West Denton Primary School

WEST DENTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th – 10 th March 2004

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WEST DENTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 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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WEST DENTON 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. West Denton Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3-10 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 263

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Hillhead Road West Denton Newcastle upon Tyne Tyne and Wear Postcode: NE5 1DN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (0191) 267 4211 Fax number: (0191) 267 4211

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr P Whitfield

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

A school that was formerly a first school and one which is increasing its roll. This results from the school retaining pupils who would have left in Year 4 – they will now transfer at age 11 in Year 6. At present, the oldest pupils are in Year 5. The school roll is growing, therefore, and stands at 263 (123 boys and 140 girls) which is broadly average. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 19 per cent and this is broadly average. This is a declining figure, despite evidence to show that the area is one of high deprivation. There is a slightly higher than average proportion from ethnic minorities and whose home language is not English but this amounts to 13 pupils from minority of ethnic backgrounds – five are at an early stage of language acquisition. The proportion of pupils with special needs is average and that of those with statements is below average. Special needs include

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

specific learning/moderate learning difficulties, emotional and behavioural difficulties, speech and communication and autism. The attainment of children entering the Nursery is below what might be expected nationally.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school hosts students training to be teachers or Nursery nurses and has been recognised with the following awards:-

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Basic Skill Mark; Healthy schools; Investor in People; Chartermark; School Achievement Award (3 in total).

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

A new building for pupils in Years 3 to 6 is nearing completion. West Denton Primary School - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23101 Mr B Tyrer Lead inspector Mathematics Religious education Art and design Music Physical education 13762 Mr N Shelley Lay inspector 27773 Mrs F Mackenzie Team inspector English Geography History Special educational needs 10780 Mr D Orsborne Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Design technology Foundation Stage

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: Tribal PPI Barley House Oakfield Grove Clifton Bristol BS8 2BN

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637 833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). West Denton Primary School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 8 - 13

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very effective school that is providing very good value for money . The leadership and management of the school are excellent. The school is providing good quality education so that pupils make good progress and achieve well.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Pupils achieve well and standards for pupils in Years 2 and 5 are above expectations. • The quality of education is good. • Leadership and management are excellent. • The governance of the school is very good. • Attitudes and behaviour of pupils are very good. • Parents hold the school in very high regard and there are very good community links. • The school takes very good care of its pupils.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 reading C A D D writing C A B B mathematics A A A A Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is good overall. Results for pupils in Year 2 in National Curriculum tests in 2003 were well above average in mathematics and very high in teacher-assessed science for pupils reaching the expected level (Level 2 and above). They were above average in writing and below average in reading. This was also the case when compared with pupils in similar schools. Whilst these results were disappointing and not in keeping with the well-above-average results of the previous year they were not unexpected. Towards the end of the year, the 2003 cohort received a number of pupils who were new to the school and the measures put in place to address the issue of their low attainment did not have sufficient time to impact significantly on standards. Inspection shows that remedial steps are having a good effect. Pupils in Years 2 and 5 are attaining standards that are above expectations in English, mathematics and science and which are in line with

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

expectations in information and communication technology, geography, history and religious education. All pupils, including those identified as gifted or talented and those with special educational needs, achieve well. Boys and girls make similar progress. Children enter the Nursery with levels of attainment that are generally lower than would be expected and, by virtue of good teaching, make good progress and at least achieve, and in some cases exceed, the expected levels by the time they enter Year 1. From that point on, again with the help of good teaching, these pupils continue to make good progress and achieve well.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good . Teaching and the curriculum are good. The quality of teaching is good, with a high proportion that is very good. Good teaching is seen in all classes. Pupils enjoy very good relationships with staff and fellow pupils and this is reflected in their very good attitudes and behaviour. Pupils with special educational needs and those who are gifted or talented make similarly good progress in relation to their ability and the targets that are set for them. The school takes very West Denton Primary School - 5 good care of its pupils, is highly inclusive and parents hold the school in very high regard. The school has very good links with the community.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The excellent leadership of the headteacher is primarily responsible for the excellent ethos of the school and the good achievement of its pupils. She is very well supported by the governing body who very effectively meet their statutory obligations. The deputy headteacher is providing excellent support and those other staff with extra responsibilities contribute very well to the excellent management of the school.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents hold very favourable views of the school and rightly so in the eyes of the inspection team. These views were made clear both at the meeting for parents and through their questionnaires. Indeed, there were no significant areas of discontent in what they reported. It is also clear from the results of their questionnaire, and from what parents say in conversation that pupils are very happy to be at this school.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The ability of the school to monitor and evaluate its own performance is excellent – this flows from the excellent leadership of the headteacher and the very good support of other stakeholders. The school has no areas of weakness. The school has identified areas for development in both the short and medium term. These are concerned with issues such as preparing the school to develop its provision for pupils as the school extends its age range to Year 6. The inspection team agrees that these are most appropriate for the school and that the school should continue to pursue the path it has outlined for itself. West Denton Primary School - 6

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Children in the Foundation Stage and pupils throughout the school are making good progress and are achieving well. This is chiefly due to the high quality teaching they receive which in turn results from the excellent leadership and management of the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well. • Pupils are achieving well throughout the school. • Standards are above expectation for pupils in Year 2 in reading, writing, mathematics and science and are above expectations for pupils in Year 5 in English, mathematics and science.

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Commentary

1. Pupils’ attainment in Year 2 in National Curriculum tests in 2003 was below average in reading, above average in writing and well above average in mathematics. In teacher-assessed science, the proportion reaching the expected level (Level 2 and above) was very high (in the top 5 per cent). The lower results in reading and writing from the previous year are attributable to the fact that the Year 2 cohort changed significantly as the tests neared with the arrival of new pupils who for differing reasons, had lower than average levels of attainment. (Inspection shows that the action plan produced to address this particular issue has been and continues to be successful). Over time, there is a good rate of improvement and this rate is better than that seen nationally – the school has won achievement awards for the three years up to 2003. The comparison of the 2003 results with similar schools is the same as that seen nationally. The

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Commentary

school does not have pupils in Year 6 yet, owing to its transition from a first school. There is no data for comparison as would be the case with the majority of primary schools with a fully- established complement of ages.

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Commentary

2. Children enter the Nursery with levels of attainment that are generally lower than might be expected nationally. Because of good teaching, they make good progress and achieve well so that by the time they have completed the Foundation Stage, they are achieving, if not exceeding, the expectations for their age. Inspection shows that pupils in Year 2 are achieving well, making good progress and attaining standards that are above expectation in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Those in Year 5 – currently the oldest pupils in the school - are also making good progress, achieving well and attaining levels that are above expectation for their age.

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Commentary

3. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are well taught and used effectively in support of other areas of the curriculum. Pupils in Years 2 and 5 are attaining levels that are in line with those expected in information and communication technology and which are similar to those expected of pupils who are using the same agreed syllabus in religious education. Standards in history and geography are average and no judgement is made about standards in physical education, art and design, design and technology and music.

