who was distressed at having to leave his mother settled very well when tempted to join in the role play organised by the nursery nurse. Lessons in the reception classes are well organised and well planned. Assessment in the Foundation Stage is very good and staff know the children’s needs well. As a result, activities in these more formal lessons are well differentiated to meet the individual learning needs of the children. 18. In the lessons observed teachers had a good knowledge and understanding of history, geography and religious education and teaching and learning in these subjects was good. The significant

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Commentary

difference between teaching in these subjects and in others seen is that activities are challenging and actively involve pupils. Pupils enjoy these lessons and are motivated to learn. Teachers prepare activities that encourage pupils to think about what they learning and because the activities are often of a practical nature pupils become very involved. Examples of this include a history lesson in which pupils played a card game at the beginning in which they had to find a country on a map of the world with which the Vikings had traded. Another example was when another class learning about the American Civil War in history held up Confederate or Union flags to represent the range of views on the continuum of opinion. Recent good quality support for teaching and learning in physical education has led to improved achievement and beneficial results in the leadership and management of the subject.

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Commentary

19. Too few occasions were seen during the inspection of information and communication technology being used to support learning in subjects across the curriculum. This is because almost of the computers are in the computer suite and most classes do not have ready access to a computer to use as the need arises.

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The curriculum

The school provides satisfactory opportunities for pupils’ learning and a good range of activities for enrichment outside the school day and through visits. Accommodation is good , learning resources are satisfactory but some aspects of the use of staff skills and expertise are unsatisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is good. • There is a good range of activities for learning beyond the school day. • The school fosters participation in sports effectively. • Access to the curriculum for some EAL pupils is inadequate. • There are weaknesses in the deployment of some staff.

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Commentary

20. The curriculum meets all statutory requirements. Since the last inspection, the school has addressed the weaknesses in planning and this is now satisfactory. It focuses well on the development of pupils’ personal and social skills and encourages them to develop good skills and make right choices. The teaching of literacy skills across the curriculum is sound but overall, opportunities are not systematically planned with the needs of EAL pupils not identified and addressed effectively. There is insufficient emphasis on developing speaking skills. Information and communication technology (ICT) is occasionally used in literacy with programs available to Boarshaw Community Primary School - 14 support numeracy but there are few examples of ICT skills being integrated and used to enhance learning in other subjects.

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Commentary

21. The majority of pupils have appropriate access to the full curriculum. Boys and girls participate on an equal footing in most activities on offer. However, insufficient attention is given to some of the pupils with EAL to enable them to have full access to learning.

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Commentary

22. A good range of additional activities to extend learning, including a good number of sporting activities, enhances the curriculum. These include athletics, badminton, cricket, cross country running, football, rounders and swimming. The rate of participation is good and many of these opportunities are used well to develop pupils’ personal and social skills. Learning is also effectively extended through a wide range of visits and visitors with opportunities judiciously integrated across different subjects. Some examples developed through EAZ initiatives and involving the use of drama, music and the arts are having a positive impact on pupils’ achievement and are a good illustration of promoting excellence and enjoyment. 23. The school has an appropriate number of qualified teachers and support staff. Teaching assistants are effectively deployed to provide support for pupils with special educational needs.

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Commentary

However, the use of staff skills, for instance those of the deputy headteacher, are not matched to specific school improvement areas and the expertise of some staff has not been judiciously harnessed to maximise their effectiveness as senior managers.

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Commentary

24. The school’s accommodation is good overall and allows all the subjects of the National Curriculum and the Foundation Stage curriculum to be taught effectively. There is plenty of space throughout the school to take small groups for individual tuition and to hear children read. The whole school site is well maintained, safe and clean. Resources throughout the school are satisfactory.

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Care, guidance and support

The overall quality of the care, guidance and support provided for pupils is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Induction procedures and the overall provision of a safe and healthy environment in the Foundation Stage unit are very good. • Governors have a good grasp of the care issues facing the school and provide good support to the management team • The small number of pupils whose first language is not English are inadequately provided for. • There is a lack of robust leadership and effective team building in the overall provision of care and support.

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Commentary

25. Induction procedures for pupils entering the Foundation Stage are very good and include home visits in addition to the normal opportunities for pupils and parents to visit the school. This is a good improvement since the last inspection. Provision outside the Foundation Stage is less well structured however, and there is little support for new pupils entering with English language difficulties.

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Commentary

26. The general procedures for ensuring pupils welfare are sound. A Health and Safety Policy is in place, the few accidents are properly recorded and acted upon, and teachers have a good understanding of the individual needs of pupils. For example, good care is taken with securing and dispensing of medicines.

