Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School

PUDSEY BOLTON ROYD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 20 th – 23 rd January 2004

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PUDSEY BOLTON ROYD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Pudsey Bolton Royd 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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PUDSEY BOLTON ROYD 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. Pudsey Bolton Royd 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: 401

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Moorland Grove Pudsey West Yorkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01274 665806 Fax number: 01274 666885

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr M King

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 15 th April 2002

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Pudsey Bolton Royd is a large primary school near to Leeds. It has 401 pupils on roll. Fifty-eight children attend the nursery on part-time basis and there are 45 children in two reception classes. Since the last inspection, the percentage of pupils taking free school meals has increased and is now broadly in line with the average. The school has a high percentage of pupils from minority ethnic groups, with an increasing number who speak little or no English when they start. Attainment on entry to the school is below average. At the time of the inspection, there were four pupils with statements of educational need; a further 34 pupils are on the list of pupils with special educational needs; this is a lower percentage than that found in most schools. Pupils’ special educational needs include learning difficulties and emotional and behavioural difficulties. The school receives funding as part of the Excellence in Cities initiative which is used to provide a learning mentor.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

2615 Eileen Parry Lead inspector Foundation Stage; art and design; music 19365 Gordon Stockley Lay inspector 20368 Sue Macintosh Team inspector English; religious education; geography; English as an additional language 16971 Roger Hardaker Team inspector Mathematics; information and communication technology (ICT); history; special educational needs 27541 John Collins Team inspector Science; design and technology; physical education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

peakschoolhaus BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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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). Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 5

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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 12

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 31

Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 6 Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 7

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Pudsey Bolton Royd is an effective school that provides a good education and good value

for money. The headteacher has very successfully led the staff to raise standards and improve the quality of pupils’ education; governors give good support. Standards are rising by Year 6 as a result of the very good quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6; they are in line with the national average and represent good achievement from the pupils. Standards are close to average in Year 2 in English and science; they are below average and not quite high enough in mathematics. There is an increasing number of pupils who come to the school speaking little or no English and there is a higher percentage of such pupils from nursery to Year 2 so that although the standards are not rising as quickly as in Year 6, pupils’ achievement is still good overall.

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Pudsey Bolton Royd is an effective school that provides a good education and good value

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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Pudsey Bolton Royd is an effective school that provides a good education and good value

• The headteacher’s very effective leadership has turned the school from one that had serious weaknesses to one that provides a good education • Subject leaders lead by example and provide effective support for colleagues • The quality of teaching is good and, as a result, standards are rising because pupils are highly motivated, enjoy learning and work with interest • From nursery to Year 2, there is good support for pupils who speak English as an additional language, that helps them to acquire the language quickly • Standards in mathematics by Year 2 are below average and should be better • There is a good curriculum that is supported by a good range of extra activities • The school ensures that pupils of all cultural and ethnic backgrounds are fully included in all its work.

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Pudsey Bolton Royd is an effective school that provides a good education and good value

The school has made very good progress in tackling the issues from the previous inspection. From being poor, leadership and management are now judged good. Standards are rising by Year 6; they are improving in reading and writing in Year 2 but are not yet high enough in mathematics. Teaching has improved and the school now has a secure system for recording how well pupils are doing. The curriculum has improved through the use of national guidance and the way that it is planned. Provision for pupils in the Foundation Stage (nursery and reception classes) is better and now gives good continuity of experience. There is a new library. A new, very well equipped ICT suite is having a significant impact on the pupils’ experience and raising standards in the subject; pupils are beginning to use these skills as they learn about other subjects. Classrooms for Years 3 to 6 remain poor but the school is to have a new building in the near future.

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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 C E C C Mathematics C E D D Science C E D D Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools: information is based on prior attainment at Key Stage 1.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement overall is good. In Years 3 to 6, standards are in line with those expected nationally except in religious education where they are above. Pupils achieve well in English, science, religious education and ICT and satisfactorily in other subjects. In Years 1 and 2, standards are in line with expectations in reading and writing and pupils achieve well in these; in mathematics, Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 8 standards are below average and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory given what the children know and understand when they start full-time education. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well. They reach the goals they are expected to reach by the end of the Reception Year in their personal and social development and their physical development but not overall in other areas of learning. Children who arrive at the nursery speaking little or no English quickly acquire the language and

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

many are reaching average standards in reading and writing by Year 2 and their achievement is good. There are good opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in speaking, reading and writing in other subjects but fewer for numeracy and ICT skills.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils have very good attitudes towards work. They enjoy learning and behave well. Pupils’ spiritual

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and moral development is good; they show great respect for other people’s feelings, values

and beliefs. Their cultural development is very good. Attendance is below the average; much of this is a result of extended holidays as families return to India and Pakistan and also of religious observances.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching is good overall; it is very good from Years 3 to 6. Teachers plan interesting activities and lessons are conducted with a brisk pace. With the exception of one lesson in Year 1 where explanations were not clear enough, teachers share well what they expect pupils to learn so that pupils settle down quickly and work hard. Teachers mark pupils’ work well; however, there is still some inconsistency when teachers match pupils’ work against national criteria. Reception classes provide a very good range of activities for children, that builds well on what they have done in the nursery; literacy and numeracy are taught more successfully throughout the day than in the short, special sessions. The curriculum from Year 1 to 6 is good and is supported by a good range of extra activities. There is good provision from nursery to Year 2 to help those who arrive at the school with little English and children quickly learn

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

the language. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support. There is a good range of activities outside normal lessons which benefits a large number of pupils. Adults show very good levels of care and treat pupils with respect and consideration, which helps pupils to learn willingly.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management, including that of the senior management team, are good. The headteacher has a very clear view of what he wants for the school. His determination and personal warmth have united the staff and have brought about changes that were needed. Governors and staff offer good support and the school is well placed to improve further.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have positive views of the school. Pupils think highly of it and are appreciative of the changes brought about since the appointment of the current headteacher.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Further develop the use of ICT to support learning across all of the subjects of the curriculum • Raise standards in mathematics by Year 2 and improve the use of mathematics across the curriculum throughout the school • The rate of pupils’ attendance • The effectiveness of literacy and numeracy sessions in the reception class. Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement is good overall throughout the school . Standards by Year 2 are below average in mathematics but average in all other subjects. Standards are average by Year 6 in all subjects other than religious education where they are above average . Standards are rising by Year 6 and are better than at the time of the last inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well in English, ICT and religious education throughout the school and in science in Years 3 to 6 • Children learning English as an additional language make good progress in the Foundation Stage, that is sustained up to Year 2 • Children with special educational needs achieve well • Pupils’ ICT skills are improving rapidly but they are not used as well as they should be to support learning in all other subjects • Standards are not high enough in mathematics in Key Stage 1

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Commentary

1. Over five years the trend in standards by Year 6 is below that nationally but in 2003 there was a good improvement in English that put results for that year in line with the average. Although still below the national average, there was a good improvement in mathematics and science that brought standards close to national figures. Girls consistently outperform boys in English but the picture is more varied in science and mathematics.

