Oulton Primary School

OULTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 26 th – 28 th April 2004

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OULTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Oulton Primary School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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OULTON 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. Oulton Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 321

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Green Lea Oulton Leeds West Yorkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0113 2146303 Fax number: 0113 2146330

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: A Scargill

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 27 th April 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This primary school caters for children from the age of three to eleven years. It is larger than average, with 259 children in Reception to Year 6 and 62 children who attend part-time in the Nursery.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The area served by the school comprises local authority and rented accommodation as well as private housing. There are very few children from ethnic groups other than white British and all speak English as their first language. An average number of children are entitled to free school meals. An average proportion of children are identified as having special educational needs and an average number have specific provision to meet particular difficulties. The school’s assessment of children when they start at the school shows well below average attainment.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school gained the Investor in People Award for the second time in 2002 and is part of the Excellence in Cities initiative. Oulton Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

21227 Barbara Crane Lead inspector English Foundation Stage Art 32658 Nicky Bolton Lay inspector 32827 Jackson Marshall Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Special educational needs 20368 Sue Macintosh Team inspector History Geography Religious education 17794 David Hardman Team inspector Science Design and technology Physical education Music Oulton Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

peakschoolhaus BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Oulton Primary School - 6

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a sound school with some good features. Good leadership and management mean that it has faced up to its weaknesses and is improving. Standards are average by the time the pupils leave and achievement is satisfactory overall, but some of the oldest pupils should have done better. Teaching is satisfactory but is much more effective for younger pupils. Pupils are positive about school and the overwhelming majority behave well. The school takes very good care of pupils and there are plenty of interesting activities for them to take part in outside normal lessons. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Children learn very rapidly in the early years because of very good teaching. • Pupils in Years 1 and 2 do well to reach above average standards in literacy and numeracy. • Pupils with special educational needs are well supported so that they make good progress. • The headteacher’s leadership focuses relentlessly on improving pupils’ achievement. • The school provides very good care, support and advice for pupils and tries very hard to include them. • A wide range of activities outside the school day supports pupils’ personal development. • More able pupils in Years 3 to 5 should sometimes be doing better and some pupils in Year 6 have not done as well as they should have done. • Pupils’ skills in writing and information and communication technology (ICT) are not used and extended sufficiently across different subjects.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made satisfactory progress since it was last inspected in 1998. Most of the issues raised then have been resolved. The school now ensures that best practice in teaching is shared more effectively through teachers working closely together. The requirements for teaching design and technology are now fully met. There is still work to do to improve the use of ICT in lessons.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is satisfactory. There has been a picture of underachievement for the pupils in Years 3 to 6 over the past four years that was reflected in the results for Year 6 pupils in 2003. In English, results were very low compared to similar schools. Based on these pupils’ results when they were in Year 2, some should have achieved more. A similar picture is seen in the present Year 6, with average standards in English and mathematics. Standards in science have improved from last year to an average level. Many pupils in Year 6 have done well this year to make up lost ground but gaps in knowledge and skills are too great to be filled at this late stage. Standards in Year 5 are higher, reflecting the impact of the school’s initiatives to halt underachievement. Nevertheless, there are still times when more able junior pupils should be doing better than they are, particularly in Years 3 and 4. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes get off to a flying start so that they meet the goals

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

set for their age in all areas of learning by the time they start in Year 1. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well to reach above average standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English D C E E* Mathematics D C C E Science D E C E Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Oulton Primary School - 8 Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural

development, is good. The school’s concerted efforts to raise pupils’ self-esteem and create a climate in which pupils feel that they can succeed have met with a good response. Pupils have positive attitudes towards school and want to take part in what is on offer. Behaviour for most is good and pupils show pride in their school. There are a few pupils in Year 6 whose disaffection with school is still apparent and there is some challenging behaviour. Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory.

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The school provides a satisfactory quality of education. Teaching and learning are

satisfactory overall , but much better for younger pupils, where expectations are higher. Teaching assistants throughout the school work effectively as a team with the teachers and give very good support to pupils who need extra help. All teachers give a good level of encouragement to pupils and try to interest them through lively activities. The school is streamlining its systems for checking on how well pupils are doing and the information gained is used very well to plan work for different abilities in the early years and up to Year 2. In Years 3 to 6, the information gained from assessments is not used as well to set challenging work for the more able pupils. There is a satisfactory curriculum, which is very well supplemented by a wide range of activities outside the school day, as well as visits and visitors to school. Some opportunities are missed for pupils in Years 3 to 6 to further develop their writing in lessons other than literacy sessions. Additionally, pupils

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The school provides a satisfactory quality of education. Teaching and learning are

do not use their ICT skills to support learning in everyday activities. Pupils are taken care of very well and they know who to turn to if they have problems or concerns. The school has a good partnership with parents and helps them to get involved with their children’s learning at home and in school.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good and have ensured that the pattern of underachievement by older pupils has been halted. This has been achieved by careful analysis of the reasons for the problems and well-planned intervention to support improvement. Resources have been well used to provide support for improving teaching. The headteacher provides good leadership in this and puts the pupils first. Roles and responsibilities have been clarified and there is a strong commitment to raising standards. Key staff play a good role in taking the school forward. A very effective review of provision for pupils with special educational needs has led to very good improvement so that pupils with social and emotional needs, as well as those with specific needs in learning, are well supported. The governance of the school is good. Governors have a good grasp of what the school’s priorities are and how these will be achieved. All statutory requirements are met. Through its good checks on

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

provision, all of the issues identified by the inspection are already included in the school’s planning for improvement.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The parents appreciate what the staff provide for their children and are clear that the school is improving; they have a good level of confidence in the staff. The school seeks parents’ and pupils’ views and takes these into account, so that everyone feels they are part of the school’s efforts to improve. Most pupils enjoy being at school. They know that adults will listen to them and help them and so they feel secure and valued.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Raise the achievement of more able pupils in Years 3 to 6. • Improve the pupils’ opportunities to use their skills in writing and ICT across the curriculum Oulton Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory . Standards are average by the time they leave the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Nursery and Reception classes achieve very well. • Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well and standards in literacy and numeracy are above average. • Pupils of all ages with special educational needs do well. • More able pupils in Years 3 to 5 should sometimes be doing better and some pupils in Year 6 have not done as well as they should have done.

