Lee Mount Primary School

LEE MOUNT PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 29 th September – 3 rd October 2003

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LEE MOUNT PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Lee Mount Primary School - 2 Crown copyright 2003

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LEE MOUNT PRIMARY SCHOOL

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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LEE MOUNT PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Lee Mount Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 to 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 326

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Lee Mount Road Lee Mount Halifax Postcode: HX3 5EB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01422 352856 Fax number: 01422 361423

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr J Collins

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 15 th June 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is situated close to Halifax. There are 326 pupils on roll, aged between three and eleven years. The school is bigger than other primary schools. Attainment on entry to the school is well below average. The majority of pupils who attend the school live in a community which faces many of the issues associated with areas of deprivation. This is reflected in the proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals (36 per cent), which is above the national average. The majority of pupils live in the immediate area in a mixture of rented and privately owned accommodation. A large number of pupils enter and leave the school throughout the year. There are a small number of pupils from ethnic minority groups but very few of these pupils speak English as an additional language. At the time of the inspection, there were 55 pupils on the list of pupils with special educational needs, a percentage of pupils which is similar to that found in most schools. The majority of these pupils have

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

learning difficulties; a number have emotional and behavioural needs and a small number have physical and other needs. There are six pupils with statements of special educational need; this is more than usual in this size of school. The school received a School Achievement Award in 2001- 2002 in recognition of improvements in standards beyond the national trend. Lee Mount Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

18463 Steve Bywater Lead inspector Mathematics, science, history, geography, personal, health and social education 19365 Gordon Stockley Lay inspector 27591 Maddie Campbell Team inspector Foundation Stage, art and design, religious education 30362 Jacqui Henshaw Team inspector Music, English as an additional language 15015 Mike Wehrmeyer Team inspector English, information and communication technology, design and technology, physical education, special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Lee Mount Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 10

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 13

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 34

Lee Mount Primary School - 6 Lee Mount Primary School - 7

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is an effective and inclusive school that has many very good features. There is good teaching. Pupils achieve well from a low base on entry. By the age of eleven, pupils’ standards meet national expectations in English, mathematics and science. The children have good attitudes to school and relationships are very good. Pupils behave well. The leadership and management of the school are very good and the headteacher provides outstanding leadership. Because costs are high, 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

• Staff, governors, pupils, parents and the community have turned this once failing school around • Standards by the end of Year 2 are below national expectations in English and mathematics • Teaching is good and all pupils make good progress. • The headteacher is an inspirational leader and he is determined to improve pupils’ standards and the quality of education. Governors support the school very well • The link between nursery and reception classes needs to be closer • There is a good curriculum • Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is very good. Pupils have a good attitude to learning, relationships are very good and pupils behave well • Attendance is below average despite the school’s very good efforts • The quality of care is very good. The astute analysis of test results and pupils’ assessments in English and mathematics are leading to improved standards.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has developed very well since the last inspection; some of the changes have been remarkable. Standards by the age of eleven in English and mathematics have improved from being in the lowest five per cent of schools in 1998 to being in line with national expectations now. There is still some improvement required in the standards of the infants but pupils are achieving soundly. The quality of teaching is much better than it was and as a result, pupils now enjoy school and they have good work habits.

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Year 6 results

All schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2000 2001 2002 2002 English E* E E D Mathematics E E C A Science E E C A Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average; E* very low (lowest 5%) Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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average. By the end of Year 6, standards in English, mathematics and science are in line

with the national average. Lee Mount Primary School - 8 The table shows that in the 2002 national tests for eleven year olds, pupils’ performance in English was well below the national average, whilst performance in mathematics and science was in line with the national average. In comparison with similar schools, standards were below average in English and well above average in mathematics and science. The full range of inspection evidence confirms that children enter the school with low levels of attainment and achieve well as they go through the school. Despite the sound and often good progress made in the infant classes, by the end of Year 2, pupils are still working at levels that are below average in all aspects of English and mathematics. Pupils make good progress in the juniors in English, mathematics and science and standards are in line with national expectations. Additional lessons and the summer school are

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average. By the end of Year 6, standards in English, mathematics and science are in line

helping to improve standards. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are in line with expectations, both at the end of Year 2 and at the end of Year 6. Pupils’ standards in physical education are above national expectations by the ages of seven and eleven as a result of very good teaching. The standards of religious education are in line with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus when pupils are seven and eleven years old.

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good . There are strengths in the way that pupils are clearly taught to understand the difference between right and wrong actions. Pupils display a clear sense of belonging to their school community. The school has high expectations of pupils’ conduct and promotes very good relationships within school. Children have a good attitude towards school and their behaviour is good . Several school initiatives positively promote pupils’ sense of responsibility. The attendance rate is below the national average , mainly due to a few parents who do not ensure their children attend regularly or to those who take their children away from school on holiday.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of teaching throughout the school is good . Teaching in the Foundation Stage (nursery and reception classes) is good overall, but better in the reception unit due to better provision and more effective use of space and resources. Pupils with special educational needs are taught and supported very effectively by high quality support staff and teachers using well-organised individual education plans. The few pupils who speak English as an additional language are taught effectively and achieve well. Throughout the school, teachers have very good relationships with pupils and manage them well. They help to raise pupils’ self-esteem and self-confidence. Teachers know their pupils well and set challenging work. They make good use of educational visits and visitors to inspire children and they value the work produced by the class. They work hard to provide interesting displays. Pupils are keen to learn and clear about what is expected of them. The teaching

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

of literacy and numeracy skills is good and teachers use ICT well as a tool for teaching. A good range of assessment strategies enables teachers to track pupils’ attainment effectively as they move through the school.

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Curriculum, care, guidance and support and partnerships with parents and the community

The school provides a good range of opportunities to develop learning both academically and socially through well-organised activities before and after school, and at lunchtime. There is a very high level of care for all the pupils’ needs. Information to parents is beneficial. Links with the community are productive and there are very good links with the local secondary schools. Lee Mount Primary School - 9

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good.

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Leadership

The leadership of the headteacher is excellent. The leadership of other key staff is good.

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Leadership

The headteacher is an inspirational leader. He is supported very well by the deputy headteacher. His very clear vision for the future is shared with all staff, governors, parents and pupils and this has been crucial to the school’s improvements.

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Management

The overall management of the school is very good . Monitoring and evaluation of the performance of staff and the quality of education provided have many very good features.

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The work of the governing body

The governance of the school is very good. The governors show a very good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They are fully committed to supporting the school, and are deeply involved in school development planning and evaluation.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents expressed very positive comments about the information that they receive from school. They feel at ease about approaching the school over any concerns. At their meeting they said that the school had improved remarkably since the last inspection. Pupils have very positive views about the school. They speak enthusiastically about their teachers and their experiences.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Raise standards in English and mathematics in the infant classes • Further develop the provision in nursery so that it more closely matches that in the reception • Continue to raise the attendance rate. Lee Mount Primary School - 10

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards of attainment are below average in English and mathematics at the end of Year 2 • Good teaching across the Foundation Stage ensures that children make good progress • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in their learning and achieve well throughout school • There is good achievement in English and mathematics • Good provision in science, including a focus on investigational activities and the use of practical resources, has improved pupils’ (scientific) skills and understanding.

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Commentary

1. Children in the Foundation Stage 1 are given work that is stimulating, interesting and of a high quality. This motivates all children, including those with special educational needs, to learn well. However, by the end of reception, most children will still not have reached the Early Learning Goals 2 apart from in personal, social and emotional development. This is due to children’s low levels of attainment in most areas of learning on entry to nursery. Overall, most children achieve well and this is due to good teaching in all areas of learning.

