Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School

Dates of inspection: 29 th – 30 th September 2003

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Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Goosnargh Whitechapel 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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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. Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 3 INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 65

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School address: Church Lane Whitechapel Longridge Preston Postcode: PR3 2EP

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Telephone number: 01995 640364 Fax number: 001995 640364

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Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr Andrew Collier CBE

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Date of previous inspection: 29 th June 1998

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The school is much smaller than most other primary schools, with 65 pupils on roll. It is situated in the tiny hamlet of Whitechapel in north Lancashire. Almost all its pupils travel some distance to attend the school, some of them by taxi. Over the last few years the nature of the school population has changed. New families have moved into the area as its original agricultural base has declined. Pupils come from a wide range of different backgrounds, and their skills and understanding when they start at Whitechapel school range from well below average to above average. No families claim free school meals. A very high percentage of pupils are white, and all of them speak English fluently. There is an average proportion of pupils with special educational needs. These pupils have specific learning difficulties or speech difficulties. Over the last year or so, a significant proportion of pupils have left the school before the end of Year 6. This movement of pupils has been due to personal

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family reasons such as parents changing jobs, leaving the area, or emigrating. Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 4 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

8710 Mrs J Moore Lead inspector Mathematics, geography, physical education, religious education, English as an additional language, citizenship 13395 Mrs J Illingworth Lay inspector 28686 Mrs E Walker Team inspector Science, information and communication technology, design technology, history, special educational needs 22421 Mrs V McGrath Team inspector English, art, music, foundation stage

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

University of Warwick Science Park Unit 2, Barclays Venture Centre Sir William Lyons Road Coventry CV4 7EZ

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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.oftsed.gov.uk). Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 5 REPORT CONTENTS

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

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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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 29

Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Whitechapel is a very effective school that does well for its pupils. Teamwork is strong, and the headteacher leads her team very well, being ably supported by staff and governors. Together, they have created a positive and caring ethos in this small school that enables all the pupils to do their best and to achieve well. Standards are above average by the time pupils are eleven, and they make good progress during their time in school. This is because they are well taught. The school provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Pupils’ achievements are good because of good teaching. • When children start in the reception class their skills and understanding are broadly average for their age, but there are wide variations. Throughout the school, teachers succeed in making sure that all their pupils learn well. This is why, in 2003, standards in English and mathematics are above average at the end of Year 6, and are well above average in science. • The reception children’s physical development is not as good as it could be because there is limited provision for them to play and work outside. • The school is managed very well and the headteacher provides a firm steer. Her leadership is very good. • Governors’ systems for costing and evaluating their spending decisions need to be made simpler, so that everyone can understand them. • Pupils’ behaviour is very good. They really enjoy learning and are always very keen to do their

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

best. This is because lessons are challenging and interesting. • Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are very good. • The school’s successes are not always shared with the outside world as well as they could be, it is hiding its light under a bushel.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made very good improvement since the previous inspection , especially in developing its rigorous systems for planning the curriculum and assessing pupils’ progress and achievements. Governors are much more involved than they were in planning the way forward for the school. The Foundation Stage (reception class) provision is much improved and accommodation is bright and spacious. However, the outdoor facilities are only adequate at best.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2000 2001 2002 2002 English A* D B B Mathematics D C B C Science C C C C 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. The small numbers of pupils in most year groups means that one pupil more or less can make a significant difference to the overall standards in the school. The above results must therefore be treated with caution. Over the last year or so, a significant number of pupils have left the school for family reasons before the end of Year 6, and four have joined. This movement of pupils means that the school’s overall final results are not as high as they would have been if the higher attaining pupils had remained in school. • Children in the Foundation Stage start school with broadly average skills and understanding.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Many of them are on track to exceed the goals set for them in communication, language and literacy, and mathematical development by the end of the reception year. This group are on track Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 7 to achieve their goals in the other areas of learning. A significant minority of children are not likely to achieve their goals even though they are making good progress. • The standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 2 are above average in English, mathematics and science. • The standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 are above average in English and mathematics and well above average in science.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievements are good overall. Boys and girls achieve equally well , although there are more boys than girls who have special educational needs. This group achieve as well as their classmates.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal development is very good . They have positive attitudes towards school and learning. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good , as are relationships. Attendance is very good, and punctuality is excellent.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good . Teaching is good , with a number of strengths. Teachers make the best use of their assessments of how well pupils of different capabilities are doing. This helps them to pitch their tasks at the right levels, lessons move forward at a good pace and no time is wasted. Higher, average and lower attaining pupils achieve well, as do those pupils with special needs. All teachers make very good use of questions to check out pupils’ learning and to extend their understanding. This gives them a good insight into how well pupils are doing. Just occasionally, pupils’ learning slows when their teacher is working with another group and they need help.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is good, and the provision for pupils with special needs is very good . There is a richness to the curriculum that is achieved by making sure that every pupil has full access to a wide range of stimulating activities, both in and out of school. Visiting poets and drama groups inspire pupils to be creative themselves, and many of these activities are shared with other schools to the benefit of everyone. Pupils are cared for and supported very well. Child protection procedures are good. There are very good links with the community that enhance the curriculum on offer. There are good links with parents .

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership of the school is very good. The school is managed very well . High quality teamwork means that everyone works together very effectively to achieve the shared goal of providing excellence for the pupils of Whitechapel school. The school is much better than it was at evaluating a range of data about its performance. This could be improved even further if the governors’ systems for evaluating the impact of their spending decisions were easier for everyone to follow. Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and they perform their responsibilities well. They hold the school to account.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are happy with the school and the majority are well satisfied. The dissatisfaction felt by some parents about aspects of management are not supported by the inspection team. Pupils like their school and they enjoy attending. This view is supported by many parents.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise the quality of the outdoor provision for the reception children. • Make the systems for costing new developments, and evaluating the outcomes of governors’ spending decisions, easier for everyone to understand. • Celebrate and promote the school’s achievements more widely.

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 8 STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

General point. This is a small school, with very small numbers in most year groups. One pupil more or less can make a significant difference to the overall standards in the school. Test results must be treated with caution. Personal family reasons have meant that a significant number of pupils have left the school over the last year or so. This movement of pupils means that the school’s overall final results are not as high as they would have been if the higher attaining pupils had remained.