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Commentary

4. Pupils with special educational needs are generally achieving well. In recent times, the school has undertaken measures to boost attainment in literacy and numeracy for different groups of pupils, including pupils with special educational needs. In both these areas, lower-attaining pupils, some of whom have special educational needs, attend special booster classes which provide opportunities for revision and consolidation of learning. In class work in core subjects, groups of special educational needs pupils are frequently given additional support by teaching assistants. This support enables them to participate fully in lessons. This enables them to West Denton Primary School - 7 achieve well. Most pupils with special education needs have regularly-defined targets for learning which are set and revised regularly, in consultation with pupils and parents. Most pupils make good progress towards achieving these targets. Pupils who are identified as gifted

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Commentary

or talented are provided for and make good progress. Whilst there is statistical evidence to show that boys have done better than girls in the past the inspection, and found no evidence to suggest that this was a continuing trait. The school has set itself targets for pupils of all ages and these are reasonably based on sound data.

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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 15.3 (17.7) 15.7 (15.8) writing 15.4 (16.1) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 17.5 (17.7) 16.3 (16.5) There were 41 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development are very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy school and participate very well in lessons and other activities. • Pupils’ behaviour and relationships are very good. • Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall.

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Commentary

5. The pupils are proud of their school, value their teachers and helpers and enjoy their lessons. They do their best to produce good work and they take full advantage of the various activities organised for them. Their positive attitudes and very good standard of behaviour contribute very much to the progress that they make. Pupils get on extremely well and are tolerant and mutually supportive. Anti-social behaviour of any kind is a very rare occurrence and no exclusions have been incurred. Pupils’ conduct is almost always orderly and they offer polite greetings without prompting and are mature, confident and considerate. As a result of the school’s determined efforts, attendance has improved this year and is now in line with the national average. Almost all pupils arrive on time for the start of school.

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Commentary

6. Because of the high level of encouragement and focused support pupils with special educational needs receive from the teaching staff, they are generally well motivated and keen to learn. They co-operate well with the teachers and with other pupils. Insofar as they are appropriately supported and make good progress overall, their self-esteem and wellbeing are maintained. The positive behavioural ethos of the school is conducive to ensuring that other pupils do not discriminate against them, and that they are fully included in all aspects of the curriculum. West Denton Primary School - 8 Number of exclusions Fixed period Permanent Ethnic background of pupils Number Boys Girls Boys Girls White – British 184 0 0 0 0 White – any other White background 4 0 0 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 1 0 0 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 1 0 0 0 0 Black or Black British – African 3 0 0 0 0

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Commentary

Chinese 3 0 0 0 0 Any other ethnic group 1 0 0 0 0 TOTAL 197 0 0 0 0

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Commentary

Attendance in the last reporting year was 93.5%

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Commentary

Authorised absence % School data 6.5 National data 5.4

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Commentary

7. Although a spiritual dimension is not always deliberately included in lesson-planning in most subjects, many incidental opportunities are used well to raise awareness and appreciation of the wonders of life and a range of experiences. Assemblies very effectively promote reflection and values such as friendship and mutual respect and an air of calmness and care pervades the school.

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Commentary

8. Moral and social values and principles are very well communicated and understood. Pupils accept very well the many opportunities for responsibility. They debate topical issues, help compile class rules and offer opinions and suggestions confidently. They have regard for the rights and plight of others and support several charities.

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Commentary

9. Pupils come to an understanding of their own heritage and the cultural backgrounds of other peoples through, for example, religious education, history, geography, art and music. Christian festivals and those of other faiths are celebrated and respected. Pupils’ awareness of implications of life in a multicultural society is less well developed.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school is providing good quality education and as a result, pupils are making good progress and are achieving well . Teaching and learning and the curriculum are good . Very good care is taken of pupils and links with parents and the wider community are also very good .

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good throughout the Foundation Stage and for pupils throughout the school. Procedures for assessment are good and this information is well used in providing for the needs of individual pupils. Children in the Foundation Stage and all other pupils make good progress and achieve well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• A high proportion of teaching was good or very good and no unsatisfactory teaching was observed. • Teachers have very good knowledge of what they are teaching. • Teachers insist on very high standards of work and behaviour. • Teachers are very good at providing for the needs of individual pupils. Unauthorised absence % School data 0.0 National data 0.5 West Denton Primary School - 9 West Denton Primary School - 10

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Commentary

10. The quality of teaching is good. The proportion of good and better teaching has improved since the time of the last inspection. Teaching is good across all phases and no unsatisfactory teaching was observed.

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Commentary

11. Teaching has many strengths and no significant weaknesses. This is due in part to the way that teachers are supported by the leadership and management of the school. There are currently four teachers who have been recently employed. This could have had a disruptive effect had their induction not been so well managed. Two are newly qualified and the school has been careful to ensure that they are being supported well. Established staff have been most supportive. The result is that the new teachers are making an important contribution to the continuity and development of standards that the pupils enjoy.

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Commentary

12. Teachers plan very well and in so doing make particularly good use of technology. The use of interactive whiteboards in most lessons brings a high level of presentation and interest in lessons.

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Commentary

13. Planning also reflects the understanding that teachers have of the progress and achievement of individual pupils. This means that in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, they are able to provide several different levels of challenge which are tailored to the needs of groups or individuals. They are also able to target specific remedial provision as well as provision specifically aimed to accommodate pupils who are particularly gifted.

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Commentary

14. Pupils with special educational needs, classified as being in the ‘School Action’ and ’School Action Plus’ stages, are suitably supported with Individual Education Programmes which specify their learning targets. These targets are drawn up by class teachers, in consultation with the co-ordinator, and teaching assistants are informed about these plans. These targets are regularly reviewed, in consultation with parents and shared with pupils themselves, which helps them to progress well. Teachers identify individuals and groups of special educational needs pupils in their lesson plans, and these pupils receive additional teaching or classroom assistant support in most core subjects. In other subjects, the teachers normally plan simpler tasks for these pupils. In literacy, pupils are assisted in reading and writing activities; for instance, they may be given word banks to use. Much of the teaching of special educational

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Commentary

needs pupils takes place in the classroom, but pupils are sometimes withdrawn to work on tasks with teaching assistants. These sessions are well planned and the staff well trained to undertake these tasks. Classroom assistants and teachers have undertaken specialised training, for example concerning dyspraxia, which benefits the teaching and learning outcomes.

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Commentary

15. Literacy and numeracy are well taught and teachers have effectively taken its planning and approach on board. There are opportunities to develop and extend aspects of numeracy and literacy across the curriculum and to use it in support of the subjects themselves. Understanding of the teaching of the basic skills ensures that pupils are able to function effectively in other areas such as history, geography or science.

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Commentary

16. Teachers encourage support staff to be fully engaged in lessons and, because they are well briefed, such staff are able to make a good contribution to the way pupils learn. Relationships are very good and it is clear that expectations are understood. Just as teachers outline their objective for the particular lesson, so too do they convey to the class what their longer-term objectives are in terms of how pupils are to respond. Because pupils and staff feel secure, classes tend to be relaxed yet purposeful. Pupils rarely need to be reminded of what they should be doing. Another result is that pupils learn to appreciate and value the work and efforts of the rest of their group. They know that they can participate and offer answers or suggestions and that these and the work they produce will be treated with respect. West Denton Primary School - 11 17. The impact of such good teaching can be seen in the classroom and throughout the school.