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Commentary

2. In reading and writing, pupils’ standards are below national expectations by the end of Year 2. In Year 6, standards in English are in line with national expectations. Pupils make good progress in lessons and over time through the school. Virtually all pupils achieve well in relation to their starting points. Pupils who have special educational needs receive particularly good support which enables them to make very good progress. Standards are strongest in listening. Teachers encourage pupils to use and extend their speaking skills in many lessons but these opportunities are not planned in a systematic way. Speaking skills are below average in infant and junior classes and this area of English is where pupils are weakest. Many strategies have helped to raise standards in reading. The Better Reading Programme has raised the standard of some Year 2 pupils by nearly two years and the guided reading in Year 6 enables pupils to

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Commentary

understand the meaning more. The strategies for improving writing are also clear to pupils and standards continue to improve. For example, regular spelling practices have raised pupils’ confidence and accuracy. Pupils’ handwriting is neat and the emphasis on handwriting is successful in raising standards of presentation.

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Commentary

The Foundation Stage begins when children reach the age of three and ends at the end of the reception class. It is a distinct stage in preparing children for later schooling and is based on six areas of learning. These mainly refer to: communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development, but also include: knowledge and understanding of the world; and physical and creative development.

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Commentary

2 Early Learning Goals - these are expectations for most children to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. They mainly refer to achievements children make in connection with the six areas of learning. There are many goals for each area of learning; for example, in language and literacy pupils should be able to write their own name and other things such as labels and begin to write simple sentences. Lee Mount Primary School - 11 3. In mathematics, pupils achieve well. They make sound progress in the infant classes but good progress in the juniors because of the good and at times very good quality of teaching in Year 6. Pupils are below expected levels at the end of Year 2 and in line with expectations in Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well throughout the school because they are given work which matches their needs and have specific mathematical targets on their individual education plans. Talented support staff provide effective help.

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Commentary

4. In the infant classes, it is not possible to judge standards in science because it is so early in the year and little work is available. However, pupils in Year 6 are on target to meet national expectations. In ICT, pupils throughout the school achieve well and reach the nationally expected standards. Adults support the lower ability pupils and those with special educational needs well and these pupils’ achievement is good. They are encouraged to work independently. Teachers use a satisfactory range of applications to enable pupils to apply their ICT skills in other subjects but some opportunities are missed.

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Commentary

5. Standards in religious education are in line with those expected of seven and eleven year olds in the Calderdale Agreed Syllabus.

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Commentary

6. In all subjects, the level of attainment of pupils who have special educational needs is very low. However, the pupils make good progress and often achieve very well, especially when supported by support assistants.

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Commentary

7. The school’s results in the national tests for 2002 showed that overall standards by the end of Year 2 were well below the national average in reading and writing and below average in mathematics. When compared with pupils in similar schools, pupils’ performance was above average in mathematics, average in writing and well below average in reading. Girls have outperformed boys in reading since 1998. In mathematics the opposite is true and boys outperform girls.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 12.8 (13.3) 15.8 (15.7) writing 13.0 (12.7) 14.4 (14.3) mathematics 16.2 (15.4) 16.5 (16.2) There were 46 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

8. The 2002 national tests for pupils in Year 6 showed that overall standards in mathematics and science were in line with the national average, whilst in English, standards were well below average. In comparison with pupils in similar schools, pupils’ performance was average in English and well above average in mathematics and science. English scores were lower because the reading and writing initiatives which the school had implemented had not had time to take effect. Considering their attainment when they were in Year 2, this group of Year 6 pupils achieved well above the average for pupils nationally in mathematics and science, but below average in English. There is no trend in attainment between boys and girls in Year 6. In 2003, there are no national comparisons available as yet, but clearly the pupils in Year 6 achieved very well when compared with pupils from similar schools and when compared with their

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Commentary

previous achievements in Year 2. English scores have improved significantly. Standards in Year 2, however, were lower than normally expected because:

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Commentary

• 45 per cent of the group were on the special educational needs register • 55 per cent of pupils had below average attendance • A significant number of pupils were from socially disturbed backgrounds. Lee Mount Primary School - 12 9. However, the school had tracked the progress of pupils and recognised that this year group would not perform as well. Standards in Year 6 have risen above the national trend in recent years and the school has been rewarded for improving its standards by the conferring of a ‘School Achievement Award’ in 2001-2.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2002

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 24.8 (23.8) 27.0 (27.0) Mathematics 26.7 (23.4) 26.7 (26.6) Science 28.7 (25.7) 28.3 (28.3) There were 41 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural

development is very good. Punctuality is satisfactory, but attendance is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school sets very high expectations for pupils’ conduct and promotes very good relationships, dealing very effectively with all forms of harassment • Pupils are interested in their work and prepared to be enterprising and to take responsibility • The school has very good procedures to monitor and promote attendance.

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Commentary

10. The school’s behaviour policy has been very effective in achieving the generally good and sometimes very good behaviour seen during the inspection. Pupils devise their own class rules based on the school rules and this, together with a consistent approach to discipline by all adults, ensures that pupils can work and play in a pleasant manner without fear of bullying. All adults working in the school are very good role models and work hard to boost pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. Relationships are very good throughout the school and this has a positive impact on pupils’ learning and personal development. Pupils respect the building and grounds and the great majority are happy at school. The school successfully stimulates in pupils a desire to learn and this leads to a good level of enthusiasm in lessons and for the range of extra-curricular activities on offer. Pupils are willing to take initiative and keen to accept

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Commentary

responsibility. In lessons they work together well, helping and supporting each other. Only two exclusions occurred last year.

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions White – British 307 2 White – any other White background 3 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 7 Mixed – White and Asian 5 Lee Mount Primary School - 13 Mixed – any other mixed background 3 Any other ethnic group 1 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Exclusions

11. Pupils who have special educational needs are developing confidence and positive self- esteem. They relate well to the teachers and support assistants, developing an enthusiasm for their work and an increasing ability to concentrate. The pupils with the most severe difficulties appreciate what is done for them, and they try hard to play a full part in the positive ethos of the school.

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Exclusions

12. Pupils are very proud of their school and their achievements. They display a clear sense of belonging to their school community. They talk willingly about their school and the activities they enjoy. Pupils’ spiritual development is very good. Collective worship and religious education lessons play a significant part in this. Circle time, which offers pupils an opportunity to discuss sensitive issues in a secure and supportive environment, is effective in all classes. Pupils can discuss issues of a global nature as well as more personal and sensitive issues in a secure environment. Pupils know that they will be listened to and they will not be put down. Pupils’ moral development is very good. They know what is right or wrong because they are partly responsible for class rules. Pupils run a school council which discusses issues including school or concerns raised by other pupils. Social development is very good. For example,

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Exclusions

dinner buddies in Years 5 and 6 help reception children with lunchtime routines; reading buddies, who are trained by the Reading Recovery teacher help younger children with their reading; and play leaders develop games and other activities for younger children during playtime. These responsibilities encourage pupils to show a caring and responsible attitude towards others and to set a good example to younger children. The pupils show a real pride in carrying out these duties and this helps to raise their self-esteem. Pupils’ cultural development is good. They take a very active part in local sports and competitions. In art they work in the style of artists such as Klee, Manz and Mondrian. Their broader cultural knowledge is extended when they study the music of West Java and Africa and they hear poetry from Jamaica. In religious education, pupils study the main religions of the world and they also study the

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Exclusions

geography of the Caribbean, for example, in geography.

