Quarry Mount Primary School

QUARRY MOUNT PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Quarry Mount 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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QUARRY MOUNT PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 to 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 194

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Pennington Street Woodhouse Leeds West Yorkshire Postcode: LS6 2JP

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0113 2455803 Fax number: 0113 2440269

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Jan Furniss

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 21 September 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is a smaller than average primary school for children aged three to eleven. It incorporates an Early Excellence Centre (known at the school as the Children’s Centre) and a Pupil Development Centre. The Pupil Development Centre serves 60 other schools in the North West of Leeds. Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds including Arabic, Asian, Black African, British- Caribbean, Mixed and White backgrounds. A large proportion of pupils are learning English as an additional language and a third of pupils are at an early stage. Thirteen pupils are refugees or asylum seekers. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is about 52 per cent, which is well above average. The school serves a socially and economically very deprived area. Children’s attainment on entry is well below average. Twenty-one pupils (10.9 per cent) are on the list of special educational needs, which is below average. One pupil has a statement of special

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

educational needs – a below average proportion. Most of the pupils receiving additional help have moderate or severe learning difficulties, speech and communication difficulties or social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The number of pupils joining or leaving the school other than at the usual times is very high. The school received the School Achievement Award for two years up to 2002, and in 2002 and 2003 the Stephen Lawrence Education Award and in 2003 the Healthy School Award and second recognition of Investors in People. The school is involved in many initiatives including Excellence in Cities, Provision for Under 3s, Sure Start, The Children’s Fund and National Acclaim for Aiming High Project. Since the last inspection, there have been changes, of headteacher, in March 2001, and deputy headteacher, in September 1999. Quarry Mount Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

21024 Robert Robinson Lead inspector Foundation stage Information and communication technology 9224 Mike Vineall Lay inspector 29686 Stefan Lord Team inspector English as an additional language English Geography History Religious education 17085 George Mitchell Team inspector Special educational needs Science 21045 Sue Walker Team inspector Art and design Design and technology Mathematics Music Physical education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Quarry Mount Primary School is an excellent school with many outstanding features. The climate for learning is exceptional. Pupils’ achievement is high because the leadership and management are extremely effective, the quality of teaching and learning are very good and pupils’ attitude to work and their behaviour are of a high standard. Standards in Year 6 are above average in mathematics though below average in English. The school provides excellent value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The leadership and management of the visionary headteacher and her senior staff are excellent. The governors and subject leaders assist the senior staff very well. • All groups of pupils achieve very well throughout the school because of the high standard of teaching. • Provision for pupils’ personal development is excellent, leading to an extremely positive ethos in the school. • The Children’s Centre and the Pupil Development Centre make an outstanding contribution to the quality of education at the school. • Racial harmony and inclusion are promoted exceptionally well.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Improvements since the last inspection in September 1998 have been very good. Standards in Year 6 have risen from well below the national average to average, overall. The quality of teaching and learning has significantly improved. The checking of pupils’ progress which was unsatisfactory is now very good.

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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 E E D B mathematics D D B A science B D D A Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The achievement of pupils is very good . The above table shows that in 2003 pupils did very well compared to those in similar schools. Pupils who remain at the school from Year 1 to the end of Year 6 reach standards higher than the national average in English and mathematics; however, because of the very high movement of children to and from the school, overall, most children are unlikely to reach expected standards by the end of their time in the Children’s Centre in communication, language and literacy and in mathematical development. Similarly, standards in Year 2 are on course to be well below average in English and below average in mathematics and science. By Year 6, standards in mathematics are on course, this year, to be above the national average in mathematics and in religious education, but below the national average in English. Standards in information and communication technology are in line with national expectations in

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

development, is excellent. Their attitudes and behaviour are very good. Attendance is unsatisfactory, particularly the attendance of girls. Quarry Mount Primary School - 7

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of teaching and learning through the whole school is very good and leads to pupils’ very good achievement. The quality of teaching in Year 6 is excellent. Teachers monitor pupils’ progress very well and this ensures that lessons are planned in great detail to build very effectively on what pupils already know and can do. Pupils work very hard and their behaviour is very good because teachers manage them very well and ensure that lessons are very brisk and interesting. Attractive learning resources are prepared very well in advance and motivate pupils to learn. Pupils work very effectively, either individually or in groups, because teachers provide a good range of opportunities for both styles of learning. Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well because of the very good support they receive from teachers and classroom assistants. The teaching of personal, social and emotional development in the Children’s Centre is excellent. The

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Pupil Development Centre has a very positive impact on pupils’ all-round development and plays a very important role in the life of the school, particularly in contributing to the school’s excellent provision for personal, social and health education and citizenship. Pupils learning English as an additional language also achieve very well as a result of the very effective support they receive. While classroom assistants are often used well, there are times, particularly at the start of lessons, when they are not fully involved. Members of staff place an excellent and appropriate emphasis on providing equality of opportunity for all children.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school offers a very rich curriculum which celebrates the cultural diversity of the pupils and it is brought alive by visitors, visits, practical activities and learning outside the school day. The overall quality of accommodation is good and resources are very good. Arrangements for ensuring pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety are very good. The school provides excellent support, advice and guidance and involves pupils extremely well in its work and development. The partnership with parents is very good. Excellent links with the community and other educational establishments enhance pupils’ learning.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are excellent overall, guided by the outstanding leadership of the headteacher. The senior management team play a key role in planning for future development, and subject leaders are influential in overseeing their subjects. The governing body is very strong and effective. All statutory requirements are met. Financial management is prudent; school money is spent wisely for the benefit of all pupils. The school’s commitment to inclusion and the promotion of racial harmony are outstanding and result in the very good achievement of pupils .

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very satisfied with the education the school provides for their children. Pupils are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Neither parents nor pupils have any significant concerns.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

There are no significant weaknesses in this excellent school; however, the governing body should consider the following for inclusion in its action plan: • Strengthening the role of the teaching assistants in Years 1 to 6.* • Seeking ways to improve the attendance.*

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

*The school has identified these areas for development already in its school improvement plan. Quarry Mount Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

The achievement of pupils in the Children’s Centre and throughout the rest of the school is very good. In relation to schools nationally standards are average, overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s achievement in the Children’s Centre is very good; however, most are unlikely to reach the goals set for them, by the time they start Year 1, in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. • Although the achievement of pupils in Years 1 and 2 is very good, standards by the end of Year 2 are likely to be well below average in reading and writing, and below average in mathematics and in science. • The achievement of pupils, overall, is very good in Years 3 to 6 resulting in standards being on course, to be above average in mathematic and religious education, but below average in English and science by the end of Year 6. • Pupils who have joined the school after the usual times for admission do not perform generally as well as those who have attended the school since the nursery, Year 1 or Year 3. • Pupils learning English as an additional language and those pupils with special educational needs

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Main strengths and weaknesses

make similar progress to other pupils. • The Pupil Development Centre aids pupils’ academic progress.

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Commentary

1. In the Children’s Centre, the children make very good progress in their learning and this is an improvement since the last inspection when children made satisfactory progress in the nursery and good progress in the reception class. The excellent leadership and high quality of teaching enable children in the Children’s Centre to achieve very well. The oldest children are on course, by the time they leave the Children’s Centre, to be average in personal, social and emotional development but below average in communication, language and literacy and in mathematical development. The teacher assessment of attainment of the children who moved from the Children’s Centre to Year 1 last academic year followed the pattern seen during the inspection. Analysis of the results of this data shows that children who join after the start of the final year in the Children’s Centre performed significantly worse than children who had been at

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Commentary

the school for longer periods of time. This academic year about 40 per cent of children have not benefited from the very good teaching and excellent leadership throughout the Children’s Centre and have been admitted at the start of the final year or during the final year. Many of these children are at an early stage of learning English as an additional language.

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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 12.8 (12.6) 15.7 (15.8) writing 12.6 (12.4) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 14.5 (13.3) 16.3 (16.5) There were 27 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

2. Pupils’ performance is similar to that at the time of the last inspection; however, in 2003, some pupils achieved higher than the expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics. The school is struggling to move away from well below the national average in reading and writing Quarry Mount Primary School - 9 by the end of Year 2; however, standards are likely to be better, this year, in mathematics and science, though still below average by the end of Year 2. The achievement of pupils is very good in Years 1 and 2, resulting from very good teaching, particularly in Year 2. The main reason for the school not reaching average standards is linked to the movement of pupils into the school, many of whom are learning English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils learning English as an additional language is the key to explaining the differences between results in English compared to those in mathematics and science as the latter two

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subjects are taught often through practical work which does not demand as great a depth of English language acquisition as reading and writing.