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Commentary

Pupils are very well behaved and responsive. They know how hard their teachers are working for them and they know what, in either the short or long term, their teachers want of them. They respond very well and work hard. They enjoy their lessons and enjoy being in school. The result is that pupils are making good progress and are achieving well.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 40 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

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

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The curriculum

The curricular provision is good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is very good provision to promote equal opportunities and inclusion. • There is very good support for learning outside the school day, and the school organises a very good range of clubs and activities. • The school has very good participation in sporting and other activities. • There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs. • The provision for personal, social, health and citizenship education offers good support to pupils. • The school has undertaken a range of initiatives in recent times, to improve the curricular provision, accommodation and resources. • The match of support teachers to meet pupils’ needs is good. • The accommodation and resource provision is good, and the accommodation has the potential to be very good. • The provision in Literacy and Numeracy is good in both Key Stages. • There are no significant weaknesses in provision.

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Commentary

18. The school has developed a rich curriculum which meets pupils’ needs well. This meets the National Curriculum requirements and includes appropriate provision for religious education and collective worship. The personal, social and health education provision includes sex education, plus advice on drugs and alcohol education. The curriculum is well structured; with good planning systems in place and teachers have a wide range of well-organised resources at their disposal, including ‘Smart Boards’ in all classrooms. Literacy and Numeracy programmes are implemented effectively, and provision in other core subjects is good.

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Commentary

19. The school promotes very good equality of opportunity for all pupils, whatever their needs or background. The school provides well for pupils with special educational needs, particularly those with learning difficulties, enabling them to make good progress. Teachers plan well for these pupils in class and they are effectively supported by teaching assistants who have a good knowledge of their needs and their individual learning targets. At times they may be withdrawn to have special lessons in literacy or numeracy, in small groups, or alternatively they are supported in class lessons. Auxiliary teachers are well trained to provide focused assistance for special educational needs pupils. Teachers’ plans in core subjects also indicate that they plan well for group work of different ability groups. Lesson observations indicate that very good support is offered to pupils, with teachers and assistants very well informed about

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Commentary

specific learning targets. This allows them to teach effectively, and for pupils to progress well. West Denton Primary School - 12 20. The curricular provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Pupils are provided with Individual Education Plans, with specific targets to guide their development in core areas. Targets are regularly reviewed and updated so that most pupils make good progress. Support in class, or via withdrawal teaching, is planned so that all pupils can access a wide range of learning opportunities relevant to their needs. The resource provision to support learning activities is good and well organised. There are no pupils for whom the curriculum is disapplied.

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Commentary

21. The curriculum includes good provision for pupils’ personal, social, health and citizenship education, with strengths. The provision, which is based on a nationally-recognised scheme of work, is being currently reviewed and will be extended to incorporate the new Year 6 class. This review is being undertaken with partner schools and local authority advice. The provision includes ‘Circle Time’ approaches, which are very effective for younger pupils in particular. The school has developed good links with external agencies, for instance the local services, to the benefit of the pupils’ education in this area.

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Commentary

22. As the school is in the process of extending provision to include a Year 6 class, it is developing appropriate liaison with schools to which pupils may transfer at the secondary stage.

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Commentary

23. There is strong evidence of dynamic curriculum development in all core subjects, with teachers and other staff being engaged in relevant training programmes. This results in the school offering a well-focused, up-to-date curriculum framework, in which pupils are given the potential to succeed. There are a number of good examples of curricular innovation, including the ‘Round the World Reading Challenge’, which motivates pupils’ independent reading well. There have been a number of recent whole-school projects, including reading and science weeks, involving parents, and last year the school secured funding for an 'Artist in Residence'. The work produced during the ‘Art Week’ is on national tour. Other innovations include the playground murals.

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Commentary

24. The school provides very good opportunities for enrichment, including a range of extra- curricular provision, including clubs in gardening, the library, ICT, drama, science and recorders. The school offers very good opportunities for pupils to participate in sport, and has been involved in the ‘Schools Sports Co-ordinators Project’. The school participates successfully with other schools in a range of sporting fixtures. The pupils are effectively introduced to a range of activities that promote learning about the environment, with visits to local places of interest. The visit to ‘Hancock Museum’, in the context of Egyptian studies, was a case in point. Older pupils also have the opportunity of a residential visit, to a contrasting rural location in Grasmere. The school makes good use of the local environment in humanities studies, and linked to this promotes care for the environment as part of personal and social

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Commentary

education. The involvement of older pupils in a scheme run by a local newspaper is a further example of curriculum enrichment.

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Commentary

25. Staffing levels are good. There is a good ratio of classroom support assistants, including auxiliaries to teach special educational needs pupils.

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Commentary

26. The school has developed good resources and the accommodation has the potential to be very good. The school is undergoing a major refurbishment and is due to move into restructured accommodation imminently, which includes a new ICT suite and library. Resources to support curricular provision are generally good and well-organised. West Denton Primary School - 13

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Care, guidance and support

Pupils are very well cared for, guided and supported.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pastoral care is very good. • Pupils receive very good academic and personal support. • The school takes account of pupils’ views.

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Commentary

27. Pupils feel safe, valued and supported because of the way they are treated. They enjoy constructive, friendly and mutually respectful relationships with their teachers and helpers, which form the basis of a trusting and happy atmosphere. The procedures for health, safety, child protection and children in care are all very well managed and specialist welfare agencies provide relevant services to augment the school’s provision.

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Commentary

28. The school provides very well for pupils’ personal needs. A breakfast club is very well attended. After-school care facilities are available nearby. Lunchtime resources and supervision are very good. Induction arrangements are very effective and pupils are given very good opportunities to take responsibility for their own community through satisfaction surveys, the active school council and their own special helpers.

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Commentary

29. The use of academic assessment to set improvement targets for, and with, the pupils is developing well. It is augmented by pupils’ own self-evaluation in much of their work and their own self-targeting. Pupils are very well supported by class assistants and visiting specialists. Those who underachieve receive extra help, for example through booster lessons or assistance with homework. Pupils with special education needs receive very good support. The needs of these pupils are assessed effectively by the teachers, or classroom assistants. Suitable tasks or differentiated work are provided for them, which are relevant to their identified learning targets. The teachers’ plans in literacy and numeracy indicate which individuals or groups receive special support. The focused support given to these pupils is effective. Pupils’ progress is reviewed regularly and this assessment informs future target-setting.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a very good partnership with parents. Its links with other schools and the community are very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents express very positive views of the school. • Parental support for the school and their children’s learning is very good. • The school works very closely with other schools. • Involvement with the community contributes very well to the quality of education provided.

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Commentary

30. Parents hold the school in high regard. They are right to be very pleased with the quality of education and care that is provided. Parents express very few concerns. They are well informed about school affairs. Parents’ attendance at consultation meetings is very good. Parents’ involvement in their children’s learning at home is very good and many help in school. Those who have children with special education needs are fully involved in the review process. 31. Parental support for events and performances is very good. A parents’ association organises many fund-raising events. The school provides guidance and workshops to help parents to West Denton Primary School - 14 help their own children more effectively. The school surveys parents for their views and acts upon them. It consults them about significant matters and generally enjoys a constructive and co-operative relationship with them.

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Commentary

32. Liaison with playgroups very effectively ensures the smooth transfer of pupils. Facilities are provided for high school students to undertake work experience. Many arrangements are in place with universities and colleges, for example to support large numbers of student teachers, who, in turn, add to the quality of teaching.

