South Elmsall Carlton Junior and Infant School

Carlton Junior and Infant School

Dates of inspection: 6 th – 9 th July 2004

p.1

Carlton Junior and Infant School

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Carlton Junior and Infant 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.

p.1

Carlton Junior and Infant 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. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 401

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Carlton Road South Elmsall Pontefract West Yorkshire Postcode: WF9 2QQ

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01977 723805 Fax number: 01977 723805

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr J Owen

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 6 th July 1998

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Carlton Junior and Infant School is situated in the small town of South Elmsall, about eight miles from Pontefract in West Yorkshire, and is bigger than most other primary schools. The school serves an area of high unemployment that is characterised by accommodation that is mainly housing trust or privately rented, with a small amount of privately-owned properties. Children enter the reception class at the beginning of the term in which they are five years of age. Most children have attended the school’s nursery prior to starting school and their attainment on entry is generally well below what might be expected nationally. There are 364 girls and boys who attend the school, plus 74 children who attend the nursery on a part-time basis. There are no pupils whose first language is believed not to be English. Thirty eight per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is above the national average. The school has 41 pupils on its register of pupils with

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

special educational needs, of whom six pupils have a formal Statement of Special Educational Need, and this is broadly in line with the national average. The school received achievement awards in 2001 and 2003, and gained the Investor in People award in 2002, the Basic Skills Quality Mark in 2003 and the Investor in Pupils award in 2004. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 4

p.3

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

27281 Mrs E Linley Lead inspector Foundation Stage, music and religious education 19431 Mr J Holmes Lay inspector 18842 Mrs G Peat Team inspector Mathematics, science, art and design, design and technology and physical education 22359 Mrs J Havard Team inspector English, information and communication technology, geography and history

p.4

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Focus Education (UK) Limited 113 – 115 High Street Uppermill Saddleworth OL3 6BD

p.4

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

p.4

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8-10

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

p.5

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8-10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.5

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11-16

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

p.5

OVERALL EVALUATION

Carlton Junior and Infant School is an effective and inclusive school. As a result of good teaching and an excellent focus on inclusion, pupils achieve well overall and attain standards that are broadly in line with national expectations. The school provides good value for money.

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The ethos for learning is very good and pupils achieve well; children in the Foundation Stage achieve very well. • Standards achieved in information and communication technology (ICT) are above expectations. • Standards achieved in religious education in Years 3 to 6 are below expectations. • Attendance is well below average. • Leadership, management and governance are good. • Leadership, management and provision for the Foundation Stage are very good and they are good for special educational needs • The quality of care, welfare, health and safety is very good. • Relationships throughout the school are very good and support pupils’ very good behaviour and attitudes to learning.

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has improved well since its last inspection. Overall, the key issues raised at the time of the last inspection have been addressed. Improvements have been made in leadership and management, teaching and assessment, provision for special educational needs, support, care and guidance and partnerships with parents, and pupils’ attitudes. Very good progress has been made in relation to provision for ICT and standards are now above expectations throughout the school. However, standards in religious education in the junior classes have declined and are below expectations. Attendance, has also declined and is now well below the national average.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Year 6 results all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English E D C A mathematics D A B A* science D C C 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.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

In the 2003 national tests for eleven year olds, pupils’ performance in English and science was average and it was above average in mathematics. In comparison with similar schools, and in relation to pupils’ prior attainment, standards were well above average in English and science, and very high in mathematics. The school’s trend of improvement over the last four years has been above the national trend. The achievement of boys and girls in English in 2003 showed that girls outperformed boys by the same margin as noted nationally. However, inspection evidence shows that there is, currently no significant difference between the achievement of boys and girls.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is good overall. Children start school in nursery with skills that are well below those which might be expected nationally. Children make a very good start in the nursery and very good provision in the Foundation Stage enables them to achieve very well. As a result, Carlton Junior and Infant School - 7 standards by the end of reception are likely to be at the expected level in five of the six nationally agreed areas of learning. The exception to this is in communication, language and literacy, because children’s skills on entry to school are generally very low. However, children still achieve very well in this area of learning, particularly in speaking and listening, and in reading. All pupils, including those who have special educational needs, make good progress in the infant and junior classes and continue to achieve well over time. Pupils achieve average standards overall in English,

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

mathematics and science. Standards in ICT are above expectations throughout the school. In religious education, pupils achieve in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus in Years 1 and 2. However, standards achieved are below expectations in Years 3 to 6. Art and design, design and technology, music, physical education, history and geography were sampled during the inspection and so no overall judgements have been made on provision and standards in these subjects.

p.7

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good overall . The ethos of the school is very good and is supported by the very good relationships that exist. All pupils are valued and this underpins the school’s excellent commitment to inclusion. As a result, pupils’ behaviour is very good and they have very good attitudes to learning.

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and is often very good in the Foundation Stage. Pupils with special educational needs are taught and supported well. Assessment is good. Teachers use an effective range of assessment strategies to track pupils’ progress as they move through school. Ongoing assessment is good because it involves effective discussion during lessons about what has been learnt. This is a particular strength of the Foundation Stage. The quality of marking, however, is inconsistent through school, and does not support pupils sufficiently well to help them understand how to improve their work. The school provides a good curriculum to develop pupils’ learning, both academically and socially. The Foundation Stage curriculum is very good and the curriculum for pupils who have special educational needs is good. The school provides a very good level of care for the emotional and

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

physical needs of its pupils. Links with the community and parents are good and parents are supportive of the school. Links and partnerships with other schools are very good. Attendance is well below average when compared with other schools nationally. However, the school is beginning to address this issue.

p.7

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good . The headteacher provides good leadership and is supported well by key staff. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage is very good and is good for special educational needs. All leaders in school demonstrate an excellent commitment to inclusion and this underpins the school’s ethos, which is very good. Governance of the school is good. Governors demonstrate a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

p.7

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents expressed positive views about the school. They particularly value the provision for children who have special educational needs and the improvements made in ICT. Pupils hold very positive views about their school. They enjoy the range of opportunities that are made available for them, particularly in physical education.

p.7

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Improve the school’s action to promote good attendance. • Raise standards achieved in religious education in Years 3 to 6. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 8

p.7

Standards achieved are in line with national expectations and therefore are satisfactory

overall, however, pupils’ achievement is good over time. Pupils achieve very well in information and communication technology (ICT), because of the high quality provision that is in place, and this has a positive impact on standards. All the pupils with special educational needs make good progress, with many of them achieving very well over time some achieving standards in line with or just below expectations.

p.8

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve very well in the Foundation Stage • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well • Standards achieved in information and communication technology (ICT) are above average • In Years 3 to 6, standards achieved in religious education are below expectations.

p.8

Commentary

1 The table below shows that, in the 2003 national tests for seven year olds, pupils’ performance in reading, writing and mathematics was well below average. In comparison with similar schools, standards were average in reading and writing and below average in mathematics.

p.8

Commentary

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

p.8

Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 13.8 (14.3) 15.7 (15.8)

p.8

Commentary

There were 55 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.8

Commentary

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

p.8

Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 27.0 (26.6) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 28.2 (28.4) 26.8 (26.7) science 28.7 (28.8) 28.6 (28.3) There were 52 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.8