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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Pupils’ achievements are good and they make good progress in lessons and over longer

periods of time as well. There are no significant differences in the achievements of boys and girls. There are more boys with special educational needs, who attain lower standards but make good progress against their Individual Education Plans. Standards in English, mathematics, information and communication technology (ICT), and religious education (RE) are above average at the end of Year 6. They are well above average in science.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are improving year-on-year and trends are upwards. Higher, average and lower attaining pupils are achieving well in relation to their capabilities. This holds good for pupils with special educational needs too. • The school met its challenging targets in the 2003 national tests. Its targets for 2004 reflect the nature of the very small year group and are challenging for the very high proportion of pupils with special educational needs. • The school is much better than it was at making the best use of available data about its performance. Results are scrutinised and carefully analysed so that trends or gaps can be identified and tackled at once. This is one of the reasons that standards are improving as well as they are. • Children get a good start in the reception class. Their skills and understanding are broadly average – often with wide variations – when they start their education. Good progress is made,

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Main strengths and weaknesses

and many of them are on course to exceed their targets 1 by the end of the reception year. Other children are not at this level, but all of them are achieving well. Physical development is the weakest area because the provision is satisfactory at best.

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Commentary

1. Good progress has been made since the last inspection and standards are higher than they were in all the main subjects. This is because teaching and learning are stronger, staff have good systems for assessing pupils’ progress and achievements, and their high expectations mean that pupils try hard to do their best and to achieve highly. The very good leadership has had a significant impact on pushing up standards across the board.

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Commentary

2. This current reception class is the largest the school has ever had, with 16 children. At this early stage in the school year they have settled well into school routines because they have had a good induction programme over the Summer term. Parents commented that this really helped their children to make a smooth transition to school life. It is early days, and children are making good progress in lessons, especially in their personal, social and emotional development, in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. Progress is satisfactory in physical development.

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Commentary

3. 2002 test results at the end of Year 2 show well above average standards in writing and mathematics and average standards in reading. When compared to similar schools 2 results

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Commentary

1 These are called the Early Learning Goals. 2 Those schools with a similar percentage of pupils known to be entitled to free school meals. Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 9 were below average for reading, above average for writing and well above average for mathematics.

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Commentary

4. Year 6 results for the same year show above average standards in English and mathematics and average standards in science. In relation to similar schools standards were average in English and below average in mathematics and science.

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Commentary

5. 2003 results show an improvement on previous results, but with such small numbers in each year group comparisons are difficult to quantify. The higher attaining pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 achieved well, reaching higher levels in all the subjects. Science was especially strong in Year 6 and standards were well above average with half the group attaining the higher level 5. A very good improvement on the previous year. Reading standards at the end of Year 2 were less strong because around one third of the pupils are lower attainers or they have special educational needs in literacy. However, these pupils achieved well. Staff are determined that every pupil will achieve as well as they can, and they do, which is why trends are upwards.

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Commentary

6. Pupils with special educational needs, including those with statements, achieve well. Teachers and teaching assistants know their pupils well, assessments of progress and achievements are accurate and up-to-date, and pupils’ targets are met. This is because they have very good provision, which is over and above the usual level. Governors and senior management have a committed policy to provide quality provision for pupils with special educational needs, to enable them to do well. They are successful.

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Commentary

7. In literacy sessions the seven-year-olds enjoy sharing their books and stories. Some of them are less confident speakers, and the school is tackling this by providing more opportunities for paired and small group work, with positive results. Written work is well organised and presented - the outcome of a well-structured approach to developing pupils’ writing skills throughout the school. Pupils read fluently and are keen to talk about their books, using a range of successful strategies to identify new or unknown words. Older pupils have built on and extended these early skills effectively. They read complex books and poetry well, giving well-reasoned points of view to support their judgments about different characters and techniques. In one example, pupils were studying the poetry of Gareth Owen. Pupils were confident, identifying how the poet used imagery to put across his ideas and feelings. Written work has a good range of vocabulary. Pupils use

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Commentary

correct tenses, spelling and grammar, with higher attaining pupils demonstrating different and effective writing styles. Good achievement is the order of the day.

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Commentary

8. In mathematics, pupils use number facts competently. All of them have a secure understanding of number, which they use to good effect to support learning in other subjects. Problem solving is enjoyed. Science is now one of the strongest subjects in school. This is because there is a clear focus on science investigations, and the subject is well taught. Pupils are well aware of the importance of ‘fair testing’, identifying constants and variables as part of their scheduled task. Writing skills are good, and pupils use literacy and numeracy skills to good effect. ICT is in constant use to support learning across the board, another reason why standards are above average in this subject as well.

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Commentary

9. Pupils have a range of worthwhile experiences in religious education that enable them to deepen their understanding of the main world religions. Standards are good. Festivals and traditions are studied and discussed, and compared and contrasted with Christianity. Pupils’ achievements are good because staff use innovative ways to extend understanding, such as using famous paintings to study religious symbolism. Standards in geography are above average, they are average in history. Good use is made of the local environment to extend pupils’ historical and geographical skills. This makes learning have greater meaning for the pupils.

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Commentary

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 10 Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities are very good overall - a very good improvement since the last inspection. This is a small school and boys and girls of different ages and backgrounds get along very well together.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the reception class are well settled into school routines. They are happy and they are keen to learn. • This holds good in the rest of the school as well. Pupils have very good attitudes and they try hard to do their best and to help one another. • High standards of behaviour, and very good relationships, create a positive climate for learning, which successfully encourages pupils’ developing maturity. Pupils are clear about right and wrong. • Attendance levels are high and pupils are very punctual. Lessons always start on time. Pupils have a very good understanding of traditions and beliefs in their own community, as well as in cultures other than their own. • As yet, there are no formal systems for consulting pupils about the running of the school, and this is being tackled.

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Commentary

10. Very good levels of attendance and excellent punctuality make a very positive contribution to pupils’ standards and achievements in every aspect of their school life.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 3.2 School data 0.0 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. 11. Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal qualities are one of the school’s strengths. These are developed very successfully in this small school with its family atmosphere, support from parents and staff, and its full involvement in the local community. Lessons are interesting and challenging, and this makes the pupils want to learn. They are fortunate in having good resources and an attractive outdoor area, which enhances the curriculum successfully. 12. Behaviour is very good and pupils respond well to the school’s procedures for promoting high standards of behaviour. They are mature and confident and they have many opportunities to be independent, as well as having various responsibilities that they carry out very well. Pupils are

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Commentary

well satisfied with what the school has to offer, and most parents are pleased that the school helps their children to become mature young people. The school welcomes everyone, and all pupils are fully included in every aspect of its day-to-day life. No pupils have been excluded from school.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 64 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 1 0 0 13. Pupils of all ages play and work together cooperatively. Relationships are very good, both in the reception class and in the rest of the school. Pupils of all ages are well aware of right and wrong. Customs and traditions in pupils’ own culture, and in other cultures, are studied and enjoyed in religious education and geography lessons. The school successfully promotes a multi-cultural approach to everyday life through its work on Sikhism and Judaism. Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 11 14. Pupils’ personal development is very good. They have a range of responsibilities in their class and in the school, which are carried out willingly and successfully. Pupils with special educational needs take their turn alongside the others. Everyone is fully included in all aspects of day-to-day

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Commentary

life at Whitechapel school. A good example is in looking after the school garden, which is a pleasant and peaceful place to sit, work, or to just enjoy the wonder of nature. Pupils are keen to put forward their ideas about how the school is run, and they have done so successfully. The introduction of the School Council in the near future will give them more formal opportunities for sharing ideas.