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Commentary

1. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes achieve very well to meet the goals set for their age in all areas of learning by the time they start in Year 1. This is because of very good provision in important areas, such as language and literacy, numeracy and personal and social development. Children’s different needs are very well met through skilful teaching that makes full use of the checks made on children’s progress. This very good start means that children have a firm basis on which to build later on in the school.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 18.1 (16.9) 15.7 (15.8)

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Commentary

There were 34 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. There is a picture of good standards over time by the end of Year 2. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are above average in the current Year 2. Pupils of all abilities achieve well. The basic skills are thoroughly learned and so pupils approach their work with confidence. They write competently and use language effectively to convey their ideas. Pupils enjoy reading and have a good understand of how to use the sounds of letters, the clues in pictures and the overall sense of sentences to work out unknown words. Standards in science are average and pupils achieve well. They talk about their ideas with a good insight into why things happen.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 25.4 (26.8) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 26.7 (26.6) 26.8 (26.7) Science 28.8 (27.4) 28.6 (28.3) There were 60 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3. There has been a picture of underachievement for the pupils in Years 3 to 6 over recent years that is evident in the results for Year 6 pupils in 2003. The school’s tracking systems reveal that Oulton Primary School - 10 these pupils’ results were not as good as they might have been and that some pupils should have achieved more. A similar picture is seen in the present Year 6, with only average standards in English and mathematics. Although many pupils in Year 6 have done well this year, the shortcomings in their knowledge and skills have proved too great to be filled at this late stage. In addition, some pupils’ attitudes have affected their progress and a significant minority lack motivation. Standards in science have improved from last year to an average level, due to the school’s careful analysis of what needed to be done to improve pupils’ investigative skills.

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Commentary

4. Standards in Year 5 are higher, because the school’s initiatives to halt underachievement have had more time to impact on their achievement. Nevertheless, there are still times when more able junior pupils should be doing better than they are. This is most marked in the mixed age Year 3 and 4 classes, where pupils are often given the same starting points, regardless of age or ability. Pupils sometimes lack opportunities in English, mathematics and science to use their own ideas, set problems or find different ways of organising their work or arriving at solutions.

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Commentary

5. Pupils with special educational needs in all years achieve well because they have sharp targets that are drawn from careful assessments that are well used to pinpoint what they need to work on next. Good support ensures that targets are met.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good. Pupils’ attitudes to school and to learning are good. As a result, most pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Attendance is satisfactory and the majority of pupils arrive at school on time.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The personal and social development of pupils is well catered for and, from Nursery upwards, children are encouraged to develop good attitudes to work. • The school works successfully to include all children and make them feel part of the community. • The school fosters pupils’ interest in school life by asking their opinions and acting on them. • A few pupils find it difficult to take responsibility for their behaviour. When children are not directly supervised, behaviour occasionally lapses from the good standards overall.

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Commentary

6. All staff have high expectations of behaviour and use a clear and consistent system of rewards and sanctions, which means that behaviour is generally good. Relations between pupils are good. This is particularly apparent in Nursery and Reception classes, where the children’s behaviour towards each other at work and play is very good. However, a minority of older pupils still occasionally present challenging behaviour when they are not directly supervised. These lapses are dealt with effectively. As a result, pupils say they regard school as a happy and safe place to work and play. There have been a few exclusions but the school is very careful to ensure that pupils are quickly and sensitively re-integrated.

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Commentary

7. Teachers try to raise pupils’ self-esteem by canvassing their opinions through questionnaires and a system of class councils. Ideas are acted on where appropriate: there is a new ‘Lord of the Rings’ gaming club at lunch times, for example. Pupils generally respond well to opportunities to take on positions of responsibility. Two girls were observed one lunch time during the inspection performing school receptionist duties very competently. This strong emphasis on their personal and social development means that pupils are generally interested in school life.

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Commentary

8. The school’s positive ethos is apparent in its efforts to make all pupils feel valued and included. A new boy is praised in assembly for his success in settling in well, for example, while a lunch- Oulton Primary School - 11 time computer club has been set up to engage children who find it difficult to cope with less structured times of day such as playtime.

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Commentary

9. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils discuss their feelings through regular circle time sessions. A weekly ‘golden assembly’ celebrates achievements, while other assemblies raise pupils’ spiritual awareness. During the inspection children were spellbound by an assembly, which used lively storytelling from the Old Testament, magic, music and puppetry to reinforce the theme of listening to others. Outside visitors bring a wider cultural understanding to the children. The school plans to develop this aspect of its work further.

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Commentary

10. Attendance is satisfactory. However, the number of parents taking holidays in term time means that the rate of unauthorised absence is above average. Most pupils arrive for school punctually.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.0 School data 0.6 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 242 3 0 White – any other White background 4 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 1 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 1 0 0

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a satisfactory education. There is a sound curriculum, with a very wide range of activities that enriches pupils’ experiences. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Pupils are taken care of very well and the school helps parents to understand how they can support children at home and in school. Oulton Primary School - 12

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Assessment is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• All teaching develops pupils’ speaking and listening well. • Teaching assistants throughout the school work effectively as a team with the teachers and give very good support to pupils who need extra help. • All teachers give a good level of encouragement to pupils and try to interest them through lively activities. • The school’s systems for checking on how well pupils are doing and the information gained is used very well to plan work for different abilities in the early years and up to Year 2. • Teachers’ marking does not always give clear guidance to pupils on how to improve. • In Years 3 to 6, the information gained from assessments is not used as well to set challenging work for the more able pupils.

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Commentary

11. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. The school’s management has worked successfully to improve teaching so that most weaknesses have been resolved. Central to this has been an emphasis on improving the range of strategies used to engage pupils’ interest and making it clear to pupils at the start of lessons what they will learn and how this will be achieved. This has been successful and was evident in nearly all lessons.

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Commentary

12. Teaching is satisfactory overall, but there are wide variations in different parts of the school. Some stronger aspects are evident across the board, such as the warm encouragement that all teachers give to pupils and the hard work that they put into planning interesting lessons. Another consistent strength is the effective support given by well-trained teaching assistants, who know what to do and play a full part in lessons. Teaching provides pupils with good opportunities to talk about their feelings and ideas and strategies such as talking together in pairs mean that more pupils contribute ideas to discussions.

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Commentary

13. Teaching for the Nursery and Reception children is very good. Staff have a very good understanding of what young children need to help them develop good work habits. The direct teaching of basic skills is very well balanced with activities that allow children to use and extend what they have just learned. This results in rapid progress for these children.