Commentary

2 The table above shows that in the 2003 national tests for eleven year olds, pupils’ performance in English and science was average. Performance in mathematics was above average. In comparison with similar schools, and in relation to pupils’ prior attainment, standards were well above average in English and science, and very high in mathematics. The school’s trend of improvement over the last four years has been above the national trend. The attainment of boys and girls in English in 2003 showed that girls outperformed boys by the same margin as noted nationally. However, inspection evidence currently shows that there is no significant difference between the attainment of boys and girls. In relation to Carlton Junior and Infant School - 9 pupils’ attainment at the higher levels, it was satisfactory in English and science and above expectations in mathematics when compared with the national averages. In comparison with

p.8

Commentary

similar schools, pupils attained well above average in English, mathematics and science at the higher levels.

p.9

Commentary

3 The majority of children who attend Carlton Junior and Infant School start in the nursery, at which time their attainment is well below what might be expected nationally. Children make a very good start to their school life in the Foundation Stage because of the very high quality provision that is in place to support their learning. Children achieve very well and the majority are likely to meet the goals that they are expected to reach in five of the six nationally agreed areas of learning. The exception is in their communication, language and literacy skills, where standards overall are lower.

p.9

Commentary

4 Pupils continue to make good progress in Years 1 to 6 because of the quality of teaching and learning, which are good overall. As a result, pupils achieve well in their infant and junior years. Similarly, those pupils who have special educational needs achieve well because of the good provision that is in place to meet their needs. The pupils’ success is due to the effective support provided by teachers and teaching assistants and, in particular, the extra programmes of work for literacy and numeracy.

p.9

Commentary

5 Pupils achieve well in English, mathematics and science, and the standards they attain overall are in line with the national average. Standards of writing in Years 1 and 2 are below expectations. However, given the pupils low literacy skills when they start school they still achieve well. By the time pupils reach Year 6, standards in writing are in line with the national average.

p.9

Commentary

6 Standards in ICT have improved significantly since the last inspection, when they were judged as below expectations. Currently, standards achieved are above expectations and pupils achieve very well. This is because of the very good quality provision that the school now has in place. Parents are particularly pleased with the improvements that have been made in respect to ICT throughout the school and their children’s achievements in this subject.

p.9

Commentary

7 In religious education, pupils in Years 1 and 2 attain standards that are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. However, this is not the case in Years 3 to 6, where standards are below expectations. This demonstrates a decline since the last inspection, and is because not all teachers consistently follow the scheme of work for religious education, and some do not focus specifically on the religious content of the planned activities. Insufficient evidence was available during the inspection on which to make secure judgements about standards in art and design, design and technology, history, geography, music and physical education.

p.9

behaviour of the pupils is very good. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

development is good overall. Attendance is well below the national average.

p.9

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have very positive attitudes towards school and they really enjoy their work. • Relationships are very good throughout the school and are effectively supported by the school’s good provision for pupils’ moral, social and cultural development. • Pupils’ attendance is well below the national average. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 10

p.9

Commentary

8 Pupils really enjoy school and they have very good attitudes towards learning. They generally work very well together and have a very good level of trust in the adults in the school. Pupils feel that they can discuss problems with members of staff and that problems are dealt with promptly. Pupils’ behaviour in class and around the school is generally very good. The staff manage any inappropriate behaviour very well and, in particular, those pupils who have specific behavioural problems. Parents and pupils report that any bullying is dealt with quickly and effectively. No oppressive behaviour was observed during the inspection and there have been no recent exclusions, which exemplifies the school’s strong ethos of inclusion.

p.10

Commentary

9 The school actively promotes the personal development of those pupils who have special educational needs. They are taught the differences between right and wrong in a very caring manner. The behaviour of the pupils with special educational needs, including those with behaviour problems is at least good, with the majority behaving very well. The pupils’ attitude towards their work is generally very good. The teachers and support staff manage these pupils very effectively and, as a result, their achievement is good.

p.10

Commentary

10 Relationships in school are very good. They are supported by the good opportunities for pupils to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness across many areas of the curriculum. Their moral development is very good, is taught through the curriculum and circle time and is aided by teachers understanding of the needs of the pupils. Pupils know what is right and wrong, and that they have choices to make. Pupils’ social development is very good because of initiatives such as the school council and, more recently, the ‘buddies’ programme. The pupils are enthusiastic about the school council, seeing this as an opportunity to be involved in the school’s work. Their peers elect the council members and they have a small budget to enable them to make choices about spending. Pupils help around the school at lunch and break times and enjoy helping younger children.

p.10

Commentary

11 Cultural development is good. The school arranges many visits and visitors to school so that pupils are provided with good opportunities to learn about local and national cultures. The use of links with art, music and food adds to the understanding of different cultures. Pupils also study how they can plan a community project in their own locality. The school has many displays in the school, which has a good impact on the cultural development of pupils. The circle time sessions are helping spiritual development, which is satisfactory overall. This is because it is less well developed. In some areas it is good but there are inconsistencies. For example, pupils in some classes are not always given time to reflect.

p.10

Commentary

12 Attendance in the last reported year is well below the national average and, although the level of attendance is similar to schools in the area. The current year shows similar absence rates, overall, with a large increase in the unauthorised absence rate. The absence due to holidays being taken in term time amounts to over 20 per cent of the total absence. Punctuality is satisfactory overall, although there are a number of pupils who are late on a regular basis. The level of unauthorised absence is well above the national average.

p.10

Commentary

13 The school satisfactorily promotes attendance with certificates and class recognition each week in assembly, but it does not monitor patterns in pupils’ absences closely to enable poor attendees to be carefully targeted. The school contacts parents whose children are not in school on a first-day basis if parents fail to notify them. It also works effectively with the Education Welfare Officer, who monitors the attendance of those pupils who are absent on a regular weekly basis. Registers are taken promptly and efficiently. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 11

p.10

Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year 2002 - 2003 (%)

p.11

Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 6.5 School data 0.9 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.

p.11

Exclusions

14 The school works hard with pupils to help them overcome problems through anger management, school council, buddies and more recently Investors in Pupils. As a result, there have been no exclusions since 2002 in accordance with the school’s ‘no exclusions policy’. There have been no exclusions in the last school year.

p.11

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good overall . Strengths include provision in the Foundation Stage, teaching and learning, the curriculum, partnerships with parents and the community and the school’s commitment to inclusion, which is excellent.

p.11

Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and, as a result, pupils achieve well . The quality of assessment of pupils’ work is also good overall.

p.11

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage is often very good and so aids children’s very good achievement • Significant improvement has been made in teaching and learning since the last inspection • Teachers have very high expectations of pupils and as a result, their attitudes to learning and their behaviour are very good • Teaching and learning of those pupils who have special educational needs is good. • Teachers promote a good dialogue with their pupils in lessons about how to improve their work, but marking does not consistently extend this positive support.

p.11

Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 46 lessons

p.11

Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.11

Commentary

0 (0%) 8 (17%) 21 (46%) 16 (35%) 1 (2%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

p.11

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.

p.11

Commentary

15 Teachers and support assistants in the Foundation Stage work very effectively as a team and, together, they plan to meet their children’s needs very well through a stimulating range of activities. As a result, children enjoy what they are doing and their subsequent learning aids their very good achievement across the curriculum. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 12 16 Teaching throughout the school has improved since the last inspection and is now good. Good and very good teaching was observed across the school. The strongest teaching consistently challenged all pupils to achieve their very best because planning was particularly effective in meeting pupils’ needs. Effective whole-school planning is a feature of teaching in ICT, where a significant impact has been made on pupils’ progress over time. Pupils are now achieving standards that are above the national average. Where unsatisfactory teaching

p.11

Commentary

was observed it reflected a lack of pace and there was limited opportunity for pupils to reflect on their learning and pupils did not achieve sufficiently well during the lesson.