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Commentary

27. Formal risk assessment is only periodically carried out, but the school takes appropriate accident prevention measures when risk is apparent. For example, the school has taken exceptional measures to prevent vandalism from people climbing on the school roof by erecting barriers and Boarshaw Community Primary School - 15 by the use of special ‘anti-climbing’ paint on drainpipes. Play in the playground is boisterous, but well monitored, although there is little provision for pupils who prefer less physical activity at playtime. The school has helped structure physical play by installing a range of playground equipment. Pupils were consulted over the choice of equipment, which has proved a popular success.

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Commentary

28. The school takes appropriate measures to maintain a good standard of security to the building. The school site manager reacts well to any problems of litter and broken glass. The school carries out fire drills twice per term and has fire extinguishers appropriately placed. There is no formal training in the use of fire extinguishers however.

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Commentary

29. The school governors understand the school environment well and give considerable support to the head teacher and senior management team. A new Learning Mentor (LM) has been appointed, funded under the Behaviour Improvement Programme (BIP) as part of the Excellence In Cities initiative. There are a relatively high number of pupils with special needs and the LM is working hard to address the individual needs of pupils requiring special help. The Educational Welfare Officer regularly visits the school and support is provided by local community police officers. The school listens to pupils’ views and uses ‘circle time’, where pupils discuss issues that affect them as a class group, to address issues of concern. Pupils questioned said that although some bullying existed, they were happy at school and felt confident that they had a teacher who they trusted, to go to for support.

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Commentary

30. The ‘Playground Pals’ system, whereby nominated Year 6 pupils act as playground monitors and supporters, was seen to be working well during the inspection and younger pupils felt secure and reassured by their presence. Overall, the provision for care and support is satisfactory thanks to the efforts of individual staff members, but the approach is somewhat unstructured and lacking in co-ordination.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents are good and parents are happy with the school. Links with the community are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents say they are satisfied with the school. • Parents’ evenings are well attended and parents see the school as open and approachable. • The school provides ‘breakfast club’ and ‘after school’ care which are highly valued by parents and contribute to learning. • Links with other schools tend to be of a routine nature and community links mostly derive from parents with pupils currently at the school.

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Commentary

31. Parents overwhelmingly say that the school provides well for its pupils. This is similar to the view expressed by parents at the time of the last inspection. The pre-inspection questionnaire showed that nearly all of those responding felt that teaching was good and nearly 95 per cent responded that staff expected pupils to work hard and do their best. Much of this was confirmed at a pre- inspection meeting with parents, although some referred to a lack of consistency in homework policy.

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Commentary

32. The school provides an interim assessment on each child every term and a formal report once per year. There are two parents evenings annually. They are well attended. An informative weekly newsletter provides general information about school activities, information about current attendance levels, and a section on sport to which pupils contribute. Parents are sent a questionnaire about every 18 months. The most recent clearly indicated that parents felt well informed about pupils progress and 96.2% said that they found staff approachable and willing to Boarshaw Community Primary School - 16 listen to concerns or complaints. The most common concern raised relates to the behaviour of a significant minority of pupils. The school has attempted to address this concern by introducing a school / home agreement, which is actively supported by about 60 per cent of parents.

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Commentary

33. The school is part of an Education Action Zone and accordingly has links with other member schools. The ‘breakfast club’ and ‘after school’ club are well supported and provide a good point of contact with the school for working parents. There is regular contact with the network of Middleton primary schools and schools funded by the Behaviour Improvement Programme (BIP). These contacts help broaden the horizons of the school and benefit the curriculum. For example, a music teacher visits from one of these schools, and the relationships help with transition for pupils moving onto local secondary education.

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Commentary

34. Pupils enjoy the regular trips and outings organised by the headteacher and other staff and Year 6 pupils have recently been working with the ‘Artists in Schools’ programme to create a fascinating mural that now adorns the wall of the main hall. Despite ample space, there is little use of the buildings by local community groups, although an Angling Club rents rooms for its weekly meetings.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership, management and governance are satisfactory. The barriers to learning that the school has to contend with, including low socio-economic background and low expectations from some parents, have a negative impact on the work of the school.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher and governors have successfully steered the school through re-organisation. • Good moral and spiritual leadership by the headteacher directs the school to promote the social and moral development of pupils. • Very good leadership of the Foundation Stage team represents a good model for the management and leadership of improvement. • The leadership of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory. • The action in response to the monitoring of performance data has not been as effective as it could be.