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

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Standards in: School results National results English 25.7 (24.9) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 27.6 (25.8) 26.8 (26.7) science 28.3 (28.2) 28.6 (28.3) There were 19 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

3. In the 2003 national tests at the end of Year 6, standards were higher than at the time of the last inspection. The progress over time of those pupils who took the national tests at the end of Year 2 was well above average in comparison to all schools. The strengths in mathematics reflect both the decision by the leadership to identify and address the specific needs of the pupils at the school through a worthwhile curriculum, and the very good leadership and management and the high standard of teaching of the subject, particularly by the subject leader in Year 6. Standards of the present group of pupils in Year 6 are set to be similar to those reached in 2003. The above average standards in religious education result from pupils’ very good attitudes to the subject and very good teaching of a very well planned curriculum. Standards are on course to be in line with national expectations in information and

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Commentary

communication technology by the ends of Year 2 and Year 6. Over time, no significant differences are apparent in the standards achieved by boys and girls. The high proportion of pupils who joined the school after Year 3 are likely to achieve significantly lower results in English and mathematics than those pupils who transferred from Year 2.

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Commentary

4. Pupils’ achievement is very good. Analysis of the performance of pupils in the 2003 national tests at the end of Year 6 shows that those who had attended the school since the beginning of Year 1 performed highly and achieved well above average compared to the national average in English and science and were in the highest five per cent nationally in science. All pupils in English and all but one in mathematics and science, who attained the higher than expected level at the end of Year 6, attended from the nursery. In mathematics, in 2003, it was the first year that the full course for the subject had been completed using the commercial scheme selected by the leadership of the school.

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Commentary

5. Over time, the school’s analysis of the test results of pupils from different ethnic groups shows no significant differences in attainment. The school takes account of other factors that affect standards, such as mobility and attendance. The school also compares, as a separate group, the attainment and progress of those pupils at an early stage of learning English. Inspection evidence shows that these pupils generally achieve very well. In lessons where support was provided, pupils learning English as an additional language made similar progress to their classmates.

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Commentary

6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well, largely because of the very good support they receive from teachers and teaching assistants. Their needs are clearly identified and their progress is monitored very carefully to ensure that targets are met. Their progress is particularly good in English and personal development. Quarry Mount Primary School - 10 7. The Pupil Development Centre makes a very significant contribution to the raising of pupils’ standards. There is clear evidence that the high quality of provision promotes not only pupils’ personal development but also their academic progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes to school are very good. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent overall. Pupils’ attendance is unsatisfactory. Punctuality is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Personal development of pupils is highly successful. • Pupils in the Children’s Centre are very well behaved and highly motivated to learn. • The Pupil Development Centre contributes exceptionally to pupils’ very good attitudes to school. • Pupils with special educational needs have very good attitudes to work. • The fostering of moral, social and cultural development is excellent and is very good in spiritual development. • Pupils’ enjoyment of the inclusiveness of the school is shown in their enthusiasm to join in all it has to offer. • Relationships of mutual respect are created exceptionally well. • Attendance is unsatisfactory, particularly amongst girls.

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Commentary

8. Children enter this school at different stages through the year. The school, with its most effective Pupil Development Centre, works with the personal needs of all children, including those learning English as an additional language, and has become a nationally recognised model. This personal development builds on the school’s more conventional, high quality methods of teaching and learning.

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Commentary

9. In the Children’s Centre much emphasis is placed upon personal, social and emotional development; as a result, children’s achievement is excellent and from a low starting point they achieve the goals set for them by the time they enter Year 1. Their attitudes to work and their behaviour are very good; these provide a very good foundation for future learning.

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Commentary

10. The Pupil Development Centre is very influential in helping pupils to develop positive attitudes to their school, to others and to themselves. All of the activities planned for pupils are very well designed to help them consider the importance of such qualities as cooperation, sharing, relationships and personal improvement. The caring approach of staff members provides a powerful model for pupils to follow and helps them to adopt a similar approach in their own lives.

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Commentary

11. Pupils with special educational needs have very positive attitudes to their lessons and work very hard. They respect other people and their opinions and, consequently, work well with one another. Their behaviour is consistently very good. Pupils obey the school rules and willingly help others. They are polite and friendly to visitors, and are quite happy to discuss their work. The school is very successful in ensuring that these pupils develop the attitudes and values that it promotes.

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Commentary

12. Social and moral development is excellent. From entering the Children’s Centre, pupils begin to understand their responsibilities to others and to distinguish right from wrong. Such expectations are reinforced throughout the school and children readily articulate such ‘life rules’. Opportunities for spiritual development are very good but, although the personal, social and health education and citizenship programme is very effective in creating self-knowledge and self-esteem, examples within most subjects of the curriculum were less evident except in art and literacy lessons and in a Year 6 lesson that combined mathematics with art. Quarry Mount Primary School - 11 13. The way that pupils’ own and others’ cultural traditions are appreciated is exemplary. The school celebrates a diversity of cultures and traditions; for instance, in French Club, children used their ability in languages other than English, to encourage the learning, by all of French.

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Commentary

The whole school celebrates religious occasions, such as Eid and Christmas, and international food is served in school for special events and parent evenings as well as for school dinners. At the parents’ meeting, mothers showed appreciation of the school’s emphasis on ethnic and cultural diversity and for the respect shown by all for each other in the school community.

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Commentary

14. Respect is a key concept in the school and can be seen in behaviour management and in relationships amongst staff and between staff, pupils and parents; it underpins the racial harmony that is recognised widely, both in and out of school. Parents commented on the inclusive and welcoming nature of the school. Behaviour is generally very good. Problems are dealt with quickly, consistently and sensitively, the children themselves recognising unacceptable behaviour. The school encourages its children to be open, enquiring and friendly, and they are happy at, and proud of, school, enjoying enthusiastically the many activities on offer.

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Commentary

15. The school, especially the very active learning mentor, has used effective methods to improve attendance which is currently below average: reward systems, telephoning on first day of absence, home visits, standing outside school every morning. Unusually, girls’ attendance is about two per cent lower than boys’ and the school already plans to investigate this along with other gender-related issues. The school does not exclude, as a matter of policy, so there were no exclusions in the previous academic year.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 7.0 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.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is very good, as is the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning. The curriculum is very good. Standards of care, welfare, and health and safety are high. The support pupils receive and the involvement of pupils through the seeking and valuing of their views, which are acted upon, is outstanding. Partnership with parents is very well established. Links with the community and other schools are excellent.

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Teaching and learning

Through the school, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is very good; consequently, pupils achieve very well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s commitment to equality of opportunity helps to ensure the very good achievement of all groups of pupils. • Teaching and learning in the Children’s Centre is very good overall and sometimes excellent; which provides a very effective start for children in nursery and reception years. • The teaching of pupils learning English as an additional language is very good. Quarry Mount Primary School - 12 • The Pupil Development Centre makes a very important contribution to the quality of pupils’ learning. • Pupils’ learning proceeds at a very good pace because lessons are based upon accurate assessments of their progress and contain interesting and challenging activities. • In Years 1 to 6, teaching assistants are often used very well in supporting groups of pupils but they are sometimes not involved productively at the start of lessons which slows the progress that some pupils might make. • Teachers manage pupils very effectively; consequently, they behave very well and work hard.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 41 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

16. The high quality of teaching and learning, which marks an improvement since the previous inspection, is the product of the headteacher’s very clear vision of a school built upon the principle of equality of opportunity. New approaches to teaching are encouraged but must be evaluated according to this principle. The outcome is that lessons are very well organised to meet the needs of all groups of pupils, regardless of their background, ethnicity, or stage of development. Gifted and talented pupils and high attainers are challenged to reach their potential; pupils learning English as an additional language are given extra support and the high level of regard for different cultural backgrounds helps to ensure that all pupils feel able to work in the calm and purposeful environment. This is particularly evident in Year 6, where lessons are often excellent and play a central role in ensuring pupils’ very good achievement,

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Commentary

particularly in English and mathematics.

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Commentary

17. The quality of teaching and learning for pupils who have special educational needs is very good. The school has a systematic process for making sure that the pupils’ needs are identified at an early stage. Detailed individual plans are drawn up; these contain clear and appropriate targets which help both teachers and pupils to understand what they should be trying to achieve. Pupils’ progress is then monitored very carefully and new targets are constructed as and when they are needed. The level of care provided by the school, along with imaginative, well-organised teaching, helps to ensure that these pupils achieve very well, particularly in language, mathematics and personal skills.

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Commentary

18. The quality of teaching in the Children’s Centre is of a high standard resulting in children making very good progress in their learning. All children are included fully in purposeful and extremely well organised activities. Children move seamlessly from activity to activity and show a strong desire to learn because of the excellent support and encouragement they receive from members of staff. The pace of learning is exceedingly quick because no time is wasted. Members of staff are skilful at ensuring children behave very well resulting in children working very well together or when engaged in independent learning.