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Commentary

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

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Commentary

The quality of education provided is good, with many strengths.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching is good throughout the school . This means that learning moves forward at a good pace for higher, average and lower attaining pupils, as well as for those with special educational needs.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers know their subjects well and they teach them effectively. Lessons move forward at a good pace and no time is wasted. Pupils’ skills are developed successfully, and they use and apply them across the whole curriculum. • Teaching assistants work closely with pupils who have special educational needs. They provide very good support, and their high expectations of what the pupils are capable of achieving means that pupils rise to the challenges set for them. • Very occasionally a pupil may need help from an adult and the teacher is working with another group. When this happens learning slows. However, this is soon spotted and dealt with, and the pupil’s learning speedily picks up again. • Tasks are pitched at the right levels because teachers know their pupils well and they make accurate assessments of what their pupils know and understand. This helps them to plan the next stages in learning successfully.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers make very good use of questions to check out learning or to extend pupils’ understanding. This keeps pupils on their toes and alert, with good learning taking place. • Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good overall, but is satisfactory in physical development. This is because the children’s learning is hindered by the limitations of the outdoor area and lack of suitable equipment for climbing, riding and playing outdoors.

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Commentary

15. Good progress has been made since the last inspection. Weaknesses have been ironed out and the teaching team is strong. The very good improvements to the curriculum mean that there is now a secure framework for planning and delivering effective teaching and learning. The lack of appropriate assessment procedures was also a weakness. This has been tackled well. Suitable systems are in place throughout the school for tracking pupils’ progress and achievements.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 21 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 1 15 5 0 0 0 Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 12 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Commentary

16. Foundation Stage staff work together very well, and an effective team has been created. Teaching is good overall. The very good systems for assessing the children’s progress and achievements means that staff have accurate and up-to-date information about how well the children are doing. This enables them to adjust their teaching to promote successful learning. Children with special needs are identified straight away and suitable tasks planned for them. An effective curriculum is now in place and tasks are planned around the Early Learning Goals, 3 a significant improvement since the last inspection. There is a good balance between tasks chosen by the children and those initiated by the teacher, all of which creates the right balance of teaching and learning for the youngest children in the school. The only exception to this is in physical development, where the provision is satisfactory at best.

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Commentary

17. Teachers in all the other year groups are especially good at making sure that lessons are challenging and interesting. They know their subjects and their pupils well, and they are fortunate in having such an attractive indoor and outdoor environment, which they use to its best advantage. For example, the school garden is a haven of plant and animal life for the pupils to explore and investigate as part of their work in science, art and design, English and mathematics. In one example, younger junior pupils were studying micro-organisms. They searched the school grounds for examples of natural materials decaying. This led them into setting up their own investigation about how and why materials decay. Pupils made good use of ICT, researching information about the best conditions for micro-organisms to multiply. Learning moved forward at a good pace.

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Commentary

18. Teaching methods are chosen well in this small school, with its mixed-age classes and pupils with a very wide range of skills and abilities. There are good systems for tracking how well the pupils are doing, and staff use the information from these assessments to plan the pupils’ next work effectively. A good improvement since the last inspection. Teachers and teaching assistants work together very well, providing the right blend of support and challenge so that pupils are always encouraged to do that little bit more. Planning is clearly and successfully directed towards meeting the many and various needs of the pupils at Whitechapel. Literacy and numeracy skills are developed and used well to support learning across the board, as are pupils’ ICT skills. Homework is used as an effective aid to learning, right from the start of the reception class. All of this means that pupils get a good deal from the teaching they receive.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is good. The school provides its pupils with a well balanced and interesting curriculum, which is well planned and effectively delivered. Planning is good, at all levels, including the Foundation Stage, and this is a very good improvement since the last inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good quality accommodation, and the rich resources that are on hand, enable the pupils to have full access to a rich curriculum. This is enhanced by the good provision of extra curricular activities, visits and events. Everyone is included in the curriculum on offer. However, the outdoor provision for the reception children is adequate at best, and this is not good enough. • The well-planned curriculum ensures the needs of all pupils are met successfully. • ICT is used well as a learning tool across the board.

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Commentary

19. The school makes good use of the support that is available through the Lancashire small schools network. This is helpful to staff when they are taking into account the needs of all the pupils in every class. The curriculum meets the statutory requirements including that of the Lancashire locally agreed syllabus for Religious Education. A very good range of varied and

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Commentary

3 These are targets that reception children are expected to achieve by the end of the reception year. Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 13 interesting experiences through out-of-school clubs and activities, visiting local history museums, places of interest, and sharing a range of artists and writers with other schools, all help to boost pupils’ learning and enrich the curriculum on offer. These provide a hub of interest and vitality which pupils can use to develop their creative and imaginative skills. The school uses its’ immediate environment to good effect. Pupils have valuable experiences, using original material for science investigations and mathematical work in the Foundation Stage.

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Commentary

20. The good use of the national strategies in literacy and numeracy ensure the pupils’ learning is well rooted and secure. The skills the pupils learn in these areas are used to good effect in every area of the curriculum.

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Commentary

21. Planning for mixed-age classes is good. Detailed and careful attention is given to ensuring that all the pupils are extended and challenged by their tasks, and pupils achieve well. Specific curriculum plans are drawn up every year to ensure there is no repetition for any pupil. Pupils’ previous knowledge and learning is taken into account, enabling the curriculum to be planned successfully according to the needs of the different groups of pupils. Pupils work in small groups according to their age and ability, especially for mathematics and English. The groups are re-formed in the afternoon session so that pupils can work within a larger group for project and investigation activities. This makes the best use of the additional support, and the accommodation, and it allows teachers to use their skills and expertise effectively across all the year groups.

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Commentary

22. The school has a very good ratio of teachers and teaching assistants. Governors are committed to this level of provision, as they consider that it assists the school to meet the needs of its pupils successfully. They are correct, and the impact on learning and achievements is positive. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support towards reaching their targets, and they achieve well.

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Commentary

23. Children in the reception class are provided with a wide range of experiences covering the six areas of learning. There are well-planned and structured activities which encourage them to work with each other, and within a larger group, whilst allowing sufficient scope for them to initiate their own learning and develop their independence. The main area for development is to improve the facilities for outdoor activities, which are satisfactory at best.

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Commentary

24. There are good links within the local partnership of primary schools, and this venture has given the school additional support and resources, which are used to good effect in promoting a rich and varied curriculum. The use of the local sports facilities, the promotion of an ’Arts week’, the use of a writer in residence, and the good use of people in the local community to visit the school and talk about their lives and the village, all add vibrancy to the curriculum as well as having a positive impact on pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

25. The school’s resources are very good, with the exception of too few wheeled toys and climbing activities for the reception children. Computers are easily accessible to pupils and are in constant use in every classroom. Pupils are regularly introduced to new programs and developments as they come on line. This boosts their standards and achievements.