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Commentary

33. Public services, such as the police and public library, are used very well to enhance learning. Visits out of school, including a residential outdoor centre, add to the quality of the curriculum and pupils’ personal development. Local organisations use the school premises and provide incentives and coaching in sports. The school shares its site with a community sports association and a day-care centre in which pupils entertain elderly citizens at Christmas. The school is closely associated with its local church.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The governance of the school is very good . The leadership and management of the school is excellent .

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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 650,856 Balance from previous year 120,578 Total expenditure 600,456 Balance carried forward to the next 50,400 Expenditure per pupil 2,283

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The governing body is very effective in the way it shapes the direction of the school. • The headteacher is providing excellent leadership. • The leadership and management of the school are excellent. • Other key staff are providing very good support.

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Commentary

34. The governors are very effective. They are providing very good support to the school as it goes through its transition from first school to primary school. This process has been difficult as decisions had to be taken without knowing exactly how the wider reorganisation of schools within the authority would affect the roll at West Denton. Events have shown that the crucial decisions that had to be made were well founded and that the school, as a consequence, is very well placed to meet the needs of families in the locality. The governors had the foresight to appoint the present headteacher and, through their support of her, the school has prospered. They are well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and play a positive role in determining the direction the school continues to take. They were active in drawing up the school’s improvement plan and are able to monitor the progress that is being made. They were

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Commentary

involved in allocating the budget to the plan and are kept well informed about all matters financial. The school is about to take control of a new wing which includes classrooms, a library and a computer suite – a positive outcome of the work of the governing body which will enhance the already high standards that the school enjoys. West Denton Primary School - 15 35. The headteacher has shown excellent leadership since her appointment. She has a very clear vision for the school and has been able to convey this with great effectiveness to all those who have a part to play in the life of the school. The result is that the school has an excellent ethos. All concerned know what is expected of them and that these expectations are attainable. The staff are confident and buoyant. The pupils enjoy being at school. The parents are overwhelmingly supportive and appreciative and the local authority holds the school in high

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Commentary

regard. Pupils are achieving well. The school’s improvement planning document is an excellent piece of work which not only outlines what is to be done but also makes clear why it is being done and what the expected outcomes will be. The headteacher receives excellent support from the deputy whose role has been effectively widened to include a greater amount of responsibility.

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Commentary

36. Those who have co-ordinator roles and responsibilities for managing different phases within the school are very effective. As a result, the school is well placed to ensure that as the age range extends to accommodate pupils who next year will constitute the school’s first Year 6, the necessary provisions for them will be in place. The co-ordination of the provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The co-ordinator has ensured that the provision conforms to the revised ‘Code of Practice’. This has included establishing procedures for the identification and assessment of pupils, and record-keeping in relation to teaching. It also encompasses establishing external liaison and involvement, as appropriate, and monitoring of all Individual Education Plans, reviews, and teaching and learning. The co-ordinator has undertaken a number of initiatives to improve provision, including the development of staff

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Commentary

expertise, as well as building up special resources.

p.17

Commentary

37. The school knows how effective it is because it has excellent systems for self-evaluation. Monitoring of teaching and learning and the curriculum give all concerned a clear picture of strengths and of areas that could be improved. Where shortfalls are found, swift and effective action is taken. The school is expanding in terms of its building and its staffing. Both of these aspects have been most effectively managed and the potential disruption most effectively avoided. At the time of the inspection, four newly-appointed members of staff, two of whom were newly-qualified, had been thoroughly integrated into the system. The new build affecting the accommodation and the pattern of movements of pupils in Years 3 to 5 was very demanding-particularly in terms of health and safety – but there was no apparent adverse impact on either standards of behaviour or academic performance. Staff enjoy thorough and

p.17

Commentary

systematic appraisal. Their individual needs and those of the school are well brought together through the development and training they receive. The school welcomes large numbers of student teachers and Nursery nurses in training. Such students are fortunate that the school extends its vision of community in the way it does.

p.17

Commentary

38. Despite the unpredictability of which funding is made available during the year, the school budgets most effectively. Indicated funding is carefully allocated to a prioritised school improvement plan. Staff and governors are then kept fully informed about the progress being made. The school is careful to ensure that it seeks and obtains best value when purchasing goods or services. West Denton Primary School - 16

p.17

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good and has improved since the last

39. Attainment on entry to the Nursery is below average but children achieve well throughout the Foundation Stage because the teaching is good and the curriculum is appropriately planned to provide a wide range of interesting and relevant activities which are well matched to their needs. As a result, children are in line to reach the expected goals by the end of the Foundation Stage, with some exceeding them, and are well prepared to move on to Year 1.

p.18

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good and has improved since the last

40. The children enter the Nursery in the term after they are three and move on to one of the Reception classes after a year. Most of the children attend part-time but a group of children attend full-time and suitable arrangements are made to ensure that this group is appropriately provided for. All the staff work well as a team and provide very good role-models for the children. They monitor children’s progress carefully, provide high levels of care and ensure that the learning needs of all the children are well met. Students and other adults complement the regular staff team in both Nursery and Reception classes and make a valuable contribution to the children’s learning and development.

p.18

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good and has improved since the last

41. Staff and children have access to very good resources. The accommodation inside is good and the learning environment has been significantly improved in recent months. Outside facilities are satisfactory, although further work is needed to bring them up to the highest standard.

p.18

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good and has improved since the last

42. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage is very good and development is guided by a strong, well-thought-out and adequately funded development plan.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve very well because of the good teaching, the care and support they receive and the high expectations set by staff. • Adults take every opportunity to enhance the children’s development and children make good progress in the Nursery, becoming confident, enthusiastic and independent. • There are common practices and expectations between Nursery and Reception classes.

p.18

Commentary

43. The personal, social and emotional development of children in the Nursery is generally as expected for their age. In the Reception classes, most children are in line to reach the expected goals by the end of the Foundation Stage, with some exceeding them. This is a higher than expected standard and, as overall attainment is below average when children first come to the Nursery, represents very good achievement.

p.18

Commentary

44. In both Nursery and Reception classes, the staff provide clear boundaries and good role models so that the children know what is expected of them and quickly become confident and independent. The children know the routines well, settle to tasks with a minimum of fuss, and behave sensibly. They show real interest in what they are doing, concentrate well (even when not directly supervised) and are eager to learn. Children are continually encouraged to feel West Denton Primary School - 17 confident about what they achieve, and are reminded of the high standards that the adults expect. They are friendly and take a pride in their work. Children are encouraged to share and take turns amicably, and to listen carefully to others. When children do not conform, they are dealt with firmly but fairly so that they learn to appreciate and respond to the needs of others within the group.

p.18

Commentary

45. The excellent teamwork of the adults gives the children good role-models for co-operation, and a calm but thorough approach to work. The very supportive relationships between adults and children ensure that the children feel secure and confident to offer ideas, to manage their own needs and their work and to seek help when required.

p.19

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers and support staff employ a wide range of strategies, and teaching is good. • Children are very confident when talking about their work and other things that interest them. • Children in the Nursery make a good start on early reading and writing skills and their experience in the Reception classes builds effectively on this.

p.19

Commentary

46. In the Nursery, children learn well as a result of the many opportunities they are given to talk, listen and explore early reading and writing activities. This development continues in the Reception classes and the majority of children achieve the expected outcomes in this area of learning by the end of the year. This is about the expected standard and, as overall attainment is below average when children first come to the Nursery, represents good achievement.