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Commentary

19. Teachers match learning to the needs of pupils with English as an additional language very well and this coupled with the very good support from an ethnic minority achievement teacher and the capable teaching assistants has a very good impact on pupils’ learning. When the specialist teacher teaches them outside the classroom, sessions are very focused to address pupils’ individual targets. Assessment of individual pupils’ progress is rigorous and this has an impact on the progress they make. Quarry Mount Primary School - 13 20. All pupils attend the Pupil Development Centre at some time and it makes an outstanding contribution to the quality of teaching and learning. Lessons take place with small groups of pupils, who are chosen to ensure a range of stages of development. Activities are planned very carefully to provide stimulating, exciting and productive experiences, which pupils learn from and enjoy. The school’s appropriate belief in the importance of the personal development

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Commentary

of pupils as a foundation for more academic learning is reflected in the unit’s work. The progress that pupils make is monitored systematically because staff members are very keen to assess the effect of their work. They have ample evidence to show that work in the Pupil Development Centre is very influential in pupils’ all-round development.

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Commentary

21. Teachers’ very clear understanding of the National Curriculum, religious education and of how pupils’ learn, underpins the high quality of lessons. Very clear and appropriate learning objectives are shared with pupils so that they as well as the teachers can assess their level of understanding. Assessments are used very constructively in planning future work which ensures that learning builds very well on what pupils already know and can do. Teachers also appreciate that pupils need practical and interesting experiences if they are to learn well. An excellent lesson for Year 6 pupils on the symbolic use of faces in religious art exemplified the approach. The teacher prepared a sequence of activities using pictures, music and video which mingled discussion, reflection and activity while also taking account of pupils’ personal abilities and interests. The consequence was that pupils responded sensitively and intelligently

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Commentary

to complex ideas which extended very effectively their appreciation and respect for the way in which religious images can be used to evoke feelings.

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Commentary

22. Teaching assistants are used usually effectively to support pupils’ learning. A good example was seen in a music session for Years 3 and 4; assistants took charge of groups of pupils, helping them to perform well in a complex musical round, which involved singing and using tuned and untuned percussion. The assistants also observed the pupils, making notes of those who were succeeding and those who needed more experience. There are times, however, when assistants play little part in supporting or monitoring pupils, particularly at the start of lessons.

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Commentary

23. The hard work of teachers is matched by pupils’ efforts. The whole atmosphere of the school encourages pupils to appreciate the value of effort and concentration. Their behaviour is consistently very good because of teachers’ value and care for each individual. The focus on raising and maintaining self-esteem and awareness of others ensures that the positive quality of relationships is a strength of the school.

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The curriculum

The school offers a very rich curriculum which celebrates the cultural diversity of the pupils and is brought alive by visitors, visits, practical activities and learning outside the school day. Lessons are planned very well and suitably challenge pupils of different levels of attainment and aptitude, including those with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language. The overall quality of accommodation is good and resources are very good; both contribute significantly to the school’s curriculum and ethos and provide an ‘oasis’ within a stark Victorian building.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Improved planning of the curriculum has taken place, with further developments in hand. • An inclusive school exists, committed to ensuring individuals and groups have equality of access and opportunity. • Every opportunity is taken to make relevant links to include and celebrate other cultures and very good use is made of visits, visitors and events to bring the curriculum alive. • The school offers an excellent and extensive range of extra-curricular activities. These activities are particularly successful in the promotion of personal, social and health education and citizenship as well as developing subject awareness and knowledge. Quarry Mount Primary School - 14 • Overall, the accommodation and resources have a positive impact on teaching and learning, although there is no grassed area for physical education.

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Commentary

24. The quality of the curriculum has improved since the last inspection, especially in the Children’s Centre, in geography, in history and in information and communication technology. The breadth of curricular opportunities is very good, with national and local guidance used and adapted appropriately to support curricular planning and to meet the school’s needs; for example, to take account of pupils’ diversity, Year 1 and 2 pupils now learn about the Caribbean Island of St Lucia. The school has not implemented the national numeracy strategy and has decided that a well-renowned commercial scheme is a better match to the needs of the pupils and the results support this. All subjects are covered in adequate depth. Good emphasis is placed on the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills, which are applied well to other curricular areas. The school meets all the statutory requirements, for collective worship,

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Commentary

for religious education, based on the locally agreed syllabus, and for health, sex and drugs awareness, and has gained the Healthy School Award. The school is reviewing its curriculum to strengthen the already good links between subjects and ensure that learning becomes more meaningful. This is, rightly, seen as especially important for the high proportion of pupils whose first language is not English. There are sufficient teachers and teaching assistants who are appropriately qualified and deployed to teach the curriculum. The members of the support staff in the Children’s Centre are particularly effective in their role as part of the teaching team.

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Commentary

25. The school’s excellent commitment to ensuring equality of access and opportunity for all its pupils ensures that pupils who find learning difficult achieve very well and pupils from ethnic minorities, including those who have English as an additional language, also achieve very well. This is achieved by teachers matching learning to pupils’ varied capabilities and prior achievements, actively intervening, and using catch-up programmes and through the very effective ethnic minority achievement teacher and the capable teaching assistants. Pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in all that the school has to offer. Teachers’ plans include activities suited to the pupils’ needs, ensuring that pupils experience the full range of the curriculum including out-of-school activities and educational visits. Since many of them need support with their English, this aspect is a particular focus for their work. The priority that

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Commentary

the school has for pupils’ personal development has a significant impact on pupils’ self-esteem and confidence.

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Commentary

26. Teachers draw consistently on the richness of other cultures and reflect these in planning programmes of work and lessons. This has a significant impact on promoting cultural diversity and involves often the whole school; Black History Week, for example. This excellent project involved Black singers, a dancer, community members, and pupils performed a play, songs and poetry and learned about Black heroes. It was captured on film and made into a compact disc and provides inspiration to others. The school’s Ethnic Minority Achievement Council surveyed the pupils after the event and the following answers to the question, ‘Why is it important to do something about Black History?’ illustrate the impact of this type of work: ‘So that you don’t be racist’; ‘So you can celebrate all the good things black people do’. The project was so successful that it has evolved into Black History Month.

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Commentary

27. The provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education and citizenship is excellent. The Pupil Development Centre makes a substantial contribution to the school’s provision for personal, social and health education and citizenship. Imaginative and exciting activities are planned to involve pupils in considering human relationships and behaviour and how they can contribute to the well being of society. Furthermore, the non-threatening atmosphere provides pupils with the opportunity to discuss important issues in a caring situation where they know that they and their ideas will be taken seriously.

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Commentary

28. The school’s appointment of a study support co-ordinator reflects the leadership’s and management’s very extensive and considerable commitment to enhancing and extending the Quarry Mount Primary School - 15 curriculum. The school’s record of visits, visitors, activities and clubs is very impressive. These opportunities, together with the exciting range of additional after school activities and clubs, make a significant contribution to pupils’ experience and learning in music, dance, drama and art, and to the development of their spiritual, moral, social, cultural and personal skills and overall progress and achievement. The school’s commitment to developing the pupils’ understanding of race equality is recognised locally and nationally through its excellent work in achieving the Stephen Lawrence Award and through the production of the video ‘Don’t be scared to be different’, featuring Year 5 pupils. Transition arrangements are very good

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ensuring that all pupils are very well prepared for the next stages of their education. Inter- school sporting activities for older pupils are satisfactory.

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29. The spacious accommodation is very well maintained internally and is made attractive and welcoming by a high standard of decoration and much high quality display. The school has been improving progressively its accommodation over recent years; the refurbished Children’s Centre and Pupil Development Centre and the provision of a computer suite and library are examples. The school is developing a nature garden through the combined effort of pupils, parents, staff and the local community: this will enhance the curriculum in science, for example. A project is in hand to make the playground a more exciting and imaginative place for the pupils to play and to improve the opportunities for team games in physical education, but there is no outside grassed area for physical education which limits pupils’ achievements in the subject.

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30. The quality and range of resources is very good overall and is having a positive impact on learning and on standards of attainment. There are very good resources for information and communication technology. An interactive whiteboard and the computer suite are used to very good effect, with teachers using the interactive whiteboard as an integral part of teaching and learning.

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Care, guidance and support

Arrangements for ensuring pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety are very good. Excellent support, advice and guidance are provided, particularly in relation to personal development. The involvement of pupils in the running of the school is also excellent.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is a safe, secure and welcoming environment in which children can develop with confidence. • Excellent personal and academic support and advice to pupils is provided, supported by the Pupil Development Centre. • Excellent involvement of pupils in all aspects of the school’s activities takes place. • Excellent induction into the school and links to secondary schools exist.

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31. The school has very good procedures for child protection and for health and safety which are understood and applied regularly by staff, headteacher and governing body. Risk assessments and drills are recorded efficiently. Internet security is understood and dangers conveyed to children.

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32. Parents and families appreciate and benefit from this caring ethos that extends to daily breakfast and after school clubs. Staff and headteacher know pupils well and so can offer them advice and guidance at all stages of their primary school career. Systematic monitoring and analysis by the senior management and learning mentor aid guidance of pupils. The Pupil Development Centre epitomises the school’s provision in this area. The level of care founded on consistently positive approaches is remarkable. The sensitive awareness of each pupil’s personality, areas for development and abilities, helps the staff members to guide individuals Quarry Mount Primary School - 16 towards the development of skills which enhance their lives in school and the wider community. 33. The school provides a high level of support for pupils with special educational needs. Their progress is monitored very carefully and any issues are discussed and addressed quickly. As

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with all pupils, the caring relationships in the school mean that they are surrounded by adults to whom they can talk if they have any problems. All the pupils are well known to staff members which helps to ensure smooth transfer when pupils change classes.