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Attendance

13. Although attendance is currently unsatisfactory, as shown in the table below, the very good procedures now operated by the school are having a positive effect. They have lifted the attendance level by nearly two per cent in the last year to around 93.5 per cent in 2002-2003. The school reminds parents regularly of the importance of good attendance and pupils are rewarded for 100 per cent attendance each term. The recently appointed Community Support Manager checks attendance records every morning and contacts parents of unexplained absentees by telephone or personal visit during the same day.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (2001-2002) 91.8%

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 8.1 School data 0.1 National data 5.4 National data 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

Lee Mount Primary School - 14 The quality of teaching and learning are good. It is supported by good quality assessment of pupils' work in each key stage. The school range of learning opportunities are good and there is an impressive range of activities organised out of school time. Lee Mount Primary School - 15

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff have very good knowledge of pupils and understand their individual needs • Teachers use support staff very well • The quality of assessment is good • In some lessons, the teachers’ subject knowledge is not secure • Occasionally, teachers over-direct pupils and the use of some worksheets limits pupils’ recording skills and development of literacy • Staff have high expectations of pupils, expecting them to work hard and achieve their best • Teachers use praise well to encourage pupils and relationships are very good • Management of behaviour is good.

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Commentary

14. Teaching is good and much improved since the last inspection. One reason for this is the high level of teamwork between teachers and classroom assistants in each unit and this contributes to raising standards. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and local education authority staff have monitored the quality of teaching and where weaknesses were found these were dealt with supportively and effectively.

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Commentary

15. Teaching in reception is better than in nursery due to better provision and more effective use of space and resources. A real strength of Foundation Stage is the effective teamwork. The teaching assistants and the teachers are fully involved in teaching and bring much enthusiasm, skill and understanding to the children’s learning. They work very well with the children, for example by careful questioning and by developing vocabulary. Every opportunity is taken to develop speaking, literacy and numeracy skills and this helps the children make sound progress in all areas of work.

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Commentary

16. Teaching is satisfactory overall in the infant classes and good in junior classes.

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Commentary

17. The teaching of English and mathematics is never less than satisfactory and mostly good or better. The school has rightly placed considerable emphasis on teaching the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. Teachers have a secure knowledge of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. They carefully plan lessons so that there is consistency and continuity across year groups. Lesson planning is consistent and rigorous. Teachers share the purpose of the lesson with pupils and use the final part of lessons well to go over what pupils have actually learned. In mathematics, they ask pupils to explain clearly the strategies used to answer questions. There are good opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical understanding through problem-solving work. Pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are developed well through other subjects such as history, design and technology and religious education.

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Commentary

Most teachers use a good range of resources and strategies to make lessons interesting. Homework in English and mathematics supports pupils' learning.

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Commentary

18. In most classes, teachers are clear in their planning. They ensure that pupils know what is expected of them and pupils apply themselves well to their learning. In the better lessons, positive features of teaching include very good relationships with pupils and high levels of teachers’ enthusiasm. Teachers use praise well to generate interest and involvement among pupils. Other positive characteristics of teaching include good questioning and clear instructions to aid learning. Teachers choose and use resources well to motivate and inspire pupils. Teachers use interactive whiteboards very effectively in a number of classes. These strengths help to ensure that all pupils are fully involved in lessons and make good gains in learning. Lee Mount Primary School - 16 19. Teachers manage behaviour well, which ensures that pupils behave sensibly and concentrate on their work. Teachers and support staff use praise well so that pupils recognise that their

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Commentary

good behaviour has been noticed. This helps to raise pupils’ self-esteem. The teamwork between teachers and high quality classroom assistants is good and this contributes to raising standards.

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Commentary

20. Where the quality of teaching is lower, for example in a music lesson and a science lesson, the teachers’ subject knowledge is not secure and the expectations of pupils are too low. In unsatisfactory and occasionally in some of the satisfactory lessons the weaknesses include work which is planned with too little challenge for the pupils’ age and ability. Sometimes the teacher over-directs pupils and the use of some worksheets limits pupils’ recording skills and development of literacy.

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Commentary

21. Pupils who speak English as an additional language have their needs met well. Teachers plan work with the ethnic minority’s achievement grant service and effective support is provided. The teaching of pupils who have special educational needs is also good. All teachers are careful to ensure that these pupils experience success in front of their peers. Class teaching is good when teachers try to draw in the weaker pupils by including them in questioning. Teachers also provide pupils with challenging tasks that develop the specific skills and attitudes which are written in their individual plans. In class lessons, a few teachers sensibly use a simple reminder system to ensure that the pupils’ planned targets are referred to regularly. The impact of the wide range of support teaching programmes by the co-ordinator and support assistants is very good. The programmes are closely monitored for the value added to pupils’ attainment. Such

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Commentary

support means pupils show good, measurable improvements in standards and they benefit fully from the school's curriculum.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 49 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 (0%) 1 (2%) 26 (53%) 20 (41%) 2 (4%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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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; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

The quality of assessment of pupils’ work is good.

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Commentary

22. All teachers thoroughly and consistently check the progress pupils make and the standards they have reached in English and mathematics.

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Commentary

23. Pupils have individual targets for improvement in English and mathematics. This results in pupils becoming more aware of what they need to do to improve.

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Commentary

24. The school meets statutory requirements in the assessment of children in the Foundation Stage. Individual profiles are completed in detail for all areas of learning.

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Commentary

25. The teachers use extensive information of pupils’ performance and achievement in English and mathematics to intervene and help pupils to achieve even more. In other subjects, teachers satisfactorily check how well pupils have done at the end of set modules of work. The assessment co-ordinator has very usefully analysed the impact of help pupils receive through teaching assistants or booster classes. Both of these have significantly improved achievement and also helped the school to plan strategies for the future. She also carefully checks pupils who speak English as an additional language to ensure that they are doing as well as they can.

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Commentary

26. Pupils’ individual targets for improvement in mathematics and English, and much of the marking, is supportive and helpful so pupils can improve their own work. However, in some classes and in some subjects marking is not so rigorous. Pupils are beginning to learn Lee Mount Primary School - 17 evaluation skills in subjects such as drama and physical education and this is helping them to express opinions. However, this process is at an early stage and teachers do not yet help pupils sufficiently to give reasons for their opinions based on ideas for improvement. Assessment within special educational needs is very good. The school has developed a useful bank of diagnostic tests to help it identify pupils who have special needs. The school policy of early intervention works well. Children are monitored as early as the nursery class. The staff track progress well and often the pupils’ work materials themselves act as a useful record of

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Commentary

progress. The special educational needs co-ordinator uses very precise testing to chart the very small learning steps of certain pupils.

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The school is successful in providing a good quality curriculum which caters for the needs

In all respects, the curriculum meets the requirements of the National Curriculum and religious education, which is taught in accordance with the locally agreed syllabus. The school environment is well maintained and brightly furnished with attractive displays by a caring staff. An appropriate proportion of time is allocated to each subject although there is still scope for further development of the music curriculum for older pupils. The curriculum is judged to be well balanced and relevant.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is enriched by visits, visitors and curriculum innovations • There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities • Provision for Foundation Stage children is good and provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good • There is equality of access and opportunity provided to all groups of pupils • Very good provision is made for the development of personal, social and health education • The junior hall is small and this reduces the quality of learning for older pupils • The provision of music for junior aged pupils is underdeveloped • The nursery is less well developed than the reception unit.

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Commentary

27. The Foundation Stage children enjoy a well-planned, well-focused start to their early schooling. The curriculum provides a wide range of planned and structured activities which gives the youngest children a good start to school across all the recommended areas of learning. However, the nursery needs to continue to develop more effective use of space and resources to bring it in line with the reception unit’s stimulating approach. There is a developing outside activity area of high quality which all Foundation Stage classes can use to improve physical development.

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Commentary

28. Personal, health and social education is very good. Drugs and health education policies are both in place and lessons help to develop citizenship and care of the environment.