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Commentary

26. The school is supported by the local community very well. Their efforts make sure that the school is fully included in village activities to the benefit of everyone. Good quality improvements to the school buildings, with the addition of a classroom for pupils in the Foundation Stage, have extended the basic accommodation well. The outdoor area for the youngest children is only adequate, and this limits their physical development.

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Commentary

The provision for care, guidance and support is very good . The school provides a caring and safe environment in which pupils feel secure and therefore are able to achieve well. Pupils find members of staff approachable, supportive and ready to listen to their ideas. Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 14

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has very effective procedures for ensuring pupils’ welfare, health and safety. • Pupils have very good relations with adults in the school and are willing to go to members of staff when they need help and guidance. • Arrangements for the induction of new pupils, and the transition to infant, junior and secondary phases are very good. • Members of staff know pupils very well as individuals and monitor their achievements and personal development very well. • Arrangements for consulting pupils on, and involving them in, the work and development of the school need to be strengthened.

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Commentary

27. The school has very good arrangements for ensuring pupils’ welfare. It has sound formal procedures to deal with issues of child protection and health and safety, with the governing body having an appropriate overview of both areas. There is a governor who has specific responsibility for child protection, for example. The school makes very good provision for the supervision of pupils during break and the lunch hour, and its procedures are very effective in ensuring the safety of pupils when they are in the dining hall and the playground. They are also very successful in promoting good behaviour and good personal development. One of the strengths of the arrangements is the way in which older pupils take on responsibilities and learn to care for younger children. Another strength is the support that children receive when they start school and later on when they transfer to secondary education. Arrangements for the induction of the

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Commentary

new intake into the reception class are very good. As a result new children settle in smoothly and are happy and confident. Pupils receive very good care throughout their time at the school. Members of staff know pupils very well as individuals, and therefore are able to identify their needs and give them appropriate support. The quality of help and guidance is enhanced by very good relationships between adults and children. Pupils say that that there is always someone in the school to whom they can turn for help. Parents also are satisfied with the standard of care. They appreciate the small size of classes and the family atmosphere of the school.

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Commentary

28. The quality of support that pupils receive is enhanced by on-going monitoring of their welfare and progress. In the case of personal development, much of the monitoring is informal but nonetheless effective. It works very well because it is based on teachers’ excellent knowledge of the pupils in their class. This ensures that no individual who is unhappy, or is failing to make good progress, is overlooked. Teachers quickly recognise pupils who are having problems and take action to help them. The school has good arrangements for assessing and tracking academic achievement, and these underpin its systems for rewarding success and promoting further progress. Teachers keep records of the merit marks they have given to children for good effort and high quality work. These are on display in the classroom so that pupils’ achievements receive due recognition. The school also makes effective use of target setting to promote

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Commentary

academic progress and personal development. Pupils have good understanding and ownership of the process. For instance, they set the targets for improvement that are included in their end of year reports.

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Commentary

29. The school is aware that it needs to strengthen its formal arrangements for seeking out and acting on pupils’ views. At present there is no School Council. However, plans to create one are well advanced and are due to take effect in November 2003. Despite the current lack of formal consultations, pupils do not feel that their views are ignored. Replies to the questionnaire that they completed for this inspection show that almost all of them believe that teachers listen to their ideas.

p.14

Commentary

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

p.14

Commentary

The school has a good partnership with parents, and this helps to raise standards of attainment and to promote pupils’ progress. The school has established very good links with the playgroup, Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 15 other schools and the wider community. These links significantly enhance pupils’ opportunities for learning and personal development.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents have high aspirations and actively support their children’s learning. They make a major contribution to pupils’ academic progress and the life of the school. • The quality of information for parents on school routines and events is good. • The school operates an ’open door policy ’ so that parents can talk to staff at any time. • The school has links with other schools that extend pupils’ opportunities for learning and enhance staff development. • The school has a good partnership with the local playgroup, with which it co-operates over the induction of children into the reception class • The school has close links with the local community and uses the local area very effectively as a resource for learning. • Although most parents say that the school liaises well with them, a minority feels that parents are not adequately consulted or informed. • A significant minority of parents feels uncomfortable about approaching the school about any

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

worries that they have, although many parents are well satisfied with this aspect of the school’s work. • There are weaknesses in the annual reports, giving some grounds for parents’ concerns about the quality of information on pupils’ progress.

p.15

Commentary

30. There is strong parental support for pupils’ learning, and this helps pupils to learn. Parents have high expectations regarding home/school links, and in general the school succeeds in meeting them. It has developed a good partnership with parents and involves them effectively in its work. They in turn make a very valuable contribution to the life of school. The flourishing parent teacher group raises funds to improve the school’s resources. Parents are directly supportive of pupils’ learning. Some of them act as volunteer helpers in school. Others have given talks to pupils about their work and their specialist skills. Many hear their children read and help them with homework. Parents are anxious to give the right sort of support. They have requested guidance on helping with homework, and the school has responded by publishing a revised homework policy.

p.15

Commentary

31. Communications with parents are good overall and effectively promote pupils’ learning. The school operates an open door policy. As a result parents have ready access to class teachers and are able to discuss any concerns with them . Nevertheless, around one out of five parents think that the school fails to take their views into account, and similar numbers feel uncomfortable about approaching members of staff. Inspectors did not find evidence to substantiate these negative opinions. On the contrary, they noted that the school had acted on parents’ requests for more consultation by introducing an extra parents’ evening. Some dissatisfaction may be due to the very high expectations that many parents have, which are difficult for staff and governors to meet.

p.15

Commentary

32. The quality of written information on pupils’ progress is satisfactory. End of year reports include detailed sections on what children have learned and attained in English and mathematics. The section on science is brief by comparison, even in the reports on older pupils. All reports include targets for improvement. However, they are often no more than general statements about attitudes and behaviour. They rarely tell parents precisely what their child needs do to raise his or her level of attainment.

p.15

Commentary

33. The school receives very good support from the local community, and makes a positive contribution to local life in return. Pupils’ learning, welfare and personal development all benefit from close links with local people and organisations. For example their understanding of different religions is enhanced by visits to local places of worship, such as a Gurdwara in Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 16 Preston, and by speakers who come in to school to talk about their faith. The partnership with the Village Hall Committee is vital to many aspects of the school’s work. The school uses the village hall as a dining room, and as the venue for assemblies and physical education lessons.