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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 26.9 (25.6) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 26.0 (24.7) 26.8 (26.7 ) Science 28.1 (26.6) 28.6 (28.3 ) There were 56 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

2. Standards in the work seen are average by Year 6 and pupils achieve well in English, science, and ICT. In mathematics, music and physical education standards are average and achievement is satisfactory. Pupils have above average knowledge and understanding in religious education and achieve well in the subject. The improvements in pupils’ standards and achievements are a result of teaching that is often enthusiastic and consistently good and that is supported by effective leadership from subject leaders. A positive ethos and a sense of community underpin learning so that pupils are keen to do their best. Teachers put a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ speaking and listening skills through the many opportunities for pupils to demonstrate their learning to the class or to work together. Pupils are encouraged to read and write in other subjects, for example as they used the Internet to search for information

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Commentary

to help them with their work in history and geography. Numeracy skills are well developed in science and design and technology but less so in other subjects. There has been a rapid improvement in pupils’ ICT skills as a result of the excellent provision that has recently been put in place and because of skilled leadership, but pupils are not given enough opportunity yet Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 10 to develop these in their studies in other subjects. Where pupils in Year 3 to 6 receive bilingual support, this helps them to understand more fully and to make good progress in their learning, for example in understanding the complex text of a nonsense poem.

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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 14.5 (14.5) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 13.3 (13.9) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 14.0 (15.8) 16.3 (16.5) There were 56 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

3. Results of the national tests and assessments for Year 2 pupils in 2003 show a fall in mathematics and writing but remain level in reading. Reading and mathematics were well below the national averages and writing below average. However, pupils’ achievements are satisfactory when judged against their starting points in nursery and factors such as the percentage of pupils taking free school meals, which has increased in the last year, and the percentage of pupils with English as an additional language, which has also gone up and is more evident in younger classes. In the work seen, standards are in line with the average in all subjects except mathematics where they are below average. Achievement was judged good in English, ICT and religious education and satisfactory in other subjects including mathematics.

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Commentary

4. At the end of the Foundation Stage, children are likely to achieve the early learning goals in personal and social development and physical development. Standards are below average in communication, language and literacy, and mathematics. In knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development there was not enough evidence for secure judgements. Children achieve well as a result of the very good provision that is made for them. The additional bilingual support in nursery and reception adds to the provision and as a result pupils in the early stages of acquiring English make good progress. Many reach expected levels in English by the end of Year 2.

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Commentary

5. Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs often achieve well in relation to the targets within their individual education plans and, where relevant, their statements. Many of these pupils have low attainment levels, but sensitive support from teachers and other adults ensures progress and a sense of success.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have very good attitudes to school and their behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. Attendance is well below average , but punctuality is very good . The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall, and some aspects are very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school sets very high expectations for pupils’ conduct and deals very effectively with all forms of harassment • Pupils are very interested in their lessons and the other activities provided • The school very successfully develops in pupils a respect for others, an appreciation of their own and others’ cultural traditions, and the responsibilities of living in a community • Attendance is well below the national median, but the school has good procedures for monitoring and promoting attendance Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 11

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Commentary

6. Pupils are very enthusiastic about the school. They told inspectors that they enjoy all the lessons as well as the clubs and lunchtime activities that are provided for them. In lessons and around the school, the pupils are well behaved and polite to other pupils and adults. They support each other well in lessons and at playtime, moving quickly to help anyone who is hurt or upset. There have been no recent exclusions.

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Commentary

7. The school’s ethos, the provision that it makes and the very good role models provided by the staff ensure that pupils become mature and responsible members of the school community. They develop very well socially because they are treated with respect by staff and because of the very good provision made for their personal and social development. This includes good opportunities for pupils to undertake responsibilities such as being a school councillor or a playground buddy, as well as opportunities in lessons to work collaboratively and, for example, to take responsibility for putting out equipment for physical education lessons. The annual residential visit for Year 6 pupils also helps to develop the skills needed to get on with each other.

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Commentary

8. A high priority is given by the school to ensuring that pupils and staff from a variety of cultural backgrounds work and play together in harmony. The curriculum for religious education and geography provides good opportunities for pupils to gain a knowledge and understanding of different religions and cultures around the world. The school celebrates a range of important religious festivals, including Christmas, Diwali, Eid and Baisakhi, and has held events such as a Black History Day. Local religious leaders visit the school regularly to support teaching and learning. Pupils from Year 6 told inspectors how much they enjoyed being in a school with children from a range of cultural backgrounds and of their interest in learning about other cultures and religions.

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Commentary

9. Under the school’s guidance, pupils acquire a strong moral understanding. This was demonstrated well in a mathematics game during a Year 5 lesson when a pupil conceded that she was ‘just beaten to the draw’ by another pupil. Again, pupils benefit from a clear and consistent code of behaviour demonstrated by teachers and other adults, which reinforces their awareness of right and wrong. Pupils are also involved in drawing up class rules to guide behaviour. In a personal and social education lesson during the inspection the teacher had changed her planned lesson in order to reinforce behaviour expectations following a recent example of a few pupils ‘picking’ on another and being unkind. There was no sign of any racist or other unacceptable behaviour during the inspection.

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Commentary

10. Significant reasons for attendance being well below that nationally are pupils absent for religious reasons and to accompany parents on long holidays to India and Pakistan. The school is doing all it reasonably can to improve attendance levels and there are signs that these actions are having some effect. The school’s procedures have improved since the time of the last inspection. Parents ensure that very few children arrive late for school. There have been no exclusions.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 7.1 School data 0.2 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. Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 12

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good . Teaching is good overall which contributes to the good quality of pupils’ learning. The curriculum provides a range of activities that are relevant to the ages and interests of the pupils; it is well supported by a very good range of extra activities which many pupils attend. The school places a strong emphasis on supporting and guiding pupils and the care they receive is good. Parents and pupils think highly of the school.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching is good overall. It is good in Years 1 and 2 and in the Foundation Stage, and very good in Years 3 to 6. The quality of teaching is better than it was at the time of the last inspection and leads to good learning for the pupils. There are excellent procedures for assessment in the Foundation Stage which are used very well. In other classes teachers use assessment information satisfactorily .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good provision in the Foundation Stage enables children to learn well • There is good teaching in every year group that helps pupils settle quickly to their work and learn effectively but teaching in one of the classes in Year 1 sometimes confuses pupils when explanations are unclear and classroom management is less secure • Marking is helpful in telling pupils how to improve but occasionally pupils’ writing is assessed too severely

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Commentary

11. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good. The very good provision in all three classrooms is strengthened by effective teamwork from all of the adults who are fully engaged in teaching at all times. Assessment is a real strength because it is an integral part of teaching and learning. The teaching of literacy and numeracy skills in the reception classrooms is more effective when it is part of the ongoing activities than it is in the whole class sessions because children’s learning needs are diverse and staff are meeting these needs more fully through the small groups and individual learning than through the class lessons.

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Commentary

12. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is very good because it is of a consistently high quality. Teaching in Years 1 and 2 is good overall but is more variable than elsewhere and most of the satisfactory lessons were seen in these classes. There is good teaching in every class and from every teacher. The one unsatisfactory lesson was one in mathematics in a Year 1 class; the expectations that pupils listen were not established at the start of the lesson, and explanations lacked clarity and led to pupils being unsure of what to do.