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Commentary

29. Visitors, including local clergy, musicians, local services and a local park ranger, add to the richness of the curriculum. Special arrangements are made which focus on one area of learning such as art and design. This means that pupils can concentrate on activities such as using clay, fabrics and threads or computer three-dimensional modelling for extended periods of time. Pupils also use the locality for study in order to enhance learning whilst older pupils participate in a three-day residential experience where they learn to live and share with each other.

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Commentary

30. Provision for special needs is very good. The curriculum for pupils who have special educational needs is adapted by class work specially matched to their needs. They also have Lee Mount Primary School - 18 good individual education plans. The targets in these plans have become much more precise since the previous inspections. However, there is still some inconsistency in their use. In the best examples pupils are helped by their support assistants in some form of booster work. Together they achieve very good progress through targets in the basic skills.

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Commentary

31. The school provides a very good range of extra-curricular activities. These include many sporting activities as well as art, computer, drama, choir and maths clubs. The breadth and range of activities on offer are a strength of the school. These allow all pupils access to a wide range of studies and help to develop positive attitudes to learning.

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Commentary

32. The number, use and quality of teaching assistants enable all groups of pupils good access to the curriculum. They are well briefed, support pupil progress throughout lessons and contribute well to the overall assessment of pupils. The teaching assistants are very well deployed and make a significant contribution to the progress of pupils who have special educational needs.

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Commentary

33. School accommodation is satisfactory. Whilst most of the building is spacious, attractive, very well maintained and gives all pupils, especially those in the reception classes, a safe and secure environment in which to learn, the junior hall is small. Owing to lack of space, teachers cannot deliver some aspects of the curriculum with ease for older pupils.

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Commentary

34. Resources are mostly good, with some aspects only being satisfactory. Mathematics, science, design and technology, history, religious education and ICT have good, well-organised and comprehensive resources which support these areas of the curriculum well. Other subjects lack a breadth of provision; for example, the school has few musical instruments from other cultures.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good procedures ensure that the school is a healthy and safe place for pupils to work • Teachers and support staff make good provision for pupils’ academic and personal needs • A very good range of initiatives very successfully overcomes barriers to learning • There are very good induction arrangements for pupils new to the school • Older pupils are involved in the school’s work and development through their membership of the school council.

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Commentary

35. The headteacher has established very effective arrangements to ensure pupils’ health and safety. Risk assessments have been carried out and all areas of the building and grounds are reviewed termly. The caretaker deals with any reported concerns quickly and effectively. He is also a governor and provides an effective link to the governing body on health and safety matters. The buildings and grounds are cleaned and maintained to a very high standard. Child protection procedures are very thorough. Pupils with physical or emotional problems are very well looked after.

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Commentary

36. There is a good range of additional support to help pupils with speaking, reading, writing and numeracy. This includes speech and language therapy, booster groups in Year 2 and Year 6 and handwriting groups for children who have difficulty in controlling a pen. Pupils are taught about healthy and safe living by teachers and visitors, including the police and fire service. The Lee Mount Primary School - 19 Kerbcraft scheme teaches younger pupils about road safety and is run by a parent who has been trained as a leader. Pupils’ personal and educational well-being is a priority for all staff.

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Commentary

37. The school provides an impressive range of support for parents and pupils to overcome barriers to learning such as low income and poor parenting skills. This includes a variety of school activities and guidance for parents struggling to manage their child’s behaviour. The school now has a full-time person employed to work with parents and the community. This aims to further improve the support that the school is able to give to help parents and pupils with their learning and social development.

p.19

Commentary

38. The arrangements for children to start in the nursery are very effective. They include visits by staff to the children’s home, visits to the nursery in small groups and opportunities for parents to borrow books and toys. These arrangements help in developing social and academic skills and children to settle in quickly, allowing their parents to leave them happy and safe. Pupils who join the school at a later stage are also given good support by being given a ‘buddy’ to show them around and help them to settle into the school and class routines.

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Commentary

39. Older pupils have a very good opportunity to express their views on all aspects of school life through the work of the school council. This is an effective body, capably run by the children themselves with minimal support and guidance from teachers.

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Commentary

40. The staff supporting pupils with special educational needs encourage them to grow in maturity, independence and self-awareness. The lessons always have a strong component of social training such as sharing working together. Parents are very pleased with this aspect of the school’s work.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good quality information and a good programme of courses for parents help them to support their children’s learning well • Written reports on pupils do not always explain to parents how well their child is doing • The school involves parents very well in the work of the school and has good procedures to deal with any concerns and complaints • Some minor information is missing from the governors’ annual report to parents • Very good links with other schools and good links with the community significantly enhance pupils’ learning opportunities.

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Commentary

41. Parents believe that one of the school’s main strengths is the extent to which it seeks to involve parents. The school does a great deal to involve parents in its work and to encourage them to support their children’s education. It provides a lot of good quality written information to help parents understand what the teachers are teaching and what pupils are learning, together with guidance on how they can help in school and at home. The written annual reports are helpful and informative but they do not always tell parents clearly how well their children are doing in relation to national expectations and what they need to do to improve.

p.19

Commentary

42. The school provides well-attended courses in numeracy, computers and a course for helpers in school in order to support their children’s education and to raise their own self-esteem. About 16 parents and grandparents help regularly in school, supporting teachers and pupils in a variety of ways, and there is no shortage of parents willing to become governors when there is Lee Mount Primary School - 20 a vacancy. The school has a welcoming feel about it that encourages parents to become more involved.

p.19

Commentary

43. The school seeks and values parents’ views about the quality and range of learning opportunities that it provides. In addition, staff including the headteacher, deputy headteacher and home-school link worker are usually around each day as parents are delivering or collecting their children and are very approachable. The school receives very few complaints from parents but those received are investigated thoroughly.

p.20

Commentary

44. The quality of pupils’ education is significantly enhanced by the very good links that the school has with other schools in the area, including its main partner secondary school. Pupils are well prepared for the transfer by the opportunities to visit their new school during Year 5 and Year 6. They also work on special projects in English, mathematics and science during Year 6 and continue this work through to Year 7 in the high school. The school has benefited from a range of initiatives made available through the education action zone to raise pupils’ ambitions and self-esteem by links with other schools and business partners. Members from three local churches visit the school regularly and provide an input to assemblies and religious education. Pupils take part in a range of sporting activities with other schools and have been very successful in a number of competitions.

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Commentary

45. The parents of pupils who have special educational needs value the commitment of the staff to care for their children. The school has sought to build up an increasingly close relationship with the parents, who are all invited to the important review meetings. The parents are now involved in the procedures at every stage. They find the school’s information very helpful, particularly easing the worries they have about an unknown process.

p.20

Commentary

46. The school has developed very good links with specialist support agencies. These work to the benefit of the pupils by giving them access to very good guidance on behaviour and learning.

p.20

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good .

p.20

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

• The governance of the school is very good. • The leadership of the headteacher is outstanding. • The leadership of other key staff is good. • The school is very effectively managed.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The inspirational leadership of the headteacher • The governors’ close involvement with the school helping to shape the vision for its future • Very effective management of the school through rigorous self-evaluation • The very good management of special educational needs • Very good development planning closely linking finances and teachers’ professional growth • The good and sometimes very good leadership by other staff • Strong teamwork, but not always consistently so

p.20

Commentary

47. Under the inspirational leadership of the headteacher the school has turned round to become a source of pride in the community. The headteacher has a particularly clear vision for the future of the school. He is supported very well by the deputy headteacher. This vision is shared by the deputy, senior managers, governors, staff and pupils. By hard work and careful planning the staff have halted the decline in standards and begun the upward trend. The senior management team have put in place systems to enable them to measure the school’s performance. Every Lee Mount Primary School - 21 aspect of school life is carefully monitored. The managers and subject manager use this data to evaluate the quality of progress. They set new targets in their action plans in a continuous cycle of improvement. All staff contribute effectively to the whole school improvement plan.