p.19

Commentary

47. In both Nursery and Reception classes, staff take every opportunity during activities to develop the children’s speaking and listening skills by asking questions, by getting children to explain and by encouraging them to listen to what others have to say. For example, when children were making vegetable soup, the Nursery nurse continually chatted to them and asked them questions, so that they had to think about what they knew and choose appropriate words to describe what they were doing. Relationships between adults and children are very good and this means that children have the confidence to talk, offer ideas and ask questions. All the adults who work in the Nursery and Reception classes are genuinely interested in what the children have to say.

p.19

Commentary

48. Teaching is good and the staff plan interesting things for the children to do. They also make good provision for reading, writing and talk to occur as part of other learning activities; for example, the role play area in one classroom was well equipped with writing materials, and classrooms all have a wide variety of labels and other text on display that encourage both reading and discussion.

p.19

Commentary

49. The children enjoy books, treat them carefully and enjoy listening to and retelling stories. A wall display in the Nursery prompted an impromptu retelling of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ to one of the inspectors and the children were very keen to use the computer and ‘show off’ a multimedia book that they had made (with support), retelling the story of ‘Jasper’s Beanstalk’. They enjoy reading and writing and this enthusiasm continues in the Reception classes where children are encouraged to read independently and with others, to recognise letters and their sounds, to form letters correctly and to write in a variety of contexts. West Denton Primary School - 18

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff plan a wide range of activities to support mathematical learning and, as a result, children achieve well. • Opportunities to promote children’s mathematical development are well embedded in Nursery and Reception practice.

p.20

Commentary

50. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers plan a range of interesting activities to promote mathematical understanding. In both Nursery and Reception classes, most children are working at or above the levels expected for their age. In the Nursery, for example, most children count to five and some count confidently to 20. They know and use ‘more than’ and ‘less than’ when using the Roamer and use the correct mathematical names for shapes such as ‘circle’, ‘square’ and ‘rectangle’.

p.20

Commentary

51. In the Reception classes, children also count confidently and accurately beyond 20 and recognise the features of a repeating pattern made using familiar images. Most can continue the pattern independently and some children can devise their own patterns, some of them quite complex.

p.20

Commentary

52. Adults use a variety of number rhymes and songs to help children count and take every opportunity to introduce and reinforce mathematical language and ideas into other activities. Children making sunglasses were encouraged to look at the symmetry, for example, while children working with the Nursery nurse to make soup measured, counted and compared the vegetables they were preparing.

p.20

Commentary

53. The wide range of practical mathematical activities that the children encounter in the Nursery and Reception classes is very appropriate for their stage of development. They learn to work together, to share and to take turns, and this enhances their personal and social skills. As a result of this good teaching, children make good progress and achieve very well. They are interested and enthusiastic about their work, have positive and independent attitudes and are well prepared for future learning.

p.20

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Adults use questions very effectively. • Children are given very good opportunities to observe, talk, explore and investigate, and to respond to the world around them.

p.20

Commentary

54. Teaching and learning are good and children achieve very well. Most are working at levels above those expected for their age. A wide range of appropriate and interesting activities is planned to stimulate children’s curiosity and enhance their understanding.

p.20

Commentary

55. The adults are very effective at using questions to clarify and extend the children’s knowledge and understanding of the work around them. For example, children in the Nursery and West Denton Primary School - 19 Reception classes had planted seeds which they observed, measured and recorded in different ways. When the seeds needing re-potting, the teacher questioned children well about the structure of the plant and what the roots were for. By the end of the session, the children knew that the roots kept the plant in the soil as well as giving it ‘food’ and water. In another group, children worked with the Nursery nurse to make vegetable soup. The good teaching here was characterised by the quality of the questions that made the children think about the vegetables they were preparing as well as health and safety issues, such as the need for clean hands, care with sharp knives and what to do with food that had fallen on the floor. As a result,

p.20

Commentary

learning was good, and children’s vocabulary and understanding was enhanced.

p.21

Commentary

56. Children use simple tools effectively and make models and other constructions, using a range of materials. The use of ICT, including the Roamer and software for producing multimedia stories, makes a good contribution to this area of learning.

p.21

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers make good use of the facilities available, including the playground, the two enclosed outside areas and the school hall. • Children achieve well across the whole of this area of learning. • Provision for learning outdoors is adequate for both Nursery and Reception children, but further work is needed to bring the outside areas up to the highest standard.

p.21

Commentary

57. Children are in line to meet the expected goals by the end of the Foundation Stage and some will exceed them. Their achievement is good.

p.21

Commentary

58. In both Nursery and Reception classes, teaching is good and children learn well. They develop their manipulative skills well by handling playdough and by using scissors, brushes and other tools, which they control well. They manipulate small construction toys and use ICT equipment with dexterity, including the mouse, the keyboard and the Roamer. When working outside and in the hall, children move safely and with confidence. They use their imagination and travel on, over, under and through the equipment and show awareness of, and consideration for, the other children. There is an appropriate focus on healthy eating, the importance of exercise and ‘keeping clean’.

p.21

Commentary

59. The two enclosed outside areas (one grassed and one with a hard surface) are on opposite sides of the building which makes it difficult to use both at once. Some improvements have been carried out recently but both areas need some further work to bring them up to the highest standard. This will improve the learning experience for the children and make it easier for staff to plan a wider range of more focused sessions outdoors. Some simple steps could be taken at once; for example, the provision of appropriate barrier matting would stop mud and dirt being carried into the classrooms when the weather is damp. Other improvements, such as providing adequate shade and screening from the driveway, would need further thought and careful planning.

p.21

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

West Denton Primary School - 20 • Children are given good opportunities to use ICT for creative purposes. • Staff make good links between different areas of learning and encourage children to respond creatively. • There are good opportunities in both Nursery and Reception classes for children take part in role-play and, through circle time, to explore thoughts, feelings and emotional responses to their experiences.

p.22

Commentary

60. In both Nursery and Reception classes, teaching is good and children learn well. Children are on line to meet the expected goals by the end of the Foundation Stage and some will exceed them. Their achievement is good.

p.22

Commentary

61. Adults provide good opportunities for the children to think and talk about their ideas, thoughts and feelings. Through circle time, they are encouraged to take turns to talk about what they have been doing and why, to offer their views, to explore ideas and listen carefully to others.

p.22

Commentary

62. Children know a range of simple songs and use a wide variety of materials to create pictures, collages, paintings and drawings. In the Nursery, the story of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ has created lots of opportunities for co-operative and creative play, with ‘Jack’s Cottage’ and ‘The Giant’s Castle’ role-play areas being linked by a colourful beanstalk that has ‘grown’ across the room. The Nursery and Reception classrooms and the corridor outside contain a wide range of examples of the children’s imaginative work, large and bold as well as small and detailed, and demonstrate their creative responses to things they have experienced.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards of attainment and teaching are good in both Key Stages. • Sound planning structures underpin the teaching. • The school has good assessment procedures for monitoring and tracking pupils’ learning. • In lessons, there is very good support for pupils of all abilities, including special educational needs pupils and pupils for whom English is an additional language. • In most classes pupils listen carefully in lessons and participate well. • The effective teaching and resourcing of guided reading has a good impact on pupils’ standards. • There is comprehensive well organised resource provision in this subject. • Pupils’ competence in the usage of dictionaries and thesauri is under-developed. However the school has identified this as an aspect of teaching within library skills. • There was limited evidence of pupils re-drafting their work to refine and improve the content and presentation. • Although marking procedures give general advice and encouragement to pupils, at times this is