p.15

Commentary

34. The school works closely with other providers of education. It has a very good partnership with the local playgroup, and liaises carefully with staff over the induction of children into the reception class. The school is a member of the “Longridge cluster", and this is proving particularly beneficial in respect of staff training and development. There is good liaison with Longridge High School over arrangements for the transfer of Year 6 to secondary education, resulting in provision of “taster lessons” and visits to the school from Year 7 tutors. Overall, the school’s partnership with colleague organisations enhances the learning and welfare of it pupils considerably.

p.16

Commentary

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT Leadership and management are very good. The head teacher and governors have clearly identified the priorities for improvement, which have been effectively implemented. Consequently there has been good improvement in the learning environment, curriculum provision and standards. The management of change has been undertaken well, and very good team work, involving teachers, additional staff and governors is a strong feature of the school.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The head teacher’s leadership has brought about significant improvement since the last inspection, especially in the implementation of planning and assessment procedures, and the raising of standards • The headteacher, staff and governors work within an effective partnership, which has very good vision for moving the school forward. • The development of the subject leadership role now includes the monitoring of teaching, but this is at an early stage of development. • Strategic planning is effectively linked to performance management and staff professional development. • The governing body fulfils its statutory duties well, and strongly supports the head teacher and staff. • The school development plan, whilst identifying appropriate priorities and initiatives, is not linked directly to costs and criteria for success. • Governors are not always clear about the impact of the money they spend. They do not have

p.16

Commentary

35. The leadership of the headteacher is very good . The headteacher has made a significant impact towards raising standards across the board. She has clearly identified what needs improvement and has created an effective development plan. The school is much better than it was at evaluating the information and data about its performance, and this has also helped to push standards up. A whole school approach has been developed for teaching and learning in English, mathematics and science. The headteacher takes a strong lead in monitoring teaching and learning and provides sound advice to teachers. In order to ensure a consistently strong and united approach subject leaders are increasingly involved in the monitoring of teaching. Consequently there are consistent procedures in place for planning and assessment throughout the school. Very good improvement in the provision for the foundation stage is an example of how

p.16

Commentary

the leadership has engaged governors, the community and key staff in the process of change.

p.16

Commentary

36. The management of the headteacher is very good. The headteacher and staff have developed a good climate for learning, aimed at raising pupils' independence, sense of Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 17 responsibility and self-esteem. There is a broad range of additional activities, including the arts, music and sport. Pupils are regularly rewarded for their efforts, and pupils spontaneously care for and support each other within the daily routine.

p.16

Commentary

37. The staff roles and responsibilities have been reorganised as the school has expanded. A strong team has been established, ensuring the subject expertise, particularly in English, mathematics, science and ICT are exploited to good effect in subject leadership roles. This is underpinned by good procedures for professional development, and agreed responsibilities linked to performance management. There is a strong commitment to educational inclusion, ensuring the individual needs of all pupils are well met. This is implemented very well in the context of small mixed age classes, and very good support from teaching assistants.

p.17

Commentary

38. The governors provide effective, and thoughtful support to the head teacher and staff. They have a good overview of the work of the school and recognise its strengths. They are articulate and confident and carry out their statutory duties fully. The governors meet the challenge of volatility in pupil numbers well. They have implemented a planned overspend in the current budget in order to maintain staffing for a predicted increase in pupil admissions. They have also effectively managed considerable improvements to the accommodation for Foundation Stage children and the library. However, the school development plan, whilst identifying appropriate priorities and initiatives, is not always linked directly to costs and criteria for success. This needs to be rectified. The governing body has acknowledged the need to make its procedures for evaluating the impact of its spending decisions easier to understand. For

p.17

Commentary

example, how effective are the teaching assistants in improving the achievements of pupils with special educational needs. Stability in pupil numbers is a key concern for the headteacher and governors. In order to maintain the popularity of the school, the governors have begun to celebrate and publicise the successes enjoyed by the school in a school brochure. Such strategies should be developed further.

p.17

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.17

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 242966 Balance from previous year 31582 Total expenditure 206554 Balance carried forward to the next 36412 Expenditure per pupil 3443

p.17

Commentary

39. The headteacher has implemented performance management effectively. It is appropriately linked to the school's improvement plan and the programme for teacher development. The financial management ensures that these priorities can be met. Strategic planning is implemented through appropriate policies and procedures. The school provides good value for money. Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 18

p.17

SUBJECTS AND COURSES

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

p.18

SUBJECTS AND COURSES

The provision in the Foundation Stage is good overall. Children’s attainment on entry to the reception year is broadly in line with expectation for their age, with wide variations. Currently there are 16 children. This is larger than the previous group of nine children, who made good progress during their reception year in reading and writing, and satisfactory progress in mathematics. They have begun Year 1 having shown good achievement so far.

p.18

SUBJECTS AND COURSES

There have been very good improvements to both the curriculum and the accommodation since the last inspection. A new classroom provides a good indoor learning environment. Management is good, having implemented very good procedures for induction, planning and assessment. All staff are involved in making observations of children. At this early stage in the year children work in mixed ability groups for most of the time, but gradually assessments are being used to make sure that work is targeted towards children’s needs. The scrutiny of work shows the needs of all ability groups are well met.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good leadership and management of the Foundation Stage have promoted considerable improvement since the last inspection • Good provision promotes good achievement in communication, language and literacy, mathematics, personal, social and emotional development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development • A very good induction programme has helped the new children settle well. • Teaching and learning are good in communication, language and literacy, mathematics, personal, social and emotional development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. They are satisfactory in physical development.

p.18

Commentary

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good. 40. Teaching, learning and achievement are good. Children’s emotional development is supported well by the good induction programme. The high level of support from adults, working with small groups, effectively promotes concentration. Achievement could be further promoted, however, by providing increased opportunities for pupils to develop more independence and initiative. Children talk and creative responses are acknowledged and valued by staff, leading to good self esteem, but expectations for pupils to self-manage resources, dressing and choices need further challenge for all ability groups. Children have settled very well, and are calm and patient when listening and following instructions in activities. They respond quietly and sensibly to tasks, and display very good behaviour

p.18

Commentary

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY Good provision in communication, language and literacy leads to good achievement. 41. Children willingly engage with stories, when listening to adults in groups or individually when using the book corner and the computer. They join in role-play and show confidence as early writers when they practise letters and attempt writing to accompany their pictures. At this stage in the year most children are using marks not letters. The scrutiny of last years’ work shows that children quickly start using letters to build words, and then write simple sentences. Letter sounds are systematically taught, alongside regular opportunities for writing for a range of purposes. For example, children complete forms for customers booking a holiday, and send messages to each other in the travel agent role-play area. 42. The teaching of reading is a high priority within the curriculum. Children take a reading scheme

p.18

Commentary

book home each day, and regularly read in school. They also select a library book each week. Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 19 The school is well resourced with a wider range of early reading books. Providing regular access to this wider range of books, from the earliest stages, could further enrich the children’s reading experiences. The analysis of assessments made at the beginning and end of the last reception year, shows reading, writing and language skills are developed well and pupils make good progress.

