Woodfield Primary School

WOODFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 26 th - 28 th April 2004

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WOODFIELD 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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WOODFIELD 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. Woodfield Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 231 School address: Woodfield Road Harrogate North Yorkshire Postcode: HG1 4HZ Telephone number: (01423) 566 494 Fax number: (01423) 529 840 Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Kevin Jeffrey Date of previous inspection: 18 th May 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is an average-sized primary school drawing its pupils from the immediate area which contains a mixture of housing types. There are 219 pupils on roll, plus 24 who attend part-time in the Nursery class for one year. This represents a falling roll since the previous inspection when there were 320 pupils in the school, plus those in the Nursery. The numbers are now stabilising, and, with a reduction in the admission limit, soon the school will be a one-form entry school. Currently, apart from the Nursery, there are nine classes, all of which have discrete age groups except for two-mixed age classes, one with Year 1 and Year 2 pupils and one with Year 3 and Year 4 pupils. The great majority of pupils are of white UK heritage background. There are a small number of pupils from an African, Bangladeshi and Chinese heritage background, of whom seven have English as an additional language. Fifty-three pupils are identified as having special educational needs, this

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

proportion being above the national average. Most of these pupils have moderate learning difficulties. There are two pupils who have Statements of Special Educational Need, this proportion being below the national average. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is above the national average. The vast majority of pupils have experienced pre-school education through the school’s own Nursery class. Attainment on entry to the Reception class varies from year to year, but overall it is broadly typical of the country as a whole. The current headteacher was appointed two years prior to the inspection, following an unsettled period when the leadership and management of the school lacked stability. Woodfield Primary School - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

17531 Peter Allen Lead inspector Mathematics History Physical education Religious education 11474 Peter Berry Lay inspector 21113 Jane Sargent Team inspector The Foundation Stage Science Design and technology Music 17310 Ann McAskie Team inspector English Information and communication technology Art and design Geography Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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). Woodfield Primary School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 9 - 14

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school with a strong, caring ethos, where every child is valued. The quality of teaching and learning is good and this is the main reason why pupils, overall, achieve well relative to their capabilities. Standards are improving, especially at the end of Year 6. Good leadership and management are helping the school to develop and improve at a fast rate. The school is providing good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Children are given a very good start to their school lives because of the high quality of work in the Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception Years). • The headteacher’s very good leadership has been the driving force in improving the quality of education. • Good quality teaching and support are raising standards and achievement. • The pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development impact very positively on their learning. • There are inconsistencies in pupils’ levels of achievement in Years 1 and 2. • Assessment needs further development in science and information and communication technology. • There is insufficient difference in the standards of work by pupils of different ages and abilities in some subjects, such as history and geography.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made a good improvement since its previous inspection in May 1998. The main issues from the report have been tackled effectively. As a consequence, standards are significantly higher in information and communication technology, subject planning is more effective and there is more regular and challenging homework for older pupils. The clear agenda for improvement and the improvement in the quality of teaching and learning have led to the school being more effective than previously; there is a will and capacity to continue to build on the many improvements.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils overall achieve well relative to their capabilities. Children are given a very good start in the Foundation Stage and they achieve well. The majority of children are likely to meet the goals children are expected to reach by the end of Reception and a small number are likely to exceed them. Standards at the end of Year 2 are in line with the national average in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Standards would be better if progress was more consistent in Years 1 and 2. Overall, pupils achieve well from Year 3 to Year 6; Year 6 pupils make very good progress. Standards at the end of Year 6 are above national averages in English, mathematics and science. There are no significant differences between the attainment of boys and girls. The small number of pupils with English as an additional language make similar progress to their classmates. Pupils with special educational needs receive very good support and they achieve very well. Standards in

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

information and communication technology are above those expected at the end of Year 2 and the end of Year 6. Standards in religious education meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Woodfield Primary School - 5 Standards in art and design are good across the school. Standards could be higher in history and geography, where sometimes the work set is not sufficiently challenging, especially for the higher attainers. Pupils’ personal development is very good. It is nurtured very effectively. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall. Attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good, contributing well to the quality of pupils’ learning. Attendance and punctuality are good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Some excellent teaching was observed in the Nursery and Reception classes. Excellent teaching was observed in the class that contains only Year 2 pupils. Teaching is more variable in Years 1 and 2 than it is in Years 3 to 6. A very important feature of the teaching throughout the school is the very high quality of the support of the classroom assistants. As part of their work they ensure that pupils with special educational needs are able to make very good progress. Very good relationships underpin the teaching and learning and this helps to promote the self-esteem and positive attitudes of the pupils. The school assesses and monitors pupils’ attainment and progress in literacy and numeracy well, with very good target setting, but now needs to further develop these practices in science and information and communication technology. The school provides a broad and

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

imaginative curriculum, although the topic cycles in subjects such as history, geography and religious education need review to ensure more rigour and more challenging work. Information and communication technology is well used to support the curriculum. The provision for support, advice and guidance is very good. The school enjoys a good partnership with the parents and very good links with the community. Parents are appreciative of the improvements they have seen in the school over the past two years.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The overall leadership and management are good. The headteacher’s very good leadership is a major factor in the growing success of this well-managed school; he is ably supported by the senior teachers and, in particular, the deputy headteacher. Well led by the chairman, the governing body is very supportive of the school. Governance is good and meets statutory requirements. The governing body has firm plans to further develop its monitoring role.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very supportive of the school and its staff. Although there are no significant concerns, a small minority would appreciate more homework, especially in Year 6 as preparation for secondary school. The view of the inspection team is that although homework, including that set in Year 6, is appropriate and effective in supporting learning, the school could usefully review and re- state its expectations for homework for the various age groups. Pupils are very appreciative of their school and all it does for them. They show affection and respect for the adults who help them in school.

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

• Improve the consistency of pupils’ levels of achievement in Year 1 and Year 2. • Further develop the assessing of attainment and progress in science and information and communication technology. • Review and develop the curriculum in subjects such as history and geography to ensure that more appropriate challenge is provided. Woodfield Primary School - 6

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Standards in English, mathematics and science are in line with the national average at the end of Year 2 and above at the end of Year 6. In relation to their prior attainment, most pupils’ achievement is good, but this is less consistent in Years 1 and 2. There is no significant difference between the attainment of boys and girls and between the attainment of pupils of different ethnicity.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children make a very good start and achieve well in the Foundation Stage. • Standards are rising notably at the end of Year 6 where they are good in English, mathematics and science. • There are inconsistencies in pupils’ levels of achievement in Years 1 and 2. • There is insufficient difference in the standards of work by pupils of differing ages and abilities in history and geography.