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Commentary

13. Throughout the school, lessons are well planned and activities are interesting. Where teaching is good, challenging tasks are set for pupils of all abilities so that pupils enjoy learning. Explanations are clear and pupils know what they are to learn. Where teaching is of a higher quality, these features are even more evident; for example, within a Year 6 top set for mathematics, higher attainers are set extra or more difficult tasks continuously so that they keep an enthusiasm for their work. In every subject teachers put a strong focus on developing pupils’ speaking and listening skills and this is helping to raise standards; good opportunities are provided for pupils to use their reading and writing skills across the curriculum. Numeracy skills are developed satisfactorily overall because they are developed well in some subjects such as design and technology and science, but opportunities are missed for pupils to use and

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Commentary

apply these skills in other subjects. The excellent facilities in the new ICT suite combined with knowledgeable teaching are having a marked effect on pupils’ competence in the subject in those lessons, but less consistent use is made of classroom computers to support learning across all subjects. Pupils’ work is marked regularly and often with useful comments that Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 13 explain how pupils can improve. Mostly pupils’ work is assessed at an accurate level but sometimes writing is assessed over harshly and this leads to some difference between the teacher assessments and the test results at the end of Years 2 and 6.

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Commentary

14. A bilingual liaison officer works with younger pupils at the early stages of acquiring English and monitors and assesses their progress regularly in their home language and English. There is very good support for pupils from nursery to Year 2 that helps them to get to grips with the English language but relatively little from Year 3 to 6. The little bilingual support that is available for older pupils is rightly focused on those who come into the school in the later years with little English and helps pupils to cope with understanding vocabulary better, for example by discussing the meanings of words in the home language and English as the class consider poetry. The good improvements in teaching since the last inspection, with the added emphasis on giving pupils plenty of opportunities for speaking and listening in every subject, help pupils with English as an additional language to meet the demands of the curriculum as they move up

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Commentary

15. Pupils with special educational needs are generally taught well so make good progress. This is because most teachers use good support strategies, including appropriate questioning, praise, and encouragement to motivate pupils and keep them on task. Where appropriate, teaching assistants support pupils well in class lessons, ensuring they can be fully involved and can participate purposefully in all activities.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 45 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 45 lessons

2 (4%) 13 (28%) 22 (47%) 7 (15%) 1 (2%) 0 0

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 45 lessons

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 school provides a good curriculum that is considerably enhanced for significant numbers of pupils through its good programme of clubs and extra-curricular activities. The accommodation is satisfactory for the delivery of the curriculum but the quality of accommodation for classes in Year 3 to 6 is poor. Resources are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum • Provision and resources in the Foundation Stage are very good • Curriculum enrichment is good • Resources have improved since the last inspection, particularly in ICT • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good • Accommodation in Key Stage 2 remains unsatisfactory

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Commentary

16. The curriculum is good and meets all the requirements of the National Curriculum. There are appropriate arrangements for the teaching of sex education and raising the awareness of older pupils of the dangers of drugs abuse. Religious education is taught following the guidance of the locally agreed syllabus. Planning has improved since the last inspection and is now firmly based on national and local guidance in all subject areas. The National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy are now well established and all subjects are taught progressively to develop pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding. The teachers frequently plan topics and themes that embrace several different subjects and this helps the pupils’ learning. A particular strength Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 14 of the school’s provision is the emphasis on pupils’ personal development. The personal, social and health education of all pupils is developed through a well-planned series of topics

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Commentary

that relate well to the ages of the pupils. Additionally the curriculum is enhanced for many pupils through the good range of extra-curricular clubs and activities, visits, and visitors to school. Take-up of after-school clubs is high and enhances the development of skills in sport and music for considerable numbers of pupils. These are supported by the good range of visits and visitors to the school for all age groups that widen pupils’ knowledge and understanding of their own and other communities.

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Commentary

17. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is very good. A particular strength is the way that continuity of experience is provided from nursery into reception and foundations laid for the next stage of learning. An example of this is the very good provision that is made for children in reception classes to use the outdoor play area of the nursery regularly each week as well as to have some sessions in the hall so that these young children have their physical skills developed well through play and are also being prepared for the more formal experience of the National Curriculum.

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Commentary

18. There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs. This has improved significantly since the previous inspection and now ensures that these pupils now achieve well. Teachers identify pupils who have special educational needs as early as possible and make good assessments of their needs. Teachers set clear and realistic targets and, together with the support staff, regularly check on pupils’ progress. Teachers plan and tailor the curriculum well to make sure the work they give the pupils is relevant and helps them to achieve their targets. The special educational needs co-ordinator, teachers and classroom assistants work well together, ensuring pupils with special educational needs are well supported with the additional help they need to take part successfully in lessons. This contributes to the good progress they make.

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Commentary

19. There are two additional staff in the school funded by the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant: the bilingual nursery nurse in the nursery, and the bilingual liaison officer working mainly with five and six year olds. They both contribute very effectively to providing access to the curriculum for very young pupils at an early stage of acquiring English. With this additional effective support which acts as a bridge between their home language and English, these young pupils understand and learn and so make good progress.

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Commentary

20. Resources have also considerably improved since the last inspection, when it was judged that they were having a negative impact on pupils’ learning. This is no longer the case and all subject areas have benefited from recent expenditure on resources. For example, the new computer suite has considerably improved teaching and learning in ICT and this is having a positive impact on rising standards in the subject. However, the systematic use of ICT to support learning across the curriculum is not yet firmly established and this remains an area of further improvement for the school. Since the previous inspection, resources for the Foundation Stage curriculum have improved and now give good support to all the areas of learning. The school has a new library area that is used well for research by all age groups and pupils express their pride in it. As at the time of the last inspection, accommodation for junior

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Commentary

classes remains poor but plans for a new school have recently been approved.

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Care, guidance and support

The school takes good care of the pupils, particularly so in the Foundation Stage, ensuring their welfare, health and safety. Pupils are well cared for, guided and supported. The school involves pupils well in its work and development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Induction procedures are very good • The school provides a high level of care for its pupils Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 15 • Teachers and the learning mentor provide good support for pupils’ personal and academic development • Involvement of pupils is good • Good procedures are in place for child protection and all aspects of health and safety

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Commentary

21. There are very good induction procedures. Staff make home visits prior to children coming to the nursery in order to learn more about the children’s development and abilities. Where the home language is not English, the bilingual nursery nurse, funded by the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant, uses the child’s first language. There are also effective arrangements to smooth the transfer from nursery to reception. Almost all parents who completed the parents’ questionnaire were pleased with the induction arrangements for their children. To ease transition from infants to juniors, the learning mentor supports Year 2 pupils during transfer to Year 3. For example, younger pupils are paired with older pupils for a range of sporting and play facilities in the playground ‘buddy’ system at lunchtimes. Also, Year 3 pupils produce a leaflet for Year 2 pupils explaining some of the differences, such as no afternoon playtime.

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Commentary

22. Systems are now in place for class teachers to monitor and record pupils’ academic progress as well as their personal development. This is a good improvement since the last inspection when they were unsatisfactory. Pupils now have individual targets for literacy and numeracy set by them and the teacher, so they know what to do to improve in the subjects and work hard to achieve their targets. The bilingual liaison officer, funded by the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant, assesses the learning of younger pupils acquiring English, in home language and English. This regular assessment ensures that additional support is targeted where most needed, particularly in Years 1 and 2.

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Commentary

23. Adults are caring and supportive in their dealings with the children, showing concern and respect. As a result, pupils say they are comfortable in approaching an adult with a personal problem. A good example of the school’s very caring and inclusive attitude is the fact that some clubs take place at lunchtimes so that Muslim pupils, many of whom attend Faith school activities after school, have the opportunity to take part. The school council gives pupils responsibility. For example, they meet with the learning mentor regularly, representing their class and raising and discussing issues and producing the minutes. It does not yet involve pupils from Years 1 and 2, however.