p.16

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.16

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income £810270 Balance from previous year £30415 Total expenditure £779471 Balance carried forward to the next £30799 Expenditure per pupil £2616

p.16

Commentary

35. Re-organisation of the school from two-form entry to one-form entry has been a focus of the work of the school over the last two years. This process has been managed well through effective teamwork between the headteacher and governing body. As a result, the school is now in a sound position to move forward as a single-form entry school. The impact on the school’s budget and on the deployment of staff has been minimised by careful forward planning and sound management of change as a result of the headteacher’s commitment to effective re-organisation and the good support he has received from the governing body.

p.16

Commentary

36. The headteacher provides a good role model for the leadership of the spiritual and moral dimension of the school. Overall, leadership is similar to that seen at the time of the last inspection. The headteacher’s expectations are reflected in the positive relationships among Boarshaw Community Primary School - 17 pupils and between pupils and adults, making a good contribution to pupils’ personal and social development.

p.16

Commentary

37. The success of the Foundation Stage is a reflection of the positive teamwork resulting from the effective management skills of the very good team leader. The effectiveness of this team provides a good model of the management of improvement for other teams in the school.

p.17

Commentary

38. The leadership of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory. There is no whole-school approach to improving the quality of teaching. This is reflected in the inconsistent use of assessment to set learning targets for pupils of different abilities and in the high proportions of lessons where expectations were barely satisfactory. The leadership team does not explicitly state clear expectations of the quality of teaching and learning, such as might be exemplified through a whole-school teaching and learning policy.

p.17

Commentary

39. The school is developing a useful database of assessment information to help to evaluate its success. However, there is insufficient impact on the work of teachers through rigorous evaluation of the school’s performance. For example, the school has not rigorously analysed the added value from Year 2 to Year 6 of individual pupils to identify unsatisfactory achievement by some groups of pupils or prompted action to improve achievement. This is a weakness in the school’s management, which lessens the impact of other aspects of school improvement.

p.17

The effects of any particular aids or barriers to raising achievement

40. The school’s involvement in an arts project with other schools, through the Education Action Zone (EAZ), is raising expectations and awareness of the impact of drama and performance on pupils’ literacy skills. This good practice is being enthusiastically shared through the good leadership by the school’s co-ordinator for links with the EAZ.

p.17

The effects of any particular aids or barriers to raising achievement

41. The low socio-economic background of some pupils and the lack of involvement in, and commitment to, their children’s education by some parents has a negative impact on the school’s work to raise achievement.

p.17

The effects of any particular aids or barriers to raising achievement

42. Recent improvements in teaching and learning in physical education and good role models for the teaching of creative subjects in Year 6 have a positive impact on standards and help teachers to recognise the potential for pupils to achieve better. Boarshaw Community Primary School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good .

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Most children start full-time in the nursery in the September after their third birthday, with a few attending part-time. This is the first inspection for the Foundation Stage unit so there is no previous evaluation against which to judge improvement. Most of the children move into the school’s Reception classes in the September of the year in which they are five. Overall provision for children in the Foundation Stage unit is very good. Leadership and management are very effective and lead to teaching and learning that are very good in all aspects of learning.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Judgements have been made about the provision and achievements of the children in the Foundation Stage Unit in their personal and social development, in communication language and literacy and mathematical development. Work was sampled in the other areas of learning. Attainment on entry to the nursery is lower than at the time of the last inspection. Whilst the full range of attainment is still represented the proportion of pupils entering the nursery with attainment well below the expected level is now greater. Children achieve well in the nursery. Assessments of children made when they enter the reception classes show overall attainment to have risen from well below those expected to below as a result of very good teaching and learning.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

There are good induction procedures for the children so that they make a secure start to school. There is a smooth transition when the children move into Year 1.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Judgements about the standards that children are likely to reach by the end of the reception classes show that the attainments of some of the children are in line with expectations but that most children are unlikely to attain the expected early learning goals in all of the areas of learning. Overall achievement in the Foundation Stage is very good.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teaching creates a calm, supportive, learning environment. • Staff enjoy good relationships with children and provide good role models. • Clear routines and a consistent and positive approach by staff enable the children to become independent and to learn very well.

p.18

Commentary

43. Very good teaching in this area of learning allows the children to learn and achieve well. As a result, most of the children are likely to reach the levels expected of this area of learning by the end of the reception year. The teachers and support staff have created a calm, busy learning environment. Unit time, where pupils work on a range of activities under close supervision, is well organised so that the children feel confident and secure. In this time children learn to make choices and they quickly settle down to activities with a minimum of fuss.