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Commentary

14. Good teaching in Years 1 and 2 means that the pupils learn at a good rate, apply what they have learned to new situations confidently and enjoy the work. Teaching makes good use of assessment to identify what needs to be worked on next for different groups. Pupils’ different abilities are well catered for and different tasks are planned, with challenges built in for different groups. Teachers give clear explanations so that pupils settle quickly to the work and know what they have to do. Good questioning extends pupils’ understanding and prompts them to think more deeply, as in a mathematics lesson for Year 2 pupils, when they explained how they had used what they knew about number facts to find different ways of creating much larger numbers.

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Commentary

15. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is satisfactory and has some strengths. There are times when teaching is precise and effective, as in a Year 5 science lesson when well-planned activities were pitched at just the right level to motivate all groups of pupils. Too often, however, in English, mathematics and science, the work planned starts at the same point, and although extension activities are planned, more able pupils do not get to complete them because time runs out. There is less precise use of the checks made on pupils’ progress to adapt work and track how well pupils are learning. More able pupils lack opportunities to learn from setting their own problems or using their own ideas. This restricts their learning in investigative work in science, problem solving in mathematics and organising writing in English lessons. While there Oulton Primary School - 13 is some good marking of work that gives pupils a clear idea of what they need to do next, this is

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Commentary

not always the case and so pupils sometimes continue to make the same mistakes in their work.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 34 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is satisfactory . The school provides very good opportunities for enrichment, including through extra-curricular provision. The quality and quantity of the accommodation and resources are satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a very good curriculum for the youngest children. • There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs. • Pupils participate in a wide range of activities outside normal lessons and develop a good understanding of the need for a healthy lifestyle. • There is not enough use of ICT and writing across the curriculum. • The curriculum in the juniors is not always as well planned as it should be to meet the needs of all abilities and ages.

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Commentary

16. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. The curriculum meets the requirements of the National Curriculum in all subjects. All pupils are fully included in all aspects of the curriculum. There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs and a good level of support staff, many of whom are undertaking national qualifications to increase their expertise.

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Commentary

17. There is a vibrant curriculum for children in the Nursery and Reception classes that is very well planned so that children use what they have been taught in a range of exciting and relevant activities.

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Commentary

18. Provision for design and technology and ICT has improved since the last inspection and now meets requirements. The use of ICT across the curriculum, however, remains a priority. Opportunities for pupils to extend and use their skills in writing are not yet consistently incorporated into teachers’ planning throughout the school.

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Commentary

19. Recently, a whole-school initiative has begun to make the curriculum more interesting and relevant, particularly to boys, by linking subjects together across topics. For example, when finding out about the Blitz in World War 2, older pupils made a shelter out of wood and branches, linking history and design and technology. Such planning also incorporates many first-hand experiences such as visits and visitors and the use of artefacts. These enrich the curriculum and make it meaningful and provide well-planned opportunities for all pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills.

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Commentary

20. The school provides an extensive range of extra-curricular activities outside of school hours, that is very well attended by pupils. Parents very much appreciate the effort that staff put into these. A wide range of activities takes place before school, at lunch time and after school. They Oulton Primary School - 14 include a gardening club at lunch time, and netball after school with boys taking part as well as girls. A computer club operates for a group of pupils who find it difficult to cope with lunch-time play and is very successful. Additional support for learning outside the school day includes a daily breakfast club with stimulating activities and a ‘walking bus’ to accompany children to the breakfast club, booster classes twice a week for Year 6 and homework clubs at lunch time.

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Commentary

21. All aspects of the personal, social and health education are fully covered, including drug and alcohol misuse, and sex and relationships education. The Healthy Schools initiative has linked work in science and design and technology around a healthy diet with extra-curricular initiatives such as the ‘Golden Mile’ club and Keep Fit very effectively, as testified in the displays of work around public areas of the school and the good level of participation in the clubs.

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Commentary

22. In the juniors, the curriculum does not always take into account the needs of pupils of different abilities, nor, in mixed-age classes, the needs of pupils of different ages. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they might.

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Commentary

23. Outside play areas are attractive and varied. There are good facilities for Foundation Stage children and climbing apparatus for all the infants. Overall accommodation is satisfactory and the staff work hard to overcome the difficulties posed by the split site. Resources are adequate to meet the needs of the curriculum.

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Care, guidance and support

The provision for pupils’ care, welfare and health and safety is very good. Children benefit from very good support and guidance as they move through the school. The pupils’ opinions are very well sought and valued.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The staff know their pupils well and provide very good support, guidance and standards of care based on their understanding of the pupils as individuals.

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Commentary

24. The care and welfare of pupils are clearly a high priority for staff at the school. This fact is recognised by parents, who describe the school’s atmosphere as caring and friendly.

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Commentary

25. Procedures for child protection are rigorous and known to all staff. There is a thorough awareness of health and safety issues, with a regular system of checks, safety drills and risk assessments. The school is participating in the Healthy Schools initiative and colourful and imaginative displays throughout the building provide strong evidence of the emphasis the school places on teaching children the importance of healthy choices. Pupils are responding enthusiastically to the positive messages: 50 pupils run for a mile in the Golden Mile club which the headteacher organises twice a week.

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Commentary

26. The school works hard to meet the needs of most of its pupils. It has set up a homework club, for example, aimed at children who might find it difficult to do homework in their own home. A ‘walking bus’, staffed by volunteers, collects and walks children safely to school. Breakfast is available at school, to ensure that all children can benefit from a healthy meal at the start of the day. Booster classes are available for children suspected of having special needs as well as those who have already been placed on the special needs register. Individual achievements, whether personal, social or academic, are celebrated.

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Commentary

27. Induction procedures are comprehensive, well thought-out, and contribute to pupils’ positive attitudes towards school. A twice-weekly toddler group is well attended and helps both carers and young children feel more confident in the transition from home to the school environment. Parents of Nursery and Reception children are invited into the classroom in the mornings to aid Oulton Primary School - 15 settling in, and Nursery parents are encouraged to perform a simple literacy or numeracy activity with their child.