p.12

Commentary

17 All teachers are committed to the principle of inclusion and this is evident in the very good relationships that are established throughout the school. Teachers have very high expectations of pupils to behave very well and to work hard. As a result, the majority of pupils respond very well and demonstrate very good attitudes to learning. Parents are appreciative of the very positive relationships that exist in school and the good quality of teaching that supports their children’s learning.

p.12

Commentary

18 The teachers and teaching assistants make every effort to support pupils with special educational needs, and they do this well. The teachers have full responsibility for the implementation of the individual education plans. The teaching assistants are knowledgeable and provide valuable support, either working with pupils on an individual basis or working with groups. As a result of this very effective teaching and support, pupils who have special educational needs achieve well.

p.12

Commentary

19 Assessment is good overall. In Foundation Stage, children’s achievements are carefully tracked and the staff have a good range of supportive materials that provides evidence of children’s progress. The information is passed on to staff as children move into Year 1 and is used well as part of a more ‘seamless’ transition into their next phase of education. The school’s system that is in place to collect data about pupils’ progress as they move through the infant and junior classes is effective and supports the setting arrangements that are used in English and mathematics. A good feature of ongoing assessment is the dialogue that occurs between teachers and pupils to help them understand how best to improve their work. However, teachers’ marking is not consistently used to provide evaluative comments that remind pupils of these conversations about how to improve the quality of their work.

p.12

The curriculum

Curriculum provision is good overall . The school provides a good range of learning opportunities for all pupils. Provision for those pupils with special educational needs is good. Accommodation is very good. Resources are good for those pupils in the Foundation Stage and satisfactory for the pupils from Years 1 to 6.

p.12

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Curriculum planning is good overall and effective links are made between different subjects. • The curriculum for the children in the Foundation Stage is very good overall. • The school is fully inclusive, committed to ensuring all pupils, including those with special educational needs, have full equality of access and opportunity. • The curriculum is enriched by a good range of activities to support pupils’ learning • The school’s strong commitment to developing provision for ICT makes a very good contribution to pupils’ learning in this area • The scheme of work for religious education is not consistently followed by all teachers • Accommodation has improved since the last inspection and is now very good; resources are satisfactory overall but are inadequate for indoor physical education. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 13

p.12

Commentary

20 school provides a good, well planned curriculum for all its pupils. It fully meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and provides effectively for the teaching of sex education and drugs awareness. Since the last inspection, the school has introduced new planning strategies that have improved provision and the development of skills as pupils move through the school. The teachers make every effort to ensure the curriculum is interesting, and present pupils with an imaginative range of learning experiences through which they can apply their knowledge, skills and understanding to a range of subjects in meaningful ways. The teachers plan work effectively for the parallel classes to ensure all pupils have equality of opportunity. Planning takes into account the different abilities and age groups in the school and good emphasis is placed on promoting literacy skills.

p.13

Commentary

21 The curriculum for the children in the Foundation Stage is very good overall. There are stimulating areas set out in the classroom to meet the requirements of the areas of learning, and planning takes full account of children’s developing needs as they progress towards the early learning goals. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been sensibly adapted to the school’s circumstances and improving standards show the school’s success in these subjects. The use of literacy in other subjects is developing very well. Pupils have many opportunities to use their reading and communication skills in a wide variety of situations.

p.13

Commentary

22 This is a fully inclusive school. There is a strong commitment to equal opportunities. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. All pupils have equal access to learning activities. They are fully included in all aspects of school life and are well prepared for the next stage of their education. An up-to-date list of pupils with special educational needs is kept and there is a strong emphasis on catering for their needs within planning and in the grouping of pupils. All the pupils are valued and their individual needs are well catered for.

p.13

Commentary

23 The match of teachers and support staff is good overall and teaching assistants make a positive contribution to pupils’ learning. Their expertise is particularly effective in supporting those pupils with special educational needs. Their support is having a very positive impact on developing pupils’ self-confidence and social skills.

p.13

Commentary

24 The range of additional activities that enrich the curriculum is good overall. The pupils from Years 2 to 6 can take part in a wide range of additional activities, including gardening, book making, ICT, country dancing, football and cricket. The school has employed specialist coaching staff to enhance provision in physical education during and after the school day. Pupils and parents appreciate this initiative very much. Opportunities to take part in musical activities, however, are limited. The school has a policy that all pupils have a basic entitlement to take part in at least one visit a year. The good range of visits and visitors to the school enhances the curriculum and extends pupils’ learning in a variety of ways. For example, the annual Year 4 and Year 6 residential visits provide the pupils with opportunities to experience outdoor adventure activities.

p.13

Commentary

25 Since the last inspection there has been an improvement in accommodation and this is of particular note with regard to provision for ICT, which is now very good. The ICT suite provides very good access to hard- and software materials to support learning across the curriculum, and is well used by staff and pupils alike. The quality of the ICT provision has had a significant impact on pupils’ interest and motivation and, with teachers’ improved expertise, has promoted pupils’ very good achievement. The curriculum for religious education is satisfactory overall. However, teachers in Years 3 to 6 do not consistently ensure that it is rigorously followed. As a result, children in the junior classes do not achieve as well as they should. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 14 26 The accommodation is very good overall. The school makes very good use of all its available space. For example, the indoor environmental area provides a very good focal point for group

p.13

Commentary

work and relaxation, and the pupils take a very active part in maintaining the indoor plants and water features. Similarly, the school’s large outdoor grounds have been imaginatively developed to promote learning.

p.14

Commentary

27 The quality of displays throughout the school is very good and learning resources are satisfactory overall, with a good level of resources in the Foundation Stage. However, resources for indoor physical education are inadequate. The ‘small’ equipment is in a poor condition and there is a limited range of apparatus for gymnastics.

p.14

Care, guidance and support

Provision for the care, guidance and support of pupils is very good . The pupil’s views are taken into account through the school council. Effective child protection procedures are in place.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school takes very good care of its pupils and this is evident in all aspects of the school’s work. • Staff take the time to get to know their pupils very well and this supports their effective induction to school and their transition through it • Pupils become confident by the time they leave school because of the good programme of work in personal, social, health and citizenship education. § The involvement of pupils in the school by seeking and acting upon their views is good.

p.14

Commentary

28 The governors, headteacher and his staff have the best interests of every pupil at heart in all of the school’s activities. This is a strong feature of the school’s work and can be seen in the way that staff work hard to ensure that every pupil is well looked after. Pupils feel confident that they can approach members of staff with a problem and get good help. The headteacher, governors and the caretaker work together well to ensure that the school grounds and buildings are safe and secure. For example, all statutory testing of equipment is carried out and the school is maintained and cleaned to a high standard. Effective child protection arrangements are in place, with a named teacher and named governor. The procedures have been recently updated and are to be reviewed in line with the local education authority’s policy.

p.14

Commentary

29 There are good systems for children starting school, both for those starting at the beginning of the year and those joining later. Those joining later are settled quickly with the help of pupils who act as ‘buddies’. The school has just been awarded ‘Investors in Pupil’s’ status, which reinforces the commitment to the school of the staff, pupils and all those involved in the school. The good induction helps pupils to settle quickly into school life and to achieve well right from the start.