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Commentary

24. The school is a safe and secure place where good attention to health and safety matters ensures that pupils learn and develop in a healthy and caring environment. All the necessary safety checks and risk assessments are carried out and there are good arrangements for dealing with any accidents and minor injuries to pupils. The ‘buddy’ system at lunchtimes has been effective in helping to reduce the number of accidents in the playground.

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Commentary

25. There are good procedures in place for child protection concerns when they are identified, and all staff are aware of the procedures. However, mid-day staff would benefit from some additional training and guidance on identifying the signs that might indicate where a child is having problems that might need further investigation.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has good links with parents, the community and other schools.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents provide good support for their children’s education • The learning mentor helps parents and pupils with a range of problems and gives good support when pupils move through the key stages Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 16 • The school provides good information for parents and deals well with any concerns and complaints

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Commentary

26. The school recognises the importance of a positive link between school and home and has taken action to create a good relationship with parents. Parents are warmly welcomed into school and any support they can give is valued. Some parents help regularly in classes and the vast majority give support at home by helping with reading and spellings and ensuring that homework is completed and returned on time. Some parents request additional help from teachers and this is given promptly and willingly. Parents at the meeting held before the inspection said that the headteacher is very approachable and teachers are always willing to find time to talk to parents. A parents’ room is provided and one of the halls is available for a parent-run playgroup which meets weekly.

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Commentary

27. Another form of support for parents is provided by the experienced and capable learning mentor. She is available to help and advise parents who are having problems with their children or other school-related matters. The learning mentor also provides good support for pupils as they move from the infant to the junior stage of their education and when they transfer to the secondary school.

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Commentary

28. The school provides parents with good information about the school and about how their children are getting on. The prospectus is detailed and informative with a good selection of photographs of children and their work. Regular letters inform parents about significant matters, although some parents are puzzled when they receive the same letters from different teachers in different weeks. There are year group newsletters each term. These give details of the range of work that the children will be covering in each subject during the term ahead and parents find these useful in supporting their children’s work at home. The school also arranges open mornings where parents can see their children at work and look at what they have done in their lessons. The annual written reports are good. This is a significant improvement since the time of the previous inspection when they were judged to be unsatisfactory.

p.16

Commentary

29. The school has good links with a number of other schools and these enhance pupils’ learning opportunities. A nearby Beacon school has provided support for literacy, numeracy and ICT. A link with a special school has helped staff to develop their expertise in inclusion. Other links have had a more direct effect on pupils, such as the School Sport Co-ordinator Programme with a local secondary school. This initiative provides pupils with valuable regular teaching skills from a secondary physical education specialist. Close links with the main partner secondary schools ensure that Year 6 pupils benefit from a smooth transfer to the next stage of their education.

p.16

Commentary

30. The quality of pupils’ education is enhanced by the school’s good links with the local community. Regular visitors from the community include the community police officer, the fire service and local religious leaders. Staff from Leeds United FC provide football coaching for the pupils. There are visits by the pupils to local businesses, the local market and local shops, as well as to a range of places of worship. The school is used by the community for adult education classes and by a parent and toddler group.

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership of the headteacher is very good . Effectiveness of management is good . Governance of the school is good . Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 17

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides very good leadership, ensuring a strong sense of purpose so all staff and governors strive for continuous improvement, and creating an effective climate for learning in which all pupils succeed • The governors have a good grasp of the school’s strengths and weaknesses which enables them to play an effective role in shaping the direction of the school • The headteacher has initiated very good curriculum change and development • There has been very good improvement since the previous inspection • Financial management is strong • The school plans well for the future

p.17

Commentary

31. The headteacher provides very good leadership. He has a clear vision and high aspirations which he communicates very well to others. He has the full confidence of pupils, parents, teachers, other staff and governors. He strives hard to ensure that all pupils fully enjoy the benefits the school offers. Since taking up post two years ago, he has instigated much change in the school and has significantly contributed to its recent very good improvement. He has taken swift and effective action to establish a strong sense of purpose and a determination to succeed. He has led from the front and although he has set a fast pace he has managed to develop a very good sense of teamwork and commitment.

p.17

Commentary

32. He has initiated considerable improvements in his two years in post, for example in staffing, accommodation and pupils’ behaviour. These have had a significant impact upon everyone’s morale. Governors now feel much more able to play a decisive role in the management and direction of the school. Improvements to accommodation include the provision of a good library and the resourcing and provision of a computer suite which matches the best seen in primary schools across the country. Staff are given much greater responsibility and say in the management of the school. They are encouraged to take on responsibilities, and given good support and training to carry these out effectively, and their opinions are sought and usually acted upon. Pupils and parents speak highly of him and are appreciative of the part he has played in bringing about the very good change for the better in many aspects of the school.

p.17

Commentary

33. Governance of the school is good. Governors are well informed and this enables them to make strategic decisions. They have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They concern themselves with standards and they keep themselves updated with curriculum developments. Governors are actively involved in shaping the future of the school.

p.17

Commentary

34. There has been very good improvement since the previous inspection when leadership and management were deemed to be poor. All concerns have been successfully addressed. The school now has a strong sense of purpose. Teaching is rigorously monitored by the headteacher and supported by professional development, with the result that teaching is now good. Leadership of the school is very strong. Governors are fully involved in the strategic management of the school and governance benefits from the effective committee structure that is now in place. The governors fulfil all statutory responsibilities. Strategic planning has considerably improved and is good. Projects and proposed developments are carefully costed and the implementation of planning is monitored. Most importantly, things that are planned get done. Senior managers meet regularly as a team and play an important role in the strategic management of the school. The leadership and management of the Foundation Stage,

p.17

Commentary

English, mathematics, science and ICT by the respective co-ordinators are good or very good. The co-ordinators are at least good and often very good role models in the teaching of their subjects.

p.17

Commentary

35. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and is well led and managed. These pupils’ needs are well catered for through well-constructed individual education plans. Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 18 There is effective liaison between the school and key outside agencies to make sure there is a co-ordinated approach to helping pupils. The individual education plans for pupils with special needs are good in quality and include realistic targets for improvement against which progress can be readily assessed. These targets are regularly reviewed. The provision for pupils with English as an additional language is satisfactory. Ethnic Minority Achievement support is targeted at pupils in the early stages of acquiring English, nearly all of whom attend the nursery initially. The co-ordinator for English as an additional language has put in place effective systems for assessing and monitoring children’s progress in acquiring English. This

p.17

Commentary

information is also used to identify those children or pupils in need of additional support. The proportion of pupils in the school speaking English as an additional language has risen in the last two years, particularly at the younger end of the school, but the provision in terms of finance and expertise has not risen enough to match the increase in pupil need. However, there is a plan to respond to this by developing the skills of all staff in this area.