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34. The school is a happy friendly community where pupils of different cultures are all treated with equal respect. The proactive involvement of pupils in the running and development of the school is excellent and is encouraged. A school council contributes to school improvements, speaking effectively for the pupils with great maturity and responsibility. Pupils value their responsibilities and are always ready to help and volunteer. Pupils take active roles in avoidance of racism, gaining much outside recognition. Much thought and effort are also directed to improvement of the physical environment around school and to community and charitable initiatives. Pupils who arrive from overseas with little or no English are targeted well to receive as much support as possible to help them settle into school. The school seeks pupils’ views through the Ethnic Minority Achievement Council.

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35. The school welcomes new pupils, at all stages of their primary education, and has good links to secondary schools. Entry into the Children’s Centre is aided by the recently appointed family support worker who builds relationships with families of potential pupils before the pupils are of formal school age. Children joining later in their school lives are supported with the learning mentor assessing their progress.

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36. The Year 6 teacher and the learning mentor implement a well-planned programme of preparation, visits and information to ease pupils’ transfer to secondary school. The learning mentor visits all the Year 7 classes to check progress and to offer additional understanding of children’s specific needs.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The links with the local community are excellent. The school is spreading its practice to, and benefiting from, excellent links with other educational establishments. The partnership with parents is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very strong community links inform the school’s development strategy. • The Pupil Development Centre develops effectively partnership with parents and with other schools. • Education opportunities are enhanced through excellent links with many educational establishments. • Partnerships and links with parents are constructed carefully.

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Commentary

37. The school’s development is directed by its carefully forged links with its local community and has resulted in its future role as the hub of the community with premises that can offer both educational and non-educational social services. This is already apparent in initiatives, such as the family support worker and adult education. Many visitors contribute to teaching and learning. Students from a local university and high school help with reading activities, whilst a community group runs a healthy eating tuck shop. Local companies provide prizes for incentive schemes and fund raising events and Year 6 experience a job-training scheme. Local professional rugby and football teams and the police have worked with the school on study support and other schemes and the school engages in outside activities, such as Quarry Mount Primary School - 17 singing to Nelson Mandela and welcoming the African Children’s Choir. Community and

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religious groups visit and are involved in enhancing the school buildings and grounds, notably the nature garden. 38. The Pupil Development Centre has a good relationship with parents and carers and lets them know when their children are to work in the unit. Parents and pupils can then talk about what has happened when they get home. Parents also help in the breakfast club, which provides pupils with a healthy meal and a calm, sociable start to the day. The services of the Pupil Development Centre are available to other schools. This is highly valued because the unit’s approaches are equally successful when used in other situations. The progress that pupils make is evident to parents as well as staff.

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39. Excellent links with other educational establishments benefit the curriculum, resources, and school’s finances. The school is a founder and board member of the Leeds Primary Partnership and shares substantial funding for various projects, such as school councils and dance projects. Also very productive is the involvement with the local family of schools. Links with further and higher educational establishments are developed extremely well; for example, the deputy headteacher lectures students at a local university about strategies for teaching English as an additional language.

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40. Specific attention to the needs of parents, such as language, have strengthened the school’s partnership with them. These many initiatives to build the partnership benefit strongly pupils’ learning and achievement. The school emphasises face-to-face communication, rather than written. In practice, this means the presence of headteacher and class teachers, learning mentor and family support worker outside school when children arrive and depart, and the all- day availability of staff to assist parents. Parents praise this open, welcoming and responsive system, and feel ‘respected’. Parents’ evenings, benefiting from translation facilities (usually provided by older children), ethnic food and a crèche, are held twice a year and are well attended. Home-school agreements have been agreed with all families and involve face-to- face meetings to discuss their implications. About a dozen parents help in school, regularly, in

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class and at clubs, such as for recorder and yoga and at breakfast, whilst still more help on school trips. Since the last inspection, a parents’ organisation has been built up, running mainly social functions including a tabletop sale, a summer fair, and particularly successful ‘International Evenings’. Parent education workshops on topics such as first aid, behaviour management, and story sacks, have, appropriately, led to the school’s status of ‘Exemplar School for Parent Partnership’ by the local education authority.

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41. Parents and carers of pupils with special educational needs are fully involved at each stage of the identification and support process. They are consulted and informed so that they know exactly what is happening to their children and how they can help. The school has good relations with the local high school and passes on information to ensure that pupils’ needs and stages of development are well known.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are excellent. The headteacher provides outstanding leadership and is assisted very well by senior staff. Governance is very good. The management of the school is extremely effective.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The inspiration of the headteacher is the driving force behind the outstanding success of this unique school. • There are excellent systems to monitor, evaluate and review all strands of the school’s practice so that it is continually improving and evolving. • There are strong and proactive senior management teams, and subject leaders are very effective in monitoring standards and identifying areas for further development. Quarry Mount Primary School - 18 • The school’s excellent contribution to racial equality and inclusion has been recognised both nationally and locally. • Governors play a very effective role in managing the school, and financial planning is of the highest order. • The excellent strategic planning focuses unequivocally on the raising of achievement, and there are efficient and effective systems in place to turn plans into action. • The school’s commitment to staff development contributes well to the very good quality of

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42. The leadership and management of the school are excellent. The most significant factor contributing to the school’s success is the dynamic and visionary leadership of the headteacher. Her influence has moulded the staff into strong and effective teams. There is a clear sense of purpose and she has been inspirational in bringing out the best in the staff, in determining priorities for the school’s development and in formulating efficient systems to bring them about. The focus is firmly set on raising the aspirations of all the pupils and in this respect the school is highly successful, as can be seen in the rising standards and the very good achievement throughout the school.

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43. There are very effective systems in place for monitoring the work of the school at every level to reap the benefit of all resources. Subject leaders and senior staff regularly check teaching and learning and the expertise of individual staff is disseminated for the benefit of all. The school makes particularly good use of data to track the progress of pupils. This practice has been particularly effective in checking the progress of pupils from different minority ethnic groups and those pupils who join have joined the school at different times. In this way no pupil is allowed to slip the through the net.

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44. The school is managed by an innovative system of ‘teams within teams’ that are highly effective in ensuring the cohesive co-ordination of the Children’s Centre, the Pupil Development Centre, and the mainstream school, including pupils learning English as an additional language and pupils with special educational needs. The strong and proactive management teams enable ideas and innovations to be put into practice through clear systems and rigorous monitoring. Each team has a clear remit, though the teams join together regularly for meetings about whole-school issues. This process, coupled with vigorous self-evaluation and review, ensures that the school is developing continually and that there is a very good level of communication between the different departments in the school. The development of the subject leaders’ role has been a priority in recent years and this initiative has been very successful in honing the skills of the subject leaders, who now play a

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pivotal part in overseeing, maintaining and improving the standards in their subjects.

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45. The leadership and management of the Children’s Centre are excellent. The school has integrated most successfully local authority whole year provision for children with the school’s foundation stage provision. The Children’s Centre manager and the school’s assistant headteacher form an outstanding partnership. The arrangements are also enhanced by both of these senior managers being members of the school’s senior management team.

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Commentary

46. The quality of leadership and management of the Pupil Development Centre is excellent and ensures the smooth running of a very productive service. The unit manager has a very clear and appropriate vision which matches that of the school and underpins all of the unit’s approaches. Consequently, staff members are very clear about how they should relate to pupils and what they are aiming to achieve. There is also a focused emphasis on assessing pupils’ levels of success; the unit has the satisfaction of being able to demonstrate its very productive impact on their knowledge and skills.

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Commentary

47. Actions to raise minority ethnic achievement including support for bilingual pupils are set out in specific plans which are monitored and evaluated regularly. The provision for pupils with Quarry Mount Primary School - 19 English as an additional language is very well managed by the leadership team (headteacher,

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deputy headteacher, ethnic minority achievement teacher, inclusion teacher, and teachers from Years 1, 5 and 6) and together they ensure that areas of most need are targeted very effectively.

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48. The special needs provision is co-ordinated by a knowledgeable and experienced teacher who has established an organisation that serves the pupils very well. Systems work smoothly because the co-ordinator organises meetings and regular training sessions for staff members. These ensure that everyone understands the importance of devising clear targets which are regularly monitored and updated to ensure pupils’ consistent progress. The school also makes very effective use of outside agencies, such as the psychological and speech and language support services.