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Commentary

1. Judgements on current standards are based on work seen in lessons, on an extensive review of the pupils’ work and on discussions with pupils. Judgements also take into account the school’s own data, which includes the close tracking of pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics and predictions of future performance at the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

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Commentary

2. Children achieve well in the Nursery and Reception classes. Most children will meet the expected goals in each of the six areas of learning and a small number are likely to exceed them.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results reading 15.2 (16.0) 15.7 (15.8) writing 15.0 (15.2) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 16.7 (16.7) 16.3 (16.5) There were 22 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

3. Standards at the end of Year 2 are in line with the national average in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Similar judgements were made at the time of the previous inspection. These standards are reflected in the 2003 results in writing and mathematics, which were in line with the average of all and similar schools. The standards are not reflected in the results of 2003 teacher assessments in science, which were higher, or in the reading test, where standards were below the average for all and similar schools. The school has targeted raising standards in reading and this is beginning to have an impact.

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Commentary

4. Across Years 1 and 2, pupils’ achievement is variable. Standards would be higher if pupils’ progress was more consistent. In the class with just Year 2 pupils, pupils consistently achieve well. The Year 2 pupils in the mixed age class and the pupils in the Year 1 class do not consistently achieve as well as they could. This is an important issue for the school to address. Woodfield Primary School - 7 Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results English 27.2 (28.0) 27.0 (27.0) mathematics 26.5 (28.3) 26.7 (26.6) science 27.8 (29.6) 28.3 (28.3) There were 39 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

5. Overall, pupils achieve well from Year 3 to Year 6. Year 6 pupils make very good progress, mainly because of the overall very good teaching they receive. Standards at the end of Year 6 are above national averages in English, mathematics and science. These standards are not reflected in the 2003 test results, which were lower. In English, they were in line with the average for all and similar schools; in mathematics, they were in line with the average for all schools, but below those of similar schools; in science, the results were below the national average and well below the average for similar schools. The current marked improvement in science has been brought about as a consequence of the way in which the school has begun to target improvement in pupils’ skills of scientific enquiry.

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Commentary

6. At the time of the previous inspection six years ago, the main issue from the report was to raise pupils’ attainment in information and communication technology. Much has been done since that time, including the improvement of expertise through staff training and the development of a computer suite. It is to the school’s credit that there is a very different picture now, with standards being above what is expected nationally at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Standards in religious education meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Given the time constraints of the inspection, it was not possible to make firm judgements about standards in all the other subjects, although there is evidence of above average standards in art and design across the school. A brief review of work in history and geography exercise books indicated that there was sometimes too little difference in the standards of work by

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Commentary

7. Inspection findings are that there are no significant differences between the attainment of boys and girls. The small number of pupils with English as an additional language are well supported and make similar progress to their classmates. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress and achieve very well, mainly because of the very good support they receive. The clear and appropriate targets for development on their individual education plans enable them to make very good progress in their learning. These targets are reviewed and revised on a regular basis. The early identification of problems and the very effective support provided makes a significant contribution to the achievement of these pupils. This is one of the school’s strengths. Overall, the picture across the school is one of standards rising, most notably over Years 3 to 6.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

The attitudes and behaviour of pupils are very good . Pupils’ personal development, including moral and social development, is very good; spiritual and cultural development are good . Attendance and punctuality are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good; pupils show a keen interest in their lessons and other activities. • Pupils behave very well, both in and out of classes. • There is an absence of bullying and other forms of oppressive behaviour. • Relationships are very good throughout the school. • Pupils work well co-operatively. Woodfield Primary School - 8 • Pupils willingly accept responsibilities, undertaking a wide range of tasks.

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Commentary

8. The recent attendance level of pupils is good, although it has declined slightly over the last three years. There is minimal unauthorised absence. Whilst there remains a handful of occasional late-comers, the pupils’ overall punctuality is good, having improved due to the school’s promotion of good timekeeping.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.8 School data 0.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance

9. The school day starts with a calm, purposeful atmosphere. The pupils usually respond enthusiastically to the tasks set; they listen attentively to information and make good contributions to the lessons. Pupils work well independently and co-operatively; for example, in a Year 3/4 class numeracy lesson, the pupils were observed carefully working on their own sums and also checking with the ‘person next to you’, as directed by the teacher. The pupils’ enjoyment of school is enhanced by the wide range of extra-curricular activities.

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Attendance

10. Behaviour is very good. Pupils who have moved to the school confirm that it is a welcoming establishment where they quickly make friends. No instances of bullying or oppressive behaviour were observed during the inspection. Pupils know what is expected of them and behave accordingly; however, there has been one exclusion in the current year. Movement around the school is generally orderly, allowing the school to function efficiently, although some movement can on occasions be noisy.

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Attendance

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Attendance

Categories used in the Annual School Census Number of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White - British 235 3 0 White - any other White background 3 0 0 Asian or Asian British - Bangladeshi 3 0 0 Black or Black British - African 2 0 0 Chinese 2 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Attendance

11. Pupils of all ages and both genders work and play well together. There are very good relationships throughout the school and mutual respect between the pupils and adults. Pupils gain a high level of self-respect and self-esteem, fostered by the school’s very good provision for their personal development. Most pupils with special educational needs have positive attitudes and appreciate the support they receive; they want to learn, are co-operative and make a useful contribution to lessons.

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Attendance

12. Carefully planned assemblies and the new curriculum for personal, health and social education and citizenship provide a good base for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development. All aspects of personal, social and emotional development are well promoted in the Nursery and Woodfield Primary School - 9 Reception Years and the children respond well. The high quality and quantity of pupils’ involvement in the community, charity and environmental work enriches their knowledge and understanding of the world around them; social and cultural development is further enhanced by the very good provision for educational and residential visits. The school maintains impressive documentary evidence of the pupils’ activities, including photograph albums which can be taken home by the pupils to share their experiences with their families and friends. Pupils readily accept responsibilities, typified by the enthusiastic team who write and produce

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Attendance

the newsletters. All pupils spoken to were enthusiastic about their school and the adults who work there.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good . Good quality teaching and learning and very good levels of care and support mean that overall, pupils are able to learn well. There is a good partnership with the parents and very good links with the local community.