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Commentary

28. The headteacher is committed to consulting pupils as a means of raising self-esteem and as an early introduction to the democratic process. This is done through the use of questionnaires, formal discussions and class councils. More playground equipment, litterbins and spikes for picking up litter have all been bought in response to the children’s suggestions. Year 3 and Year 4 pupils resolved to ask permission to raise money for the school in one of their class councils. They subsequently organised an Easter Extravaganza that was very popular.

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Commentary

29. Relations between pupils and staff are good. Pupils feel confident that they have an adult they can go to for help if necessary.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a good relationship with parents and works well in partnership with them, local schools and the wider community.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The parents hold the school in good regard and feel welcome. • The school tries hard to involve parents in their children’s learning. • Individual targets for achievement in pupils’ reports are not always as clear as they could be.

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Commentary

30. The parents express strong support for the school, and hold in high regard both its welcoming atmosphere and the quality of teaching and learning. A minority of parents have concerns about the behaviour of some children. Inspectors found that although there are some older pupils whose behaviour is challenging, most behaviour is good.

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Commentary

31. Parents feel able to approach the headteacher and are confident that the school deals quickly and fairly with any complaints. The school actively seeks parents’ views through questionnaires and is prepared to act on them: it recently bought new planters to enhance the school grounds, for example. Parents are encouraged to become actively involved in the school and there is a lively parents’ association, POPS.

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Commentary

32. A satisfactory range of information is provided for parents through the school prospectus, weekly newsletters and annual reports on children’s achievements. These annual reports provide information both about what the children have done and about how well they are achieving. However, targets for future development are not always as clearly expressed as they could be so that parents are in a good position to help their children reach these.

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Commentary

33. Efforts to involve parents in their children’s learning are good. The school holds sessions explaining to parents how it teaches writing, reading and numeracy, for example, printing its own guide to mathematical language. Parents of Nursery and Reception children are invited to weekly half-hour ‘read ins’, where they share a book with their child.

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Commentary

34. The school has links with the three main secondary schools, which pupils move on to at the age of 11. Teachers visit regularly to familiarise Year 6 pupils with French and Spanish lessons. Former pupils also return with teachers to their old school to talk about their experiences and ease the process of induction. The school has developed links with two neighbouring primary schools to develop good practice. It draws on a voluntary workforce drawn from the local business community, Leeds Cares, for help in maintenance jobs such as gardening and painting. Good use is made of the school facilities for the wider community: there are weekly meetings of Brownies, Rainbows, Scouts and an athletics club. Oulton Primary School - 16

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good . The headteacher provides good leadership that sets the tone for the school. The leadership of other key staff is good . Governance is good and the school is well managed.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The whole school shares the headteacher’s clear commitment to inclusion. • The school faces up to its difficulties and deals with them effectively. • Not all key staff have a clear overview of provision across the school in their subject. • The governors know the school well; they support and challenge the school effectively

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Commentary

35. This school knows where it is going and how it will get there. Difficult decisions have been made as the school has faced up to its problems of underachievement in the junior years. The headteacher’s good leadership has ensured that the problems have been identified and dealt with. The promotion of pupils’ personal development, as well as a commitment to making learning relevant and interesting, is fundamental to the headteacher’s vision for the school. The whole school community shares this inclusive ethos and strategic planning supports its development. The effective professional development of all staff is well managed and is closely linked to the school’s priorities.

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Commentary

36. The school has identified the areas highlighted for improvement in this report, through its checks on provision. It has a good track record of achieving its targets and is well placed to further improve. Regular checks on teaching and learning by the headteacher and other key staff have ensured that areas for improvement have been identified and action taken. Well- planned steps have been taken to support and improve the teaching in the juniors and remedy the weaknesses in learning that have resulted in underachievement. The school looks closely at what needs to be done through tracking pupils’ progress. For example, the special needs co- ordinator identified that pupils on the special needs register needed clearer targets for their learning, supported staff in rewriting targets and is now checking the effectiveness of steps taken. Where monitoring has been less rigorous, some key staff do not have a clear view of

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Commentary

provision across the school in their subject and consequently improvements are more limited. The headteacher’s depth of knowledge about the strengths the staff, and their willingness to take on new roles, have enabled her to be flexible in their deployment and this has created a number of effective teams within the school, such as in the highly effective Foundation Stage. The school has adapted its senior management team structure to enable a greater number of key staff to be involved in creating new policies and evaluating the school’s performance. This is working well and supporting school improvement. Newly qualified teachers are well supported and have begun to take on some additional responsibilities.

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Commentary

37. Governors are enthusiastic and committed and support and challenge the school effectively. They know how well the school is doing and what it needs to do to carry on improving. They have close links with key staff and visit the school regularly to see for themselves how well it is doing, reporting back to relevant committees. Governors regularly seek training to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to remain effective. The governors ensure that the school complies with all statutory requirements. Financial management is good. The headteacher, administrative staff and governors monitor the budget effectively throughout the year and the principles of best value are applied. The relatively large carry-forward reduces significantly this year because of plans to increase staffing. Oulton Primary School - 17

p.16

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.17

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 684,070 Balance from previous year 50,780 Total expenditure 677,839 Balance carried forward to the next year 57,011 Expenditure per pupil 2,112 Oulton Primary School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

38. Children are given a very good start to their education because of very effective provision in the Nursery and Reception classes. The Foundation Stage is very well managed so that there is good teamwork, a very well planned curriculum and precise use of assessments to meet children’s needs. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. Teaching and learning are very good, with a good emphasis on promoting speaking and listening, as well as providing very well for children’s social and emotional needs. Children achieve very well and most reach the goals set for their age in all areas of learning by the time they start in Year 1.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children feel secure because of warm relationships. • Well-established routines encourage children to be independent. • Children learn to share and work together through good guidance from adults.

p.18

Commentary

39. Teaching and learning are very good and children achieve very well to reach the goals set for their age by the end of the Reception year. The staff work very well together to maintain consistently high expectations of children. All adults give very good encouragement to children and supportive relationships mean that children readily join in activities. Children know the routines and keep to them; they behave very sensibly and become more independent. A group of Reception children, for example, cleaned their painting palettes very sensibly after one session and helped each other without any adult intervention. Some children find it hard to share, but adults’ high expectations and careful guidance help them to see that daily activities are more enjoyable when this happens. Children respond very well and find their work enjoyable.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision for communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are plenty of opportunities to learn to write through stimulating play activities. • Teaching extends children’s language very well and adults model extended language for children to follow. • Children’s listening is very well promoted.