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 828,090 Balance from previous year 41,500 Total expenditure 797,196 Balance carried forward to the next 72,394 Expenditure per pupil 1764

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

36. Financial planning and management are good. The governors and the headteacher have a good grasp of finances and funding issues. Governors consider support in classrooms to be one of the priorities in spending. This support is making a significant contribution to the quality of teaching and learning. It also makes a significant contribution to the way all pupils are included and able to benefit from the learning activities the school provides. The principles of best value are clearly understood and well applied and all spending is effectively monitored and controlled. The school is now an effective school that gives a good quality of education; its costs are relatively low and it provides good value for money. Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 19

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

37. A 39-place nursery and two reception classes comprise the Foundation Stage. The majority of the children in the nursery move on into the school but some go to other schools in the area. The pattern of standards when children first start in the nursery is well below that expected for three year olds. Over half of the children speak English as an additional language, some arriving with little or no English at all. Children’s achievements are good. Taken overall, children are unlikely to achieve the expected goals by the end of the Reception Year in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development; they are likely to do so in personal, social and emotional development and in physical development. There was too little evidence to make an overall judgement on children’s attainment in knowledge and understanding of the world or of their creative work. The provision in the Foundation Stage is very good and teaching

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

is good; these represent a considerable improvement from the previous inspection where unacceptable differences in quality were noted between nursery and reception classes. A particular strength is the excellent systems for assessing how children are getting on because these are an integral part of the teaching and learning. Two children have special educational needs for learning difficulties and are working with a class younger than their ages because the curriculum is more suited to their needs.

p.19

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are very good arrangements to start children in the nursery and to move them on into reception • The provision encourages children to be independent • Staff know children well and respond well to the children’s individual needs

p.19

Commentary

38. Standards are in line with those expected by the end of the Reception Year; children’s achievements are good. There are very good arrangements to help children to settle in to the nursery securely and happily which involve home visits and parents staying with their children if they wish at the start of the session. Equally good arrangements exist for the transfer from nursery to reception. Teaching is very good in all classes. Teachers plan well and provide a wide range of activities where children can work on their own, with a partner, supported by an adult or in a group. This ensures that children have the opportunity to develop good working relationships with one another and with the adults who work with them. Adults work together very well and moving flexibly between activities to support children as needed. This ensures that there is always a calm purposeful atmosphere in the classrooms. Adults set good

p.19

Commentary

examples for the children which help the children to understand how they should treat one another. There is a strong focus on sharing and taking turns that is evident in children’s actions. For example, two girls in a reception class went to play with a fishing tank which had only one rod and were observed to say, “There is only one stick, shall we take turns?” Activities that are planned are exciting but children can also help themselves to other equipment that is stored on accessible shelves so that they become engrossed in what they are doing and can work for extended periods. Children’s attention and focus on their learning are very good when they are able to choose their learning or work in small groups but are only satisfactory when they are taught in the whole class sessions. Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 20

p.19

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Adults constantly encourage children to talk • There is very effective provision to help those with English as an additional language to develop skill in using English • There are many good opportunities for children to read and write • The literacy session in reception classes is not as effective as it should for the lower attaining pupils

p.20

Commentary

39. Standards are below those expected by the end of the Reception Year but children’s achievement is good because they start at low levels. There are some children who are reluctant to talk but happily respond by action or gestures and some children who find it difficult to extend their talk beyond short responses. Teaching is very good in the nursery and good in the reception classes. The range of activities in all classrooms provides plenty of opportunities for children to talk and adults constantly engage children in discussions. Many of the children speak English as an additional language and they are well supported both informally, as bilingual assistants talk to them in their mother tongue and in English as they play, and in formal situations such as when stories are told in two languages. As a result, the children make very good progress in acquiring English and become increasingly confident in its use.

p.20

Commentary

The reception classes have introduced a short, more formal session following the National Literacy Strategy guidance and recommendations from consultants. This whole class approach works well for those children who are of higher skill in English. They are adept at hearing initial and end sounds of words and confident in their responses but about a third of the group find it difficult to sustain their attention for 30 minutes in this way. A similar task was seen where the same knowledge was developed through play in the sand. This works more effectively for children who are less secure in English because the adults are able to develop responses on an individual level. For example when a child was retrieving objects from sand and sorting those that ended in n or t , she had difficulties which became apparent when the adult asked what the object was and the child gave the answer “box”.

p.20

Commentary

40. There is a good range of books and children enjoy sharing them with adults including volunteers. Children handle them carefully and enjoy telling stories to match the pictures. Most children can recognise their name and the initial sounds of words. A few can name some letters and simple words. Children are encouraged to write as they play and there are more formal times when they write using word banks or try by themselves. These activities show that children in reception classes have a wide range of skill. More advanced children write confidently using some words that they can spell such as ‘to’ and others that they can read and copy from word banks; they sometimes try to write bigger words without help. Most children make a fair effort at copying. Some are still at the very early stages of writing where they make marks which sometimes have letter shapes.

p.20

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Learning is very well developed through the quality of provision • In the nursery adults use every opportunity to develop knowledge through play and this works more effectively than the numeracy sessions in the reception classes Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 21

p.20

Commentary

41. Standards are below those expected by the end of the Reception Year; children’s achievements are good because of low attainment when they start. Teaching is very good in the nursery and good in the reception class. Within the number part of mathematical development, children’s skills and knowledge are average, but in those aspects of mathematics that are related to language, standards are below the expectations. For example, children count up to 10 in reception with the more able counting securely up to 30, they partition sets of 10 objects and record the results, but they have difficulty with the concept of ‘middle sized’ when playing a game which has three bears of different sizes.

p.21

Commentary

42. Provision is very good in the nursery and in reception classes when mathematical activity is built into other work such as counting and measuring when baking in the nursery, developing the notion of change when shopping or pegging out numbered clothes on a washing line in reception. All adults use every opportunity to build children’s mathematical skills and knowledge wherever a natural link can be made. The numeracy sessions in reception classes are not as successful as the learning that goes on through play. Some children are ready for this more formal approach, joining in and responding well, but others find it very difficult to concentrate for the half hour sessions because at some point they will not find the learning relevant or easily understood. When this happens children sit quietly but do not join in actively. This is in marked contrast to the concentration and learning that were observed to take place

p.21

Commentary

when children were choosing to do a similar activity or working in a very small group with an adult.

p.21

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

There was not enough evidence to make a secure judgement of children’s attainment across the whole of the provision but the teaching and learning seen were very good in all classes. There is a very wide range of play equipment and learning experiences set out or accessible so that children can learn across all of the different parts of knowledge and understanding of the world. For example, small animal toys from prehistoric times as well as jungle and domestic animals were freely available with play mats and children were observed choosing these and talking to each other about what the animals were. During the inspection, most focus was given to the technology aspects. Adults have very high expectations of the children’s ability to handle tools safely and set challenging activities that produce above average results. Children in the reception classes were encouraged to design models on paper and discuss how they would make them. They had access to a wide variety

p.21

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

of materials and tools, including real hammers, nails, sandpaper, saws and a vice, which they handled with care. They were encouraged to evaluate and improve their models as these were being made. For example, a little girl began to make a truck with wheels but put the wheels on the opposite side too high so that, although the model moved, it was lopsided. Once she realised why because of the adult’s questioning, she happily took the wheels off and put them in a better place. In all classes, computers are available and the children show good control of the mouse as they move objects around the screen. A robot car caused great interest in the reception classes and many children were keen to try out the activity. In the nursery, a child showed great skill with the same equipment. He was able to manoeuvre the car along a winding track so easily that the adult asked him to bring the car home in reverse which he also managed to do.