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

undertaken in insufficient detail to allow pupils, particularly less able pupils, to re-draft and improve their work, although there is a good emphasis upon self-evaluation by pupils.

p.22

Commentary

63. At the time of the last inspection, pupils’ attainment was above average overall by the end of Years 2 and 4. In Key Stage 1, they were above average in reading, speaking and listening. In Key Stage 2, they were above expectation in all aspects of the subject. Since then, standards have broadly been maintained in both Key Stages, although trends indicate some fluctuation in West Denton Primary School - 21 attainment outcomes since 1999, related to the nature of pupil cohorts and factors relating to pupil admissions late in the school year. In relation to similar schools, standards in 2002 in reading and writing were reported as being excellent in Key Stage 1, but there were no judgements made for Key Stage 2, as the provision did not extend to Year 6 and similar comparisons could not be made. Standards are now above average in reading, writing, and listening in both Key Stages, and in line in speaking. There was a slight decline in attainment in

p.22

Commentary

reading in Key Stage 1 in 2003, but the school has taken prompt and effective measures to address this situation. Reading has been a consequent focus for school development and there is evidence of most pupils attaining well. The school’s targets predict above-average outcomes overall for pupils in reading and writing for the present Year 5 cohort when they reach the end of Year 6. There is no significant difference in attainment between boys and girls.

p.23

Commentary

64. Most pupils achieve well throughout the school, with pupils with special educational needs, particularly those with learning difficulties, continuing to make good progress towards the targets set in their individual education plans. This is also the case for the very small number of pupils for whom English as an additional language. Overall, equality of opportunity is very good, with teachers ensuring that everybody is very well included and supported in all activities. The school identifies pupils who require additional support in literacy and numeracy, and provides special literacy and numeracy classes for lower-attaining pupils. These pupils are withdrawn at times and taught separately. Lessons are well planned for differentiated learning of all ability groups. The school has also introduced other initiatives to boost standards and motivate pupils, such as the ‘Round the World Reading Challenge’, and raise the profile of reading for

p.23

Commentary

boys, with the football team as key role-models for reading.

p.23

Commentary

65. Throughout the school, pupils’ achievement in listening is good. This was evident in all lessons seen, as pupils listen and respond well to instructions and learning objectives. The school promotes an ethos of mutual respect, and teachers encourage the development of careful listening skills. Speaking skills are satisfactory and the teachers are good role-models in clear pronunciation and use of language.

p.23

Commentary

66. The school has undertaken a comprehensive audit of all reading materials and worked towards improving standards in recent times, via the guided reading materials, which are very well provisioned, with detailed teacher support materials. The well-organised temporary school library also supports pupils’ learning well, although there was some evidence of under- developed skills in the use of dictionaries and thesauri. The school gives good encouragement for pupils to develop Internet research skills, and this was evidenced in a Year 3/4 lesson where pupils were searching information for a ‘Tudors Investigators’ project. Throughout the school, reading skills are promoted very well, and pupils are provided with a range of strategies to help them to decode new words and understand texts.

p.23

Commentary

67. The school promotes the development of writing skills well in Key Stage 1 via a range of writing approaches, including independent and instructional writing and imaginative texts linked to the ‘Big Books’. For instance, Year 2 pupils wrote about how to make a puppet and how to make bread. Most pupils in Year 2 can write well-punctuated simple passages, including correctly spelled and structured sentences. In Key Stage 2, teachers also ensure that pupils’ writing is developed via a good range of writing opportunities, and place appropriate emphasis upon correct grammatical, punctuation and spelling strategies. In Year 5, most pupils can write descriptive and imaginative passages in line with, or above, expectations for their age. There were good examples of abstract poetry writing. Teachers give good encouragement to pupils to structure their work in paragraphs, to plan and to self-evaluate their work. There is evidence

p.23

Commentary

that these teaching strategies are effective. However, there was limited evidence of pupils re- drafting their work to refine and improve the content and presentation. Although marking procedures give general advice and encouragement to pupils, at times this is undertaken in insufficient detail to allow pupils, particularly less able pupils, to re-draft and improve their work. West Denton Primary School - 22 68. The quality of teaching is good in both Key Stages. Teachers plan well, according to the National Literacy framework, making very good provision for different ability groups. Pupils are well supported and assisted in class. In lessons which were good or better, the pace and timing of lessons was generally good, and high expectations were set. Lessons are well structured and both teachers and well-trained classroom assistants give well-focused support to pupils, according identified targets. All teachers effectively use the information they collect

p.23

Commentary

on pupils’ progress to help them plan future work and to establish targets for individual pupils. These are recorded in their books. Assessment tasks are undertaken as required, plus additional interim assessments, and pupils’ progress monitored at regular intervals. The school tracks pupils’ progress via computerised methods. This facilitates the process of monitoring the progress of different groups. Analysis of test results is undertaken regularly, and this has informed current development objectives in the subject, which are well focused. Teachers set homework activities, including reading tasks, recorded in home/school diaries to support the work in class.

p.24

Commentary

69. There is very good leadership in the subject and the co-ordinator has a very good overview of current provision and strategic planning. She has undertaken a wide range of monitoring activities, including monitoring of test information, to inform clear areas for development and monitoring of the teaching and learning. She has identified appropriate development objectives, and programmes to bring about ongoing improvement are in place. An example of this is the guided reading provision. She has introduced innovations, such as the ‘Reading Round the World Challenge’, which have already impacted favourably upon pupils’ motivation to read. She has ensured that all teachers have access to a wide range of well-organised resources, and that all concerned in the teaching of pupils are well trained in current developments.

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

70. There are very good opportunities for pupils to extend and use their speaking, listening and reading skills in other subjects. This applies across the curriculum, but is evidenced strongly in the humanities.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards for pupils in Years 2 and 5 are above expectations. • Teaching is good with elements that are very good. • Pupils’ response to the subject is very good. • The co-ordination of mathematics is excellent.

p.24

Commentary

71. The attainment of pupils in Year 2 in National Curriculum tests in 2003 was well above average and was also well above average when compared with similar schools. Standards have been well above average since 2000 when they were above average. There is no national data for pupils in Year 5 so comparisons cannot be made. Inspection shows that high standards are being maintained and for pupils in Year 2 and Year 5, they are currently above those expected for their age. This position indicates that the standards reported at the time of the last inspection in 1998 have been maintained. The good quality of teaching and learning has also been maintained even though there have been significant changes to the staff in the interim.

p.24

Commentary

72. The quality of teaching is good, with 40 per cent being very good. The skills of numeracy are well taught. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils both in terms of the progress they are to make and in the way in which they are to behave. The high expectations of progress are manifested in the good lesson planning that teachers produce. This planning recognises that West Denton Primary School - 23 different pupils or groups of pupils have differing needs and there is good detail to show that provision is being made for them. This is particularly the case for pupils who have special educational needs and those who are identified as being gifted or talented.