p.14

Commentary

30 The school helps pupils to become confident by the time they leave school. This is because of a good programme of personal, social, health and citizenship education and an emphasis on pupils taking responsibilities. Pupils are rewarded for their good behaviour and attitudes, and this is helping them to become confident individuals. Their achievements are celebrated through achievement assemblies, where certificates are given for a range of achievements. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well through good programmes of work and good help from teachers and support staff. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 15 31 The school council has representatives from each class. The class elects the council members and the pupils take their responsibilities very seriously. The council, set up earlier this year, has discussed and looked at improved playground facilities. The lunchtime supervision of the pupils is good. The supervisors have been trained to enable them to

p.14

Commentary

supervise the pupils safely and effectively. There are trained first-aiders to ensure that minor incidents are dealt with.

p.15

The school’s partnership with parents and the community is good. The school has very

good links overall with other schools and colleges.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are supportive of school • Information to parents is good • Links with parents whose children have special educational needs are satisfactory overall and have been identified for further development • The school has good arrangements for the transfer of pupils to the local secondary school • The school has very good links with local colleges.

p.15

Commentary

32 Responses in the parental questionnaire and at the parents’ meeting indicate good support for the school. It tries hard to involve parents with its work, has carried out surveys on their opinions and invites them into school for assemblies and events. These activities are well attended. There are a good number of parents who help in school on a regular basis. Unfortunately, there are a number of parents who take their children out of school for holidays in term time, which has a large negative impact on levels of attendance.

p.15

Commentary

33 Parents feel very happy to approach the school to discuss any issues or concern. Parents’ opinions are taken into account and they like the communication between the school and home. Their concerns are taken seriously and dealt with quickly and effectively. Parents are supportive of social and fund-raising events and are happy to help but do not always get involved in the planning and organisation.

p.15

Commentary

34 The school provides parents with good information through regular newsletters, the school prospectus and annual report to parents that are helpful and informative. Parents are also provided with family learning opportunities in ICT and literacy and numeracy courses. The literacy course, ‘Keeping up with Children’ was well attended and enabled parents to more fully understand their children’s learning at school. There is a good annual report on progress each summer term, that provide a clear picture of what the pupils can do and contains targets on what needs to be done next to improve. In addition, the consultation evening held each term is generally well attended and if parents are unable to attend, alternative arrangements are made.

p.15

Commentary

35 The school has satisfactory systems in place to support parents and carers of pupils with special educational needs. Every effort is made to ensure that parents are fully informed about their child’s developmental needs as they go through the assessment procedures. The teachers and special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) review pupils’ individual plans on a termly basis. Information is shared with parents at parents’ meetings or annual reviews. The sharing of information with parents has been identified for further development to include receiving copies of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and invitations to IEP reviews. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 16 36 There are good links with the receiving secondary school, which helps to promote a smooth transition into Year 7 and minimise disruption to the pupils’ education. For example, teachers from the school come in to teach science and French and Year 6 pupils attend the school for

p.15

Commentary

an induction day to help them settle into their new environment.

p.16

Commentary

37 The school also provides work experience places for pupils from the local secondary school and also provides placements for initial teacher training. Links and partnerships established to support the initial teacher training programme are very good and has enabled the school to maintain a low pupil-adult ratio, which, in turn, aids achievement.

p.16

Commentary

38 The school has good links with the community, for example, with visitors coming into the school from the police, fire, church and health service. Grandparents and others are invited in to school to aid children’s understanding of history, for example by talking about the second world war and, during the inspection, pupils were spell bound as they were told about the events from people who had experienced it.

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Both the leadership and management of the school are good. The governance of the school is good.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good leadership of the headteacher has created a school with a very good ethos in which relationships are very good and all feel valued. • All leaders in school are committed to inclusion, which is excellent • Co-ordinators are not consistently monitoring their subject and so weaknesses are sometimes missed • Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are very good, and they are good for special educational needs • The governors are clear about the strengths and weaknesses of the school and are active in its support.

p.16

Commentary

39 The headteacher is a good leader who has successfully created a school with a very good ethos in which pupils feel valued and secure, and in which relationships are very good. He has established a good team of adults in which each plays a valuable part in promoting the best interests of the pupils. Leadership of key staff in the school is good. An excellent commitment to inclusion is central to the school’s work. The promotion of stability and a concern that every individual in the school matters is a high priority. As a result, the school has recently won the ‘Investors in Pupils’ award.

p.16

Commentary

40 Management is good overall. Day to day, the school runs smoothly. Efficient routines are in place and the school is an orderly community. The headteacher has made the decision to adopt a ‘flat management’ style in which every teacher has a responsibility and all are equally valued. Systems for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school have improved significantly since the time of the last inspection. Monitoring of attendance, however, is an area that requires further development. In respect of pupils’ performance, data is collected and analysed and areas of weakness identified and addressed. For example, problem solving in mathematics was an area identified and has now improved. An area for further development in management is coordinator monitoring of teaching and learning and curriculum development. Although teachers are regularly observed teaching, this is not done sufficiently by core subject coordinators in order to identify areas of strength and

p.16

Commentary

development. For example, in religious education, teachers are not consistently meeting the requirements of the scheme of work in Years 3 to 6. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 17 41 The school improvement plan correctly concentrates on improving the quality of educational provision in the school, with an emphasis on raising standards and the achievements of all pupils. The headteacher has a good grasp of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and is aware of the areas for further development, for example reading and writing. Standards in reading have improved this year and performance management targets have been set to improve standards in writing. The current focus of the improvement plan is for ‘Excellence and Enjoyment’ of the school curriculum, which is designed to increase the quality of the experience for both pupils and teachers. He receives strong support in this from senior staff,

p.16

Commentary

who are very good role models for other staff and pupils.

p.17

Commentary

42 The leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are very good and, as a result, children make a very good start to their school life. The focus on the development of children’s communication and language skills reflects the school’s understanding of the importance of counteracting pupils’ low skills in this area, which presents a barrier to learning. The good promotion of literacy across the curriculum acts as a focus to aid pupils’ learning throughout the school.

p.17

Commentary

43 The new special educational needs co-ordinator leads and manages this area well, demonstrating expertise and concern for the pupils. Working with the teachers and external agencies, the school is effective in identifying the needs of those pupils with special educational needs. Good recording systems to identify need and monitor pupil progress are in place. However, these are in need of further development in order to ensure that information is collated on those pupils who give ‘cause for concern’.

p.17

Commentary

44 The governors have a good working relationship with the headteacher and are clear about the strengths and weaknesses of the school. The headteacher takes care to ensure that governors are kept fully informed about the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Governors support the headteacher in his concern for valuing both adults and pupils in developing a caring and inclusive ethos. This they have done successfully. They are mindful of the implications of the school’s Race Relations policy and monitor its implementation through regular dialogue with school leaders. Governors monitor the school’s work and decisions made through regular visits to the school. Governors have observed lessons in order to understand better how the school functions and to learn more about modern education initiatives, such as the Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and developments in ICT. In addition, each governor meeting begins in a different classroom so that the class teacher can

p.17

Commentary

update governors on the work of that class.