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49. One of the main strengths of the school is its strong ethos that places value on all individuals and underpins all its work. Diversity is celebrated and promoted at every opportunity. There is mutual respect and an emphasis on personal development that is crucial in raising the self- esteem and aspirations of pupils. There is an exceptionally strong commitment to inclusion and equality of opportunity for all pupils which has been successful in enabling pupils from all backgrounds to achieve well. Of particular note is the way in which pupils from Black ethnic backgrounds are bucking the national trend in their achievements. The school reaches out in all directions to tap into many initiatives and local projects that help to promote the school’s reputation in the community. Such involvement does much to contribute to the extraordinary richness and diversity provided for the pupils. The school’s contribution to racial equality and

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inclusion has been recognised both nationally and locally.

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50. The governors make a strong contribution to the leadership and management of the school. They are committed and actively involved through the effective committee structure so that information is shared efficiently. They are involved fully in every aspect of management and are well informed about the school. Their close monitoring of the school’s work gives them a good knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses and they are involved very much in shaping the future direction of the school through their involvement in formulating the school improvement plan. They are not afraid to employ the role of ‘critical friend' by questioning and challenging senior staff and in this way promote a full and open level of debate. The governors benefit from training sessions run by the headteacher to help them to maximise their understanding of the school.

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51. The excellent strategic planning focuses unequivocally on the raising of achievement. The school’s approach to financial management is robust and prudent so that resources are used wisely for the benefit of all pupils. The principles of best value are firmly understood and guide all spending decisions so that the school provides excellent value for money, even though costs per pupil are high. The higher than average balance carried forward has been identified by the governors to maintain staffing levels and to fund staff development.

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Commentary

52. Continuing staff development contributes significantly to the ethos of the school and the standards achieved. Teachers have plenty of opportunities to further their skills through training events and through the sharing of good practice. Training extends to all staff and all have clear job descriptions and defined roles, which contributes to the strong teamwork evident in the school. All teaching assistants have achieved the qualification of NVQ Level 3 and have benefited from additional training in school to hone their skills. Nevertheless, there are a few occasions when they are not deployed to best advantage during lessons. This is particularly noticeable during some introductory sessions when they have no clear role to play supporting pupils. The school is aware of this shortcoming and there has been training on this issue, though it has yet to be resolved fully. Quarry Mount Primary School - 20

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Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 703,700 Balance from previous year 62,335 Total expenditure 696,520 Balance carried forward to the next 69,515 Expenditure per pupil 3,954 Quarry Mount Primary School - 21

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Teaching is very good, overall, and occasionally excellent, resulting in children, including those learning English as an additional language and children with special educational needs, achieving very well. Overall provision, including teaching and learning, has improved very well since the last inspection. Standards, by time the children enter Year 1, are likely to be average in personal, social and emotional development but below in communication, language and literacy and in mathematical development, because of the very high movement of children to and from the Children’s Centre. Too few lessons were seen to be able to make secure judgments on standards in knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development or creative development. The leadership and management of the Children’s Centre are excellent.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is excellent.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve exceptionally well. • Children settle quickly to the routines of the Children’s Centre because of the efficient organisation of learning. • Children with learning difficulties are given excellent help from staff.

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Commentary

56. Children are likely to meet the levels expected by the time they enter Year 1 because the quality of teaching is of a very high standard. Improvement since the last inspection has been very good. The accommodation and resources both internally and in the outdoor area are visually stimulating and inviting. The network of small ‘friendly’ work areas encourage reluctant children to develop quietly their learning in a very wide range of activities.

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Commentary

57. The excellent organisation of the Children’s Centre is most apparent at the start of the school day. Members of staff are very friendly and engage parents in discussions, including those parents with limited English. They encourage parents to work alongside their children and to discuss their children’s progress. Being attached to a member of staff, in a ‘key worker’ group, helps less confident children to part from their parents and make choices from an exciting range of activities. Older children are challenged to work independently through a ‘Question of the Day’ displayed in a prominent position. Younger children adapt quickly to recording their attendance efficiently using lollipop sticks with their names on.

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58. Children with special educational needs are cared for extremely well within ‘key worker’ groups and take a full part in all activities. Children with profound learning difficulties are assisted extremely well by assigned learning support assistants and other children try willingly to involve these children in their learning. Outside specialist support is used most effectively to advise the staff how to move on the learning of children with statements of special educational needs productively; for example, from a speech therapist. Quarry Mount Primary School - 22

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s achievement is very good because of the high standard of teaching. • Members of staff are skilful in encouraging children to develop their speaking and listening skills. • The strong emphasis on learning the sounds that letters make helps children to make very good progress in reading.

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Commentary

56. A high proportion of children move into the school after the first year in the Children’s Centre, many of whom are at an early stage of learning English. Despite this, children make very good progress in their learning but, overall, many of the older children are unlikely to meet all of the goals set for them nationally by the time they enter Year 1. Improvement since the last inspection has been very good.

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Commentary

57. In all group work, there is a strong emphasis on developing children’s language. Members of staff are very good at questioning children, having high expectations of children to respond whilst taking part in activities in other areas of learning; for example, children were very enthusiastic, painting on a revolving disc, and a member of staff engaged the children in discussion by very effective questioning and, because the children were so thrilled about what they had achieved, words bubbled from them in reply. Older children are expected to sit and listen and take turns to speak in groups. They concentrate well and are mindful not to interrupt when others are speaking.

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Commentary

58. Children, at certain times in the day, work with a member of staff in groups of similar levels of attainment to develop a better understanding of books and the sounds of letters; for example, a third of the older pupils worked with a member of staff to play a game to practise recognising letters and the sounds they make, by showing actions that help children to combine an action to a letter sound. The teacher engaged the higher attaining children’s interest very well by instructing them to make their own book. Repetitive phrases, such as ‘In the toy box I can see…’ helped children to see how to link pictures to words.

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Commentary

59. Most children enjoy reading. Amongst the older children, higher attainers read accurately a range of words and attempt to work out unfamiliar words using letter sounds. Children learning English as an additional language make very good progress in reading; for example, differentiating, by using the sound groups of letters make such as ‘skirt’ and ‘shirt’.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve very well because the teaching is very good; however, they are unlikely to reach the goals set for them nationally by time they leave the Children’s Centre. • Learning resources and number songs are used very effectively to help children to count.

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Commentary

60. Children make very good progress in their learning; however, a very high proportion do not benefit from the very good teaching for a full two years in the Children’s Centre because they Quarry Mount Primary School - 23 many children enter the unit at times other than the normal starting point. Improvement since the last inspection has been very good. 61. The teaching is very good; for example, in a very good lesson, children linked movements to numbers and sang with great enthusiasm a number rhyme to practise counting up to and back from ten. The pace of learning was quick and no time was lost because of very effective organisation of the teaching. Opportunities were planned to allow the teacher to check individual children’s counting skills using a marked stick very effectively. Questioning was set according to children’s level of attainment; for example, higher attainers recognised the number four without counting and counted up from it whereas lower attainers counted up each

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Commentary

number from one. Some higher attainers could count back from 20 accurately. Most pupils were attentive, though a minority lacked interest and this was picked up and handled very sensitively by the teacher. The teaching assistant was used extremely well and helped pupils to develop a basic understanding of subtraction from five through the use of a song, ‘Five Currant Buns’. Children with special educational needs were involved actively in the lessons and were supported very well by other children and staff.

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Commentary

62. In knowledge and understanding of the world, in the very well-organised activities seen, younger children were encouraged to feel the texture of stones and wood in a rock pool. Older higher attaining children discussed confidently with a member of staff the contents of a pizza and expressed preferences for combinations of vegetables, meats and cheeses. Some children were proud to be chosen to take responsibility for watering the sunflower plants they were growing. They were keen to observe the differences between the plants. Older children were very excited when the teacher brought out ‘Benny Bear’s suitcase’ and read a letter about the bear’s recent journey. From this letter, they gained a better understanding of healthy snacks.

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Commentary

63. In physical development , the outdoor area was used exceedingly well to give children a wide range of opportunities to develop skills, such as riding bicycles and tricycles and climbing up and down raised objects. Many of the activities were linked most skilfully to other areas of learning; for example, using paint brushes and chalks to practise the formation of numbers or planting bulbs and bushes in the garden area. Members of staff worked exceptionally well with children, developing role-play and encouraging discussion.

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Commentary

64. In creative development, only one lesson was seen. In this lesson, very good use was made of music to develop language skills and knowledge of traditional songs, such as ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’. The children enjoyed thoroughly singing and linking movements to the music. Evidence from work around the classroom shows that children have very rich opportunities to use a wide range of media to produce pictures in paint, pencil and collage. Often, creative development activities are linked to other areas of learning, such as, decorating the initial letters of pupils’ names, designing seed packets and using magnifying glasses to look at objects before drawing them.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although standards are below national expectations, the achievement of pupils is very good. • The quality of teaching and learning is very good. • Very good opportunities are planned for pupils to develop speaking and listening skills. • Marking of work is rigorous, especially in Year 6. • Leadership provides a clear direction. Quarry Mount Primary School - 24 Quarry Mount Primary School - 25

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Commentary

65. In Year 2, standards in reading and writing are well below average. Standards have remained stubbornly low over the past few years because of the high mobility of pupils in Years 1 and 2 as well as the high proportion of pupils learning English as an additional language. Many younger pupils begin school with a restricted vocabulary which slows down progress in both reading and writing. Standards in Year 6 are below the national average; this is because those pupils who have arrived in school after Year 3 achieve significantly lower results than those pupils who transferred from Years 1 and 2 and few of these former pupils achieve the higher Level 5. The school is well aware of the need to raise standards and has implemented an action plan. Standards in Year 6 have improved since the last inspection. Over time pupils make very good progress in their learning and in lessons they achieve very well.