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Teaching and learning

Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is good . Teaching is more variable in Years 1 and 2 than it is in Years 3 to 6. The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage and in the Year 2 and Year 6 classes is of a particularly high standard.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teaching in the Foundation Stage enables the children to achieve very well. • Support staff provide valuable help in the teaching and learning. • There is very good assessing in English and mathematics, but not in science and information and communication technology. • Opportunities are sometimes missed for extending higher attaining pupils in subjects such as history, geography and religious education. • More support is needed for the less experienced teachers.

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Commentary

13. The table below shows the quality of teaching seen throughout the school during the inspection, over three-quarters being good or better. The excellent teaching was observed in Nursery, in Reception and in the discrete Year 2 class. The impact of improved teaching since the previous inspection is that pupils are enabled to achieve better than previously.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 34 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

3 (9%) 8 (23%) 16 (47%) 7 (21%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

14. The headteacher’s strong commitment to performance management and staff training has been instrumental in improving the quality of teaching over the last two years. The introduction of a programme of structured monitoring of teaching and learning, with consequent targets for improvement, is beginning to have a strong impact. This now needs further development to better support the less experienced teachers in Years 1 and 2.

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Commentary

15. Teaching for Nursery and Reception classes is consistently very good. Speaking skills are promoted very well through an interesting and varied curriculum, as are basic literacy and numeracy skills and those of personal, social and emotional development. Teachers have very good knowledge of how young children learn and high expectations of what they can Woodfield Primary School - 10 achieve. There are very good systems in place to track the progress of individual children through the ‘stepping stones’ which lead to the Early Learning Goals in the six areas of learning.

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Commentary

16. The vast majority of teaching is effective. Teachers interest and engage pupils and the pupils are well behaved, showing enjoyment, application and concentration. Teachers have high expectations and the pupils respond by working hard. In the small number of less effective lessons observed, expectations were not as high and the pupils were less skilfully managed. This meant that they did not make the same progress typically seen in most lessons.

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Commentary

17. Throughout the school, teachers plan thoroughly for lessons, ensuring that they are well organised and resourced, with clear learning objectives which are shared and reviewed with the pupils. The classrooms are well organised and attractive. Information and communication technology is well used to support the teaching and learning. In many lessons, pupils are encouraged to work collaboratively and this they do very well. Teachers have good knowledge of all subjects, especially English, mathematics and information and communication technology.

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Commentary

18. Pupils with special educational needs are supported very well and teachers plan effectively to meet their needs. An important feature of the teaching is the high quality of support provided by the classroom assistants. Effective liaison between the special educational needs co- ordinator, teachers and support staff ensures that there is appropriate support and challenge for these pupils and, as a result, they make very good progress. The school is in the early stages of identifying pupils who are gifted and talented. Most of the teaching observed during the inspection was of English, mathematics and science lessons in which challenging work was set for higher attainers. In some subjects, such as history, geography and religious education, where the same topic is studied by two year groups, work is often very similar regardless of the capabilities of the pupils.

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Commentary

19. Very good relationships underpin the teaching and learning and this helps to promote the self- esteem and positive attitudes of the pupils. All pupils are fully valued and included in all parts of lessons. The school is very pro-active in raising self-esteem and a recently appointed Learning Mentor contributes well to this aspect of the provision.

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Commentary

20. Since the previous inspection very good assessment procedures in English and mathematics have been developed by the deputy headteacher. The careful tracking of progress, which identifies those who need extra attention and informs target setting, is beginning to have a positive impact on raising standards and involving pupils more in their own learning. The very good systems for assessing and monitoring attainment and progress now need extending to include science and information and communication technology. The quality of marking is very good, especially in English and mathematics; it enables pupils to review what they have learnt, how they are doing and what they need to do to improve.

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Commentary

21. Homework is used effectively to support learning. In spite of the school’s best efforts, some parents are still unclear about the school’s expectations on homework. The school plans to address this. Parents are very supportive of the school’s agenda of further raising standards, including the quality of teaching, which continues to improve, impacting positively on pupils’ achievement.

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The curriculum

Curricular provision throughout the school is good overall. In the Foundation Stage, it is very good. The school offers its pupils an overall broad, well-balanced, interesting curriculum with good opportunities for enrichment. The spacious well-maintained accommodation, including the attractive grounds, fully supports the curriculum. Woodfield Primary School - 11

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• This is a very inclusive school with very good provision for pupils with special educational needs. • There is a high quality curriculum in the Foundation Stage. • Provision for personal, social and health education and citizenship is good with good support for learning outside the school day. • The effective links between subjects and good use of visits and visitors to school enhance learning. • Planned written activities in some subjects do not always provide work that is well matched to the pupils’ abilities.

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Commentary

22. The curriculum meets statutory requirements, including those for the provision for religious education and collective worship. The school has successfully addressed the planning issue identified at the previous inspection. Consequently, subject planning has improved and in most subjects there is appropriate progression. However, in some subjects, such as history and geography, where pupils from two year groups follow the same topics, there is insufficient difference in the work planned for different ages and abilities. The review of continuity and progression in these subjects is an area highlighted in the school improvement plan.

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Commentary

23. The school is very committed to Early Years education. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is very rich and varied, providing children with a very good start to their learning. The presence of an Early Years training unit on site is a very useful resource. There is very good liaison between staff and this helps to enhance the curriculum. Outdoor provision is being further developed.

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Commentary

24. The school provides an interesting range of activities which captures the pupils’ interest and imagination and contributes well to achievement in the school. This reflects a commitment to enhancing and extending the curriculum. National guidelines form the basis of the curriculum and subjects are reviewed on a regular basis. Literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology skills are developed effectively and used very well within other subjects. The thematic approach to planning enhances cross-curricular writing opportunities. There is good provision for the creative arts. A music specialist provides high quality teaching to pupils in Years 3 to 6. Year 6 pupils also learn French. These opportunities, together with the very good use of visits to the local area and further afield, visitors to the school, a variety of clubs and inter-school sports activities, both during and after the school day, make a significant

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Commentary

contribution to pupils’ experiences and to their spiritual, moral and social and cultural development.