p.24

Commentary

73. Teachers are able to plan so effectively because they have good records of the progress that pupils are making. Provision is made by supplying work of varying difficulty and also by targeting the classroom assistants to supporting those who need it. At other times, some pupils might be identified for extra support in the form of a withdrawal group. Teachers understand that pupils receive information in different ways and so lesson are planned to accommodate this. Very good use is made of interactive whiteboards, although some of the software is occasionally unreliable. The result is that pupils can see high quality presentation of information and can in turn produce similarly high standards themselves.

p.25

Commentary

74. Staff have a very good understanding of what they are teaching and they make the particular objectives for the lesson clear to the pupils. Revisiting these objectives as the lesson progresses also helps to keep pupils focused. The best teaching also encourages pupils to be self-evaluative as well as giving them the opportunity to reflect on their own work and that of others.

p.25

Commentary

75. Teachers have high expectations of good behaviour but what is seen in mathematics lessons is a microcosm of what is going on across the curriculum. Pupils behaviour and their attitudes to their work are very good; behaviour is often excellent. The result is that relationships are secure, and classrooms are places where there is a sense of challenge and enjoyment and opportunities for good humour.

p.25

Commentary

76. The headteacher, who is the co-ordinator is providing excellent leadership for the subject. She has a very clear plan for the development of the subject and has ensured that it is being well taught through well-planned and focused monitoring of planning, teaching and the outcome of this in pupils’ work. The school is about to expand into new accommodation and this will be a future aid to learning. Resources are good, with particularly effective use being made of information and communication technology.

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

77. Mathematics is not developed across the curriculum in a planned way but is used effectively in subjects such as science and art. In this way, the skills and knowledge not only support the particular aspect of the lesson but are in turn consolidated through their further use.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and reach high standards as a result of good teaching. • Pupils have very positive attitudes and behave well because teachers have high expectations and plan interesting lessons. • ICT and other resources are used well. • Leadership of the subject is very good. • Pupils are encouraged to develop their own investigations but are not always given enough guidance to do this efficiently. • Some written work does not reflect the quality of learning and the match of tasks to pupils’ needs seen in lessons. West Denton Primary School - 24

p.25

Commentary

78. Standards in science for pupils in Year 2 are above average. In the national tests for seven- year-olds in 2003, just over half the pupils were judged to have reached the higher standard. Work seen during the inspection indicates that this above-average performance should be maintained in 2004.

p.26

Commentary

79. There were no Year 6 pupils in the school last year so there are no test results available. On the basis of the work seen during the inspection, the standards attained by the current Year 5 pupils (the oldest pupils in the school at present) are also above average.

p.26

Commentary

80. Pupils throughout the school make good progress. This is similar to the situation at the time of the last inspection; the high standards noted at that time having been maintained over the past five years.

p.26

Commentary

81. Pupils reach a high standard in their science work because of good teaching and because they are well supported by the staff. As a result, all pupils achieve well, including those with special educational needs.

p.26

Commentary

82. In the lessons seen during the inspection, teaching was consistently good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use this to plan interesting lessons that demand much of pupils. They insist on high standards and make effective use of resources, including ICT, to help children learn, by using a computer simulation of an electric circuit, for example, or by using a visual presentation to set the scene for an investigation to be carried out by the pupils. Because of this, pupils work well, behave well, show interest and enthusiasm for the subject, concentrate hard and make good progress.

p.26

Commentary

83. Teachers provide plenty of opportunities for pupils to carry out experiments, but they do not always give enough support to plan them efficiently and key learning points are missed (as, for example, when Year 3 pupils were trying to develop a systematic approach to separating a variety of different-sized solids). There is good emphasis on the correct use of scientific vocabulary. This was seen when Year 2 pupils were explaining how electric circuits work and pupils in Year 5 were planning an investigation about the evaporation of a liquid) which helps ensure that pupils understand and can use these terms accurately.

p.26

Commentary

84. Teachers plan carefully, but are not afraid to adapt their plans in the light of their pupils’ responses or other assessments. Tasks are well matched to pupils’ needs, although this isn’t always apparent from their books. Pupils all write up their work in the same way. This ensures that they use an appropriate scientific framework to record their method, results and conclusions. One unintended result, however, is that work in pupils’ books appears rather uniform and, overall, less good than when pupils are seen working in lessons, talking about what they are doing and explaining how much they understand.

p.26

Commentary

85. The subject leader provides very good leadership and management of the subject. She monitors planning, teaching and children’s work carefully, understands the current position well, has a clear vision of what she wants to achieve, and has an appropriate action plan in place.

p.26

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is very good .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Leadership and management of the subject is excellent. • The school has excellent ICT resources and staff expertise is very good. • Direct teaching of ICT skills is good. West Denton Primary School - 25 • Teachers’ use of ICT to support learning in other subjects is very good. • The number of computers available in classrooms limits the opportunities pupils have to apply their ICT skills in other subjects. • Further work is needed to complete the development of the procedures for assessment so as to continue to improve pupils’ overall ICT capability.

p.26

Commentary

86. By Year 2 and Year 5 (the oldest pupils currently in the school), pupils’ ICT skills are average. Although pupils’ overall capability is average at present, each class, including the Nursery and Reception classes, has regular lessons in the ICT suite, and these sessions are effective in enabling pupils to improve their ICT skills. As a result, standards are rising throughout the school and pupils are on target to reach above-average levels within the next year as further stages of the school’s ICT development plan are completed.

p.27

Commentary

87. Teaching is good. Staff have good subject knowledge which enables them to give clear explanations and demonstrations using the interactive whiteboard. Good use of questions keeps pupils involved and the brisk pace of lessons means that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well and make good progress. Year 5 pupils, for example, quickly learned how to write programs to control their Lego buggies, whilst pupils in Year 4 learned to create and group shapes, then copied and pasted them to make repeating patterns. Year 3 pupils learned to read an e-mail attachment and to send e-mail with an attachment in reply. Pupils in Year 2 learned to use Logo software to solve an on-screen problem, using the commands ‘forward’, ‘backward’, ‘left’ and ‘right’.

p.27

Commentary

88. Since the last inspection, provision for the subject has been significantly improved. Staff have received training to develop their confidence and expertise. The creation of an ICT suite with a full range of facilities, and the installation of projectors and interactive whiteboards in all classrooms, mean that teachers and pupils are able to use a wide range of ICT tools whenever it is appropriate to do so. All classrooms have access to the Internet and to a wide range of useful programs on the school network. Pupils can retrieve their saved work from any computer. Many of the teachers now have laptop computers which they use effectively. All this is having a significant impact on pupils’ learning and also means that they have very positive attitudes to their work. The imminent completion of the new classroom block will provide a larger ICT suite and ‘mini-suites’ of computers in each of the new classrooms, and

p.27

Commentary

teachers and pupils throughout the school will have access to excellent ICT resources to support teaching and learning.

p.27

Commentary

89. The school uses locally-adapted national guidance for planning the curriculum, and this ensures that all pupils experience the full range of subject content. Pupils and teachers use ICT for word-processing, graphics, e-mail, data-handling and spreadsheet modelling as well as control technology, data-logging and multimedia work. The Internet is used for research and a range of software is in use for collecting, organising and presenting information in a variety of forms. From an early stage, pupils are familiar with routine tasks (such as logging-on to the network, saving and retrieving work, using the mouse, keyboard and interactive whiteboard) and carry them out confidently and independently. They are enthusiastic about the use of ICT, clearly enjoy their lessons, work well with partners or in groups and achieve well as a result.