p.18

Commentary

44. Staff enjoy very good relationships with the children. This means that the children set about their work with great enthusiasm and activity. They are confident and relaxed in their surroundings and consequently learning is effective. Boarshaw Community Primary School - 19 45. Children quickly understand the daily routines and know, for example, to sit on the carpet at the beginning of the session. Children in the Foundation Stage are rewarded for good attitudes and behaviour in the same way as pupils in the rest of the school. Their reward is ‘Golden Time’ which on one occasion was spent having a picnic in a local green area known as Boarshaw Clough.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teaching and learning ensures the children achieve very well. • Children are very well prepared for work in the Literacy Hour in Year 1.

p.19

Commentary

46. The children achieve very well because of the very good teaching by all members of the teaching team. When children enter the nursery speaking and listening skills for many are poor and many children have difficult expressing themselves or articulating words clearly. From the beginning there is a focus on developing these skills and each day children have a set time when they are encouraged to speak and listen. In the nursery children are expected to listen and join in the singing of nursery rhymes. Role-play activities are encouraged for all children and at the time of the inspection children were developing their speaking and listening skills as they played at being vets. In more formal lessons, for example in literacy in the reception classes, children are encouraged to speak and actively join in the lesson. Listening skills are well developed and children listen with interest to the reading of the ‘Big Book’ in literacy lessons in the Reception

p.19

Commentary

classes. In these lessons, activities children do to develop reading and writing skills are very well matched to their needs and as a result they learn and achieve very well. The majority of average and higher attaining children identify the names and sounds of letters and read three letter words and simple phrases and sentences. More able children write a number of simple sentences unaided and are likely to reach the goals expected for their learning by the end of their time in the Foundation Stage. The children all have reading books. The children are beginning to read simple texts well, they look at the illustrations and talk about what is happening and what they think may happen next. The teachers have bright attractive books to engage the interests of the children and to encourage them to want to read.

p.19

Commentary

47. Literacy lessons in the reception classes follow the format of the National Literacy Strategy but are very well matched to the children’s learning needs. The time spent in this lesson is shorter that higher up the school and the activities are fun based and interesting for the children. Teachers read books very expressively and children listen very well. Children are encouraged to be practically involved in the lesson. For example, the children in one lesson enjoyed holding up puppets of different mini beasts and in another lesson children wanting to know more about snails learnt to consult the contents page. These lessons prepare children well for the next stage of learning.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good focused teaching allows the children to learn very well • Concentration on the basic skills ensures good achievement. Boarshaw Community Primary School - 20

p.19

Commentary

48. As a result of very good provision the children develop their mathematical awareness well. In ‘Unit Time’ they play in the sand and water and are developing good mathematical skills. They develop their counting skills as they count mini beasts. At the time of the inspection some children had already attained the expected goals for the end of their reception year. Children achieve very well because they are taught very well. The staff in the nursery and reception classes use successful methods and activities which build well on children’s previous learning. Children in the reception classes recognise numbers to ten and know their basic shapes and colours. Many children count to 20 and beyond and most count back from ten. Well-chosen activities motivate children to learn. For example, children counting the number of bees entering a hive learnt simple addition and the symbols associated with it.

p.20

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

49. Work in this area of learning was sampled and so no judgements have been made about teaching, learning and standards. Teacher’s records indicate that most children are on course to attain the expected standard by the end of the Reception year. It is clear that the children have a wide range of activities planned to engage their interests and stimulate their curiosity. At the time of the inspection children were learning about mini beasts and talked knowledgably about the life cycle of a butterfly. Children have experienced a wide range of activities such as melting ice cubes and creating shadows behind a sheet. Children use the computers confidently. They use the mouse effectively and understand how to click on icons to change what they are doing, for example, to change the colour of their picture.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

50. Work in this area was sampled and so no judgements have been made about teaching, learning and standards. The children play in the outdoor area working with a variety of activities. They throw balls with increasing dexterity. The children use small equipment with increasing control for example as they choose their own resources to create masks or paint pictures. Most children hold their pencils correctly.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

51. Work in this area of learning was sampled and so no judgements have been made about teaching, learning and standards. Children enjoy a good range of well-planned creative experiences to stimulate their imagination. They enjoy dressing up as vets, painting pictures and making masks.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards for the current Year 2 and Year 6 are below national expectations. • Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. • Assessment data is not effectively used to inform teaching and focus effectively on improvements. • ICT is not effectively harnessed to enhance learning in the subject. • Insufficient attention is given to developing speaking skills. Boarshaw Community Primary School - 21

p.20

Commentary

52. Overall standards in English are below those found nationally in Year 2 and 6 and mirror recent national test results. Standards in speaking and listening and in reading are slightly better by the end of Year 6 but are still below what is expected. However, from very low starting points, the majority of pupils achieve satisfactorily by the end of Year 6. Intervention strategies, including additional literacy support, booster classes in Year 5 and 6 and the use of EAZ resources are being used appropriately to raise pupils' achievement. However, the achievement of some among the small number of EAL pupils is unsatisfactory because their needs are not effectively targeted.