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Commentary

25. The school provides well for personal, social, health and citizenship education, including sex and relationships education and drugs awareness. The success of such activities is clearly shown in the pupils’ well-developed sense of care and responsibility.

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Commentary

26. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very well organised with a strong emphasis on inclusion. These pupils achieve very well because of the use made of the good quality individual education plans, which are reviewed regularly, and the high quality support provided by classroom assistants and the Learning Mentor.

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Commentary

27. Subject leaders are well informed and produce useful action plans which are incorporated into the school improvement plan. Their monitoring role is being developed. They are given time each term to focus on a specific aspect of their subject and are receiving guidance on the monitoring of teaching and learning in the classroom. Woodfield Primary School - 12 28. The match of teachers and support staff to the curriculum is very good. The accommodation, both indoor and out, is spacious, clean and ‘child-friendly’. The range of very high quality, attractive displays of artefacts and pupils’ work considerably enhances the environment. The quality and range of resources and accommodation, including the attractive school grounds, is very good and has a very positive impact on standards of attainment.

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Care, guidance and support

The school provides very good guidance and support for its pupils. Within its caring, friendly environment, health and safety are given appropriate prominence. Pupils’ views are sought and valued by the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good, comprehensive policies and procedures are in place for pastoral matters, including child protection. • All staff, including the mid-day supervisors, have received appropriate training and provide good supervision; they know the pupils well. • A welcoming environment enables new pupils to settle very quickly. • The school actively promotes healthy lifestyles. • Individual pupils’ needs are very well met and the school is fully inclusive for all its pupils. • The provision for personal, health and social education has been improved.

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Commentary

29. The friendly, family atmosphere within the school is highly praised and valued by the parents. The caring staff know the pupils very well and during the inspection they were observed giving very good support and supervision. The high quality of the environment provided is typified by the very good wide-ranging displays of the pupils’ work. Each pupil benefits from a trusting relationship with one or more adults within the school. Very good support for some pupils is greatly enhanced by the work of the Learning Mentor.

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Commentary

30. The school has a comprehensive range of policies and procedures which are consistently applied by the staff. Motivation of pupils is promoted through a system of house points, certificates and stickers, together with constant praise and encouragement. The Friday ‘Celebration Assembly’ encompasses individual awards for good work and good behaviour. The school has introduced successful procedures for managing pupils’ discipline in order to bring significant improvements over the last two years.

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Commentary

31. The school has recently introduced a new scheme of work for personal, social and health education incorporating citizenship. This provides a planned programme of pastoral enhancement, including such activities as the ‘parachute’ lesson observed, when pupils enjoyed, amongst other things, physical activity and teamwork. The school is continually improving the provision for a healthy lifestyle, the fruit shop being an innovation which originated from the views of the pupils’ School Council. Water bottles have been introduced.

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Commentary

32. The success of the Year 6 visit to the ‘Crucial Crew’ safety education course is evidenced by the pupils’ positive comments on the ‘Be Positive’ display board; for example, ‘. . . . it was fun and educational’. The school benefits from good external agency support and has appropriate procedures for medical matters and incident recording. Visitors, such as a local dentist, fire, police and railway officers, contribute to the very good health and safety education for the pupils. The school’s own health and safety procedures are well supported by the local education authority. Whilst there are no major concerns, the school is aware of improvements that could be made to remove potential trip hazards. Child protection procedures are good. Woodfield Primary School - 13 33. Pupils’ individual needs are well met. Special educational needs are identified early and very effective support is provided in order to successfully promote good progress. This support may

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Commentary

be either in class with work that is appropriately planned for them, or in small groups working on basic skills in literacy groups. Very good help is given by the educational support staff; for example, a ‘signer’ was observed sitting with a deaf child during an assembly to ensure that she could participate fully in the proceedings. There is very good liaison with external special needs support staff and other outside agencies. The regular reviews of individual education plans and annual reviews of Statements of Special Educational Need give suitable, achievable learning steps which are used very effectively by teachers to support planning. The school is particularly proud of the reputation it is gaining for its support of pupils with physical difficulties.

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Commentary

34. The enthusiastic staff work hard in order that the school’s aims are well met. The high calibre of care, support and guidance ensures that the school’s motto is most appropriate - ‘Woodfield - where childhood is valued’.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a good partnership with its parents. Parents have very positive views of the school. The school has good links to other educational establishments and very good links with the local community.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a significant number of parents, family and friends who give valuable support to the school, including several who give assistance during the school day. • There is a very good range of newsletters and information provided to parents by the school. • Good information is provided on pupils’ progress and achievement, including three formal parent evenings per year. • There are good extended services for parental learning. • Good links with the secondary schools facilitate smooth transfer for the Year 6 leavers. • Very good links to the local community broaden pupils’ knowledge of the world.

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Commentary

35. The parents expressed very positive views about the school. The pre-inspection questionnaire shows strong support for the school; for example, there was a hundred per cent agreement that the teaching is good and that the staff expect pupils to work hard. During the various discussions with parents, there was virtually unanimous support for the view that Woodfield Primary is a very good, caring school. The school canvasses views through its own questionnaires to parents, which provide information upon which the school acts; for example, extra-curricular activities have been increased as result of parental views.

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Commentary

36. Parents are of the opinion that the teachers are easily approached and that the school is very welcoming. The headteacher was especially praised for his openness and for the wide- ranging improvements that parents had noticed over the last two years. A number of parents (and a grandparent) were observed giving valuable help within the school during the inspection. The Parent and Friends’ Association is now making a very positive contribution to the school’s activities. A number of parents have benefited from the school’s good provision of extended services, such as the computer course for parents.