p.18

Commentary

40. The children do very well to reach the goals set for their age by the time they start in Year 1. This very good achievement results from careful planning that makes full use of adults’ precise assessments of what children need to do next. Teaching and learning are very good. There is a very strong emphasis on promoting children’s language and listening. Adults use questions very well to draw out extended replies and stimulate children’s ideas. In the Nursery, for example, the teacher engaged a group of children in the ‘café’ area in a discussion about the menu and this led to them talking at length about what they could provide and items they would Oulton Primary School - 19 have to ‘go out and buy’. In another session in Reception, children responded very well to the teacher’s questions about how a character felt at the end of a story and why he felt this way. The children’s initial short replies were extended through further questions and the teacher’s

p.18

Commentary

good example of vocabulary. Children want to record their ideas because they have interesting things to do, such as writing letters, making lists and taking messages over the telephone. Through these activities, children quickly learn that writing has meaning and they learn to form letters correctly and start to write familiar words. Children’s interest in books is very well promoted and they put together sounds to make words, as well as predicting what stories might be about by looking at pictures. Children listen carefully to adults and each other because they are interested in what is being said and they want to learn.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is very good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good emphasis on children developing mathematical language is effective. • Children learn through a wide range of practical activities. • More able children’s needs are well catered for.

p.19

Commentary

41. Very good teaching and learning result in children’s very good achievement and so they reach the goals set for them by the end of Reception. Adults stress mathematical language right from the start in the Nursery so that children use this when they talk about their ideas. When children compare objects, they use terms to describe comparative length, size and weight. Reception children follow instructions to make more or less than a given number, with the more able adding one or subtracting one or two numbers from up to 20. The more able children are taken further because of adults’ very good regard for children’s capabilities. Checks on children’s progress are very well planned and used to adapt activities. Practical learning is the cornerstone of what children do and so they enjoy the work, whether working on capacity in water play, or building different sizes of towers. Children record numbers accurately and

p.19

Commentary

recognise what the symbols mean. Number songs and rhymes help children to remember number facts and add to their enjoyment.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision for knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children are encouraged to talk about why they think things happen but there is sometimes not enough for children to explore for themselves in classrooms. • Computers are very well used to support children’s learning.

p.19

Commentary

42. Teaching and learning are good and visits, to places such as a local farm, stimulate children’s interest. Adults build well on what children have seen and encourage them to explore their ideas through relating first-hand experience to activities back in the classroom. This was evident in a Nursery session, when a group of children worked with model animals and farm buildings and talked about why animals need to be kept behind fences. This learning was successfully transferred to outdoor play activities, where children built much larger scale enclosures in role- play activities. Although planning for previous topics includes careful consideration of classroom activities that stimulate children to explore objects, there is currently limited display indoors that encourages children to develop their sense of wonder and curiosity about natural Oulton Primary School - 20 or mechanical things. In the outside area, the provision of a ‘mini-beast’ treasure hunt is much

p.19

Commentary

more successful in stirring children’s interest. Computers are very well used to promote learning and the basic skills are well taught. A good range of interesting programs means that children often choose to work on them. They develop good control over the mouse and concentrate very well.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s control over tools is very well developed through a good range of activities. • The outdoor play area is well used to promote exploration of space.

p.20

Commentary

43. Children do very well to reach the goals set for their age by the time they start in Year 1. Very good teaching underpins their rapid learning. Activities to promote children’s fine control are well planned, so that they learn to cut out and stick, write and paint with good accuracy. Adults watch how children’s skills are developing and intervene at just the right moment to help them improve. Children see the difference that this makes and feel a sense of success so that they persevere well. The outdoor play area is well equipped to stimulate children’s ideas for imaginative play and they use the space well to climb, ride and build structures to represent their ideas. Again, adults are on hand to give guidance when necessary, but they allow children to explore freely and this helps children’s control and balance develop very well. In the hall, Reception children demonstrated that they respond sensitively to music to create movements

p.20

Commentary

at different levels and speeds to represent how animals move.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for creative development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is very good planning for role-play. • Although children are encouraged to practise and extend what they have learned independently, there are few opportunities for children to choose materials from a wide range.

p.20

Commentary

44. Exciting resources and very carefully planned adult intervention mean that children learn very well through imaginative play in the areas where they act out roles as farmers or customers in cafés. Teaching and learning are good. Children achieve well and meet the goals for them by the end of Reception. In the Nursery, for example, adults help children to create scenes in which they can use the language they have learned earlier and so sustain their play independently. Adults are very good at seizing children’s ideas and extending them. In one activity, for example, children took orders for food in the farmhouse, from guests who were present, and others dealt with telephone calls from prospective guests, checking to see if the accommodation was available. Children paint, draw and model with interest and enjoyment. Staff recognise those who have particular talents and nurture their abilities. Children are taught

p.20

Commentary

the skills effectively and practise them independently, as when one child chose to put into practice what he had learned about folding painted paper to create symmetrical patterns. Children’s choice over the size, colour and texture of the materials used is sometimes too limited and this restricts their learning. Oulton Primary School - 21

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s emphasis on improving pupils’ speaking and listening has been effective. • The basic skills in reading and writing are well taught in Years 1 and 2 and standards are above average. • The subject is well managed. • More able pupils in Years 3 to 6 are not always challenged to do their best.

p.21

Commentary

45. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. Teaching overall is satisfactory. While pupils’ achievement is satisfactory over time, it is better in Years 1 and 2 because of good teaching and learning of the basic skills. Standards in Year 2 are above average in reading, writing and speaking and listening. In Year 6, standards are average in all aspects. Teaching is satisfactory in Years 3 to 6 and has some good features. Some pupils in Year 6 have not done as well as they should have done, given their results in Year 2. Standards are above average in Year 5. This is because the school has tackled the problems of underachievement and improved teaching and learning for the younger pupils. Nevertheless, there are still some more able pupils who should be making even better progress. Pupils with special educational needs do well in all years because of precise targets for improvement that

p.21

Commentary

are met through good support. Teaching assistants provide good support in all years.

p.21

Commentary

46. The school’s priority to improve pupils’ speaking and listening has been translated into effective teaching strategies that are working well and improving pupils’ achievement. Teaching makes effective use of questioning to probe pupils’ ideas and there are plenty of opportunities for pupils to talk. In a lesson with Year 3 and 4 pupils, for example, teaching enabled pupils to discuss, in pairs, their ideas about how a character’s feelings changed as events unfolded in a story. This meant that all pupils contributed ideas and extended their thinking and language.