p.21

Commentary

53. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. Although many pupils listen well and concentrate during lessons, their speaking skills are much less well developed especially by the end of Year 2. Many are constrained by a limited vocabulary and many are either unwilling or unable to take an active part when responding to teachers' questions. Older pupils fare better with good number developing good skill through rehearsing their roles in drama and singing.

p.21

Commentary

54. Although good examples were seen of speaking skills being promoted in some lessons such as the discussion in a lesson in Year 2 on different types of food, this is rare. Few opportunities are systematically planned in some classes to enable pupils to present work to an audience, speak at length or take part in pair and group discussions. By the end of Year 2, in reading, the majority of pupils develop sound strategies for tackling unfamiliar words and higher attaining pupils use the context to guess meaning. By the end of Year 6, the more able pupils express clear preferences and justify their choice of books or authors. However, insufficient emphasis is put on the use of non-fiction to develop pupils’ research skills both in literacy and in other subjects. Although there are some effective records for guided reading with diagnostic comments for instance in Year 6, most teachers adopt their own system with little monitoring taking place to share good practice. In

p.21

Commentary

writing, achievement is satisfactory by Year 6. However in Years1and 2, there is too much emphasis on the development of discrete skills like “words of the week” to the detriment of extended writing.

p.21

Commentary

55. Teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Teachers have sound knowledge and understanding of the subject. There were some good examples seen of teachers using questioning to support pupils’ responses and good prompting to encourage less able pupils to respond to questions. In the best teaching, good use is made of demonstrations of skills to encourage participation for instance when pupils are provided with headings to support their retrieval of information and lower attaining pupils are given a word bank to complete the task successfully. However, in many cases, teachers tend to concentrate on those who volunteer and do not match their questions to ensure that all pupils are involved. Few opportunities are provided to enable pupils to develop speaking skills through pair and group work. Writing skills are not sufficiently rehearsed and demonstrated to enable pupils to write at length. Although marking is sound, with some good

p.21

Commentary

suggestions of how pupils can improve their work in Year 6, these are not followed through and used to identify improvements. Opportunities to use ICT skills in lessons are not systematically planned with opportunities sometimes missed for pupils to use it for drafting and redrafting.

p.21

Commentary

56. The subject is led satisfactorily but its management is unsatisfactory. Whilst there is a sound focus on identifying areas for improvement such as reading, the subject leader has not been effectively involved in sharing assessment information and undertaking sufficient monitoring to impact positively on raising pupils’ achievement. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection.

p.21

Literacy across the curriculum

57. Whilst some opportunities are used well to enable pupils to develop their literacy skills in a number of subjects for instance in history, drama and science, most of these are incidental and are not identified systematically and regularly in teachers’ planning.

p.21

MATHEMATICS

Boarshaw Community Primary School - 22 Provision in mathematics is satisfactory.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although achievement is satisfactory overall, it is unsatisfactory for a minority of pupils across all ability groups. • Assessment procedures are satisfactory but they are not used well enough in Years 3 to 6 to plan work that matches the learning needs of the pupils. Consequently, there is not enough differentiation in lessons. • Teachers in Years 3 to 6 rely too much on the published scheme of work. • Teachers in Years 3 to 6 provide insufficient opportunities to develop mental agility in mathematics through mental and oral activities.

p.22

Commentary

58. Standards of attainment are below national averages for pupils by the end of Years 2 and 6. Scrutiny of pupils’ progress records shows that, whilst the majority of pupils make the expected progress through the school and a small number make better than expected progress, a significant number of pupils across the full ability range fail to make the expected progress. This is because teaching often relies on working systematically through a published scheme of work rather than responding to pupils’ learning needs with appropriately challenging resources. Overall achievement is satisfactory. There has been satisfactory maintenance of achievement levels since the last inspection. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory.

p.22

Commentary

59. By Year 2, average ability pupils are able to recognise patterns in the multiplication tables of 3 and 4 and the most able recognise that common multiples jump in 12s. With support from the teacher most pupils count on and back in 3’s and 4’s. By the end of Year 6 pupils have a good understanding of place value and use this understanding to order decimals and convert fractions to decimals. They have a confident understanding of their times tables. They are also confident in handling data and explain terms like ‘mean’, ‘median’ and ‘mode’. They are less sure about aspects of shape and space. Less able pupils forget how many degrees the angles of a triangle add up to or the difference between calculating the perimeter of a shape and its area.