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Commentary

48. The headteacher listens well to parents and pupils, and their views are taken into account in the planning. Not all subject managers are equally proficient in management, but the headteacher has designed an effective programme of in-service training to develop these skills. Central to the school improvement plan, this programme combines the needs of the staff and of the school particularly well. All subject managers lead their curriculum area well by example. For instance the leaders for English, design and technology, ICT and physical education have improved provision and standards significantly, because the staff have taken up their ideas and made them work. The overall curriculum is well led by the deputy. Staff have gained sufficient confidence to try exciting new directions such as the afternoon carousel of practical activities.

p.21

Commentary

49. The management of special educational needs is very good. The co-ordinator has established an effective timetable of support in and out of the classroom. The co-ordinator initiates and manages the training of the support staff very well. Their expertise is growing steadily. Many are becoming the school’s specialist in a particular aspect of special needs. The communication between co-ordinator, special needs assistants and teachers is very good, and a vigorous ethos of teamwork has been built up. Under the strong leadership of the co-ordinator, the staff are inspired to take on initiatives that bring them steadily closer to identifying the learning styles that will benefit pupils most. The governors are committed to spending more than the budget allocation on support staff. This is a wise strategic decision that is paying off in raised standards. The co-ordinator monitors the outcomes carefully. Working closely with the special

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Commentary

educational needs governor, she prepares valuable reports to the governors about value for money based on the analysis of data. Not all the team spirit in the school is of this very high level. For instance, the cohesion of the two units in the Foundation Stage is not as close as it might be.

p.21

Commentary

50. The governing body is very much involved with the well-being of the school. Governors make regular visits. They get to know the school well by receiving verbal reports from subject managers and very verbal ones from the school council! They know the school’s strengths and weaknesses well. They keep an oversight of the well-run financial systems. With the unobtrusive guidance of the headteacher they ensure that the budget is a strong vehicle to drive the school improvement plan effectively. With the senior managers they are making good use of the help provided by the education action zone and the North Halifax consortium of schools.

p.21

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.21

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 917368 Balance from previous year 77516 Total expenditure 927986 Balance carried forward to the next 66897 Expenditure per pupil 2556 Lee Mount Primary School - 22

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The overall provision including outdoor area and especially personal and social education is good • There is a good team approach in each unit • Teachers use the strengths of all staff including the teaching assistants • Planning is good and meets the needs of all the children • Tracking pupil progress by all staff is effective • Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are good • Staff do not make sufficient use of space in the nursery to enhance provision to the standard of reception classes

p.22

Commentary

51. Curriculum planning in the Foundation Stage is good and is carried out jointly by the teaching team. The children’s learning is supported by thoroughly prepared practical activities and experiences that are wide-ranging and interesting. Activities are based upon the Foundation Stage curriculum and as the children get older they are introduced to slightly more formal ways of working to prepare them for the National Curriculum. Reception uses two areas for shared activities and the newly developed outdoor area is already starting to provide all children with exciting opportunities for further development. The nursery has a large classroom and secure open space in which children can work and play, but classroom space is cluttered by too much furniture which presents barriers to adult supervision and child interaction. Other key strengths of teaching are the consistently high expectations of the teachers and support staff and their

p.22

Commentary

organisation and management of the children.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The range of activities to develop routines, good behaviour and good work habits is effective

p.22

Commentary

52. All children in the Foundation Stage achieve well in this area of learning because they receive patient, caring and appropriate teaching. Progress is good because teachers specifically plan activities to promote skills through other areas of learning where they have high expectations of the children.

p.22

Commentary

53. In nursery, the youngest children quickly get to know regular routines. They take part willingly, for example at tidy-up time, because they have learnt that working together makes the task easier. Reception staff build well on these developments and continue to reinforce and extend this learning. Children quickly realise that good behaviour is expected because all staff praise it and explain calmly why other behaviours are not acceptable. As a result, most children show good levels of self-discipline and confidence by the end of the year.

p.22

Commentary

54. Relationships are very positive throughout the Foundation Stage and help to play a significant part in the children’s learning. Children enter nursery a little anxious but soon are eager to get involved in school life. In reception, most children arrive full of enthusiasm and are keen to get Lee Mount Primary School - 23 down to their tasks. They enjoy their work and do it confidently. They respond positively to all the new experiences.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The range of activities are good • Staff develop children’s speech well

p.23

Commentary

55. Most children enter nursery well below the expected levels for speaking and listening and some are even lower. By the end of the reception classes, most children will still be working towards the Early Learning Goals because many of them will not have developed the confidence or a sufficiently wide enough vocabulary. However, they make good progress because of the good teaching by all members of the teaching team.

p.23

Commentary

56. Staff chat, question and encourage the children to extend their vocabulary and their confidence in speaking, listening and writing at all times. The nursery and reception classrooms are rich environments for promoting the use of language. The children learn to initiate their own conversations because they are shown and become interested in the well-planned activities as they play, for example, in the outdoor play area or in the class home corners.

p.23

Commentary

57. The reception children listen attentively to class stories such as ‘The Gingerbread Man’, joining in when they can. Higher attaining children begin to identify the names and sounds of certain letters. Clear labels, descriptions and pictures are prominently displayed and used to encourage the development of early reading skills. Children use the book areas independently to ‘read’ books and are beginning to develop an interest in books and stories. Children use the writing areas to write shopping lists or a recipe. Teachers provide many well-chosen experiences to enhance children’s skills, especially in speaking and listening. Children, when confidently established in school, take books home to read or share with adults.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The range of activities and resources provided is good • The development of mathematical vocabulary is good

p.23

Commentary

58. Although provision for mathematical development is good throughout the Foundation Stage, by the time most children leave the reception classes, they are unlikely to have attained the expected Early Learning Goals. This is because of their very low attainment on entry to the nursery. In nursery, they experience a wealth of opportunities to use mathematics in practical ways and across other areas of learning. They are introduced to simple numbers, names and shapes and some are beginning to count to five. In reception some children can count to ten forwards and backwards. Towards the end of the reception classes, aspects of the numeracy strategy are slowly introduced and this builds well on the practical work done earlier. Lee Mount Primary School - 24 59. Staff encourage children to use mathematical vocabulary such as ‘on’, ‘in’, ‘over’, ‘under’ and ‘behind’ through play situations, during story time and outside activities. In the reception

p.23

Commentary

classes, teaching is good, offering children opportunities to consolidate learning and extend their mathematical thinking.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The range of activities provided is good

p.24

Commentary

60. Nursery and reception classes make good provision for developing children’s knowledge and understanding of the world and achievement is good. However, by the end of the reception year most children will still be working below expected levels due to their very low attainment on entry to nursery. Staff plan an interesting range of activities which help children learn about the world around them and help develop an appropriate vocabulary. For example, they use coloured leaves, conkers and seeds to discuss autumn. In circle time, they discuss how they care for others.

p.24

Commentary

61. Children begin to investigate simple scientific ideas. In nursery and reception, all children have good access to computers. The children have a wide range of competence in the use of computers with some children able to use ‘click and drag’ across the screen whilst others find the necessary hand-eye co-ordination difficult. All are given an appropriate measure of corresponding support.

p.24

Commentary

62. Children take part in discussions to raise awareness of their own traditions and those of other cultures. They celebrate a variety of cultural festivals, enjoying traditional celebrations. This helps the children to learn the need to respect the views of others and raise their awareness of the importance of belonging.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The range of activities and resources provided is good

p.24

Commentary

63. By the end of the reception classes, many children will not have reached the expected standards in physical development, even though teaching is good throughout the Foundation Stage. Because of their very low levels of physical development when they enter nursery, children work hard and their achievement is good in this area of learning. The children in nursery learn quickly and make sound progress because they participate in structured and purposeful activities both indoors and outdoors. Reception children begin to develop an awareness of space and how to move about safely, with due regard to others. Reception children also have access to a range of large wheeled vehicles and toys and these enhance provision for this aspect of development. Lee Mount Primary School - 25 64. Throughout the nursery and reception classes, children are given ample opportunity to develop hand-eye coordination. They are offered a wide variety of construction toys to use on the