p.17

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.17

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 883289 Balance from previous year 3390 Total expenditure 914967 Balance carried forward to the next -28288 Expenditure per pupil 2281

p.17

Financial information

45 Financial planning and monitoring are good and are supported well by day to day administration. The school is committed to having as low as possible teacher/pupil ratio and to employ a good range of support assistants to aid pupils’ achievement. In this and in other spending decisions governors demonstrate a good understanding of best value. Financial constraints, however, have necessitated the school setting a deficit budget in agreement with the local education authority. As a result of its good management the deficit is on target to be eliminated within two years. The school provides good value for money. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in the Foundation Stage is very good overall. Both the nursery and reception classes provide purposeful and stimulating environments in which young children learn, and this helps them to make a very good start to their school life. Induction into school is good and is supported well by the good links established with parents. The Foundation Stage staff form a very good team that is very well led and managed by the Foundation Stage coordinator. Very effective planning to meet the children’s needs, supported by good assessment procedures, enables children to achieve very well. Overall, this represents significant improvement since the time of the last inspection.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff have very high expectations of children to behave well and try their best and this aids children’s very good achievement • Very clear routines are clearly understood by children, who feel secure and confident • Activities to support children’s personal, social and emotional development aid children’s learning throughout the curriculum.

p.18

Commentary

46 Throughout their time in the Foundation Stage, all children are encouraged to become independent learners, regardless of whether they have special educational needs or are more able. Teachers and support staff have very high expectations of children to behave very well and to try their best. Through a very well planned range of activities that establish very clear and purposeful routines, children are encouraged to become curious and confident. A high level of care and support is provided and so children’s development is nurtured very well.

p.18

Commentary

47 Very good teaching is a feature of this area of learning and activities to support children’s personal, social and emotional development permeate the whole of the Foundation Stage curriculum. For example, music played in the shared area, where musical instruments are available to encourage independent music making, creates a positive environment for learning. Children are encouraged to take turns with outdoor play equipment and they wait patiently until they can have their go. In the Macdonald’s role-play area, children enjoy the opportunity to sell their goods and carefully wrap them for the ‘customers’. In creative activities, children share resources effectively, for example in clay modelling and paper sticking. At snack time, children take responsibility for carefully spreading butter and jam on their crackers. At all times, children’s confidence is boosted well by praise and encouragement. As a result, children achieve very well and the majority are likely to meet

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 19

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s speaking and listening skills are promoted very well • Teaching is of high quality, and places very good emphasis on reading and developing children’s emerging writing skills.

p.19

Commentary

48 When children start in the nursery they have limited skills in language and communication, and a minority have specific speech and language learning difficulties. Because of the children’s needs, the staff in the nursery and in the reception classes place great emphasis on the importance of speaking and listening in their teaching. All staff use very good questioning skills to encourage children to think, to develop their speech and to listen carefully. Specific learning programmes have been put in place with the aid of outside agencies to ensure that those children with specific speech problems have equal access to a stimulating and purposeful curriculum. Assessments of children’s needs are good and supported well by ongoing observation. Staff intervene to ensure that learning is fun and so aid children’s very good achievement.

p.19

Commentary

49 A feature of provision is the very good emphasis on the teaching of reading. Teachers use many ways to engage children’s interest; for example, the teacher in a reception class had made and shared her own self-written ‘Rhyme book’. The children were captivated by the sentences that rhymed and the pictures their teacher had drawn, and this provided a very good stimulus for the children to write their own book of rhymes. Similarly, in a lesson taken by a support assistant, more able children were encouraged to read out their own rhymes, which they did very well. Opportunities for independent writing are supported very well and, at the writing table, they are encouraged to write their own name and to make and write a card for someone. Praise and encouragement are features of the highly effective teaching that takes place in the Foundation Stage, and so aids children’s very good achievement.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Practical activities are planned to promote children’s interest and enjoyment • Learning is fun and so children achieve very well

p.19

Commentary

50 The Foundation Stage staff plan a very good range of activities to support the development of children’s mathematical skills. From an early age, children are provided with experiences to help their development and good links are made across the curriculum to support their skills. For example, during a ‘phonics’ lesson in the nursery, children sang ‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5 once I caught a fish alive’ and so helped develop their counting skills. In reception, children can order numbers from 10 to 20 and, through practical activities, they add up and take away numbers up to 20. They enjoy making repeating patterns and more able children in reception can use three shapes and three colours to complete this activity. Children use a range of mathematical vocabulary such as ‘longest’, ‘shortest’, longer than’ and ‘shorter than’ and water play enables them to understand the concept of ‘full’ and ‘empty’. Children in reception

p.19

Commentary

use whiteboards to record the cost of items from the shop; for example coca cola and a chocolate bar. During a discussion about this activity, they could remember which item cost Carlton Junior and Infant School - 20 the most. They added the prices of their items very well; for example 10p + 3p + 4p = 17p. Children achieve very well because learning is fun.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are confident when using computers and programmable toys • A range of very good learning opportunities are organised to develop children’s curiosity

p.20

Commentary

51 When children start in the nursery, many have limited experiences of the world around them, however, children of all abilities achieve very well, including those with special educational needs. A key feature of the high quality provision that supports children’s very good achievement is that learning opportunities are varied and support the development of children’s curiosity. For example, during a very good lesson in the nursery, children were introduced to remote-control cars. Following a very good explanation about how the cars worked, the children used a handset to direct the car which way to move and to start and stop it. This activity was full of fun and grasped everyone’s interest, girls and boys alike. When challenged with driving the car up a ramp, the children responded very well. Through very good teaching, children were engaged in the activity very effectively. Similarly, children

p.20

Commentary

in the nursery and reception are confident to use computers. For example, through careful handling of the mouse they can select ‘spray can’ to decorate pictures they have drawn on the screen.

p.20

Commentary

52 Other experiences planned for the children include the investigation of their world. For example, through a topic on living things, children were fascinated to learn about the life cycle of frogs and, during a lesson, one child exclaimed with glee that the tadpoles now had legs! Children have had the opportunity to nurture chicks in an incubator, to go on walks and learn about the differences between man-made and natural objects. They have made bread, comparing the differences of making it by hand and using a bread maker. The staff also ensure that children develop an awareness of life in the multicultural world and, through a very positive range of experiences, children have enjoyed dressing up, making rangoli patterns and tasting Indian food during a Diwali project.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Outdoor provision contributes well to children’s physical development • Children sometimes find it hard to concentrate and follow instructions when the hall is used for physical activity lessons

p.20

Commentary

Carlton Junior and Infant School - 21 53 Provision in the outdoor area is good and includes a good range of opportunities to support children’s developing skills. Outdoor provision includes activities such as dressing up, washing socks and hanging them on the line to dry, a home corner, bats and balls, footballs, wheeled toys and a ‘pirate box’ where children can draw a treasure map. Children clearly enjoy these activities and this aids their learning and good achievement.

p.21

Commentary

54 In the classrooms a good range of activities are available that enable children to develop their manipulative skills well, through the use of scissors, paintbrushes, pencils, crayons and small construction equipment. Children concentrate well and try hard to achieve their best. Children also have the opportunity to go into the hall where, during a lesson, they showed that they could walk in time to the music, change direction, skip and jump. However, during this lesson, children did not concentrate as well as they could and many found it difficult to follow instructions.

p.21

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s creativity is developed very well through a stimulating range of activities • Very good links are made to other areas of learning to aid children’s achievement • Children sometimes find it hard to listen and follow instructions in more formal situations.