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Commentary

37. The school has an appropriate homework policy and, whilst this is understood and appreciated by most parents, the amount of parental support varies. The school works very hard to ensure that parents have many opportunities to join in activities, such as the Friday ‘sharing’ assemblies. Parents benefit from three formal consultation evenings per year, although the school still has to make additional efforts to ensure ongoing contact with a small number of less supportive parents. The pupils’ annual reports are, overall, good with appropriate text Woodfield Primary School - 14 noting pupils’ progress, what they are able to do and what areas need to be improved. Parents of children with special educational needs are given every opportunity to be involved in the reviews.

p.15

Commentary

38. The school provides very good information to parents, including regular newsletters, the prospectus, the governing body annual report and the information pack for new entrants. Particularly notable are the half-termly information sheets which contain forthcoming curricular details of the main subjects, details of the topic themes, reminders about homework requirements and days for physical education lessons, plus any specific notes from the teachers.

p.16

Commentary

39. There are appropriate links to other primary schools and there is a good partnership with a number of local secondary schools. The school supports teaching students and work experience placements from a number of universities and colleges.

p.16

Commentary

40. The school has very good links with the local community and the pupils benefit from work on many related topics. For example, pupils studied the replacement of the old iron footbridge over the adjacent railway line, including an analysis of the consultant engineer’s drawing; their writing identified various features, such as the ramps to facilitate wheelchair users. There are many community lettings of the school building and strong links with the local council, a number of churches, businesses and recreational services. Links to the local community are enhanced by many school activities, such as the entries to the Bilton Gala, the presentation by the sewing club of blankets to the local senior citizens and the decoration of Christmas trees by each class for local organisations. The many links that the school has pioneered contribute well to the quality of education the school provides.

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are good overall. Very good leadership is provided by the headteacher and other key staff, who lead the school forward with a shared vision of high standards. Subject co-ordinators are working effectively to develop their areas of responsibility. The school is well managed from day to day and financial management is very good. The governing body is committed to the school and provides good governance.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has shared his vision of high standards with the staff and governors and created a strong team that is committed to improvement. • The governing body has a growing understanding of the school’s work, with firm plans to increase its monitoring role. • The well-considered school development plan provides a good framework for school improvement because it is based on self-evaluation and draws together a wide range of information. • Induction procedures for new teaching staff need to be reviewed to ensure that sufficient support is provided.

p.16

Commentary

41. The headteacher is a well-respected member of the school community. Since his appointment, he has brought about a number of significant changes to the organisation and management of the school. Many of these, such as reducing the number of staff employed, were driven by financial need. Alongside a financial management plan, a programme of self- evaluation has helped the school to recognise the need to raise standards of attainment and levels of achievement. A range of data has been shared with the staff and the governing body. The governors use this effectively in their role as a ‘critical friend’, such as when they ask for evidence of progress on issues in the improvement plan. There is a team approach to school Woodfield Primary School - 15 improvement, which is effective because of the wide understanding of the need to be accountable and of the reasons for initiatives being introduced.

p.16

Commentary

42. Communication across the school is good. Members of the senior management team have clearly defined areas of responsibility and are working together to bring about improvement. Subject leaders have devised development plans to improve their areas of responsibility. They are clear about how their subjects fit into the school development plan and when their area will be the focus of attention. Subject leaders are becoming involved in a programme of monitoring teaching and learning, which is beginning to have a positive impact. Resources are reviewed regularly and requests made for new equipment as necessary.

p.17

Commentary

43. The co-ordinator for pupils with special educational needs is relatively new to the post but receives very good guidance from the headteacher, who previously held the post. She uses her time effectively in managing the support programme. There is a good policy for special educational needs which is thorough and inclusive. The arrangements have a positive impact on pupils' learning, and pupils make very good progress and grow considerably in confidence and self-esteem.

p.17

Commentary

44. Performance management is woven into the school improvement process, with appropriate targets being set and training needs being identified in order to pursue the aim of raising standards and improving the quality of teaching and learning. Induction procedures for new staff are satisfactory but the level of support offered is insufficient. The newly qualified teacher needs clearer guidance and support to achieve the high potential which is clear.

p.17

Commentary

45. The governance of the school is good and the governing body fulfils its statutory responsibilities effectively. The headteacher and chair of governors meet regularly to discuss school business. Other governors are kept well informed about the school because the headteacher shares a wide range of information with them at meetings and they are therefore fully aware of where the school’s strengths lie and what needs improvement. Subject co- ordinators have given presentations to the governing body. There are firm plans for members of the governing body to develop links with individual classes as a part of a commitment to further develop its monitoring role.

p.17

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 660,508 Balance from previous year 3,700 Total expenditure 644,594 Balance carried forward to the next 19,614 Expenditure per pupil 2,396

p.17

Commentary

46. Management of the school’s finances is now very good, being well administered by the very effective school secretary. Financial planning is linked to development priorities and the day- to-day management of finances is effective. At the time of the previous inspection, there were concerns that spending was not sufficiently controlled and a deficit was judged to be likely. This situation has been rectified by reorganising classes and reducing the number of staff employed. The planned admission number has been reduced and spare accommodation has been rented to the local authority. Money received for pupils with special educational needs is used well. The principles of best value are applied appropriately, as can be seen in the school’s improving financial position and its thorough improvement planning.

p.17

Commentary

47. The school strives to be inclusive in its work. To help pupils who may not be progressing as well as anticipated, the school has recently employed a Learning Mentor and this is beginning to have a positive impact. The quality of leadership and management is having a very positive impact on this good and improving school. Woodfield Primary School - 16 Woodfield Primary School - 17

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good because staff have very good knowledge of how young children learn. Staff work extremely effectively as a team, preparing attractive activities, interacting with children and observing and monitoring children’s achievements to record progress. Foundation Stage provision has improved since the last inspection. Children enter Nursery in the September before they are four and enter Reception in the September before they are five. Most children attend both the school’s Nursery and Reception classes. Attainment on entry to Nursery varies from year to year, but overall it is just in line with what might be expected of children of a similar age. During their time in Foundation Stage, children achieve well and are well prepared for their move into Year 1. This is because they experience a rich range of well-planned activities, which engage them in learning at appropriate levels and make learning enjoyable. Relationships are

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

very good and staff know the children well because of the regular observations that are made. Children with special educational needs achieve very well and are well integrated because of the high quality support they receive. Accommodation is very good and classrooms are well resourced. The outdoor area also offers a good range of activities and is currently being developed. Lack of storage for large toys was restricting further development at the time of the inspection.