p.18

Commentary

43. Most children are attaining in line with expectations for their age in speaking, but a minority of children are reluctant to talk in adult led contexts. Opportunities for promoting children’s talk, in small groups and play contexts, need to be extended in order to increase the participation of all.

p.19

Provision in mathematical development is good

44. Children engage well with a wide range of practical mathematical activities. Good teaching is characterised by good planning, assessment and good use of resources. For example, children join in number rhymes and counting chants, they build with 2 dimensional shapes, and print the faces of 3 dimensional shapes in plasticine. They can name most common shapes and count backwards from 10. Careful consideration has been given to the potential of play, and providing appropriate learning resources for mathematical development, and this boosts achievements all round. Good classroom management of adults, groups of children and resources, ensures all children have equal access to activities and support. This leads to good achievement for all groups of children.

p.19

Provision in mathematical development is good

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD Provision for promoting knowledge and understanding of the world is good. 45. Achievement, teaching and learning are good. Adults regularly use questions effectively to prompt children’s talk and observations. For example, in their topic on ‘growth and change’ , children dressed up and were asked about what they would like to be when they grew up. They also bathed and cared for baby dolls, and matched baby to adult photographs. However, in some small group activities, led by adults, the children did not have enough opportunities to put forward their ideas or to explain what they were doing. The amount of pupil talk is constrained. The Foundation Stage leader has acknowledged the need to develop more opportunities for promoting children’s initiative and talk. Good use is made of ICT to promote learning, and children show confidence as they use computers. The rich outdoor environment of the school

p.19

Provision in mathematical development is good

garden provides a range of sensory experiences that develop children’s understanding well.

p.19

Provision in mathematical development is good

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT Provision in physical development is satisfactory. 46. Children have access to a playground and hall for dance and using small apparatus. Playtimes provide daily physical activity, and all children have regular times to work and play outside. However, these facilities are just adequate, at best. The outdoors does not offer sufficient opportunities, at this stage, for children to ride on wheeled toys, balance, slide, swing or climb. This was identified as an area needing development at the time of the last inspection, and so far, there has been unsatisfactory improvement in this aspect of Foundation Stage provision.

p.19

Provision in mathematical development is good

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT Provision in creative development is good. 47. Children show good achievement as they engage in adult led activities. For example they explored a range of different textures when using red paint, and developed good control of materials and tools as they made patterns in the style of another artist. They also have opportunities to engage in role play, singing, dancing and music making. They manipulate dough and create imaginative worlds with vehicles and play people. This area of learning could be further promoted by offering children more tactile and visual stimuli for creativity, with greater opportunities for them to access materials and tools for themselves. Children respond very positively to opportunities to cut, stick, model, paint and build in planned creative activities.

p.19

Provision in mathematical development is good

SUBJECTS IN KEY STAGES 1 and 2 Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 20 ENGLISH

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in English are above average by the end of Years 2 and 6. • The quality of teaching, and pupils’ achievements are good across the school. • Support for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • Some pupils need more opportunities to develop confidence and fluency when speaking. • The range of non-fiction books used for teaching reading is not wide enough and should be extended.

p.20

Commentary

48. There have been good improvements since the last inspection. In 2002, standards were above average in national tests in Years 2 and 6. 2003 results show an improvement on previous years, but with very small numbers in the year groups comparisons are difficult to quantify. Increasing proportions of pupils are attaining higher levels, and achievements are good for higher, average and lower attaining pupils.

p.20

Commentary

49. From a broadly average starting point on entry to school, the children achieve well by the time they leave. Their achievement in English is good overall for pupils of all capabilities. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well, like their classmates. There are no significant differences in the achievement of boys and girls.

p.20

Commentary

50. The standards of pupils’ speaking and listening skills are good overall, although there are some pupils in the school who find it difficult to explain what they mean. They also lack confidence when asked to speak to a group. The school policy to increase confidence and independence in the Foundation Stage has provided good opportunities for promoting children’s talk. Such opportunities, in pairs and small groups are being developed further throughout the school, with success.

p.20

Commentary

51. Standards in reading have shown good improvement over time. Good teaching strategies have raised standards and the vast majority of pupils are very competent readers. Younger pupils use pictures or their knowledge of sounds and letters when tackling new words. By Year 2, children can quickly recognise frequently used words and the names in the reading scheme. There was little evidence during the inspection, however, of pupils using a wider range of non-fiction books in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. The school is well resourced with stimulating introductory and increasingly challenging books for younger pupils. These resources need to be made more accessible to pupils from the earliest stages, in order to broaden their reading experience, and to stimulate higher enthusiasm for reading. In Year 6, the vast majority of pupils read very fluently and with a high degree of comprehension, including an understanding of more

p.20

Commentary

subtle ideas. For example when reading about athletics, pupils could relate ‘cycling in the air’ to the action in long jump. 52. Writing is consistently taught well. Handwriting is taught systematically and the presentation of work is very good overall. Pupils of all ages write well for a wide range of purposes, including reviews, instructions, accounts, poetry and stories. For example, reception children write descriptions and make rhyming couplets. In Year 2 pupils write instructions, and use alliteration in poems. By Year 4 pupils are able to write similes, such as ‘the jam tart tasted like freshly picked raspberries’ and Year 6 pupils explore metaphors, writing creatively about cars as ‘a highway beast roaming the roads’ and ‘a hot headed cheetah’. There is a carefully structured approach to teaching the skills children need, from reception to Year 6. Marking in pupils’ books is very helpful, telling children what they have achieved and what they need to do to improve.

p.20

Commentary

The school has recently introduced individual targets for each child. This also helps pupils understand what the next steps are in their learning. Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 21 53. The quality of teaching is good with some very good features. Teachers direct challenging questions to individual pupils according to their capabilities. Group work and activities are well planned for pupils of different abilities, and are at the right levels to challenge and extend their learning. ICT is frequently used to good effect. For example higher attaining pupils worked independently when drafting and editing their poems, and lower attaining pupils reinforced spelling and letter sounds. Where teaching is less effective, the use of time is not maximised as well as it could be, and the pupils who are quiet and passive are less involved in discussions. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well. High levels of adult support ensure their

p.20

Commentary

individual needs in literacy are met very well. There are many examples where teachers placed high expectations on pupils to work and think for themselves, and they rose to the challenge with enthusiasm.

p.21

Commentary

54. The subject leader is very new to her role and has just joined the school. The subject is being well managed, standards, teaching and learning have been monitored and evaluated effectively, and this has led to improving standards all round.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