p.21

Commentary

47. Good, lively teaching in Years 1 and 2 means that the pupils make good progress in all aspects of their work. This was evident in a lesson with Year 2 pupils, where teaching enabled pupils to use what they had previously learned about the different forms of poems, adjectives and nouns to write their own poems. The distinctive features of poems, such as rhyming patterns, length of verses and pace, were quickly spotted. The pupils had previously brainstormed ideas about language to describe snails so that they had plenty of ideas to incorporate into their work. Pupils wrote down their ideas quickly, because they were well prepared and more able pupils used commas accurately. Teaching makes good use of checks on pupils’ progress to adapt work for different abilities, and more able pupils are catered for well.

p.21

Commentary

48. In Years 3 to 6, teaching is satisfactory, with some good features. Teachers encourage pupils to read widely and so pupils develop an interest in a wide range of books and talk about their likes and dislikes knowledgeably. There are times when teaching makes good use of checks on pupils’ progress to successfully adapt work, as in a lesson with Year 3 and 4 pupils, where the teacher had evaluated learning from the previous session to and provided effective support for a group of pupils who had not grasped how to punctuate speech accurately. In a lesson with Year 5 pupils, good teaching meant that pupils were able to empathise with a character and justify their opinions about how he felt by referring to significant parts of the text and prepare pertinent points to share with others at the conclusion of the lesson. There are times, however, when expectations of more able pupils are too low and work is not as well planned to take

p.21

Commentary

account of pupils’ capabilities. More able pupils are too often asked to do the same tasks and Oulton Primary School - 22 start at the same point as others. While extension activities are often planned, pupils sometimes run out of time and so do not extend their learning. This restricts their progress.

p.21

Commentary

49. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The right priorities have been worked on and the subject manager has worked alongside colleagues in the juniors to improve teaching and the impact is seen in better learning by pupils.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

50. Pupils’ use their reading skills effectively to support learning in other subjects. The school rightly has the improvement of the pupils’ use of writing in other subjects as one of its priorities as this has weaknesses at present. While teachers’ planning is starting to better exploit opportunities for pupils to write for different purposes across the curriculum, this is too often overlooked and restricts pupils’ progress.

p.22

MATHEMATICS

Provision for mathematics is satisfactory .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make good progress and achieve well by Year 2 due to well-matched and challenging activities. • The use of marking and assessment to effectively support pupils’ learning is inconsistent. • Opportunities are often missed to encourage pupils to explain how they have arrived at answers, especially higher attaining pupils. • Challenging, targeted questioning during the mental and oral part of the lesson is evident in some lessons.

p.22

Commentary

51. The school has made satisfactory improvement in mathematics since the last inspection. Good teaching in Years 1 and 2 results in pupils making good progress. Standards by the end of Year 2 are above average in mathematics. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is satisfactory, with some good elements. Whilst pupils are judged to be making satisfactory progress overall, some of the more able pupils should have done better by the end of Year 6. Standards by the end of Year 6 are broadly in line with the national average.

p.22

Commentary

52. Pupils’ learning is good where teachers’ planning clearly identifies different groups of children and sets well-matched and challenging activities. This can be seen in Years 1 and 2 where the good use of assessment means that teachers are able to identify the next steps needed in an individual’s learning and ensure that the pupil knows what they have to do to improve. This is not always the case with older more able pupils who sometimes are not challenged to pose their own problems and find different ways of working them out. There is evidence of effective marking throughout the school; however, this is inconsistent in Years 3 to 6. Where marking has an impact on pupils’ learning, teachers’ comments are clear, concise and show the pupil how to progress. Ineffective marking was evident in some books and as a result children continued to make the same mistakes over a period of time.

p.22

Commentary

53. All pupils are engaged and challenged during the introductory part of lessons when teaching uses knowledge of pupils’ ability to accurately target questions. Where this worked well all pupils were highly motivated and behaviour was very good. In lessons where this did not occur pace was lost and pupils’ concentration lapsed. Opportunities were often missed during this session to encourage pupils to explain how they had worked out an answer or challenge them to think of other ways they could solve it. Good learning was seen when one child in a Year 3/4 class questioned an answer given by another child. The teacher immediately asked the class: “Can we prove this?” Pupils worked animatedly and were able to write their own explanations Oulton Primary School - 23 on whiteboards. However, in another Year 3/4 class when pupils had to decide where they should place digits to make the largest number possible, they were not expected to explain their

p.22

Commentary

choices. As a result misconceptions were not challenged and chances to move on pupils’ understanding were lost.

p.23

Commentary

54. Leadership and management in mathematics are satisfactory. The co-ordinator provides effective support for teachers where requested. She works alongside staff suggesting strategies and resources to help tackle problems and improve teaching. The impact of this intervention is judged through teacher feedback and some monitoring. This approach, however, has lacked rigour and led to fewer opportunities to monitor and gain a clearer overall picture of the priorities for mathematics across the whole school. This has resulted in some lack of precision in the current action plan for the subject to deal with inconsistencies of provision within the school.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

55. Opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills in other subjects are satisfactory and evident from displays around the school, in pupils’ work and teachers’ planning. In Years 3/4, pupils have measured how many centimetres elastic will stretch before it will break and presented the results of their investigations in tables and graphs; younger children are encouraged to use money to buy toys as part of their role-play area which is set up as a shop.

p.23

SCIENCE

The provision for science is satisfactory .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A clear focus on investigating and experimentation during lessons has enabled most pupils to gain a better understanding of scientific ideas. • Teachers’ good knowledge of the subject means that pupils are fully involved and enjoy practical lessons... • Science is managed effectively. • There are insufficient opportunities for more able pupils to devise their own experiments, select the materials needed and record results independently when solving a given task.

p.23

Commentary

56. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. Pupils’ attainment in Years 2 and 6 in science is in line with the levels expected for their age. Good teaching in Years 1 and 2 results in pupils’ good achievements. Teaching is satisfactory in Years 3 to 6 and has some good features. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall, although some more able pupils should have done better in Year 6. This is because these pupils are not sufficiently well challenged in the tasks set and so they do not always reach their full potential.