p.19

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well because of the high level of interaction between children and adults. • Very good relationships result in children being happy, confident and eager learners.

p.19

Commentary

48. The development of children’s personal, social and emotional skills is viewed as a priority for staff in the Nursery and Reception classes. Children are likely to reach the expected goals by the end of the Reception Year and a small number will exceed them. The adults are very good role models and make boundaries and rules clear to all children, so that children are familiar with the consistently high expectations that adults have. Routines are well known and children enter the rooms calmly and happily and behave appropriately. Nursery children begin their session later than Reception children, and staff time is used well, working with Reception children in two groups at the start of the day.

p.19

Commentary

49. Children’s confidence is shown in their eagerness to involve visiting adults. During the inspection, chicks hatched in an incubator. The children’s excitement and joy was almost tangible. They were determined that everyone should share in the marvel they were seeing and insisted that the visiting inspector had to come and look immediately. Children are keen to share their learning experiences and like all available adults to join in their play, as this is what they are used to. They treat everyone with respect and play co-operatively and share toys and equipment. They are learning to take turns and listen to one another well when talking in groups. The gentle reinforcement of the high expectations held by adults, and the high level of involvement of adults with children, result in children’s good achievements. Teaching and learning in this area, much of which is incidental, is very good.

p.19

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good teaching and high level of adult involvement mean that children are given very good opportunities to develop their language skills.

p.20

Commentary

50. Most children will meet the expected goals in this area and a small number are likely to exceed them. Children achieve well in all aspects of this area of learning. Speaking and listening is a focus for children when they enter Nursery and they develop into confident speakers who have a good vocabulary which they use effectively. For example, when playing in the giant’s castle, children use a good range of vocabulary to describe the sizes of the things that have been put in as ‘props’. Adults improve the quality of speaking and listening in all the activities that they support. They ask well-chosen questions which prompt children to reply using clear sentences.

p.20

Commentary

51. Books are used very effectively to promote literacy links with many activities. Children enjoy books and are familiar with the contents of the books displayed around the classrooms. When describing the hatching of the chicks, children referred to books on display and quickly turned to the pages which illustrated the point they were explaining. Children in Nursery learn to write their names. Older children learn letter sounds and incorporate their knowledge into words that they write. By the end of the Reception Year, most children know all of the letter sounds and are able to read most of the list of frequently seen words. Children write for a wide range of purposes in their play and Reception age children are able to write lists and simple sentences independently, using their knowledge of letter sounds to help them spell words with which they are not familiar. Writing targets are placed at the back of writing books and Reception

p.20

Commentary

children’s progress towards these is carefully monitored.

p.20

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good, interesting range of activities provided ensures that children are very keen to participate in mathematical experiences, in which they achieve well. • The very good teaching enables the children to achieve well.

p.20

Commentary

52. Staff promote mathematical learning in a wide range of activities. Most children are likely to achieve the expected goals and some will exceed them. Adult intervention means that children achieve well in relation to their capabilities, as tasks are adapted to provide suitable levels of challenge. Children in Nursery enjoy counting and some can recognise numbers to 10 and can match and count to 10. In Reception, children learn to write numerals. The range of numerals they learn is carefully matched to their stage of learning, with the highest- attaining children working with numbers to 20. Children learn to add, count on and count back. Some work in Reception is recorded. Marking gives praise and suggests what children need to learn next, helping other adults who may be supporting the next piece of work.

p.20

Commentary

53. Children learn their colours and make patterns from different materials. In work about Jack and the Beanstalk, children made repeating patterns with different types of beans. They Woodfield Primary School - 19 compared the colours and sizes of the dried beans that they used. Mathematical vocabulary is promoted in many activities. When watching eggs hatch, children speculated which eggs would be first, second and third to hatch. In the giant’s castle, children compared the sizes of different things, deciding what was biggest, smallest, tallest or shortest. Names of shapes are used by staff to describe particular items, such as bricks, and children are asked to choose paper of different shapes and colours when participating in some creative activities.

p.20

Commentary

54. Staff use their imagination to plan activities that will appeal to children and tempt them to participate in mathematical activities. The hard work put into preparing the activities means that children readily incorporate mathematical concepts into their play.

p.21

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Learning is promoted through a wide range of well-planned, well-taught and interesting activities. • Good use is made of the local area to give children valuable experiences of the outside world.

p.21

Commentary

55. Most children are likely to achieve at the expected levels by the end of the Reception Year and a small number will exceed these levels. Photographic evidence and teachers’ planning show that children experience a rich curriculum which builds on practical and experiential learning. Water and sand are constantly available to promote a range of learning experiences. Children learn about the passage of time as they watch eggs hatch and talk about hens laying eggs and what the chicks will look like as they grow older. The children are taken on short visits to local places, such as the local shops or to a footbridge, to watch and listen to a train passing underneath them. They go on walks to look at the seasonal changes that are happening around them. They enjoy kicking dry autumn leaves into the air. When ice forms inside containers, they hold it up to the sunlight and look at the trapped leaves or marvel at the

p.21

Commentary

patterns of the frozen water crystals. In spring, they look at catkins and enjoy looking at the blossom on the trees.

p.21

Commentary

56. The curriculum is enriched by visitors who come to talk to the children. Children enjoy watching and learning about visiting animals, such as rabbits and tortoises. They hear how guide dogs work to help their owners. A spiritual element is evident in many of the photographs seen, showing children’s joy, wonder, fascination and amazement at what they see. There are also plentiful opportunities for children to build with construction toys. Play is co-operative and there is good narrative talk as work proceeds. Children enjoy using large and small construction toys. There are good opportunities for children to use computers. They are confident in using a range of software and show good understanding of using a mouse to control the computer. By the end of the Reception Year, children will have experienced a wide range of experiences within this area of learning. The interaction of adults with the children

p.21

Commentary

ensures that new vocabulary is used as children develop their understanding of the world around them. Woodfield Primary School - 20

p.21

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is very good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good use is made of the spacious indoor and outdoor provision, resulting in good achievement. • The very good range of activities, the very good teaching, involving a high level of adult involvement, help children to progress well.