p.21

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is very good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Challenging activities in the outdoor play area develop the children’s skills very well Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 22

p.21

Commentary

43. Children are likely to achieve the early learning goals by the end of reception and they achieve well. Teaching is very good. There is very good provision for outdoor play with arrangements for reception children to use the more adventurous equipment and large space of the nursery outside play area regularly each week. The good range of equipment means that each child has choice and good levels of physical activity. Children move around the space confidently and rarely bump into each other. A combination of alternate large tyres and bread trays that bend when children stand on them poses an unusual challenge that children approach with care and which extends their balance and co-ordination very effectively. Good links are made with the indoor activities so that learning is reinforced; for instance, the pattern making that had been taking place in paint and play dough inside was carried on outside as children were asked

p.22

Commentary

to look at the patterns that their bike tyres made after they cycled over large pieces of paper.

p.22

Commentary

44. The children have access to a wide range of construction equipment and to woodwork tools that give very good provision for developing children’s hand and eye co-ordination.

p.22

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Not enough evidence was collected to make secure judgements about the standards that children reach but enough to say that provision in creative development is very good. The spacious nursery classroom contains many opportunities for children to explore and experiment with ideas and materials, for example imaginative play areas of several different types, paint, collage and clay, small world toys and musical instruments. A similar provision is carried on into reception classrooms. Adults encourage children to talk about their work and often act as role models by working alongside children and sharing what they are doing; this prompts children to try different effects. A good example was when an adult made tracks from various tools in play dough, drew the children’s attention to it and asked them to think why her work had deeper prints in the play dough than theirs.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are rising due to the very good teaching and the very good leadership and management of the subject • Very good relationships exist between staff and pupils; pupils co-operate and collaborate very well with each other • Marking is consistently good and helpful and pupils are set individual targets for writing • The teaching and organisation of guided reading are consistently good • Additional support for younger initial learners of English is good • There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs

p.22

Commentary

45. Pupils enter the school often with standards below average and with some pupils having little English. They make good progress to reach standards that are close to the national average by the end of Years 6 and 2, in reading, writing and speaking and listening. This is an improvement since the last inspection when reading was close to average but writing was below average at the end of Year 2, and standards in speaking and writing were not as high as they should have been by the age of eleven. Achievement overall is good as most pupils reach national expectations by the age of eleven and some above. This improvement in standards is Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 23 due to the action taken, informed by the good systems that have been put in place and are now beginning to have an impact, including: • tracking of pupils’ progress in English throughout their time in school • twice-termly assessments of pupils’ writing to monitor how effective the teaching is and how

p.22

Commentary

well pupils are learning • good monitoring in the subject by the co-ordinator, leading to improvements in teaching • analysing pupils’ performance in tests and as a result purchasing resources to focus on the weaker areas to improve the overall standard • setting appropriate targets for pupils so they know how to improve • providing good training opportunities, leading to increased professional expertise in the classroom • changing the structure of lessons to allow more flexibility for extended opportunities for writing • having an additional half hour daily outside the literacy lesson for guided reading • the purchase of new attractive and interesting sets of fiction and non-fiction books for guided reading and a range for the library

p.23

Commentary

46. Standards in speaking and listening are improving due to the strong emphasis placed on them in lessons. Whilst helping all pupils, this emphasis is particularly helpful to pupils for whom English is not their first language in developing their academic competence in English as they move up through the school. In lessons there is a good balance between teacher and pupil talk where teachers make good use of open-ended questions. This enables pupils to expand their ideas and opinions and develops their confidence, for example in Year 3 when pupils develop a good understanding of how to plan a story. There are good opportunities too for pupils to build up their performance skills, as when pupils in Year 5 prepare to read their own legend story to Year 2. They use words such as ‘volume’, ‘tone’ and ‘expression’ when rehearsing the techniques of good story telling, and learn how to use their voice to attract and maintain the

p.23

Commentary

47. Pupils achieve well in reading, with the development of their knowledge and enjoyment of books leading to the development of their reading skills. Pupils and teachers alike enjoy the daily guided reading half hour. Pupils in Year 6 describe it as “You build up reading skills but it’s fun!” They enjoy the variety of tasks, from doing research for a topic in history or science, from books or on the computer, to reading independently or discussing their group reader with the teacher. These sessions are very well organised. Teachers keep informative records of pupils’ progress from the time they spend with the teacher in a small group once a week. Teachers report this is working well and pupils are making progress and enjoying their reading. Pupils also make good use of the recently refurbished library, as a resource for both research and story books, and understand the coding system and how to take a book out.

p.23

Commentary

48. The good and very good teaching is improving standards in writing as well, so that by the time of the national tests and with additional booster classes in Year 6, more pupils will reach nationally expected levels at seven and eleven, close to the average. Younger pupils build up their knowledge of letters and sounds and spelling of common words as well as spelling strategies very effectively through regular short activities, for example recording words with particular sounds on their whiteboard. Support in home language helps pupils with little English to play a full part in these activities. Teachers are skilled at using many strategies that support the development of pupils’ writing so pupils know how to improve their work. For example, they edit and redraft their writing. They become response partners and discuss each other’s writing and make comments as to how it could be improved. Pupils as young as Year 2 give their

p.23

Commentary

drafts the ‘green pencil check’ to see that their writing makes sense. Some of the older pupils with English as an additional language make grammatical errors in their writing or use structures and vocabulary inappropriately. This hinders them from making quicker progress in their writing. Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 24 The quality of teaching overall is very good. Good monitoring and training have led to good improvements in teaching, so that the quality of teaching in all lessons seen in this inspection in English was at least good and nearly half of the lessons were very good, mostly in the juniors. Some features of the very good teaching are: • very good planned opportunities effectively develop pupils’ speaking and listening, reading and writing skills • good opportunities are provided for pupils to draft and redraft their writing to improve it, sometimes working in pairs • teachers’ good planning and organisation mean that lessons have a brisk pace with a range

p.23

Commentary

of activities which keeps pupils interested, learning, and enjoying their work • pupils know what they are learning because teachers explain very clearly and check that they understand and have learnt at the end of the lesson

p.24

Commentary

Additional factors that would contribute to further improvement of standards in the subject are: • linking pupils’ writing targets more closely and consistently to the areas for improvement in their regularly assessed pieces of writing • continuing to build up teachers’ confidence in assessing pupils’ writing by agreeing national curriculum levels to improve consistency • continuing to develop the skills of bilingual teaching assistants and class teachers in the most effective ways of supporting pupils with English as an additional language, to help them achieve as well as they can throughout the school.

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

49. Teachers provide additional good opportunities in other subjects for pupils to develop their language and literacy skills, which work well. For example, pupils in Year 6 confidently research on the Internet in geography. In Year 5 pupils search and retrieve information about the Mary Rose and write their findings down. Good questioning in geography in Year 2 extends pupils’ ideas and helps their speaking and listening skills develop effectively.

p.24

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement of all pupils is improving and is currently satisfactory • Overall the quality of teaching is good and pupils are very keen to learn and enjoy their lessons • Standards should be higher especially by the end of Year 2 • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good • The subject is very well led and improvement since the last inspection is good • ICT is used well in some classes to support the teaching of mathematics

p.24

Commentary

59. In the most recent National Curriculum tests standards reached by pupils by the end of Year 2 were low when compared with the average attained by pupils in all schools nationally. The standards reached by pupils by the end of Year 6 were below average. However, in both groups, this represents an improvement on the previous year when standards were considerably lower. The standards of work seen by the current Year 2 pupils suggests that they are improving in all areas of mathematics and although they will still be below average in all these areas they will be much closer to the national average than in recent previous years. This represents satisfactory achievement. These pupils are responding well to better teaching and they display better knowledge of number facts and greater confidence in applying them. The standard of work seen in Year 6 suggests that the improvement shown last year has Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 25

p.24

Commentary

continued and that by the end of the year pupils should be close to the national average in all areas of mathematics. This also represents satisfactory achievement. Previous gaps in mathematical knowledge have been attended to. For example, these pupils now have a sound understanding of geometry, being able to effectively apply knowledge of angles and properties of shapes to solve geometrical problems.