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The range of activities and resources provided is good

p.25

Commentary

65. Due to very low creative skill levels when children come into nursery, by the end of reception many children’s attainment in creative development is still below the expected level for children of this age, in spite of good provision and teaching by all staff.

p.25

Commentary

66. The resources provided for creative exploration are particularly good strengths of provision. In nursery, children create collages and children in the reception classes use paint and pastels and make observational drawings of the story characters from models. Children’s creative skills are developed further by the provision of a wide range of activities in the role play areas using good quality resources. This is especially noted in reception. Resources in the nursery role-play area are satisfactory but not as good as those in the reception classes. Children use the resources imaginatively.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well • The strongest area is pupils’ listening skills, which are in line with the national average • There is good teaching and a balanced curriculum for English • The subject management including the school’s action to develop the subject is good • There is good use of an extended range of assessment procedures and analysis of data • There are very good booster arrangements and good support by classroom assistants • Standards in Year 2 are not high enough • Speaking skills through the school are too low • The pupils do not have a well-developed knowledge of their own learning

p.25

Commentary

67. The very good subject leadership has enabled the school to halt the decline in standards over the last few years. This is clearly seen in Year 6 where the previous two cohorts exceeded the expectation set for them. The school is cautious in its assessments. The standards of the present Year 6 are below average at this time of year. However, the school has proved that by using its effective and wide-ranging support and booster programme, it can raise standards to level in line with national expectations. Standards in Year 2 are below average, and the pupils are coming from a lower starting point. Pupils make good progress in lessons and over time through the school. Virtually all pupils achieve well in relation to their starting points. This is especially true of pupils who have special educational needs. Frequently the support they get is particularly good, enabling them to make very good progress.

p.25

Commentary

Lee Mount Primary School - 26 68. Achievement is strongest in listening. The teachers have been successful in the social development of pupils. This involves encouraging pupils to listen carefully to each other and to their teachers. In virtually all instances pupils paid good attention in class and co-operated well in discussions. The planning for the literacy provision has improved over the years as teachers gain more information about pupils. The school improvement plan has brought in a balanced focus on all aspects of English.

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Commentary

69. The emphasis on handwriting is successful in raising standards of handwriting and presentation. The regular spelling practices and the ‘try it’ strategy have raised pupils’ confidence and accuracy. The support for reading through the structured scheme, the focus on basic skills and the intervention programmes are all beginning to raise standards. The guided reading in Year 6, for instance, is giving pupils a much better insight into the meaning that lies below the surface of the words. The Better Reading Programme has raised the standard of some Year 2 pupils by nearly two years. Pupils like reading but tend to stick to quite a narrow range; they do not know and explore genre. The strategies for improving writing are particularly clear to pupils. For instance, in a Year 3 lesson, pupils followed the ‘5 rules for writing’. This slowed them down, encouraged them to read their work and produced better results. The

p.26

Commentary

school’s plan has now introduced the most important element, training in speaking. This is an area where pupils are weakest.

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Commentary

70. Teaching in English is good. Through carefully planned training the teachers’ expertise has grown. They are all successful at motivating pupils. Teachers plan the lessons as units to make pupils learn and make progress. They share the lesson objectives, to help pupils understand the context of their learning. Staff group pupils and provide tasks which are well matched to pupils’ abilities. Pupils of all levels of ability are challenged well. As a result pupils have a positive attitude to English. Teachers work at a fast pace and expect pupils to work hard. Pupils know that only their best work will do. Marking is good. Teachers take much care to explain to pupils what they need to do to improve. Individual targets are written in some books, but generally pupils are not clear what these targets mean. Pupils do not know enough about the process of their learning; for instance, Year 6 pupils did not know their own levels, and what

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

71. Teachers enable pupils to practise and use their language skills in a number of subjects. For instance, Year 6 pupils used writing well to lay out their design proposals for both the vehicle and slipper projects in technology. Year 4 pupils use their reading skills effectively to research information about Vikings using computer sources. Teachers encourage pupils to use and extend their speaking skills in many lessons. Pupils work as talking partners exploring and refining ideas, or to feed back their findings to the whole class. For instance, a Year 4 teacher helped pupils raise standards in physical education by encouraging them to tell each other how to improve their performance. Not all teachers enlarge pupils’ technical vocabulary enough because opportunities are not planned in a systematic way. Pupils do not themselves suggest how they would like to use literacy to explore or extend activities in other subjects.

p.26

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is good . There has been a remarkable turn-around in standards and quality of education since the previous inspection in 1998.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are below national expectations at the end of Year 2 • There is good leadership of the subject • Pupils make good progress throughout the school and they achieve well • There is good quality teaching and learning in many classes, especially so in Year 6 Lee Mount Primary School - 27 • Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are good and pupils behave well

p.26

Commentary

72. By the age of seven, although around 85 per cent of pupils are on target to achieve the nationally expected level 2; this is fewer than normally expected. The proportion expected to achieve the higher levels is well below national expectations. However, when considering that pupils arrive in school with low levels in numeracy and comparing it with similar schools, their achievement in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory. Pupils make sound progress in all areas of mathematics. They know what is expected of them because targets for improvement are clearly displayed in the front of their exercise books and teachers plan suitably demanding work to ensure that pupils meet these targets. Pupils who are recognised as having a talent in mathematics are given extension work whilst those with difficulties are also supported well.

p.27

Commentary

73. Pupils achieve well in the junior classes and standards are in line with national expectations by the age of eleven. A particularly strong feature of the work in Year 6 is the willingness of pupils to try their best. This is a direct reflection of the skilled teaching and has a very positive influence on the standards achieved. Pupils of all abilities respond positively to well-organised lessons in the certain knowledge that the teachers value their efforts. Work is planned well to meet the needs of all pupils. Older children show a good capacity to work independently and clearly enjoy the challenge of the subject.

p.27

Commentary

74. Teaching is good overall and best in Year 6 where the lessons are lively and challenging. Across the school the teachers have a consistently good approach to the teaching of numeracy and successfully build on the National Numeracy Strategy. The result is that pupils acquire the expected knowledge, skills and understanding. The basic skill of number is taught very effectively throughout the school. The introductory mental mathematics sessions are enjoyable and sometimes innovative, carried out with a brisk pace that keeps the pupils interested. Pupils in a Year 6 introductory session used a tambourine to beat out numbers and used sign language to ask and answer questions. In most lessons, pupils understand what they are going to learn because teachers explain the purpose of the lesson and what pupils are expected to have achieved by the end of the session. In the better lessons, teachers use a very wide range

p.27

Commentary

of activities. A very positive feature of many lessons is the use of support staff who are used very effectively to ensure pupils with special educational needs and lower attaining pupils make progress in line with the rest of the class. In those classes with computer whiteboards, teachers use them very effectively to develop learning. Teachers have very good relationships with their pupils and moral development is enhanced by the high expectations of good standards of behaviour. Teachers mark work regularly and make positive and helpful comments. Teachers’ questioning is often astute, giving pupils a chance to explain what they know and so develop their understanding.

p.27

Commentary

75. There is good leadership and management of the subject and a strong commitment to ensure standards continue to rise. Assessment systems are very good and are used very effectively to identify and address areas for development. Pupils have their own targets and this enables them to measure their own progress. The good range of resources is used effectively to develop learning. A particularly pleasing development is a ‘parent workshop’ in mathematics which aims to develop self-esteem and an enthusiasm in parents which the school hopes will support pupils’ learning at home.