p.21

Commentary

55 Very good provision in this area of learning ensures that children have very good opportunities to experience a wide range of creative activities. They explore different media and develop a range of skills. For example, they learn about clay, what it fells like, smells like, looks like and what they can make with it. During a lesson in which children worked with clay, the dialogue between the teacher and children supported the development of children’s speaking and listening skills well as they investigated the different aspects of their clay. Children also have the opportunity to use the design area to make a building for their village of South Elmsall, such as shops and a fire station. They use chalks to smudge and blend, to make lines and blocks of colour. They have looked at the work of Claude Monet and used paint to and brushes create thick and thin lines and to dab small blocks of colour and horizontal and

p.21

Commentary

vertical lines. The quality of this provision aids children’s manipulative skills well.

p.21

Commentary

56 Musical instruments are available during the day for children’s independent access, and music is played to provide a soothing backdrop to the day’s activities. More formal music lessons are organised, and during this time children have the opportunity to sing songs. In one lesson, children joined in with their teacher, and clapped and patted to the beat of the music. Children enjoyed having the chance to play the instruments that were available during the lesson. However, they did not listen well to the teacher and found it hard to follow instructions. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 22

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching in Years 1 and 2 and very good teaching in Years 3 to 6 enables pupils to achieve well overall. • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. • Literacy lessons are well organised to cater for the needs of pupils’ wide ranges of ability. • Pupils achieve very well in reading, but strategies used by teachers to monitor pupils’ progress are inconsistent. • The use of the library is underdeveloped • Pupils achieve well in writing, which has correctly been identified as an area for further improvement. • Subject leadership is good.

p.22

Commentary

57 The quality of teaching is good overall, with some very good teaching seen in Years 3 to 6. The teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge, skills and understanding. They manage the teaching of pupils of different abilities very well, and cover all elements of the literacy strategy. When the teaching is very good the teachers provide a range of challenging activities that help pupils to develop their literacy skills through purposeful and enjoyable activities and this results in pupils achieving well. In Year 6, for example, pupils worked very well when creating a diary for Cinderella from Roald Dahl’s ‘Revolting Rhymes’. Pupils concentrate well in lessons and work hard. The depth and range of provision is greatly enhanced by the valuable support provided by teaching assistants.

p.22

Commentary

58 The quality of teaching enables children to achieve well overall. Standards in Year 2 are average in reading and below average in writing. Although national test results are lower than at the previous inspection, this is partly because attainment on entry has fallen since that time. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well, particularly in reading. In Year 6, standards are in line with those expected for this age group. However, when compared with similar schools, the pupils attain standards well beyond the average. The National Curriculum test results, including the most recent assessments, demonstrate that standards have improved since the previous inspection. Achievement in Years 3 to 6 is good overall.

p.22

Commentary

59 Pupils with special educational needs achieve well overall, and make good progress towards the specific targets in their individual education plans. The good arrangements for grouping according to their prior attainment in English helps the school to place good support where it is most needed. A significant number of pupils achieve standards beyond those expected when compared with levels of prior attainment. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 23 60 Literacy lessons are organised well to ensure that pupils’ needs are met in speaking and listening, reading and writing. A key need is for the school to overcome the potential barrier to learning that relates to pupils’ literacy skills. This is because when the children enter the school their language and literacy skills are well below what might be expected nationally. Many of the younger pupils are limited by a restricted vocabulary. Consequently, both their

p.22

Commentary

understanding and their ability to communicate effectively are hampered. Staff work hard to help pupils to extend their vocabulary by giving clear instructions and explanations, encouraging the pupils to talk to each other and using drama activities and role play to help pupils to communicate confidently. By Year 6, most of the pupils speak confidently, have a wide vocabulary and can make themselves understood. The good development of their listening skills adds much to the pupils’ ability to learn and to achieve their full potential.

p.23

Commentary

61 Pupils by Year 6 achieve very well in reading, with the development of their knowledge and enjoyment going hand in hand with the development of their reading skills. Standards are well below average when they start school. Staff have worked hard and successfully to drive up standards in reading. As a result of the good work that is happening, the majority of pupils attain levels in reading that are in line with those expected for their age in Year 6. There is a structured reading programme, with pupils working through published schemes. There are good opportunities during the school day for pupils to engage in group, paired and silent reading. Pupils, especially older ones, develop a preference for the work of different authors. Jacqueline Wilson, Roald Dahl and JK Rowling are firm favourites. Pupils’ enthusiasm for reading is seen at its best when one Year 6 boy was able to describe in depth why he enjoyed

p.23

Commentary

62 The school has developed a home reading scheme. This is satisfactorily resourced. However, strategies for teachers to monitor the pupils’ ability to read the books are inconsistent. The pupils reading records are variable in quality, and provide limited opportunities for a dialogue between home and school on reading progress. Further development of the home reading scheme has been acknowledged by the school as an area for development. The school makes very good use of the local library and pupils visit on a regular basis to borrow books for their class. However, access to the school library is limited. The location of the books restricts access and opportunities for pupils to borrow books to take home as well as limiting opportunities to develop pupils’ independent reference skills.

p.23

Commentary

63 Staff are working hard to improve standards in writing, which are below average in Years 1 and 2 and average in Year 6. However, pupils achieve well because of the good teaching and their has been an improvement in achievement for all the pupils. The pupils in Years 1 and 2 make good progress. For example, in poetry writing about fish in the sea, the pupils in Year 2 develop their ideas using good descriptive vocabulary, including alliteration. From Year 3 onwards, the more able pupils feel confident about intermixing description, dialogue and action in their stories. They show maturity when handling punctuation and accurately punctuate direct speech in their work. In Year 6, the pupils bring in elements of creativity to their writing with good effect. They know how to hold a writers interest, using humour effectively. Punctuation and spelling are usually accurate, although handwriting is not always

p.23

Commentary

neat and legible. The pupils demonstrate an ability to write across a range of genres, including poetry, instructional text and persuasive writing. Opportunities for the pupils to use ICT to support the development of writing are used very effectively. The school is continuing to target writing for improvement, and recognises the need to ensure better marking so that pupils are quite clear about what they have to do to improve.

p.23

Commentary

64 Subject leadership is good. The new English leadership team has made a good start. They have a clear grasp of what needs to be done to improve provision and standards, and they have worked well with staff to put improvement strategies into place. For example, the ongoing development of planning, assessment and tracking of pupil progress has led to more consistency throughout the school. However, the English team are aware that these systems need to be refined for easier monitoring and use. The subject leaders are Carlton Junior and Infant School - 24 knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Relationships are good and the staff are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities.

p.23

Language and literacy across the curriculum

65 Pupils use their language and literacy skills well in other subjects. Pupils make good use of their speaking skills across the curriculum because they are frequently engaged in discussion and debates about a range of tasks and topics. Some of the best work was seen in a Year 6 history and drama lesson, when pupils confidently interviewed each other for a job on board a Tudor sailing ship. Reading and writing skills are also used in many areas of the curriculum, including ICT, history and geography. Opportunities for pupils to use library books to develop their reference skills in other subjects are limited.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and this leads to pupils’ good achievement • The school emphases well the teaching of problem solving • Marking does not consistently help pupils understand how they can improve their work • Leadership is good and has enabled good improvement since the last inspection.

p.24

Commentary

66 The quality of teaching is good overall and, as a result, pupils across the school achieve well; higher attaining pupils achieve particularly well at problem solving. During the inspection some very good and a small amount of unsatisfactory teaching were observed. Very good teaching is characterised by the challenge presented for pupils, and so learning is fun. This was seen in a Year 2 lesson for the more able pupils, for example. In this lesson, pupils responded particularly well to the amusing situations created to generate problems for them to solve. Acting out a problem also helped them to find the solution.