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Commentary

66. The quality of teaching is very good, overall, and this makes a significant impact on the pupils’ achievement. The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection. Teachers show very good subject knowledge and plan lessons with clear learning intentions, which are shared with pupils at the beginning of lessons and then used to review learning in very useful final sessions. Lessons show good challenge, and very good opportunities are given to developing pupils’ speaking and listening skills which often involve paired and group discussion and skilful questioning to extend their language and level of understanding. This also has an impact on progress in both reading and writing. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and their approach to work. These high expectations are enabling pupils to make the most of their learning opportunities

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Commentary

67. Pupils achieve very well in reading, writing, speaking and listening throughout the school. Pupils from minority ethnic groups and those with learning difficulties achieve as well as others because every effort is made by staff to raise their attainment by carefully planned work and good support and encouragement. Pupils with English as an additional language are particularly well supported. The reading action plan which involves parents, a local university and a girls’ high school, target setting and a well structured approach to guided reading is beginning to have an impact. Pupils in Year 2 are developing confidence in reading simple texts, with a small proportion developing greater fluency and expression. By Year 6, the majority of pupils read at the expected level but the development of advanced reading skills remains a priority. Pupils retrieve and organise information from a variety of sources,

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Commentary

reference books and the Internet being examples, and use this to support their work in other subjects.

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Commentary

68. Pupils make very good progress in writing and benefit from personal writing targets and structured prompts. By Year 2, many pupils can develop their ideas into a sequence of sentences but the detail and fluency are less developed than expected for this age. In Years 3 to 6 pupils are encouraged to draft, edit and improve their own work and these strategies contribute well to pupils’ achievement in writing. Expectations are high in Year 6 in both the amount and quality of pupils’ written work. Pupils write in a range of forms and, whilst some pupils have difficulty in using their new skills and techniques in their own work, a good proportion of pupils can develop their ideas interestingly into complex sentences. Higher attaining pupils use words with precision for example, in a poem entitled ‘The 82 Children That Died At Lidice’ one pupil wrote the following:

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Commentary

As the children were hauled And yanked away from their parents They yelped with fear The broken children Finally repelled. Quarry Mount Primary School - 26 69. By Year 6, handwriting and presentation are generally neat. Work is marked particularly rigorously in Years 3 to 6 and this has an impact on improving achievement, a commendable example being in Year 6:

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Commentary

Example of outstanding practice The marking of pupils’ work is excellent in Year 6 and contributes to pupils’ very high achievement and their understanding of how they can improve. The teacher’s very conscientious approach to the marking provides extensive, informative comments, on an adjacent page to the pupils’ work. These celebrate achievements, give points for improvement and a level of attainment; for example, the teacher commented, ‘ Your ideas are good, but your complex sentences are confused. You must use complex sentences so that you can stretch your ideas and so make them clear – Level 4c’. Pupils appreciate both this care in marking and the time they are given to respond, as they are eager to improve their work.

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Commentary

70. The subject is very well managed as the subject leader has a clear view of what needs to be done to raise standards and has worked with staff, governors, parents and outside agencies to put improvement strategies into practice. Occasionally, teaching assistants are not used well enough in whole class teaching at the beginning of lessons. The rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning has improved the quality of teaching.

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Language across the curriculum

71. Good opportunities are made for the application of literacy skills across the curriculum. Oral sessions in lessons are used very effectively to develop speaking and listening skills. Pupils are given frequent, worthwhile opportunities to practise their writing skills in such subjects as history, geography and science. Word processing in the computer suite improves editing and drafting skills for written work.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well. • Teaching is very good and promotes very good attitudes to learning. • The curriculum is flexible and provides good opportunities for investigation and problem solving. • The subject is very well led and managed.

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Commentary

72. Pupils achieve very well in this subject during their time in the school. Although most pupils start school with attainments that are well below average, they make very good progress over time because of the very good foundations for learning that are laid in the Children’s Centre and so, by Year 2 their attainments are below, rather than well below average. As a result of the very good teaching they subsequently receive in Years 3 to 6 the pupils continue to make very good progress so that by Year 6 most pupils attain standards that are above average and well above the standards in similar schools. The exception to this is the Year 4 group of pupils, where standards are lower than other year groups because of the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and recent high levels of admissions of lower attaining pupils. The school’s performance in mathematics has exceeded that in English and science for several

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Commentary

years, largely as a result of the high quality teaching, the carefully planned curriculum, the very good leadership and management in the subject and the fact that mathematics makes less demand on pupils’ linguistic skills which are low when many of the pupils first start school. This is a big improvement on judgements made at the time of the previous inspection when standards were well below average at the end of Year 6 in the national tests. Quarry Mount Primary School - 27 73. The main reason why the school is doing so well is the very good quality of the teaching throughout the school, from Year 1, when pupils receive a very good grounding in basic skills and develop their confidence with number, to the broader and more exacting work in Year 6, when pupils use their skills in problem-solving contexts. The teaching in Year 6 is sometimes exceptional and gives a very good boost to the learning acquired in the earlier years. As a

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Commentary

result of the very good teaching, pupils have very good attitudes to their work. They concentrate well, and most are alert and ready to respond to the quickfire questions at the start of each lesson, showing a generally good level of mental computation. Hallmarks of the teaching throughout the school are the teachers’ thorough subject knowledge and enthusiasm, their high expectations of what pupils will achieve and the way in which they match tasks carefully to the needs of the pupils. Just occasionally, the quality of teaching is satisfactory rather than good or better; for example, when the teacher’s explanation was insufficiently clear to enable pupils to understand fully what was expected. By contrast, in an excellent lesson in Year 6, pupils were very highly motivated because of the teacher’s interesting and challenging explanation interspersed with very demanding questions that really made the pupils think hard.

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Commentary

The lesson linked well to their studies on the art of Picasso and Basquiat. They corrected errors readily through logical thinking and made connections between the relationships between ratios, fractions and decimals when calculating the original dimensions of paintings from the miniature versions they were given. There was a very good level of support in this lesson for pupils with special educational needs.

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Commentary

74. The curriculum is based on a published scheme, which provides a clear structure for teaching. This helps to bring about a good consistency of approach from class to class. The curriculum provides a good balance between the teaching of basic mathematical skills and processes and also provides an element of flexibility which teachers turn to good advantage by incorporating imaginative activities and projects to make learning more interesting and meaningful to the pupils. As a result, pupils, especially in Year 6, are able to think mathematically rather than mechanistically when tackling investigations. Assessment is used very well to monitor the progress of pupils and to determine what they need to learn next.

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Commentary

75. The subject is very well led and managed by the subject leader. Because of his very high level of involvement and continual, systematic monitoring he has a very clear knowledge of standards throughout the school and the quality of teaching and learning in each class. Teachers are supported very well through their observations of the co-ordinator’s teaching and the extensive feedback they receive when their own lessons are monitored. In this way there is an effective sharing and dissemination of good practice throughout the school, all of which is underpinned by the excellent overview of the headteacher who guides the work of the subject leader. The school makes very good use of performance data to track the progress of all pupils and to set targets for improvement. Careful analysis is made of the progress of different groups of pupils by gender, ethnicity and prior attainment. The school also keeps a close eye

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Commentary

on the pupils who joined the school part way through the year. All these factors contribute to the improving standards in the school.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

76. Pupils use their skills in numeracy well in a range of interesting ways in other subjects such as measuring in design and technology and recording their findings and data in science. This is a real strength in Year 6. A very good example of this was seen in the work undertaken in conjunction with a contemporary dance tutor. The challenging activities drew upon pupils’ mathematical understanding as they devised a system to record pictorially their dance shapes and movement, using their knowledge of geometrical shapes and angles. Quarry Mount Primary School - 28

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• In their knowledge of science, pupils achieve very well because the teaching is very good. • Pupils’ progress is monitored carefully so that lessons build well on what they already know. • The subject is well managed and this has a positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning and pupils’ standards. • The teaching of skills in scientific investigation is less effective and pupils do not achieve as well as they could in this aspect.