p.27

Mathematics across the curriculum

76. The use of mathematics across the curriculum is good. Teachers develop numeracy skills in other subjects. For example, pupils throughout the school use various measures in design and technology and science lessons and they record information in spreadsheets and charts. Some of these are produced using ICT. Lee Mount Primary School - 28

p.27

SCIENCE

Provision in science is good and much improved since the last inspection .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good quality of teaching and learning • Good links to environmental and health issues • Pupils’ good attitudes and behaviour • Opportunities to carry out investigations • Some teachers over-direct pupils in their investigative work

p.28

Commentary

77. By the end of the infants, pupils’ standards are a little below national expectations because too few pupils are achieving at high levels. They achieve satisfactorily. There are good links with personal and health education since a recent visit by the school nurse has informed children well. They know the uses and misuses of drugs. Pupils are interested and enjoy their science work. Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows pupils have a growing understanding that pushes and pulls are forces and they use prediction skills well to decide whether items are magnetic or not.

p.28

Commentary

78. Pupils in the juniors build well on the scientific knowledge they have acquired earlier and achieve well. Standards are in line with national expectations. Investigations are carried out effectively and there are suitable occasions for pupils to record how they could improve their work in future. There is little work from this year but evidence from last term shows some exciting and challenging tasks in Year 6. For example, pupils considered the best temperature at which to drink cola, how best to seal a water pipe and how to clean dirty water. Pupils predicted accurately what would happen and the higher attaining pupils used their scientific knowledge to make generalisations.

p.28

Commentary

79. The teaching is good and this has a positive effect on raising standards in most classes and year groups. However, there are some inconsistencies. Most lessons are effectively planned with learning objectives linked to the National Curriculum. Pupils know what they are going to learn because all teachers explain the purpose of the lesson. In most of the lessons seen work was set at different levels to meet the needs of all pupils, with support available for those who needed it most. Pupils are kept interested in most lessons because of the brisk pace. Occasionally the lesson is not planned sufficiently to allow pupils to think for themselves. Pupils are over-directed in both the experimental work and in their recording. This greatly reduces the benefit of the lesson since pupils move too quickly from one activity to the next without a clear understanding. In better lessons, teachers review the previous work well to assess prior

p.28

Commentary

80. Pupils are encouraged to develop social skills by working within groups or partners. Teachers’ subject knowledge is generally secure and there is a good emphasis placed on developing vocabulary. For example, pupils in Year 3 talk confidently about magnets attracting and repelling and measure forces in Newtons. Teachers ensure that all pupils are fully included in the lessons. Work provided effectively meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs by ensuring that support assistants can discuss matters with them. Teachers relate very well to their pupils and encourage moral development well by their expectations of good behaviour.

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Commentary

81. Teachers develop literacy and numeracy strategies satisfactorily in science. There are opportunities to read and record. Measurements are taken and graphs used to record investigations. There is satisfactory use of ICT in the subject since it is used for recording and measuring changes. A positive feature of the science curriculum is the link with environmental issues. Pupils show good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development as they discuss Lee Mount Primary School - 29 reasons why the rainforests should not be cut down and they also consider the serious issue of acid rain and pollution.

p.28

Commentary

82. There is sound management of the subject with a commitment to continue to raise standards. The good quality assessments and individual targets are used effectively to improve standards. There is a good curriculum which is enhanced by use of visitors and interesting experiments. The good resources are used effectively to develop learning and raise standards.

p.29

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

Provision in ICT is good. The school has acted on the recommendations of earlier reports with determination to resource a significantly improved provision.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good achievement by pupils • Good teaching leading to above average standards in some strands • The strong subject management and the school’s action to develop the subject • Very effective contribution to teaching and learning by the technician • The pupils do not show enough independence in selecting some of their own applications

p.29

Commentary

83. The very good subject leadership has encouraged staff to use the school’s new and improved computer resources more effectively than in the past. A good programme of national and school-based training has increased confidence and expertise. As a result all teachers are able to use the computer suite to build up pupils’ basic skills in core areas. The strongest areas are linked to word-processing and graphics. Year 6 pupils are confident in finding files, moving text about and illustrating it. They open up the Internet rapidly and are proud of their research work in various subjects. Good planning by all teachers takes pupils through a carefully structured set of learning steps. For the first time this year the Year 6 curriculum fulfils the complete range of required topics. As a result the pupils’ standards are securely up to the expected level, in both Year 6 and Year 2. This represents good achievement by pupils.

p.29

Commentary

84. Because teaching is good throughout the school, pupils make good progress each year. The technician supports teachers and pupils particularly well. As a result the teachers often tackle a much deeper level of work than usually found in similar schools.

p.29

Commentary

85. Some teachers are beginning to use their knowledge of pupils’ skills to match the tasks to ability. This enables slower pupils to work confidently on simpler tasks while more advanced pupils are challenged by more difficult projects. Pupils think the computer suite is “smart” and they work with intense concentration and behave exceptionally well. The school is well placed to aim for above average standards overall. To assist with this ambition, the adoption of workable assessment procedures is an early priority in the subject manager’s action plan.

p.29

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

86. Teachers encourage pupils to apply their ICT skills in other subjects. Many teachers regularly make good use of the Smart boards to make learning more effective in English and mathematics. The assessment system sets integrated tasks where pupils practise recently acquired skills within other subjects. For instance, Year 1 pupils illustrate their science topic with graphs about healthy food. Most years use the Internet to get information for history and geography. Teachers use good software for younger pupils to tackle simple spreadsheets or e- mails, without risk. All classes have the opportunity to incorporate the computer into art activities. However, on occasion opportunities are missed, particularly the kind where pupils would use their own initiative to select some application that fits with the topic they are doing. Lee Mount Primary School - 30

p.29

Geography

During the inspection no geography lessons were observed and very little work was available for scrutiny at this time of year. However, evidence of teachers’ planning and work from last year shows that the full geography curriculum is taught and provision meets requirements.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to write at length in their work • The wide range of visits and visitors help to enrich the curriculum

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Commentary

87. The pupils gain satisfactory knowledge about different eras of history as they move through the school. Teachers use visits to places of interest such as museums, and visitors, to support, consolidate and extend pupils’ learning. In Year 2, a pupil’s grandparent tells pupils of her seaside holidays in the past and, in Year 5, pupils go over a lesson with a ‘Viking’ visitor and consider why and how the Vikings raided. The Year 5 lesson was brought to life because of the teacher’s enthusiasm and the first-hand experiences of the pupils. Most pupils find the subject interesting and enjoy history.

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Commentary

88. Teaching and learning are sound overall in both infant and junior classes. Strengths in teaching include effective use of ICT in some lessons and the imaginative use of resources, such as old and newer toys in Year 1. In Year 3 pupils use role-play to experience a mock air raid. Teachers give clear instructions, build well on previous learning and develop pupils’ literacy skills satisfactorily. The area to develop further in some classes includes providing more opportunities for pupils to speak and write at length. The subject is soundly led and there are clear plans for its development.

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Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is rich and makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development • Pupils enjoy learning about the major world faiths • Resources are good • The new locally agreed syllabus is not yet implemented • Visits to places of worship and visitors enrich the curriculum • There is little development of pupils’ thinking and personal writing about their understanding

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Commentary

89. Pupils achieve satisfactorily and their standards are broadly in line with those expected in the old locally agreed syllabus. The new locally agreed syllabus, ‘Calderdale Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education 2003’ has not yet been implemented. This is an area for development. Lee Mount Primary School - 31 90. The teaching ensures that pupils have a broad knowledge of aspects of the major world faiths of Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Buddhism. Visits to the local Anglican church and visitors from a Pentecostal church help consolidate pupils’ understanding and there are plans to include visits to a Sikh temple and mosque. This curriculum enrichment allows pupils’ learning to be more relevant to their lives.