Above average standards in reading enable pupils to effectively undertake research on the computer and in the library, promoting their learning in other subjects very well. Similarly writing across the curriculum is generally fluent and well presented, enabling pupils to work independently to good effect. In most lessons, pupils are encouraged to talk, to explain their ideas and to reflect on their comments and those of their classmates. Younger pupils need more opportunities to talk to each other, in pairs or small groups, so that they too gain in confidence and develop better skills.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils are good at solving mathematical problems and they enjoy working them out, but some are slower than others when working mentally. • Achievement is good. • Pupils are adept at using their numeracy skills in other subjects, for example when working out co-ordinates in geography, probability in science, and in measuring length in design technology. • All the pupils are clear about their targets for mathematics, and this helps them to make good progress towards achieving them. Pupils with special needs are fully included in this. Effective teaching ensures that all pupils do well irrespective of background and capability. • Work is pitched at the right levels for pupils of higher, average and lower attainment. Teachers’ plans are well focused, and they meet the needs of all their pupils. Teaching assistants provide good support. • On a very small number of occasions pupils’ learning slowed in lessons where their teacher was

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

working with another group and they needed help. When this happened it was quickly spotted and dealt with successfully. • Teachers make good use of assessment to plan the next stages in learning.

p.21

Commentary

55. Good improvements have been made since the last inspection. Standards in the 2003 tests were above average for the seven and the eleven-year-olds. Very good progress has been made in tackling the issue of too low performance by the higher attaining pupils, who are now achieving well in relation to their capabilities. This is especially so for the pupils in Years 1 to 4, where there were weaknesses at the previous inspection. The school is doing well for all its Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 22 pupils and their achievements are good. Standards are increasing year-on-year because of its effective monitoring and evaluation strategies that enable timely action to be taken.

p.21

Commentary

56. The school has rightly focused on improving teaching and learning in mathematics. As a result of this, pupils’ standards are boosted and they have the necessary skills to work out number facts accurately. One or two of the older, average attaining pupils need to sharpen up their mental work to bring them up to speed. That said, the teacher is well aware of this, and is providing challenging tasks that the pupils respond to successfully. Her high expectations, in a lesson on factors and square numbers, meant they responded well and rose to the challenges set for them.

p.22

Commentary

57. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are doing well. Evidence from past work and discussions with them, show that pupils enjoy solving problems. They have made good progress in working with, and understanding, number facts to 100 or higher. They put this knowledge to good use for example when measuring using centimetres. 58. Teaching is good with many strengths, and this is reflected in the good progress pupils’ make, both in lessons and over longer periods of time. Teachers know the subject well, and they enjoy the challenge of teaching mathematics successfully. Planning is detailed and thorough, tasks are pitched at the right levels because of the effective use of assessment. Pupils’ achievements and progress are tracked well. Staff know where there are gaps in learning for them to tackle, which they do effectively. Homework plays a full part in consolidating and extending pupils’ knowledge and understanding from their classwork. One strength of the mathematics work at

p.22

Commentary

Whitechapel is that every pupil is fully included in all aspects of mathematics. No-one is left out. 59. Good leadership and effective management mean that the subject is moving forward well. Staff have got to grips with the issue of attainment, making sure that all pupils, whatever their capability, achieve as well as they can. The school is better than it was at analysing the data about test results. Improved systems for targeting particular pupils, and providing suitable support, are effective. Governors have made a financial commitment to employing additional teaching assistants to cover these needs and this strategy is very successful.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

60. Numeracy skills are taught and developed well. Pupils are competent users of number, their understanding is very secure, and they use their numeracy skills well to support learning in the other subjects such as science and design technology.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

Pupils make good progress, and frequently very good progress, during their time in school. Standards in the subject at the end of Year 2 are above average, rising to well above average by the end of Year 6. Pupils achieve highly. This is because the school has evolved a curriculum so that pupils cover all areas of the science curriculum and which accommodates the needs and abilities of mixed age groups. Standards have risen year-on-year and more pupils are reaching the higher levels in national tests. Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 23

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Science investigations are exciting, interesting and challenging. This makes the pupils want to learn and to be involved. • Standards are high and pupils achieve very well. They are helped by well-chosen resources, both indoors and outside. • The subject leader has a clear sense of direction. She provides good leadership. • Pupils’ work is assessed carefully and new challenges and targets set. This boosts standards across the board.

p.23

Commentary

61. There have been good improvements since the last inspection, especially in meeting the needs of the higher attaining pupils. Teaching overall is good and the pupils respond well. They are very interested in their science work and are eager to plan and conduct an investigation. By the end of Year 2 they are aware of the principles about an investigation and conducting a ‘fair test’ and can plan and measure the results against what they think will happen. This is a good standard for pupils of this age.

p.23

Commentary

62. The curriculum is well managed. The mixed age range classes are accommodated well through a range of different tasks for both the age and ability of pupils. Pupils make good progress. They are encouraged by their teachers to use scientific terminology appropriately; they present their work in a variety of different forms and ways. The tasks, which are often the same, challenge the higher attainers. The lower attainers are well supported by teaching assistants and teachers, and they share their enthusiasm and interest well with other members of the class. The quality of pupils’ work and the progress they make over time is good, frequently very good.

p.23

Commentary

63. In Year 6 pupils are clearly focused on achieving well, they are confident about their work and are eager to develop new skills and further their knowledge. The very good use of their mathematical skills to develop a table to record their data was limited by their construction of the table and by not having sufficient data to be able to draw a conclusion. The older pupils quickly recognised what they needed to do and they speedily evolved a way of solving the problem. The good use of challenging questions by the teacher enabled them to make good progress both in the lesson and over time. The good use of different and clearly focused tasks improves both the quantity and quality of pupils work.

p.23

Commentary

64. Pupils are very clear about what they are to learn and the steps needed to achieve their target. Work is clearly marked and pupils are provided with clear guidance about how to improve their work. This helps them to improve their standards overall.

p.23

Commentary

65. The subject leader has a clear sense of direction and has focussed on raising standards by providing support and ideas to improve the quality of teaching and learning throughout the school. Standards, teaching and learning are monitored regularly and evaluated so that gaps are speedily identified and tackled. This results in the high standards reached by many older pupils.

p.23

Commentary

66. The school has a very good range of resources to promote the different areas of the science curriculum. They are used well, and this has a positive impact on boosting standards. In addition, the school grounds provide a very good range of natural resources, which are used effectively in the course of investigations.

p.23

Commentary

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

p.23

Commentary

Provision in information and communication technology is good. Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 24 Standards are above average by the end of Year 6. The pupils are confident and they see the use of the computers as part of their everyday learning. They are eager to explore a variety of different programs and adapt the results so they can retrieve and use information accurately and effectively.