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Commentary

77. When pupils arrive in Year 1, their knowledge and understanding of science are below average. While they achieve well through Years 1 and 2, their standards are still below average by the end of Year 2. They achieve very well through Years 3 to 6, however, and by Year 6, pupils’ standards in the knowledge strands of science are similar to those found in most schools, which indicates an improvement since the previous inspection. This is very creditable and largely due to the very good quality of teaching and learning in the classes for older pupils. An example of this quality was seen in Year 5, where pupils were learning about the relative movements of the Earth, Sun and Moon. The teacher tackled a difficult subject by encouraging the pupils to work in groups, deciding how, through talk and demonstration, they could explain to others what they knew. Pupils worked enthusiastically, sharing their ideas and

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Commentary

organising themselves into different roles. Their confidence and willingness to participate were testaments to the school’s provision for personal development. This was also evident during the demonstrations of their ideas, when pupils accepted readily the constructive criticisms offered by their classmates. It became clear as the lesson progressed that many pupils had clear knowledge of the movements of the bodies in space and were able to explain what they knew; for example, when it was suggested to one group that the Sun could be seen going round the Earth everyday, they responded that this was clearly not true, otherwise the Sun would have to weave its way round the Solar system in order to illuminate the other planets.

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Commentary

78. The teacher in the previous example used pupils’ demonstrations to assess how well they had learned and was able to identify those who had a confident grasp of the ideas as well as those who needed some reinforcement. This is typical of the school’s approach; through tests, observations and discussion sessions, pupils’ knowledge is monitored and the information is used to make sure that higher attainers receive further challenge, while lower attainers and those with special educational needs get extra support. Portfolios of pupils’ work are kept along with notes to indicate the level at which pupils are working and the next steps that they need to take. Particular care is taken to assess the needs of pupils who are learning English as an additional language, since their problems are more often related to language issues than a lack of understanding of science.

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Commentary

79. The consistently high level of teaching and learning results from the school’s overall vision that all pupils should be offered equality of opportunity. There has also been some monitoring of lessons to ensure that the school’s principles are applied consistently; consequently, lessons are marked by interesting activities, planned to meet the needs of different groups of pupils, and by very well behaved pupils who respect one another and the adults. The management of the subject has helped clearly to raise standards.

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Commentary

80. There is evidence in pupils’ work that their investigational skills are not as well developed as other aspects of the subject. While the school provides opportunities for pupils to do practical work, there is insufficient attention paid to the systematic development of their ability to

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Commentary

observe, compare, predict and conclude, or to raise questions and devise their own recording Quarry Mount Primary School - 29 systems. This is particularly evident in Years 1 and 2 where there is an over use of pre- prepared work sheets which inhibits the development of pupils’ own recording skills.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision for information and communication technology is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well because the quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers have a clear understanding of how well pupils are progressing. • Pupils gain a good understanding of the responsible use of the Internet to access information to assist their studies. • The computer suite is used well; however, on occasions, it becomes uncomfortable for pupils, as the ventilation is inadequate. • The leadership of the subject is very good and management is effective. • The curriculum is well thought out and used well to assist learning in other subjects.

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Commentary

81. Pupils’ achievement is good. Standards in both Years 2 and 6 are in line with national expectations as a result of good and sometimes very good teaching. Lessons are planned very well and all pupils, including those learning English as an additional language and pupils with special educational needs, are fully included because of the good help they receive from teachers and teaching assistants. The school has developed a good system to check pupils’ attainment and progress by recording pupils’ achievements succinctly according to whether individuals are below, in line or above average level for their age in each unit of work. In addition, periodically pieces of work are annotated carefully to show how well pupils are doing and how they can improve.

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Commentary

82. In a very good lesson, in Year 3, pupils gained a much better understanding of how to log on to the Internet and to access electronic mail and to reply to messages. The teacher introduced the lesson very well and previous work was recapped. Most pupils were well aware of the value of the Internet and electronic mail. Discussion was encouraged and speaking and listening skills were developed very well. Children were very aware of the dangers of using the Internet and electronic mail. Pupils received an electronic message from the subject leader which reinforced this very well.

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Commentary

83. The computer suite is timetabled fully to enable pupils to have plenty of practice of developing skills and understanding; however, conditions become uncomfortable when outdoor temperatures rise, as the ventilation systems are inadequate. This results in some pupils losing concentration, particularly when initial whole class teaching is lengthy.

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Commentary

84. The leadership has developed the subject very well since the last inspection when standards by the end of Year 6 were well below average. The headteacher’s clear and considered evaluation of the subject leader’s file celebrates the successes as well as providing challenging comments for consideration of ways forward. The action plan for the subject is very detailed and links well to the school improvement plan. The recent management systems to track pupils’ progress and to monitor pupils’ learning are effective. Staff training by the subject leader is well established and helping to develop teachers’ and teaching assistants’ confidence and skills. Quarry Mount Primary School - 30

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

85. The curriculum has been thought out carefully to develop pupils’ skills in information and communication technology as well as to assist learning in other subjects; for example, the interactive white board was used very well in a geography lesson in Year 2 to display information from the Internet about a seaside town. The pupils were really interested and gasped at the site of the White Cliffs of Dover and some pupils expressed the wish to live there. In Year 4, pupils made symmetrical patterns on the computer and transferred the designs onto clay tiles as part of a topic about Ancient Greece. Pupils in Year 6 used information and communication technology to record key data in graphical form as part of a mathematical investigation linked to planning a model motorcar race. In science, information and communication technology is used to produce graphs and tables; however, pupils have limited experience of using information and communication technology equipment to monitor

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

experiments; for example, when taking temperature. Pupils word processed very well poetry in an art lesson to represent their feelings about a picture entitled ‘The White Crucifixion’.

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HUMANITIES

86. Work was sampled in geography and history with only two lessons seen in geography and none in history. It is not therefore possible to make an overall judgement about provision in the subjects.

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HUMANITIES

87. At the last inspection, a lack of detailed programmes of work in both geography and history and a ‘topic’ based approach was reported as inhibiting the systematic teaching and learning of the subjects, and the leadership and management of the subjects were judged to be ineffective. These issues have been addressed. The subjects are now effectively managed by one co- ordinator. She has overseen the implementation of national guidelines which have ensured knowledge, understanding and skills are built up in a systematic way and that the subjects are taught separately. Subject content has been adapted to ensure that both are culturally inclusive and therefore more meaningful to the wide ethnic mix of pupils; for example, pupils in Year 2 study the island of St Lucia in geography and similarly the whole school has had a focus on Black History for one week. The school has an effective system for assessing and

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HUMANITIES

recording pupils’ progress in both subjects.

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HUMANITIES

88. In geography , standards seen in the pupils' work and in the lesson observed indicate that pupils’ performance is below expectation for their age in Year 2 because of a lack of understanding subject vocabulary; for example, in the good Year 2 lesson seen, very few pupils could name cliffs as a feature of a seaside location. By Year 6, standards are broadly as expected, being the same as at the last inspection. The pupils have a satisfactory understanding of how to use an atlas to discover geographical information. In the good lesson seen in Year 6 the pupils developed effectively their understanding of subject-specific vocabulary by writing persuasively about the course of a river and then comparing their work to the factual text.

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HUMANITIES

89. In history, an examination of pupils’ work suggests that standards are broadly average in Year 6 which is similar to the last inspection. Very good use is made of artefacts, visits and visitors to encourage the development of historical skills; for example, the pupils in Years 3 and 4 developed the key skills of enquiry and empathy when they dressed up and acted as Anglo Saxons. Black History week makes an excellent contribution to pupils’ social and cultural development. Quarry Mount Primary School - 31

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Religious education

Provision in religious education is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good curriculum provision exists. • The quality of teaching is very good overall with excellent teaching in Year 6. • The subject contributes very well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. • Very good leadership ensures pupils achieve very well.

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Commentary

90. Teachers use national guidance to present work in accordance with the locally agreed syllabus for the subject. The very good curriculum and very good teaching ensures that by Year 2 standards are average which is similar to the last inspection; however, standards have improved in Year 6 and are above expectations. This is because of the excellent teaching the pupils receive. Pupils achieve very well. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are helped to gain a good understanding of the stories, festivals and places of worship of Christians and Muslims. In Years 3 to 6, the curriculum develops a deeper understanding of these faiths and widens appropriately to promote understanding of the Hindu faith.

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Commentary

91. Teaching and learning are very good, overall, with excellent teaching in Year 6. Teaching promotes concentration and an eagerness to learn. Teachers encourage very good discussion of how different people worship and how specific religious rituals are important; for example, in Year 2 the teacher captivated the pupils’ attention by showing a book which is very special to her (a Children’s Bible) and telling why it is so special. This inspired the pupils to discuss in pairs what is special to them and to share their thoughts with the whole class. Moving learning on at very good pace the teacher introduced the Qur’an, with all the appropriate religious ritual, as a book which is special to Muslims. In an excellent lesson in Year 6, the teacher used pictures, music and discussion to explore sacred art and its purpose in religion. The pupils learned rapidly and showed a respect for the art of other religions and

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Commentary

beliefs beyond their years because the teacher models a caring approach to art and other people.

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Commentary

92. Visits, visitors and artefacts contribute well to provision and bring the subject alive. The school arranges visits to places of interest, such as, a mosque and church and arranges visitors into school. These enhance the pupils’ understanding of religions different to their own; for example, the pupils in Year 4 prepare questions about Hinduism to ask a Hindu member of staff who will be visiting them. Teachers develop effectively the pupils’ personal, cultural, and social skills well because the pupils are learning to value each other’s ideas and appreciate the similarities and differences in the religions studied which feature strongly in the ethos of the school.