p.25

Commentary

60. Overall improvement in mathematics since the last inspection is good. Standards are rising year on year, largely as a result of improved teaching. A very effective programme of whole- school training focusing on the teaching of mathematics has made a significant contribution to this. The subject is very well led by a knowledgeable co-ordinator. She leads by example. During the inspection she was observed teaching an excellent mathematics lesson. She has worked hard developing the subject and has received a lot of very effective support from the local educational authority mathematics consultant. As a result, teachers now have good knowledge of the requirements of the National Strategy for Mathematics and teaching is overall good. There are still some inconsistencies to be ironed out; for example, in one lesson in Year 1 teaching was unsatisfactory because the teacher did not insist on good attention at the start

p.25

Commentary

of the lesson and explanations about tasks were not made clear enough to the groups of pupils working independently so that they did too little in the lesson. Generally though, pupils work very hard in mathematics lessons, are keen to learn and enjoy the subject. This makes a significant contribution to their good learning.

p.25

Commentary

61. Generally teachers plan lessons carefully. Planning is usually thorough and clear, based on national guidance, and indicating appropriate activities for different attainment groups. Most lessons provide an appropriate challenge for all pupils, including the higher attaining pupils. They are appropriately challenged and well motivated with the result that they usually make sufficient learning gains in lessons. Almost all teachers plan well for pupils with special educational needs. These pupils are well supported in classrooms by effective teaching assistants and as a result they make sound progress in learning, achieving as well as the other pupils. In planning, some teachers make effective use of ICT to help pupils develop their understanding of mathematical ideas. For example, in a Year 6 class pupils were able to develop their understanding of angles and rotation by predicting on screen how far to rotate a

p.25

Commentary

moveable arm to create a given angle. However, this use of powerful visual imagery to help pupils develop mathematical concepts is not yet being fully utilised in the classrooms. It is being used well in the computer suite, for example when a Year 1 class used computers to generate a simple pictogram displaying the range and respective numbers of their favourite colours.

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

62. Mathematics and numeracy skills are being used in a number of subjects. In science, pupils accurately measure and record findings in charts and tables. In design and technology, pupils measure when preparing materials to a given size and when designing, for example when Year 6 pupils make slippers to their own designs. In history, pupils use their mathematical skills to read from old census returns when studying local history. However, from the samples of work provided and evidence from lesson observations and displays, insufficient use is being made of these skills in these and other areas.

p.25

SCIENCE

The provision in science is good . Standards are improving and the majority of pupils are achieving satisfactorily in Years 1 and 2 and well in Years 3 to 6.Their skills of investigation are good overall.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved in science because of the good teaching, particularly in Years 3 to 6. • Teaching and learning overall are good across all ages, particularly the skills of investigation Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 26 • The planning of the curriculum is good with a new scheme of work for science producing better continuity and development of the pupils’ knowledge and understanding • Leadership and management of the subject are good • Better use should be made of ICT skills in recording the data and observations of experiments

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

63. The standards attained by most pupils are in line with those expected nationally by the end of Years 6 and 2. Teachers’ lesson planning is now supported by national guidance, which is enabling better development of skills, knowledge and understanding across the school. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Most pupils are achieving satisfactorily in Year 1 and 2 and well in Years 3 to 6 in developing their knowledge and understanding of science. Their skills of investigation are better and progress overall is good in this aspect of their work. This has contributed positively to the rising standards since the last inspection. The great majority of the pupils are enthused and engaged by the activities planned for them and respond with interest. For example, in the Year 5 lesson focused on the question of “How do we know the air is there?” pupils were enthused and engaged by the constant challenge to explain their thinking

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

and ideas. All pupils were eager to contribute and achievement was very good in developing their knowledge and understanding of the properties of gases.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

64. The scrutiny of previous work shows that the Year 6 pupils use their mathematical skills in recording the results of their investigations in the form of line graphs, tally charts and tables. However, pupils do not make enough use of computers for this type of recording. Teachers are very aware of the different needs of groups of pupils and are skilled at ensuring that all groups can contribute to the lesson in a meaningful way. This raises pupils’ self-esteem and confidence, as is well demonstrated in a Year 3 lesson, when the focus is on practical activities and recording is kept to the minimum and is well tailored to the needs of pupils with English as an additional language. This enables these pupils to achieve as well as other groups in the class. Scrutiny of previous work in Years 1 and 2 shows that pupils are making satisfactory progress in all areas of the science curriculum. Most pupils can describe the life

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

cycle of a plant and correctly sequence a series of pictures of human growth. They describe the properties of common materials and, in a good Year 2 lesson seen, are able to say why some changes to materials can be reversed and some cannot. There is a greater percentage of pupils with English as an additional language in Years 1 and 2 and this provides a bigger challenge to science teaching in terms of the vocabulary used. Good support from classroom assistants and parents helps these pupils to make satisfactory progress overall.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

65. The co-ordinators are leading the subject well and resources have been greatly improved. Co- ordinators are well organised and are now having a positive impact on how well pupils learn. New systems of assessment are being developed and are helping the co-ordinators to build up a clearer picture of attainment across the school. Because the systems are so new, they do not yet give enough information about what it is that different groups of pupils need to do next in order to improve.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• All pupils achieve well • Provision has improved considerably since the last report • The subject is very well led and managed • Teachers are confident using new technology • Accommodation and resources for teaching the subject are very good • Pupils work enthusiastically in the computer suite • Pupils have too few opportunities to use computers in other subjects. Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 27

p.26

Commentary

66. Provision in the subject has improved recently with the result that all pupils are now achieving well. Since September pupils have been taught in a very well appointed computer suite containing 30 workstations for pupil use. In addition the suite also has the facility to display a large visual image of any of the workstation computers onto a large screen and to activate the computer from the screen. This facility is used effectively to support learning. Pupils receive a good programme for the teaching of ICT skills in the computer suite and this is reflected in the standards they attain by the end of Years 2 and 6 which are now in line with the national average. There is very good leadership and management of the subject by a very knowledgeable and highly effective teacher. Her teaching is exemplary and her skills are highly regarded by colleagues. She gives them very good support; for example, she has led a very

p.27

Commentary

effective programme of staff training which has ensured that staff confidence and competence in teaching ICT have been significantly improved.

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Commentary

67. Currently the lead input into most teaching in the ICT suite is from the co-ordinator. As a result most pupils are benefiting from teaching that is consistently of a high standard. This arrangement is making a significant contribution to the rapid progress most pupils make in developing their understanding and skills. For example, in one lesson Year 6 pupils made very good progress learning about the power of the computer to control events. By the end of the lesson a significant number of pupils successfully programmed the computer to control three lights in a given sequence. Benefiting from expert guidance they applied themselves very enthusiastically and enjoyed a considerable measure of success. In another lesson, Year 1 pupils displayed considerable confidence working with computers and using them to produced simple pictorial graphs from data gathered back in the classroom. Other adults, including class

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Commentary

teachers, support pupils effectively in the suite. All benefit from this support with the result that those with special educational needs and those for whom English is a second language achieve as well as the others. In the suite, learning benefits from very well-focused and profitable sessions. Lessons are very well planned to ensure there is very good progression in the development of pupils’ skills across all areas of the subject.