p.22

Commentary

57. Most children are likely to achieve the expected levels of physical development and a small number will exceed them. Wet weather during the inspection meant that no outdoor play was observed. For children in Reception, every day begins with a physical activity session in the hall, which is planned to enhance their interest in learning. Children participate sensibly in all the exercises, which all adults demonstrate and participate in. Children show good levels of co-ordination, for example, when putting one elbow on the opposite knee in time with the music that is playing. Reception children enjoy this initial session and quickly settle to their work when it is complete.

p.22

Commentary

58. Children in Nursery and Reception enjoy building with large wooden bricks. Working co- operatively, a group of boys worked together productively. They stacked and balanced blocks, telling those who enquired that they were ‘building Asda’. When it was complete, they brought lorries in to deliver goods.

p.22

Commentary

59. Children show good control over some fine movements with their hands. When making patterns with dried beans, some children picked up and placed the beans using tweezers, showing extraordinary patience, perseverance and control. They handle dough, paintbrushes and scissors well. Nursery children place collage materials very precisely to create an effect that pleases them. In their writing and number work, Reception children show good control of their pencils and over time their writing develops well.

p.22

Commentary

60. Outdoor play is planned for with the same care and detail as indoor provision. The provision outdoors is being developed with climbing facilities and areas to encourage social play. The number of wheeled and other outdoor toys available is restricted by the limited storage.

p.22

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Creative activities are used very effectively to attract children into experiences which promote learning across the curriculum. • Children show very good imagination in role-play and sustain their concentration well.

p.22

Commentary

61. Children are likely to achieve the expected goals by the end of Reception and some will exceed them. The quality and choice of creative activities encourage children to become involved and to sustain their concentration for considerable periods of time. Role-play areas provide very good environments for promoting and developing a wide range of learning experiences. For example, the giant’s castle, created to support the theme of Jack and the Beanstalk, attracted many children, who spent time exploring the exciting things placed in there. The castle was a Woodfield Primary School - 21 focus of adult intervention and this resulted in high quality play, even after the adult left. Children talked about the big cooking pot and how much it might hold and pretended to clean their teeth with a giant toothbrush. A very large pair of boots was worn by some very small children, who enjoyed trying to walk around the room, repeating ‘Fee, fi,fo,fum’. Mathematical

p.22

Commentary

language was very much in evidence as children compared various things for size.

p.23

Commentary

62. Painting is available for children who wish to participate and collage activities linked to the themes of Jack and the Beanstalk and the incubated eggs caught children’s interest. Staff used effective questioning to encourage children to talk about their work and the choices that they were making. Most children remain at activities until they have completed the task. Paper is available for children to use as they wish. Three children created cards with decorations which included rolled and folded paper, requiring very good levels of dexterity. They were using techniques which they had learned previously. In using the construction toys, children create imaginary environments, such as the boys ‘building Asda’ and then bringing in delivery lorries. Children achieve well and sometimes very well in this area of learning because of the care that has been put into the planning and preparation of activities. The quality of teaching and

p.23

Commentary

learning in this area of learning is very good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The overall good quality of teaching and learning enables most pupils to achieve well. • Pupils make very good progress in Year 6. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good, enabling them to make very good progress. • The very good behaviour and attitudes of the pupils promote good learning. • Assessment is very thorough. • Literacy is used well in other subjects. • Progress in Years 1 and 2 is inconsistent.

p.23

Commentary

63. Standards in reading and writing at the end of Year 2 are in line with national average. These standards are reflected in the writing results of 2003, which were in line with national average and that for similar schools. They do not reflect the reading results, which were below the average of all and similar schools. These standards could be higher in Years 1 and 2. Pupils do not always receive sufficiently challenging work and this limits their achievement. Standards in speaking and listening are good across the school. Standards at the end of Year 6 are above the national average. This represents an improvement on the 2003 results, which were in line with average for all and similar schools. Currently, pupils are on target for a significant number to attain the higher Level 5 in national tests. Between Years 3 and 6, most pupils achieve well. The school has introduced strategies to extend the range of writing

p.23

Commentary

experiences and set group and individual pupil writing targets and these initiatives are having a positive effect on standards. Overall, standards have improved since the last inspection.

p.23

Commentary

64. Most of the teaching is good or very good. This quality of teaching makes a significant impact on the standards pupils achieve. It is especially evident in Year 6. Teachers show good subject knowledge and plan interesting lessons with clear learning objectives, which are shared with pupils at the beginning of lessons and then used to review learning in useful final review sessions. Very good relationships underpin the teaching and learning, leading to good rapport between teachers and pupils. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour Woodfield Primary School - 22 and their approach to work. These high expectations, together with the brisk pace shown in lessons, are enabling pupils to make the most of their learning opportunities. Where teaching is less effective, the brisk pace is lacking and activities provided do not provide sufficient challenge, limiting the progress pupils make.

p.23

Commentary

65. Assessment and monitoring procedures are thorough. Individual targets are updated regularly, enabling teachers to carefully monitor progress. The quality of marking is very good; helpful comments show pupils how to improve their work. Pupils in Year 6 have been trained to mark their own work using National Curriculum criteria and are becoming very accomplished at this.

p.24

Commentary

66. Although boys have generally performed better than girls in recent years, during the time of the inspection, there were no significant differences between the attainment of boys and girls. The small number of pupils with English as an additional language make similar progress to their classmates. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans. The high quality of support they receive from classroom support assistants makes a significant contribution to learning for these pupils. Equality of opportunity is very good, with teachers working hard to ensure that nobody is excluded from an activity.

p.24

Commentary

67. The very good attitudes shown by the pupils towards their work make a significant impact on the standards they achieve. Most pupils are very well behaved, listen intently and have the confidence to ask and answer questions, which enables them to make valued contributions during lessons.

p.24

Commentary

68. The good work done by the English co-ordinator is helping to provide the consistent approach to learning seen throughout the school. She is beginning to monitor teaching and learning in the classroom. There is a need to provide more support to members of staff in Year 1 and Year 2. There is also a need to clarify the school’s policy on handwriting. Resource levels are good but the library is currently under-used.