p.27

Commentary

90. Assessment procedures are continuing to develop. The class record sheets on the Intranet provide a good overview of coverage and show what pupils need to do next in their learning. An electronic portfolio of pupils’ work is being created and linked to these record sheets. This, used together with external sources for reference, will provide teachers with clear evidence about standards and pupils’ progress.

p.27

Commentary

91. A new subject leader was appointed last September and, together with the headteacher, she is providing excellent leadership and management of the subject. Good strategic planning and careful monitoring ensure that available funds are spent wisely, that best use is made of West Denton Primary School - 26 resources, that teachers plan effectively and that they are supported in using ICT to achieve high-quality teaching and learning. The purchase of technical support, the employment of an ICT support teacher, the use of the LEA’s ICT consultants to advise the subject leader and the commitment to training based on clear identification of needs are examples of the effective strategies used to ensure that the ICT development plan keeps moving forward. The school has a clear vision and very high aspirations, and an appropriate plan is in place that will enable the staff to achieve their goals.

p.27

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

92. During the inspection, teachers used ICT in most lessons, particularly to support whole-class teaching. Effective examples of this were seen in mathematics in Years 3, 4 and 5, in English in Years 1 and 2, in science in Years 2, 3 and 5 and in history in Year 3. The children in the Nursery used the Roamer to help develop their mathematical understanding and, with support, had created a multi-media book retelling a favourite story as part of their literacy programme.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

93. Some pupils use their classroom computers to consolidate numeracy and literacy skills, to write, to record science investigations, to follow up work started in the ICT suite or to access the Internet for research. Overall, opportunities for pupils to apply their ICT skills in this way are restricted by the limited number of computers available in each classroom. Further development of this aspect of ICT is planned following the completion of the new classroom block later this term.

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Religious education

Provision in religious education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good. • The subject is very well led.

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Comment

94. The attainment of pupils is in line with what might be expected for pupils using the same agreed syllabus at Years 2 and 5. This appears to be a decline since the time of the last inspection in 1998 but it is clear that the subject is currently being very well managed and taught. This quite recent development has not yet had time to affect standards but its impacts can be seen in the teaching of the subject and in the quality of corporate act of worship.

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Comment

95. Four lessons were observed and work and display was scrutinised, thus enabling judgements to be made about the quality of teaching and provision for religious education. Teachers are being well supported in their planning by the co-ordinator who has taken responsibility for this task.

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Comment

96. Pupils are given opportunities to reflect on the faiths and beliefs of others and are asked to think in some depth about the background to, for example, events in the New Testament such as the entry into Jerusalem. This encouragement to understanding is reflected in the collective act of worship and manifests itself through the compassionate ethos of the school.

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Comment

97. Display is not given a high profile in classrooms but teachers are good at seizing opportunities as was the case where a Muslim student teacher was encouraged to produce a display based on Eid for pupils in Year 2. West Denton Primary School - 27 98. The subject has recently been taken over by the current co-ordinator who also has responsibility for the organisation of the collective act of worship. She is providing very good leadership. She has a clear understanding of the needs of staff and pupils and has planned effectively to meet these needs. Resources are good and are to be improved further. The subject is making a very good impact on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The assessment of the subject is satisfactory and is effectively built into planning for the end of a unit of work.

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Geography and History

Provision in geography and history is satisfactory and results are in line with average standards.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make satisfactory achievement. • There is good incorporation of the use of visits and visitors for curriculum enrichment. • On the basis of work scrutiny and three lessons seen, the teaching overall appears to be satisfactory, with good literacy links. • Insufficient monitoring of these subjects is undertaken at present, due to the emphasis of school priorities on other curricular areas. • For similar reasons, curricular priorities have not been established in history, and an audit of resources has yet to be undertaken.

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Commentary

99. Standards in geography and history are in line with those expected nationally in Years 2 and 5. Teaching is undertaken within a planned framework of activities, in line with a national scheme of work. Generally, the topics selected are appropriate for pupils’ year groups, and the curricular framework, which adheres to a local scheme of work, has been adapted well to the school environment. Good use is made of the environment locally and further afield, and visitors enrich the curriculum. For instance, in the context of an Egyptian topic, pupils visited a local museum. Younger pupils were undertaking mapwork of the locality. Older pupils have the opportunity of a residential visit, in a contrasting rural locality. The school encourages the development of a sense of chronology via the usage of timelines. An example of this was in Year 4, where pupils ordered, in time, the various marriages of Henry VIII. In the context of a

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Commentary

recent topic ‘Britain This Century’, pupils in Year 5 were starting to find out about aspects of society, such as fashion or sport. They use various secondary sources as part of their research activities. Pupils showed interest and enthusiasm for the topics they were studying, and there was evidence that they were deploying literacy skills within their research.

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Commentary

100. On the basis of work scrutiny and three lessons seen, teaching and learning appear to be satisfactory overall in both Key Stages. Teachers generally have relevant subject knowledge, and make efforts to enliven the teaching with the use of ICT and reference books, apart from other features as described above. In Key Stage 1, the one lesson seen, in which pupils were actively encouraged to consider how to improve their local environment as represented on maps and a model, was very good. The two lessons seen in Key Stage 2 were satisfactory. In a Year 3/4 lesson, pupils were starting to undertake ICT research and use reference books, but were finding some difficulties with locating key words. It was evident, however, that the pupils knew how to use glossaries and contents pages to help with their searches. In a Year 5 lesson, pupils were extracting information from given texts and applying prior literacy skills to

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Commentary

isolate selected information. This was achieved with varying degrees of success. The teachers take trouble to ensure that pupils have suitable reference texts available as a class resource. The Internet is also a resource which is being used in some topics, for instance ‘Tudor Investigators’ in Year 4, for research purposes. West Denton Primary School - 28 101. The co-ordination of this subject is satisfactory. The co-ordinator for both subjects plans to monitor the provision of the subjects, including teachers’ planning, teaching and learning and resource provision, although due to the emphasis of school priorities upon other subjects, very little monitoring of the teaching and learning has been undertaken to date. The provision includes special events, such as the ‘Round the World in 40 minutes’ event which promoted learning and musical enjoyment in relation to different countries.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Art and design, design and technology, music and physical education were not inspected.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

102. Two lessons were observed but there is insufficient evidence to form a judgement about provision. In the two lessons pupils were encouraged to think about their environment and how it could be better looked after, and in the other lesson, pupils were encourage to think about how fear can affect people and what can be done to raise people’s moods. These good lessons were well supported by the ethos of the school which promotes a sense of concern and fairness in pupils. Assemblies provide good opportunities to focus on broad issues such as friendship and more complex issues such as what smiling means and how we express ourselves visually.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

103. Pupils are given the support of a curriculum that teaches them about the hazards and dangers they are likely to encounter, while emphasising that they have responsibilities as well. There is strong evidence from the inspection that this teaching is having a significant impact, as pupils present themselves as caring, kind, confident and interested individuals. West Denton Primary School - 29

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 2 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 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 1 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 2 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). West Denton Primary School - 30

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