p.24

Commentary

67 Most teachers follow the Numeracy Strategy and begin lessons with a mental and oral activity. The activities planned by teachers are good. They sharpen pupils’ quick responses to problems and help them develop their own range of strategies to deal with them effectively. Where unsatisfactory teaching was observed, a slow pace and few opportunities provided for pupils to reflect on the best way to solve the problems given to them meant that pupils did not achieve as much as they could.

p.24

Commentary

68 Teachers establish very good relationships with their pupils and, as a result, pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes to learning are very good. This positive working atmosphere supports the effective dialogue that teachers have with their pupils about how they might improve their work. There is, however, inconsistency in the way some teachers use targets in their everyday teaching, and marking in some classes is weak. Pupils in these classes do not have a clear idea of how to improve.

p.24

Commentary

69 The subject is well led and managed satisfactorily. The management team has achieved much in addressing the issues of the previous inspection. The records of pupils’ progress from the end of Year 2 to Year 6 show that the higher attaining pupils are now achieving well. Other areas of weakness identified at the last inspection were the day-to-day assessment of pupils and the use of homework. Day-to-day assessment is now good and work is generally well matched to pupils needs. Relevant homework is given regularly. From their analysis of Carlton Junior and Infant School - 25 performance data the leadership and management team identified that there was a weakness in pupils’ ability to solve problems. This weakness has been a focus for improvement. It is now a strong area for the higher attaining pupils and is improving for others. An area identified for further development in leadership and management is in the

p.24

Commentary

monitoring of teaching and learning. Co-ordinators have insufficient opportunities to monitor teachers' planning or teaching and have not, therefore, been able to identify the inconsistencies that were observed during the inspection.

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

70 The use of mathematics across the curriculum is satisfactory. There are some good examples of mathematics planned to link with other subjects. For example, there is good use of data to interpret pupils’ findings in science and, in ICT, pupils are helped to learn more about data handling.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall and they achieve standards that are in line with the national average. • The school does not have an agreed approach to the teaching of investigative science • Marking does not consistently help pupils understand how they can improve their work

p.25

Commentary

71 Pupils’ achieve satisfactorily and attain average standards in Year 2 and Year 6 in aspects of knowledge and understanding of science. Pupils in Year 2 talk confidently about how to keep their bodies healthy and know that, as well as eating the right sort of food, they have to exercise and keep clean. They have experienced practical activities when they have grown plants and they know that they need light and water to survive. They have tried bending materials and understand that some will bend and others will not. Pupils in Year 6 talk confidently about a range of scientific phenomena. They have a particularly good understanding of how matter changes state and use the terms ‘evaporation’ and ‘condensation’ confidently and accurately to describe different things they have seen happening.

p.25

Commentary

72 Pupils understanding of how to investigate science is underdeveloped overall. This is because the school does not have an agreed approach to teaching this aspect. Pupils in some classes regularly conduct investigations. In Year 4, for example, pupils use a worksheet that prompts them to think about what they are doing and, in particular, what they should change and what they should keep the same. In other classes, pupils say that they often watch the teacher demonstrate and they sometimes copy the activity the teacher has done. In discussion with Year 6 pupils, a minority were unable to explain what a fair test is. Scrutiny of work in pupils’ books also indicates that they have few opportunities to raise their own questions and plan their own investigations.

p.25

Commentary

73 Teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teachers are secure in their knowledge and understanding and they use a satisfactory range of activities to maintain pupils’ interest. For example, in Year 5 the teacher used pupils to demonstrate the movement of the Earth around the sun, and then showed them a video to explain the seasons. Visits to places of interest such as to ‘The Deep’ in Hull have also been used to enhance the pupils’ learning and Carlton Junior and Infant School - 26 enjoyment of the subject. Assessment is satisfactory. However, the marking of pupils’ work in some classes does not always inform the pupils how well they are achieving and what they can do to improve.

p.25

Commentary

74 Leadership and management are satisfactory and standards have been maintained since the last inspection. However, the coordinators are aware of the need to develop a whole school approach to the teaching of investigative science.

p.26

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is very good .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There has been a significant improvement in provision since the last inspection; pupils now achieve very well and attain standards that are above expectations • Opportunities to use e-mail to exchange information are limited • Teachers’ confidence has improved and they now demonstrate good knowledge, skills and understanding when teaching ICT; this, in turn, motivates pupils to learn. • Very good, strong leadership with a strong focus on training and support has led to very good improvement since the last inspection.

p.26

Commentary

75 Since the last inspection provision for ICT has improved significantly. At that time, provision was unsatisfactory. However, since then much has happened to help the school move on. The quality and quantity of resources have improved significantly, with computers in all classrooms. In addition, a large suite of computers has been installed that are linked to the Internet, to which all pupils have timetabled access. This has resulted in the school being able to use computers effectively to develop skills. The quality of provision has had a significant impact on pupils’ achievement, which is very good, and standards achieved are now above expectations.

p.26

Commentary

76 Pupils throughout the school acquire very good computer skills, building successfully on the work begun in the Foundation Stage. For example, pupils in Year 1 use the keyboard and mouse with confidence. Their word-processing skills are developing well. They use the shift key to write capitals and the delete button to erase work. Pupils in Year 2 can create patterns, label diagrams and produce graphs. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 make very good progress in building on the skills developed in the early years. Older pupils combine word processing, graphics and multimedia programs to good effect. For example, a Year 6 pupil described well the multimedia presentation he had made to advertise a film, demonstrating an ability to use text boxes, change and move text and create images. All pupils use the computers confidently and with enthusiasm. They have a very positive attitude towards learning, and work independently on the tasks set. Data handling skills are developed very

p.26

Commentary

well; the Year 6 pupils use spreadsheets with accuracy. The pupils make good use of the Internet for research. However, the use of e-mail to exchange information, and opportunities for control and modelling, are limited.

p.26

Commentary

77 The pupils are well motivated to learn and are often totally absorbed in the task set. This motivation is related to good teaching. Since the previous inspection, the teachers’ knowledge, skills and understanding have improved significantly. Teachers have access to a well planned curriculum that is grounded in the national guidelines. This enables them to systematically help pupils to acquire knowledge, skills and understanding. Teachers show confidence in helping pupils to learn. They have high expectations of what pupils should be achieving and the ability to support them when needed. Support assistants also work Carlton Junior and Infant School - 27 effectively in the ICT suite and are knowledgeable about their work. With good support and work that matches their needs well the pupils with special educational needs make good progress too. Similarly, the suite of computers is used well to support family learning, and

p.26

Commentary

parents who visit school to work with their children on the computers.

p.27

Commentary

78 Subject leadership is very good overall. Since the previous inspection, when provision was unsatisfactory, ICT has been a very high priority for development. The two subject leaders have good subject knowledge, skills and enthusiasm, and motivate all members of the school community to extend their knowledge and skills. The school has introduced strategies for assessment, with individual monitoring of pupil progress against the National Curriculum levels. However, the school is aware that assessment and monitoring are areas for further development.

p.27

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

79 The school is developing a well-planned programme to use ICT across the curriculum. This is evident in the pupils’ work on display and in activities observed. For example, as part of their topic on the seaside, Year 2 pupils used computers to locate seaside resorts on a map of the British Isles, to learn more about their geographical features. In Year 6, pupils researched the Internet well to enrich their work about the Tudors in history.

p.27

HUMANITIES

80. Insufficient evidence was available during the time of the inspection to make secure judgements on provision in history and geography, and so these subjects have been sampled.