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Commentary

93. Leadership and management of the subject are very good. Teaching and learning are effectively monitored and there are good arrangements to monitor and record pupils’ progress; this has a positive impact on pupils’ achievement.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

94. Art and design, design and technology, music and physical education were sampled, as insufficient lessons were seen to make judgements.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

95. Only two lessons in art and design were observed during the inspection; however, evidence indicates that art and design has a secure place in the curriculum; it is taught well and pupils produce work that is often of a high quality compared to that seen in other schools. Samples Quarry Mount Primary School - 32 of pupils’ work, together with scrutiny of curricular planning, show that pupils are introduced to a wide range of skills in a systematic way so that as they grow older their work becomes increasingly more detailed and confident. They sample a good range of techniques and materials, including printing, painting, modelling in clay and working with textiles; in Year 1, for example, pupils created vibrant and animated self-portraits, mixing their powder paints carefully to achieve accurate skin tones. Samples of work from pupils in Year 6 depict the work of Picasso and Basquiat to a particularly high standard, showing skill in the use of pastel

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

and paint to create subtle variations in tone with careful attention paid to perspective and proportion. In Years 1 and 2, pupils explored weaving techniques with a range of different materials, such as paper, wool and fabrics. Their work drew effectively on the art of other cultures.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

96. In an outstanding lesson in Year 6 the teacher’s knowledge and understanding of the subject together with his enthusiastic and engaging explanation made the lesson exceptional. Expectations of the pupils’ understanding were very high indeed so that when pupils talked about their work the pupils could explain how the artists being studied were motivated and what effects they were trying to depict. As a result of very demanding tasks and sensitive support from the teacher, most pupils achieved very well and many were able to re-create observational drawings in the cubist style.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

97. The subject is well managed by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable subject leader who has a clear plan of action to take the subject forward. The school draws on the expertise of visiting artists who work with pupils on large-scale projects, such as the lovely mosaic picture produced by pupils in Years 4 and 5. Such activities help to widen pupils’ experiences of art and to make the subject meaningful to them. The subject makes a significant contribution to the spiritual and cultural development of the pupils.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

98. There is a similarly good emphasis on design and technology in the curriculum and pupils in all classes experience a broad range of projects that develop their skills sequentially and allow them to explore a range of different materials and fastenings when they make things such as moving toys. The curriculum is planned in units of work which last for a term, so that pupils see a project through over time, from the design stage to the evaluation at the end. There is a good emphasis on the design process as an integral part of each project so that pupils learn to be realistic when choosing materials and judging whether their ideas will work. The curriculum is a good balance between a national structured scheme of work and the teachers’ own ideas that give each project individuality.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

99. In the one lesson seen, pupils were in the early stages of designing and making musical instruments. The teacher was skilful in demonstrating how ranges of instruments are played and in drawing ideas and suggestions from the pupils for creating their own instruments with differing sounds. Because the teacher generated a good level of discussion and created an informal atmosphere where all contributions were valued, the pupils were able to draw on their past experiences well and think of sensible and imaginative ideas for their models. The pupils were ambitious in their suggestions because they knew they had the skills to carry them out.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

100. The co-ordinator has a clear role in managing the subject and has been effective in supporting other staff. She has made a careful analysis of what needs to be done to raise standards further and has recognised a need for a more detailed form of assessment of the quality of pupils’ work to take the place of the existing system.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

101. The school makes good arrangements for all pupils to take part in music . The provision is supported well by visiting teachers who take lessons regularly so that pupils benefit from their expertise in the subject. As in other aesthetic subjects, music contributes well to the ethos of the school.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

102. The previous report noted only a rudimentary experience of notation and the playing of pitched instruments. These shortcomings have since been overcome and the curriculum now makes Quarry Mount Primary School - 33 satisfactory provision for this aspect. As there are few music specialists on the staff the school draws on the expertise of visiting teachers to support staff and help to develop their knowledge and skills; however, the benefits of this practice are more limited when two year groups are taught simultaneously, as was seen in a lesson with pupils in Years 1 and 2. Although pupils sang heartily it was difficult for the teacher to pitch the lesson precisely enough to meet the needs of all pupils. As a result the older pupils derived more benefit from the teaching because they had already mastered the skills of playing in time to the music, whereas the younger pupils needed more practice. By contrast, in a very good lesson with Years 3 and

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

4 pupils made very good gains in learning because of the clear instructions, very effective methods of maintaining order and the challenging task. The lesson culminated in a rousing and tuneful rendition of an African song, accompanied by confident playing of percussion instruments.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

103. The school uses the national recommendations for the scheme of work for the subject and this is supplemented and adapted well to suit the needs of the pupils. There is a good attention to the music and sounds from other cultures, which are woven into the curriculum and add considerable enrichment. Pupils from the school joined forces with the African Children’s Choir to sing when Nelson Mandela visited Leeds. The subject leader is responsible for checking that all aspects of the National Curriculum are incorporated into the school’s programme of work in the subject and this ensures that all elements are given due attention.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

104. There are satisfactory arrangements to promote physical education . The school uses national guidance as a structure for the curriculum and this is supplemented by other national schemes to provide further enrichment and variety. There is a clear and accessible curriculum plan for each half term, which ensures that all elements of the National Curriculum are taught. In this respect, the school has overcome criticisms from the previous report, when swimming was not taught as part of the curriculum. Swimming lessons are provided now for all pupils in Years 4 and 5 to enable them to reach the required standard. There is currently no manager for the subject and the headteacher is overseeing its development in the interim period.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

105. The one lesson observed in Year 2 was of very good quality because of the very high expectation of the teacher and the brisk pace, which kept pupils motivated very well throughout the lesson. The pupils showed very sensible and disciplined attitudes as they wove in and out of each other without touching. The teacher’s directions were clear and succinct and this, coupled with her own demonstration, meant that pupils knew exactly what was expected of them and made good progress in refining their skills of balance and shape making.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The leadership of this area of learning is excellent. The school has a complex structure of opportunities for pupils’ personal development; consequently, pupils achieve very well because the quality of teaching is of a very high standard. • All pupils gain particular benefit from the work of the school’s Pupil Development Centre.

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Commentary

106. The headteacher and senior managers rightly recognise personal, social and health education and citizenship as an essential foundation for pupils’ personal and academic development; consequently, the school uses a wide range of very well planned strategies to enable pupils to progress. Every relevant aspect of school life is considered, from walking to school, lesson times, lunch and playtimes through to after-school clubs. Constant references are made to appropriate relationships, consideration and respect for others, health, hygiene and social Quarry Mount Primary School - 34 responsibility. The school makes excellent use of group discussion, drama, formal lessons, visits and visitors to raise pupils’ awareness. Staff needs are also considered through such activities as the school’s induction process for new staff, staff aerobics, and stress management, Investors in People and training in work/life balance. The views of pupils are

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Commentary

taken into consideration at every turn and they are heavily involved in caring for and helping others in school, counteracting bullying and promoting respect for different ethnic groups within the community.

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Commentary

107. The Pupil Development Centre, established through money received from the Excellence in Cities scheme, is an outstanding resource in promoting personal, social and health education and citizenship. Working from a clear and appropriate vision, shared with the school as a whole, the unit provides excellent, highly structured, exciting opportunities for pupils to improve their self-awareness, and personal and social development. The developmental needs of each pupil are evaluated and careful assessments are recorded so that future work can be planned to take pupils further. The progress that pupils make in other subjects is also evaluated to measure the impact of the unit’s work. Typical of the excellent teaching and learning in the Pupil Development Centre is the following example:

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Commentary

Example of outstanding practice The use of role-play to enhance pupils’ personal development typified the excellent teaching and learning in the Pupil Development Centre. After working for some time in groups considering their personal strengths and weaknesses, the pupils were interrupted by the arrival of ‘Mrs Bouquet’, a confused but friendly woman, dressed in brightly coloured clothes, who was looking for pupils in Quarry Mount. On discovering that she was in the right place, she proceeded to supply those who wished to have them with brightly coloured cloaks that had the magic power to help them improve their concentration, or patience or any other personal quality that they wanted to improve. The session was conducted in an extremely positive and supportive manner with the pupils encouraged to care for one- another. Needless to say, pupils were riveted by the experience and helped to think deeply about their self-

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Commentary

development in a non-threatening atmosphere.

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Commentary

108. The outcome of the school’s provision is pupils who are very well prepared for many of the pressures that they will encounter both in and out of school. They are, clearly, developing personal qualities that give them every chance of becoming valuable members of society. Quarry Mount Primary School - 35

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 1 How inclusive the school is 1 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 2 Value for money provided by the school 1

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 1 Attendance 5 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 2 The quality of teaching 2 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 2 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 2 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 2 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 1 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 1 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 1 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 1

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 1 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 1 The effectiveness of management 1

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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