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Commentary

91. Displays around school illustrating the variety of experiences that are planned to stimulate pupils’ understanding and interest contribute well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Commentary

92. The subject manager has organised resources and artefacts well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject contributes well to pupils’ spiritual and cultural development • Pupils say they like art and design • The art carousel enriches pupils’ experiences on one afternoon a week • Basic art skills and techniques are well taught • The subject manager does not get time to monitor the quality of teaching and learning and standards throughout the school.

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Commentary

93. Pupils have access to a wide range of good quality materials. Their achievement is satisfactory but they are still below the nationally expected standards by the end of the infants due to the low level of skills they have when they enter school. By the end of the juniors, pupils reach the nationally expected levels. This is due to improved skills, a wide variety of experiences offered in the art carousel and the specialised teaching of some staff.

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Commentary

94. During the art carousel, older pupils create three-dimensional simulations and models on the computers and many pupils experience clay work for the first time, using the work of Brodil Manz as a starting point. Pupils gain a great amount of enjoyment from the variety of experiences offered and the lessons and outcomes help to raise pupils’ self–esteem. The work on display around the school creates an attractive learning environment, reflecting a range of cultures and styles.

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Commentary

95. The subject manager is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable teacher. The school maintains an art club which is led by the talented school caretaker, himself an artist. Pupils make use of the local environment for inspiration for their art work as well as the works of famous artists and visits to museums and galleries. These make a positive contribution to their spiritual and cultural development. The subject manager has no non-contact time allowed to record formally the quality of teaching and learning and standards of attainment across the school. Lee Mount Primary School - 32

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Design and technology

Provision in design and technology is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good achievement by pupils • A good balance of the strands within the curriculum for technology • A good focus on teaching the skills within an innovative curriculum • Insufficient time for pupils to speak formally

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Commentary

96. Good subject leadership has furthered the school’s intention to widen the curriculum, and to encourage active learning by pupils. The manager conducts a valuable and realistic annual review of the subject. This enables staff to ensure that improvements are made to keep pace with the school improvement plan. The art carousel is geared to giving pupils who do not always succeed in academic subjects the opportunity to participate enthusiastically. The planning for the technology activities is good. Lively displays around the school show that pupils have experienced good quality resources when working with textiles. Pupils’ comments indicate the impact of food technology, as they describe the biscuits and pizzas they have cooked in past years.

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Commentary

97. Although no overall judgement about teaching is possible because of the limited number of lessons observed, the teaching seen in the Year 6 lessons was good. The key feature was the emphasis given to the full design process. Pupils could describe exactly how they had proceeded from their design proposal. They took into account the users’ needs and made templates, selected suitable materials, modified their work and took great care to achieve a satisfying finish. In the course of this exciting learning they used their numeracy skills well to measure items, and their literacy to record their impressions of how successful they were. Pupils with special educational needs particularly thrive in this atmosphere of concentration and co-operation.

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Commentary

98. The assessment system confirms the standards at the end of Year 6 are securely in line with the level expected for their age.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching in Year 2 has enabled pupils to make good achievement and reach satisfactory standards by the age of seven • Teachers’ knowledge and confidence in the subject are mainly satisfactory but there is some unsatisfactory teaching in Year 1, which results in slower progress for these pupils • The enthusiastic subject manager is a good role model for other staff who are beginning to gain confidence in teaching music through a new scheme of work • Planning for the curriculum is not always clearly focused on raising standards of attainment • Extra-curricular activities and visiting musicians extend pupils’ learning and appreciation of live music

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Commentary

99. There is not enough evidence to judge standards or the quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6 or at the end of Year 6. However, by the time most pupils reach seven years of age they are Lee Mount Primary School - 33 developing a good sense of pulse, a range of musical vocabulary and an appreciation of different styles of music. This is because they have had a good start to their musical development in the Foundation Stage. Further good teaching in Year 2 develops pupils’ knowledge and understanding and results in good achievement. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour in Year 2 are good because they are all involved in their tasks and well supported by all adults.

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Commentary

100. The subject manager has a clear vision for improving teachers’ confidence and subject knowledge and for introducing more musical opportunities to school.

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Commentary

101. Teachers encourage pupils to further extend their musical knowledge and appreciation through a choir and visiting musicians. This results in an awareness and enjoyment of music throughout the environment. Whilst planning securely covers all areas of music, there is no clear guidance of how to improve standards. Although there are some links between music and other areas of the curriculum, these are limited.

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Commentary

102. Pupils said that they enjoy music and some were complimentary of the practice of playing music before lessons begin. Where this was seen, it relaxed and calmed the atmosphere ready for focused attention. The school song “What have you done today to make you feel proud?” is sung with great pride and reflects the ethos of the school.

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Commentary

103. Resources are adequate and teachers are able to meet the National Curriculum; however, the range and number of instruments are limited, especially instruments from other cultures. This reduces pupils’ opportunities to explore sound and to compose using a wide variety of instruments.

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Physical education

Provision in physical education is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils reach above the standards expected for their age at seven and eleven • A very good range of after-school sports helps raise standards • Pupils achieve well in competitive games outside school • Assessment is innovative and has a good impact on standards • Not all teachers introduce pupils to the technical vocabulary

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Commentary

104. Good teaching throughout the school promotes good achievement in pupils. The subject manager has a strong influence on standards. She has encouraged teachers to focus centrally on very precise teaching of skills and techniques. Their expositions are brief, but very clear. Teachers then give pupils good opportunities to practise and refine their skills. Pupils know they are getting quality tuition and therefore listen intently. Frequently teachers encourage pupils to work co-operatively with partners, and to plan and execute their own ideas. Pupils accept this independence sensibly. Year 2 pupils, for example, build up a range of netball skills during a lesson. At the end of the lesson they put their learning together to make formidable small teams of attackers and defenders.

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Commentary

105. Based on this strong early foundation and with further good progress through the juniors, the impact is seen in a wide range of sports. The staff have built up a better than usual after-school programme of games practice. The skills developed here feed back well into the school lessons. They also result in an enviable record of success in competitive sports of which the pupils are justifiably proud. The staff are committed to equality and inclusion. All pupils in the juniors, regardless of disability, take part in lessons. Pupils who have special educational needs are supported particularly well, and are enabled to achieve a level of fun and success similar to Lee Mount Primary School - 34 their peers. The school’s assessment system confirms the high standards reached. A valuable addition to the paper system is the strategy of filming the ending of lessons. The recording is well used in later lessons for pupils to discuss and observe points that could be improved. The

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Commentary

impact of the process is startling. Year 5 pupils, for instance, tried so hard in front of the camera that they achieved an altogether higher plane of poise and tension in their performance in gymnastics. In the best lessons the teachers introduce pupils to the technical language of movement and gymnastics, but not all teachers do this sufficiently.

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PERSONAL, HEALTH AND SOCIAL EDUCATION

The provision for personal, health and social education is very good.

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PERSONAL, HEALTH AND SOCIAL EDUCATION

Personal, health and social education is very good and drugs and health education policies are in place. The use of collective worship supports this work as does circle time. Throughout the school, a caring, positive ethos prevails and staff tackle issues such as feelings, making eye contact with each other and developing good listening skills in these lessons. Wider issues are also confronted such the use of medicinal drugs, with a visit from the school nurse. Pupils also discuss the greenhouse effect and why rain forests must be preserved, showing a mature sense of citizenship and care for the environment. Lee Mount Primary School - 35

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 2 Value for money provided by the school 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 3

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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 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 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 1 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).

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