p.23

Commentary

57. There is a good emphasis on carrying out investigations and experiments so that pupils experience new scientific concepts at first hand. For example, in a Year 2 lesson pupils investigated habitats. Teaching assistants were used very well to discuss pupils’ ideas of the kind of creatures to be found in the school’s pond. There was great excitement when tadpoles, spiders and water snails were found in the pond. The careful observation of how the creatures moved and pupils’ understanding of their needs ensured good learning in this practical session. In a very good link to art and design, a group in this lesson completed very effective drawings of snails. They responded well to the teacher’s questions on how the snail moved by saying, “It slithers along”. 58. Teachers’ good knowledge of the subject ensures that they question pupils skilfully so that pupils’ understanding of new ideas is drawn from their existing knowledge. This helps them to

p.23

Commentary

retain new knowledge more readily. For example, in a very good lesson in Year 5 pupils used Oulton Primary School - 24 their previous understanding of forces to explain that ‘up-thrust’ is the opposite of gravity. This developed into a very good practical session where pupils weighed different objects in the air and in water to check there was a difference. Lessons are interesting and relationships between teachers, classroom assistants and pupils are good. A positive feature throughout the school is that pupils are given opportunities to discuss how to ensure that the investigations or tests they are carrying out are fair and valid. In some lessons pupils are encouraged to suggest and try their own ways of solving a problem. This happened in a Year 3/4 lesson and resulted in some imaginative solutions to devise a switch so that lights could be turned on and off in their model castle. However, particularly for more able pupils, this type of challenge is often missing

p.23

Commentary

because the whole class start their work at the same point and the tasks are prescribed by the teachers. This means that these pupils do not always achieve as well as they could in their development of how to conduct logical scientific experiments.

p.24

Commentary

59. The leadership and management of science by the co-ordinators are good. There has been a clear evaluation of what the school needs to do to improve pupils’ skills, and the focus on encouraging pupils to talk about what is happening in experiments is bringing about improvements. The co-ordinators are aware that this needs to be developed to allow more able pupils to devise their own experiments to solve particular problems. The co-ordinators check teachers’ planning regularly to ensure that the full curriculum is taught in an imaginative way, which is improving pupils’ attitudes to the subject.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

• The new ICT suite has extended pupil’s access to computers; however, more use could be made of those in the classrooms. • Opportunities to use ICT in other subjects are under-developed. • Work is not always matched to pupils’ abilities. • Training for all staff is raising their understanding and knowledge of ICT. • Clear strategies have been identified by the co-ordinator to improve provision.

p.24

Commentary

60. There has been satisfactory improvement in provision for ICT since the last inspection. Teaching is satisfactory overall, with some good elements. As a result of this, pupils are making sound progress across the school; however, there are times when higher achievers could do more. Standards at Year 2 and Year 6 are in line with the national average.

p.24

Commentary

61. The leadership and management of ICT are good. The co-ordinator has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in the school and has used these to create an action plan for improvement. Currently, following an audit of staff expertise, various strategies are being used to raise staff confidence in the subject. An after-school session where teachers can access the ICT suite and receive support, a weekly opportunity for support staff to attend a hands-on session and a buddy system between staff have all led to increasing provision for ICT seen in teachers’ planning.

p.24

Commentary

62. Assessment of pupils’ ICT skills does not clearly identify individual pupils’ needs and systematically develop their skills. This has led to lessons where all pupils, regardless of their ability, perform the same tasks and consequently some pupils do not make sufficient progress. In a Year 3/4 class, although 40 per cent of the children had experience of sending an email, the whole class followed the same procedures throughout. Where good teaching occurs, all pupils’ needs are addressed, well-matched activities are provided and learning is good. For example, the planning for a Year 6 history lesson identified different levels of support and expectations for groups of children who were starting to create a multi-media presentation on World War 2. Oulton Primary School - 25 63. Opportunities for pupils to use and learn new ICT skills have increased since the completion of the ICT suite last September. Whole-class teaching is now a regular feature and, alongside the

p.24

Commentary

use of the interactive whiteboard, is enabling teachers to model techniques to the pupils more effectively. In addition, the ICT teaching assistant provides good support for teachers and pupils within the suite. This has led to less time being wasted by pupils waiting for help during lessons.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

64. Pupils’ ability to apply and develop their ICT skills throughout their learning has weaknesses; it is not yet fully developed through other subjects. In some lessons, although suitable programs are planned to support learning this does not always happen. Where meaningful links are made the quality of pupils work is enhanced; for example, in design and technology, Year 5/6 pupils made computer-operated fairground rides. The video they made showed their enthusiasm for this application of ICT and obvious pride in their work.

p.25

HUMANITIES

65. No lessons were seen in geography so it is not possible to form an overall judgement about provision in that subject. Work samples and teachers’ planning, however, indicate that pupils receive a satisfactory range of learning opportunities and that standards are broadly average. Two lessons were seen in history, both in the juniors. Year 2 develop their geographical mapping skills effectively when they draw and label places and features of the imaginary Isle of Struay. In Years 5 and 6 pupils make good use of their ICT skills when researching the climate across the world and finding facts about volcanoes, deserts and mountains, including their location. This develops their knowledge and understanding of the world effectively, as well as their research skills.

p.25

History

Provision in history is satisfactory . By the end of Years 2 and 6 pupils attain standards in line with national expectations.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The use of artefacts brings the subject to life. • Teaching provides plenty of opportunities for pupils to talk about their ideas. • Opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills in history are missed.

p.25

Commentary

66. Teaching is satisfactory overall. In both lessons seen teachers stimulated pupils’ enthusiasm and curiosity for the subject by providing a wide range of artefacts for pupils to handle and discuss. This helps pupils’ enquiry skills to develop well as they discuss in pairs and then as a class the possible purpose of the objects, building on the knowledge they already know of the period. Teachers’ good questioning extends pupils’ vocabulary and their thinking as they describe the objects to the class, as well as developing their historical understanding. For example in a Year 3 and 4 class, the teacher asks, “What do a spur and horseshoes tell us?” and “Could people go as quickly by horse as by car now? Why not?” In a Year 6 lesson, the World War 2 artefacts helped to interest a group of boys who were initially slow to participate, with much encouragement from the teacher through appropriate questioning.