p.22

Commentary

60. Overall teaching and learning are satisfactory and some very good teaching was observed. Teaching in the youngest classes is good. The school, however, has not used the skills of a leading mathematics teacher on the staff to develop the mathematical teaching skills of other teachers. The most significant reason for underachievement by a minority of pupils is the lack of sufficient differentiation in the activities pupils are asked to complete. The common practice in the older classes is for pupils, regardless of ability, to work through the same pages of the published scheme of work. Differentiation for pupils of higher ability is with the expectation that they will cover more work. Whist this meets the needs of the majority of pupils it limits the progress of some of the more able pupils who have to progress at a slower pace than that at which they are capable.

p.22

Commentary

61. Teachers of pupils in the older classes rely too much on the published scheme of work. There is an expectation that pupils will work through pages of the scheme whatever their level of need. Teachers do not search for more appropriate material to cover the needs of a minority of pupils.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

62. Pupils’ mathematical skills are used satisfactorily in other subjects although there is no overall plan to ensure consistency in methods. A good example was seen in a history lesson when the teacher explained ‘diversity’ well by comparing it to the mathematical continuum of probability.

p.22

SCIENCE

Provision in science is satisfactory . Boarshaw Community Primary School - 23

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make satisfactory achievements and attain standards in line with the national average in the national assessments at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. • There are good opportunities for older pupils to practice their skills of investigative science.

p.23

Commentary

63. By encouraging children to be inquisitive and interested in the world around them in the Foundation Stage, the school prepares the Nursery and Reception children well for discovery learning through investigation. This philosophy is carried through the school so that pupils in Years 1 to 6 show a good level of interest in learning from, and about, science. Their work in books and displays around the school shows that they have a satisfactory knowledge of scientific facts and principles.

p.23

Commentary

64. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. There have been good efforts to promote teaching styles that encourage greater use of scientific investigation and learning through practical activities, such as was seen in a lesson to measure the growth of plants grown under more and less favourable conditions. Overall, there has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection.

p.23

Commentary

65. Pupils’ investigations and experiments show that they make deductions based on their knowledge and hypothesise thoughtfully, then test their ideas with good consideration for any factors that may influence the outcome of their tests. As a result, they learn the principle of testing fairly in order that findings can be accurate.

p.23

Commentary

66. Pupils’ work shows that they develop satisfactory skills of presenting their findings, for example using diagrams, tables and flow charts. So, their work is presented logically, clearly and neatly. They learn, therefore, the important disciplines of being scientific in the method of their enquiries and systematic in their presentation of the conclusions they reach. However, some work in some classes shows too much emphasis on learning facts about science and insufficient emphasis on investigation and experimentation.

p.23

Commentary

67. Satisfactory leadership of the subject means that it is monitored. Systems for regularly assessing the standards achieved are well established. All staff know that they are expected to assess units of work as they are taught. This provides up-to-date information about how well pupils are doing against the levels expected for their age. The data collected confirms the satisfactory standards seen in the results of national assessments gathered from tests in Year 6.

p.23

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards across all year groups have improved since the last inspection. • There is a good focus on developing ICT skills. • Monitoring in the subject is limited and not sufficiently focussed on the quality of teaching and learning. • ICT is not used consistently to support learning in other subjects.

p.23

Commentary

Boarshaw Community Primary School - 24 68. Pupils across the school reach standards in information and communication technology that are broadly in line with those expected. The majority, including those with special educational needs and those from ethnic minority backgrounds, achieve satisfactorily against their prior attainment.

p.24

Commentary

69. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Evidence gathered from discussion with pupils in Year 2, and from the analysis of their work, shows that they are familiar with basic operations with higher attaining pupils showing good skills in using a range of programs with confidence. The majority are familiar with painting programs and use and select appropriate tools and icons. In the direct teaching seen during the week of inspection, teachers used sound demonstration of the skills to be practiced by pupils and intervene positively to help them. The technician, who is available in all lessons to support teachers and pupils, ably assists them. In most lessons, pupils are enabled to draw on their previous learning and pauses are used effectively to provide guidance and refocus learning. Where teaching is less effective, mainly because work is sometimes not effectively matched to different abilities, especially for those pupils with EAL or for higher attaining pupils, no

p.24

Commentary

attempt is made to enable pupils to evaluate their learning at the end of the lesson and set targets for improvement. In all lessons, pupils respond well. They are motivated and collaborate well with each other.