p.27

HUMANITIES

81. Only one lesson was seen in geography . However, from the evidence available it would appear that an appropriate range of topics has been covered. Good use is made of national guidelines in curricular planning, and learning is enhanced by visits out of school and visitors to school. For example, the pupils were inspired by the visit of a mountaineer. Annual residential visits to Hornsea, for Years 4 and 6, provide good opportunities to develop physical geography skills on coastal erosion. Geography in Years 1 and 2 is closely linked to topic work. For example, as part of the project on the seaside, pupils had to find resorts on a map of the British Isles. Pupils in Year 6 can describe the efforts made to reclaim the land since the local mine closed. Information and communication technology is used well to support learning in geography. The new subject leader is enthusiastic and knowledgeable,

p.27

HUMANITIES

and has qualifications in geography. In the short time she has been in post she has monitored standards through scrutiny of work, and she has recently introduced new assessment procedures.

p.27

HUMANITIES

82. Not enough work was seen in history to enable a secure judgement to be made about provision throughout the school. In the one lesson seen in Year 6, good questioning allowed pupils to demonstrate a secure knowledge of famous explorers in Tudor times. A scrutiny of work on display and in pupils’ books, curriculum shows that coverage of the subject is what might be expected for pupils in Year 2 and Year 6. The teachers plan a satisfactory range of activities to enhance learning, including visits to places of historical interest. During a discussion, pupils from Year 6 spoke with interest about periods of history they had studied, including the visit they made to a medieval village. Visitors to the school are included in history lessons. For example, during the inspection two local residents talked about their experiences during World War 2 to pupils in Year 4. The subject is led and managed by a

p.27

HUMANITIES

subject leader who is new to her post. She has already completed an audit of provision and produced an action plan for future development. She has scrutinised books to assess standards. However, observation of lessons has yet to take place. Planning and subject leadership have improved since the last inspection. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 28

p.27

Religious education

Provision in religious education is unsatisfactory overall

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6 • The coordinator has a good vision for the subject but monitoring has not been sufficiently rigorous.

p.28

Commentary

83. Pupils’ achievement in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory overall. A scrutiny of pupils’ work indicates that the curriculum is broad and balanced, and covers the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Through discussion, pupils in Year 2 demonstrated that they have a secure understanding of Islam and Christianity. They know about religious festivals and understand that special books such as the Koran and the Bible have particular significance to Muslims and Christians. They talk with enthusiasm about their visits to the Church, and remember visitors to school who have talked about religion in assemblies. The achievement of pupils in Years 3 to 6, however, is unsatisfactory overall. A scrutiny of their work indicates that the curriculum coverage is inconsistent between classes and does not always meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. A discussion with pupils in Year 6 demonstrated their very limited understanding of faiths other than Christianity. Further to

p.28

Commentary

this, when recounting a visit to a local church, they spoke with enthusiasm about the patterns and materials used in the structures and artefacts, but had no recall of any of their religious significance.

p.28

Commentary

84. Of the lessons observed, teaching and learning was judged to be satisfactory overall. Very good relationships supported a good level of discussion when considering planned topics such as ‘leaders,’ or in considering ‘Raksha Bhandan,’ the Hindu festival. Scrutiny of work, however, indicates that the outcome of lessons is often seen in pieces of art work. As a result, pupils sometimes lose sight of the religious significance of their study, as demonstrated in discussion with them. Similarly, opportunities are lost to develop, for example, pupils’ thinking skills on religious issues, or language skills, such as in extended writing.

p.28

Commentary

85. The co-ordinator has worked hard to put in place a scheme of work that reflects the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. In this respect her vision and aspirations for the subject are good. However, monitoring of the curriculum, and teaching and learning, have not been sufficiently rigorous to identify that some classes have not been covering elements of the scheme of work and, as a result, that pupils in Years 3 to 6 are not achieving as well as they should.

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

86. During the inspection, there was not enough evidence to make secure judgements on provision in art and design, design and technology, music and physical education.

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

87. It is evident from looking at pupils’ work in art and design that there is a wide range of interesting planned activities and a broad range of resources for pupils to use. For example, pupils in Year 2 experience an appropriate range of learning opportunities and use different media and techniques. They use charcoal to create drawings of buildings. They use a spatula to provide texture in their sunflower paintings in the style of Van Gogh. They research and design posters about how to keep safe. Older pupils create their own pictures in the style of Monet. In a part of a lesson observed in Year 6, pupils were investigating how Carlton Junior and Infant School - 29 materials could be used before designing and making their own masks. Around the school there are several good examples to be seen where the pupils have used clay to produce masks and pots. Pupils use ICT well. Younger pupils have used a paint program to

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

produce pictures of reflections in water. Older pupils have used ICT to produce work in the style of Picasso.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

88. In design and technology , pupils experience a satisfactory range of materials such as textiles for making pencil cases in Year 6, and papier mâche in Year 5 to create masks of a high quality. Pupils begin to learn about mechanisms when in Year 4, for example, they made a model of a moving hand. Good links are made with other subjects. For example, in a Year 3 lesson effective links were made with geography, when pupils planned designs for what they wanted in a park. Similarly, pupils make Viking long boats and Tudor houses to support their work in history.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

89. In music , only one lesson was observed and that was in Year 6. During this lesson, pupils showed very good attitudes to learning, and their understanding of musical notation was supported well by the teacher’s good encouragement and explanation. The school has employed a pianist to accompany pupils when they join with other classes for singing in the hall. The teachers led this activity during the inspection and, whilst the sessions did not specifically develop pupils’ skills, they offered an opportunity for pupils to enjoy music making.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

90. Displays of photographs around the school about pupils’ work in physical education and a scrutiny of teachers’ planning indicate that pupils take part in a wide range of physical activities, including gymnastics, sport, athletics and swimming. In one lesson observed, the teacher had a good knowledge and understanding of the subject and was able to guide the pupils to improve their performance. A weakness observed during the inspection was in the quality of some of the indoor equipment and apparatus for physical education. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities to support pupils’ interests, for example football, netball and cricket, and there is a sports coach employed to enhance provision, both during the school day and to take after-school clubs. In discussion with pupils, they indicated that they particularly enjoy ‘PE’.

p.29

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education is good

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has established a good programme for personal, social, health and citizenship education • Overall effective teaching and learning enables pupils to recognise and value each other as important members of their school community.

p.29

Commentary

91. Through effective provision, teaching and learning, pupils develop an increasing awareness of their personal development and responsibilities as they progress through the school. They are encouraged to become more confident and, in this, the school is largely successful. This is because of the good programme of personal, social, health and citizenship education in place that places a strong emphasis on pupils taking on responsibilities. For example, Year 6 pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for helping younger pupils at lunch-time, and the school council is a good forum for developing pupils’ responsibilities with regard to changes in the school. Pupils are encouraged in circle time to discuss social and personal issues. In a very good lesson observed in Year 1, the teacher read a story about two very good friends, one child having a specific educational need. The Carlton Junior and Infant School - 30

p.29

Commentary

very high quality questioning and discussion led by the teacher enabled pupils to understand the needs of others in their own class. Together they considered each other’s feelings and their responsibilities in making everyone feel valued as individuals. Overall, the promotion of citizenship is good. Pupils are also involved in environmental projects, for example in helping to re-design the school playground. Carlton Junior and Infant School - 31

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 1 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 3

p.31

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.31

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 6 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

p.31

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.31

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.31

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).

p.31