p.25

Commentary

67. There is relatively little recording in history in pupils’ books, with few opportunities for sustained writing to develop their literacy skills. A diary account of a day in the life of a boy in Tudor times shows good awareness of the features of life such as diet and daily routine, but much of the writing is mainly worksheets. Some of the tasks do not challenge pupils, particularly the more able, as much as they could. Oulton Primary School - 26 68. Management of the subject is satisfactory. The co-ordinator has based the scheme of work on the national guidelines adapted to fit the school situation, which includes a two-year rolling programme for mixed-age classes. In addition there is a new initiative linking several subjects in a topic. For example, history is linked with design and technology as part of the work on World War 2 in Year 5. Pupils build shelters using wood and branches and develop a good basic

p.25

Commentary

structure. The co-ordinator has not yet had the opportunity to monitor the impact of this new approach on how well pupils learn in the subject.

p.26

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Visits to places of worship and visitors from different faiths as well as the use of artefacts help pupils to develop their understanding effectively. • Speaking and listening are promoted well. • Opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills are patchy.

p.26

Commentary

69. Standards remain in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus, as they were at the time of the last inspection. In addition to the lessons seen, samples of work and discussions with pupils indicate that their achievement overall is satisfactory.

p.26

Commentary

70. Pupils develop a sound understanding of Christianity, and aspects of Judaism, Islam and Hinduism. In pupils’ writing in Years 5 and 6 they relate what they learn to today and their own lives which helps them to see the meaning as well as the facts of the different religions effectively. For example, pupils in Year 5 complete a story to show how they would deal with a moral dilemma, based on the teachings of Jesus. In Year 6, pupils explain well the five pillars of Islam, supported by their drawings and showing good understanding. There is little written work, however, in Years 3 and 4.

p.26

Commentary

71. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Teaching in one lesson made good use of artefacts from a local church prior to a visit by infant pupils. Pupils built on what they already knew, that a church is a special place for Christians, and treated the artefacts with respect. A few were able to identify the purpose of the baptism jug. However, where pupils did not know the purpose of the object, such as a chalice, their awareness was enhanced through discussion, leading them to describe the object as ‘precious’ and ‘special’. This was good preparation for their visit.

p.26

Commentary

72. Teaching, including visits, visitors and artefacts, provides pupils with well-planned opportunities for spiritual, social, moral and cultural development and enhances their understanding of aspects of different faiths. A Muslim faith tutor has talked to Years 5 and 6 about how Islam affects daily life, and a Hindu parent talked to Years 3 and 4 about Diwali. Pupils in Year 6 say a Muslim visitor helped them to understand the five pillars of Islam and the customs of the mosque, which they recall and explain clearly. A Christian visitor in assembly involved pupils very effectively in a lively retelling of the story of Moses and the escape from Egypt, including magic tricks and a puppet show.

p.26

Commentary

73. The subject is well led and managed. The co-ordinator has incorporated national guidelines for teaching in the subject with the locally agreed syllabus to ensure appropriate coverage of topics . In Years 3 and 4 the subject is taught in a block of time rather than weekly lessons, and links are being developed to other subjects such as literacy and design and technology. For example, when learning about the Hindu festival of Diwali, pupils also write poems about light Oulton Primary School - 27 and make diva lamps. The co-ordinator has not yet had the opportunity to monitor the impact of this new approach on how well pupils learn and understand in the subject.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

74. No lessons were seen in design and technology , art and design or music and only two were seen in physical education . These subjects were sampled and there is insufficient evidence to make firm judgements on provision, standards, teaching and learning in these areas.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

75. It is evident from the quality of work on display and talking to pupils, that there have been good improvements since the previous inspection in design and technology. Work is well displayed, reflecting the care pupils take in completing it and the skills they have been taught. For example, pupils in Year 2 designed and made a pirate boat that linked well to their work in English. They made their own winding mechanisms so they could lift the treasure from the water. In Year 6, pupils made fairground rides and connected their motors to computers to make them work, which improved both their scientific knowledge and their understanding of control technology.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

76. The school makes good use of visits and visitors to stimulate pupils’ ideas in art and design. For example, pupils in Year 4 painted scenes from a visit to Haworth that show good control of line and form. Pupils have worked with a visiting artist to create mosaics for the school’s grounds. Pupils in Year 5 have visited Leeds Art Gallery in connection with their work on sculpture and this extended their ideas about how sculpture relates to the environment in which it is placed. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ awareness of other cultures, as in Year 5 and 6 pupils’ work on masks and batik in connection with a topic on Africa.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

77. Only one short music practice was observed and an assembly where pupils were involved in musical activities. For example, a group of pupils performed well when playing their instruments in front of the whole school. The choir sang California Dreaming unaccompanied and blended several parts together very well. This enthusiasm for music is also shown in the way pupils sang We are the children of Oulton School during the assembly. There was a ‘rap’ section and it is clear that all enjoyed participating. This positive picture has been maintained since the last inspection.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. In the two physical education lessons observed, pupils in a Year 1/2 and a Year 5 class responded well as the teachers ensured everyone was properly warmed up in the introductory activity. Year 1 and 2 pupils showed good awareness of space and linked dance actions together well as they imitated the movements of caterpillars and butterflies. This lesson showed a good link to a science topic as the teacher reinforced pupils’ knowledge of the movements of the creatures. Year 5 pupils joined enthusiastically in a country dancing session in which they learned several new sequences under the teacher’s good guidance. Pupils in a Year 3/4 class volunteered to take part in a physical education lesson taken by a local specialist as part of a training programme for staff. Pupils were enthusiastic and showed good control of their bodies in a variety of gymnastic movements. The school provides a very good range of

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

extra-curricular physical activities, which greatly enhance pupils’ opportunities to develop interests in different sports.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. In these four subjects, the effectiveness of the co-ordinators’ work is satisfactory. The staff have reviewed the curriculum in their subjects; for example, in design and technology the co- ordinator’s file gives an overview of the year’s work and there are plans to observe lessons and so share expertise. In all subjects teachers’ planning and pupils’ work are regularly discussed to ensure that the full curriculum is taught.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

80. No specific lessons were seen that dealt with personal and social matters, but it is evident that the school’s planning to develop pupils’ sense of responsibility, understanding of a healthy Oulton Primary School - 28 lifestyle and awareness of others’ needs is effective and is evident in its daily life. Pupils develop a good sense of how they can contribute to the school’s community because the staff take their views seriously and prompt them to think about important issues. Oulton Primary School - 29

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 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 3

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

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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