p.23

Commentary

The subject is managed through teachers working as a team. This works well in this small school. The recently appointed subject leader is building on and developing the strengths of the subject effectively.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good use of ICT as a learning tool, and the enthusiasm which is generated by the subject, boost standards and achievements successfully • The range of tasks pupils perform when using ICT gives them additional insight into the potential of ICT, both now and in the future. • The next stage is to extend pupils’ communications with other schools both nationally and internationally and to refine the system for monitoring and evaluating pupils’ progress and achievements

p.24

Commentary

67. There have been very good improvements since the last inspection. Computers in the classroom are used efficiently across the board to develop a range of writing and data handling tasks. They are used constantly and effectively in the majority of lessons and this boosts standards and improves achievement all round. The use of ICT is well planned within each lesson, and there is a clear purpose for its use, which enhances the learning of individual pupils very well indeed. All year groups use ICT successfully in order to help develop skills and enhance learning in all areas of the curriculum. The older pupils use the Internet efficiently to extract the information for various topics and challenges that they are researching. There are sufficient computers, which are easily accessible and are continually updated so that pupils are regularly introduced to new programs and developments as they come online. The next stage is to extend pupils’ communication with other schools, and to

p.24

Commentary

refine the system for monitoring and evaluating pupils’ progress and achievements.

p.24

Commentary

68. Teaching is at least good, frequently better. Lessons are well prepared by teachers so that pupils can develop their skills and learn effectively. For example, when constructing a spreadsheet to cost out quantities and calculate the cost of a meal, pupils follow instructions well and work out how to input data. Whilst doing this they also learn how to construct a formula accurately. The pupils support each other well. The effective use of teaching assistants enables pupils with special educational needs to make good progress.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

69. Because it is in constant use ICT holds no fear for pupils. They refer, as matter of course, to the technical names and programs. Any measured results they have collected in the course of their science work are recorded and the data interpreted from graphs. They send their homework home via e-mail, but do not yet correspond with other schools to develop an understanding about other systems and lifestyles.

p.24

Geography and History

70. Work was sampled in history and geography. No lessons were seen so it is not possible to make a judgement about provision. The evidence suggests that standards in history and Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 25 geography are broadly average at the end of Year 2. They are average in history at the end of Year 6 and above average in geography. This is broadly the same picture that emerged at the end of the last inspection. What has improved is the curriculum, which is now securely in place and all elements are covered well. Good progress has been made since the last inspection.

p.24

Geography and History

71. The school uses local places of interest well to extend pupils historical skills so that pupils can interpret how it would have been to live as a poor Victorian child and to make comparisons with an upper class child in a rich Victorian household. The visit to the Lancaster museum and the use of the artefacts extends both pupils knowledge and their understanding successfully. Older pupils are adept at using and interpreting maps that are in different scales. The use of local maps from different periods creates interest, as well as enabling pupils to make clear assertions about changes in land usage over previous decades. The subject leader has had a positive impact, and she has moved the subject forward successfully.

p.25

Religious Education

Provision in religious education is good.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average across the school and pupils’ achievements are good. • Pupils have a secure understanding of some of the similarities and differences between Christianity and the other main religions of Sikhism and Judaism. • Teachers have made good use of works of art to develop pupils’ understanding of religious symbols, for example, in the El Greco painting of ‘Christ driving the traders from the temple’.

p.25

Commentary

72. Good improvements have been made since the last inspection when standards were broadly average. They are now above average for seven and eleven year olds. Teaching is good and frequently better than this, and leads to good achievement. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have a very secure body of knowledge about Christianity, its festivals and traditions. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 have built upon and extended this knowledge successfully. They have a good understanding of religious symbols and artefacts in Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

p.25

Commentary

73. Pupils have worked on a range of issues including analysing facts and opinions about feelings of selfishness, kindness and anger, both for themselves and for others. They understand what is acceptable and unacceptable in various situations where these feelings are evoked and their learning progresses well. Higher, average and lower attaining pupils tackle similar work but at different levels. This is challenging for them and it keeps them interested and involved in learning. Their achievements are good.

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Commentary

74. The subject leader has had a positive impact on developing the subject. She gives the subject a firm steer, and staff are well supported. Resources are of good quality, and are used very well to aid pupils’ understanding across the board

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Commentary

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

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Commentary

75. Only one lesson was seen in art and design, design technology and physical education (PE). No lessons were seen in music. There is insufficient evidence to make secure judgements about standards, teaching and learning in these subjects. Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 26 76. In art and design and design technology good progress has been made in tackling the issues from the previous report. There is now a good range of resources to support pupils’ learning in art and design, and this results in a wide variety of work. Pupils are familiar with a range of techniques, which they use to good effect. Close observational drawings are detailed and accurate, and collage and paint representations of Native American Indians show expressive movements effectively. Pupils are keen to talk about their work, which they enjoy. They explain their techniques clearly and they know what to do to achieve a particular effect in their creative

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Commentary

77. Teachers have improved their planning in both subjects. This is because there are now appropriate national guidelines in place and these give a clear steer to the curriculum on offer. The School Improvement Plan identifies developing pupils’ targets as the next area for development, and this is the right way to move forward. Both subjects are managed soundly. This is a period of transition for subject leaders as new staff are in place and responsibilities are in the process of being finalised.

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Commentary

78. Pupils were singing in assembly, and this was the only opportunity to observe music. Songs are enjoyed, especially the lively song, I am special to God , but pupils lack confidence in using their singing voices. The role of the subject leaders is currently being re-defined, and the subject has a new leader who is very new to the school. Parents praised the quality of the school’s productions, which they enjoy.

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Commentary

79. Good progress has been made in physical education since the last inspection. The school follows the national guidelines for physical education, and this supports teachers effectively in their planning. All the elements of the subject are covered soundly. The school makes good use of the facilities in the nearby village hall, as there is no hall in this small school.

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Commentary

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

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Commentary

Provision for personal, social and health education is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school works effectively with other schools in the cluster to address the issue of racial equality in this all white European school. Additional funds have been provided for curriculum resources, visits out and visitors to school, to develop pupils’ awareness that Britain is a diverse and multi-cultural society. • The school’s participation in the ‘Healthy Schools’ project helps pupils to increase their own knowledge about how to take care of their bodies. • There are many planned opportunities for pupils’ personal development, which is very good.

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Commentary

80. Policies are in place to ensure that all elements of this aspect of the school’s work are covered. The headteacher has taken the lead in encouraging and extending pupil’s personal development and positive attitudes towards school and learning. Her success can be judged by the very good attitudes towards school life generally and learning in particular that are evident at Whitechapel. This is one of the main reasons that pupils’ standards, attitudes and behaviour are so positive, enabling them to do well. The school is racially harmonious and pupils and their families are respected and valued. Pupils are learning about how to take care of themselves and to lead healthy lives. They know about how important it is to take care of the planet we live on and they are aware of a range of issues related to conservation. Considerable funds are raised for a number of charities enabling pupils to play a direct role in supporting others that are less

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Commentary

fortunate than themselves. Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 27

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 2

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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). Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School - 28

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