p.24

Commentary

70. The subject is satisfactorily led. It is well planned and covers all strands appropriately. However, monitoring of standards in the subject is underdeveloped and this limits the scope for teachers to set improvement targets and use them to inform their planning. Since the last inspection, improvements have been made in resources for the subject and staff confidence and expertise have been developed through training, which has made a good contribution to pupils’ achievement, as seen in improved standards.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

71. Some use is made of ICT to promote learning in some subjects, particularly in literacy lessons, for instance when pupils use specific programs to help them with their spellings. However, ICT use in lessons is not planned systematically and sometimes opportunities are missed, for instance in literacy lessons where the potential for using ICT to draft and redraft writing is not fully exploited.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are in line with national expectations. • Teaching and learning is good in Years 3 to 6. • An interesting range of visits enriches the history curriculum.

p.24

Commentary

72. Teaching and learning in history is consistently good in Years 3 to 6, resulting in good achievement and satisfactory standards by Year 6. No lessons were observed in the Years 1 and 2 classes. Teachers have a secure knowledge and understanding of the subject and make it interesting for pupils to learn. Activities fully involve pupils and challenge them to think about the issues being taught. A good example of this was seen in a Year 6 lesson on the American Civil War. The difficult concept of understanding the opposing views in the war was exemplified and clarified when pupils were asked to hold up Confederate or Union flags to represent the divergence of opinion amongst the key players in the war. Good questioning enabled the teacher to draw out important information to enable children to recall the characters and their likely views. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection and good improvement in the

p.24

Commentary

use of external support to enrich and extend the history curriculum. Boarshaw Community Primary School - 25 73. Another good feature of history lessons is in the opportunities provided by teachers for pupils to research independently. Resources are well organised and pupils are expected to find information for themselves.

p.24

Commentary

74. Interest in the subject is encouraged by the good range of visits made to places of historical interest. Last year all the older pupils made a visit to places, which included Manchester Museum to see the exhibitions on the Egyptians and the Ancient Greeks. Pupils in the Year 3 and 4 class have recently been to York to see the Jorvik exhibition of the Vikings and they have also visited Shibden hall, a Tudor residence. The subject is led and managed well through the recognition of the benefits exciting opportunities for learning can have on pupils’ achievement and the impact this has on learning in other subjects.

p.25

GEOGRAPHY

75. No judgements were made in geography because it was not possible to see enough lessons during the inspection. However, it is clear from looking at the work produced in geography lessons that pupils cover an appropriate curriculum with a clear focus on local issues as well as developing their geographical skills.

p.25

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Provision in religious education (RE) is satisfactory.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject is linked well to other subjects, particularly personal, social and health education and citizenship. • The subject is well led although as yet assessment procedures are not secure.

p.25

Commentary

76. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection and are at least in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus throughout Years 1 to 6. Only one lesson was observed. However, analysis of the available work in books, on display and talking to pupils indicates that achievement is satisfactory throughout the school.

p.25

Commentary

77. Teaching in the lesson was good and pupils learned well. A strength of the lesson was the very good quality of the relationships between pupils and the teacher. This enabled sympathetic discussions to take place so that pupils could explore themes such as why a particular place is special to them. In Years 3 to 6 pupils develop a good understanding of ways of worshipping and praying. They learn to recognise similarities and differences in the ways in which religions have developed, for example by studying different beliefs as to how the world was created.

p.25

Commentary

78. Good links are made with other subjects. This enables pupils to see the relevance of their learning. For example, when studying special people in history, pupils look at the lives of religious and political leaders such as Abraham Lincoln. Strong links are made with personal and social education through themes such as ‘working and belonging together’ and ‘speaking for yourself’. These lead easily into discussions about how to live together and how to treat other people in our community. Other themes, such as ‘rules for safety’ and ‘rules for living’, very neatly dovetail into citizenship themes.

p.25

Commentary

79. There is satisfactory leadership of the subject. The co-ordinator is committed to raising the level of spirituality in school through the RE syllabus. This work is very well supported by the daily, good quality acts of collective worship. These enhance the spiritual life of the school, such as, for example, when the headteacher links the altruistic work of Carnegie to the pupils’ home town and the building of their local library. The co-ordinator is in the process of revising the scheme of work Boarshaw Community Primary School - 26 using the local syllabus. She is tailoring the scheme to the school’s needs and establishing useful guidance for colleagues. She has a clear vision for the future of the subject, which includes developing an assessment system and building up the level of resources.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

During the inspection inspectors only saw a small sample of lessons in each of the following subjects: art and design, design and technology and music. It is not possible, therefore, to make firm judgements about provision. In addition to observing lessons inspectors looked at the work pupils have completed recently. They also spoke to co-ordinators and pupils.