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Commentary

68. Improvement since the last inspection has been considerable. Standards are much improved, accommodation and resources have considerably improved, and pupils now spend sufficient time learning relevant skills. Teachers are much more confident and have sound knowledge. Leadership and management of the subject are both very good. At the time of the last inspection they were judged to be unsatisfactory.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

69. There are good computer facilities available in classrooms to support learning across the curriculum. Pupils use these to enhance learning across some subject areas. For example, they are used in mathematics. Year 1 use them to investigate patterns of numbers found in a 100 number square. Year 1 also use computers in art to create coloured pictures on screen. Year 4 use them in geography to gather information to help them in their study of weather. Year 3 use them to design posters. However, they are not being used extensively in subjects to support learning.

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HUMANITIES

In history it was possible to observe only one lesson. This was a Year 5 class using computers to find information about the Mary Rose . This was in connection with their current topic on the Tudors. In this lesson they were using their sound ICT skills effectively to retrieve information about seafaring in Tudor times. They used their English skills to note down their findings. Insufficient evidence was available to make a judgement on achievement and standards, and teaching and learning. Analysis of a very small sample of pupils’ work and an examination of teachers’ planning indicates that pupils receive a satisfactory range of learning opportunities to study history. Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 28 In geography only two lessons were seen, both of which were satisfactory; it is not possible to form an overall judgement about the standards or provision in the subject. From teachers’ planning it is

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HUMANITIES

evident that the geography curriculum that pupils follow is sound. In Year 2, pupils find out more about their local area by undertaking a traffic survey. They express opinions about their local environment and show a good understanding of road safety features and the reasons for them. In Year 4, pupils develop their geographical skills and understanding effectively by undertaking their own research into features of a different country. What they find out prompts them to ask questions such as, “Are there any mountains in Australia?” and “Does it snow in India?”

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Religious education

Provision in religious education is good .

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Commentary

70. Standards of attainment for seven year olds are in line with expectations of the locally agreed syllabus, and above for eleven year olds. This is good and very good improvement, respectively, since the last inspection when standards were reported as below the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. By Year 2 pupils know about books that are special to them, such as the Bible, and to other people. They also understand about special people in their lives and are beginning to apply that to Jesus in the stories they hear from the Bible.

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Commentary

71. In Year 6 pupils’ work in their books shows a good level of research and understanding. For example, they have a team brainstorm about the special customs around food in major religions, the fasting and feasting, and find out and record the ‘when, where and why’ very thoroughly. Their knowledge is based on an understanding built up over time as they have revisited aspects of different religions in the syllabus. In discussion, pupils in Year 6 demonstrate a good understanding of the main tenets of the major faiths, and discuss similarities and differences between them. They relate Sikhism, Islam and Christianity to their own experience in school, where they learn about these religions from friends and members of staff as well as teachers, and also from their own research and CD-ROMs. For example, they know how Sikhism was founded, and that both Hindus and Sikhs celebrate Diwali, and what Diwali represents. They know Muslims celebrate ‘Big Eid’ and ‘Small Eid’ which is preceded by

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Commentary

Ramadan. They draw comparisons between Ramadan and Lent, with Muhammad (pbuh) fasting in the desert for 40 days, and Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days. They all have friends in their class who fasted during Ramadan. They enjoy the subject, “because you find out more about other people’s culture and religion”. They have a very positive attitude to the subject, and respect for followers of different faiths.

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Commentary

72. The teaching seen, all in Year 1 and 2, was good overall. Teachers use staff and pupils as a valuable resource when learning about different faiths and all pupils are respectful in their attitude to each other and are interested. Pupils enjoy the celebratory days the school has, for different faiths in the year. They have already celebrated Christmas, Baisakhi, and are about to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha. They celebrated Diwali with a performance of the story of Rama and Sita. These events enhance pupils’ understanding of aspects of different faiths and enrich pupils’ cultural development very effectively.

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Commentary

73. In the last inspection, subject management was judged to be unsatisfactory. This has now improved and is satisfactory. A recently appointed co-ordinator has already attended some training, observed a lesson, purchased some CD-ROMs and reorganised the resources, and plans to review the scheme of work as a priority in the coming year. Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 29

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

No lessons of art and design or design and technology were observed but pupils’ work indicates that standards are in line with those expected at the end of Year 2 and 6 and planning shows a broad curriculum for both subjects. Only one lesson of music was seen together with singing in assembly and some extra-curricular activities. This is not enough to make overall judgements about provision.

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Music

Pupils in both Year 1 classes were brought together for a short session of singing in the hall. They sang competently. They obviously enjoyed the activity although some of the tunefulness was lost when they sang in different voices to represent animals in their song. Singing in assembly is of good quality. A good number of pupils benefit from the extra-curricular provision and the school has an orchestra of about 25 pupils playing flutes, fifes, violins, oboes and clarinets. They are enthusiastically led and play at a good standard.

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Physical education

Provision in physical education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good overall • There is a very good range of extra-curricular clubs and activities • Leadership and management of the subject are good

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Commentary

74. Current inspection evidence shows that most pupils are achieving the levels expected of them by the end of Year 6 and Year 2. This is mainly due to the improved teaching of the subject since the time of the last inspection. Planning is much more secure and makes good use of national guidance to support teaching and learning. Teachers demonstrate sound subject knowledge and this is used well to demonstrate and guide pupils. In the three lessons seen, pupils are challenged to improve their performance and teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. The great majority of pupils respond with enthusiasm and interest and work hard. They listen carefully to the teachers’ directions and offer sensible suggestions as to how others could improve their performance. Pupils are pleased to demonstrate their skills and this contributes well to their personal development. Good management of behaviour

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Commentary

by all teachers ensures that the lessons have a good pace and encourages all groups of pupils to play a full part.

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Commentary

75. A very good range of clubs and activities enhances the development of skills in a range of sports for a considerable number of pupils across all junior classes. Teachers and parents, including a qualified football coach, give freely of their time to support clubs in football, tag- rugby, basketball and other sports. Take-up of these clubs is high and pupils are very appreciative of this aspect of the school’s provision. The school enjoys success in local and regional sports and has established good links with a school in Newcastle to play an annual football tournament. This has had a beneficial effect in raising the profile of all sports across the school and contributed to the improving standards since the last inspection.

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Commentary

76. The school’s provision has also benefited from involvement in the national scheme for physical education co-ordinators. The co-ordinator has completed two years of the three-year course and has established good links with other local schools. The school also benefits from the support of the local Sports College, which provides teachers with additional support to develop their skills. For example, during the inspection week, lessons in gymnastics were well Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 30 supported by a visiting teacher and enabled all pupils to benefit from the additional assistance and expertise.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education and citizenship is good . Interesting lessons and good teaching ensure that pupils enjoy learning. The very good range of extra activities is well attended and gives pupils enthusiasm for the school. The many opportunities for shared work in lessons combined with teachers’ high expectations of pupils’ behaviour mean that pupils can work purposefully in lessons and approach adults with confidence. They learn to get on well with each other. Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School - 31

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 3

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Inspection judgement Grade

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 5 Attitudes 2 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 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 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 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 2 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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