p.26

ART AND DESIGN

80. Insufficient opportunities for lesson observation mean that judgements cannot be made about standards, teaching and learning. However, analysis of documentation, observations of display and one lesson seen in Year 6 show that the school delivers a satisfactory curriculum. Work displayed around the school shows good use of colour, different materials and design techniques. A particularly good display of watercolour paintings in the style of Monet demonstrates clear appreciation of his techniques.

p.26

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

81. Design and technology was not a focus subject for the inspection so judgements about overall provision have not been made. However, evidence from discussions with staff and pupils and from looking at pupils’ work shows that there has been satisfactory improvement in design and technology since the last inspection. Pupils’ standards of attainment are in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Teachers have good guidance so they know what should be taught in each year group, and make sure that pupils build on what they have learnt before. The samples of pupils’ work show that they have good opportunities to experiment with different materials, such as clay and wood, and pupils develop good practical skills.

p.26

MUSIC

82. Music was not a focus subject for the inspection so judgements about overall provision have not been made. Insufficient opportunities for lesson observation mean that judgements cannot be made about standards, teaching and learning. However, analysis of documentation and discussions with the co-ordinator and pupils show that the school delivers a satisfactory curriculum. Pupils experience a well-balanced programme of musical activities. They have good opportunities to make music, sing and listen to music. The pupils say that they enjoy their lessons and particularly enjoy composing their own music. During one music lesson observed, pupils in Year 2 were able to recognise patterns of pitch, rhythm and pulse. They then replicated the teacher’s examples using untuned percussion instruments. In a Year 5 lesson, pupils experimented with duration and dynamics prior to developing their own compositions. All pupils

p.26

MUSIC

are given the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument. During assemblies pupils listen to music and tunefully join in with the songs chosen for worship.

p.26

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Boarshaw Community Primary School - 27 Provision in physical education is good .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards at the end of Year 6 are above expectations as a result of good teaching and learning. • Good teaching gives praise and encouragement so that pupils attempt high levels of challenge to meet clearly defined expectations. • Good leadership is developing the subject well and utilising community projects well to improve teaching and quality of experience for pupils.

p.27

Commentary

83. The school has recently made the provision of physical education a focus and allocated more curriculum time to the subject. This has been supported by professional development opportunities for teachers. The result is good improvement in the subject as evidenced by the good standards at the end of Year 6 and the good teaching and learning throughout Years 3 to 6. There were insufficient lesson observations to make secure judgements about standards and teaching and learning by the end of Year 2.

p.27

Commentary

84. Standards of attainment are above expectations for Year 6 pupils. This represents good achievement over time. Year 1 pupils develop simple throwing and catching skills and begin to understand a game of interception. Year 3 pupils showed good control and imaginative positions when performing rolls and turns. Year 6 pupils controlled their movement well and thought carefully about sequences that are linked fluidly, with thoughtfully considered travelling movements, during a gymnastics lesson. During dance their movements follow the rhythms of the music well, working in pairs they model and evaluate their movements and improve both their own performance and that of others.

p.27

Commentary

85. The good teaching and learning includes some that is very good. Teachers use clear instruction, a good focal point to the lesson, high expectation and maintain interest well with frequent changes of focus in the activity. Examples of pupils’ good work are used well to improve performance through recognition of quality and pointers for improvement. Pupils’ involvement is increased as a result of the evaluation of the work of others. Good management of the lessons ensures safe handling of apparatus and good control of the pupils through a continuous series of challenging activities.

p.27

Commentary

86. The leadership of physical education is good and recent subject development has been managed well. Teaching skills have improved as a result of the school’s involvement in links with local sports clubs, including Rochdale football team. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities such as football, rounders, cricket and numerous others throughout the year and some professional coaching is available to raise the quality of provision of extra-curricular sport.

p.27

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

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

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• All staff positively reinforce good attitudes. Parents welcome and value the school’s approach to supporting their children’s personal and social development. • The pupils’ social awareness is developed well through their involvement in community activities and through fund-raising for local, national and international charities.

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Commentary

Boarshaw Community Primary School - 28 87. Appropriate policies and schemes of work are in place, although some require revision in order to bring them up to date. Statutory requirements are met. An emphasis is placed upon personal, social, health and emotional education. This enhances pupils’ learning and attitudes considerably. Good links are made with subjects, especially religious education. Education for citizenship is in an early stage of development. The school is actively working towards setting up a pupil council. Lessons give good support to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The subject leader has clear vision and knows how to achieve it and move the subject on. Boarshaw Community Primary School - 29

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 4 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 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 4 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 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 4 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 4 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 4 The leadership of other key staff 4 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); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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