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

69. Oral sessions in lessons across the curriculum are used very effectively to develop speaking and listening skills. The school has developed a thematic approach to planning in order to encourage cross-curricular writing. This was seen in a character study lesson based on the story of the Good Samaritan. The teacher made the subject more relevant by relating a similar modern day experience to which the pupils could relate and this extended the range of opinions they offered. Although pupils are given some opportunities to practise their writing skills in such subjects as history, geography and religious education, the activities provided do not always promote learning sufficiently well because expectations are insufficiently high. Good use is made of information and communication technology to support English.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards at the end of Year 6 are above average and pupils achieve well. • Pupils’ progress is not sufficiently consistent in Years 1 and 2. • There are very good systems for assessing, tracking and targeting pupils’ work. • Pupils with special educational needs are given very good quality support.

p.24

Commentary

Woodfield Primary School - 23 70. Standards at the end of Year 2 are in line with the national average. These standards are reflected in the 2003 National Curriculum test results, which were in line with the national average and with those of similar schools. Standards at the end of Year 6 are above the national average. This represents an improvement on the 2003 results, which were in line with the national average but below those of similar schools. There are no significant differences between the attainment of boys and girls and pupils of different ethnicity. Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well because of the good level of support they receive.

p.25

Commentary

71. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall, but there is some variation, notably in Years 1 and 2, where it varies from satisfactory to excellent. Where the teaching is excellent, the pupils achieve very well, enabling all of them, including the higher attainers and those with special educational needs, to reach the highest standards of which they are capable. In the satisfactory lessons, pupils do not make the same progress and there are times when more could be expected of them. Insufficient guidance and support is being provided to the two relatively inexperienced teachers working in Years 1 and 2, to help them to target raising the pupils’ achievement. This support can be provided by the mathematics co-ordinator, who teaches the discrete Year 2 class and is an outstanding teacher.

p.25

Commentary

72. Overall, pupils from Years 3 to 6 achieve well. Years 5 and 6 pupils make good and sometimes very good progress because of the quality of teaching they receive. This is why standards are improving. Most of these pupils show good number skills. They gain confidence in carrying out calculations in their head. Older pupils clearly explain the strategies that they have used and show good understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; they apply these concepts well to a good range of practical situations.

p.25

Commentary

73. A key factor in the many successful lessons is the very good quality of support provided by the classroom assistants. The quality of the group activities in the two least successful lessons was adversely affected by the lack of classroom assistant support. In the majority of lessons, the support of the classroom assistants ensures that the pupils with special educational needs make very good progress. The oral sessions at the start of lessons are a good feature of teaching in all classes. Teachers involve all pupils in answering questions and explaining strategies; pupils listen attentively and concentrate well, usually showing enthusiasm. In most lessons, pupils work hard and are productive; they co-operate well with one another.

p.25

Commentary

74. There has been a good improvement since the previous inspection. The overall quality of teaching is higher, the work is planned effectively and there are good practices for assessing how the pupils are doing, with careful tracking of their progress. The school needs to ensure that the assessments of key objectives are dated. Increasingly, pupils are becoming involved in setting targets for their own improvement. The recently introduced ‘learning by heart’ booklets to help each pupil to learn number facts, is beginning to have a positive impact. The National Numeracy Strategy has been well used to improve the quality of education in mathematics.

p.25

Commentary

75. Homework is carefully planned and monitored and makes a positive contribution to the standards being achieved. There are firm plans to provide parents with insights into the pupils’ methods of calculation. The marking of pupils’ work is very good across the school. It helps the pupils to understand how they are progressing and what they need to do to improve. The teachers’ high expectations usually result in work which is well presented.

p.25

Commentary

76. Leadership and management of the subject are good and have improved over the last two years. The knowledgeable and enthusiastic co-ordinator is a leading mathematics teacher for the local education authority. More use could be made of her talents to model teaching and to give guidance to less experienced colleagues. Some monitoring of teaching and learning has been introduced but this is still at an early stage of development. Standards are rising at the end of Year 6 and need to do so at the end of Year 2. The work in mathematics meets statutory requirements. Woodfield Primary School - 24

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

77. Pupils make effective use of mathematics as part of their work in other subjects and this helps them to develop an appreciation of the practical uses for their skills. For example, they use graphs and tables to record data in geography and science; they use measuring skills in design and technology. Information and communication technology is sometimes used as an integral part of the mathematics curriculum, but there are plans to further develop this.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in science are better overall at the end of Year 6 than at the end of Year 2, mainly because pupils’ achievement is inconsistent across Years 1 and 2. • The investigative strand of science needs further development across the school. • There is no reliable system of assessment so that teachers are better informed about pupils’ achievements.

p.26

Commentary

78. Standards at the end of Year 2 are broadly in line with the national average. This does not reflect the outcomes of the 2003 teacher assessments, which were high but possibly unreliable, given the results in other tests. Standards at the end of Year 6 are above the national average. Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2003 were below national averages and well below when compared with similar schools. Few pupils attained at the higher Level 5 because the year group contained a significant number of pupils with special educational needs, who achieved well, but attained at lower levels than those attained nationally. Standards are similar to those seen at the time of the previous inspection at Year 2, with some improvement at the end of Year 6.

p.26

Commentary

79. In discussions, most pupils across the school are articulate and are able to give clear explanations about the things they are learning. By the end of Year 2, pupils are able to explain what they know and understand, but there are inconsistencies in the pupils’ achievements in the two classes containing pupils of this age. Progress is slower in the mixed-age class. Pupils in Year 6 achieve well overall and offer scientific explanations for findings in their work. They are able to discuss details of experiments and investigations that they have completed and explain very clearly that in a fair test conditions must be controlled and only one variable altered. They know that they must take three measurements and calculate a mean when conducting tests.

p.26

Commentary

80. In the lessons seen during the inspection, teaching in Years 1 and 2 varied between satisfactory and very good. In Years 3 to 6, the teaching seen was consistently good and this contributes to the better achievement seen by the end of Year 6. In the lesson where teaching was very good, activities were well chosen and pupils worked in pairs to consider why electricity can be dangerous. Questioning was sharp and well focused, allowing pupils of differing abilities to achieve well. The pace of the lesson was good and pupils’ attention and interest was retained because they were given new challenges. Where teaching was satisfactory, the majority of the lesson progressed soundly, but too little was expected of the higher attaining and older pupils and, in consequence, achievement was just satisfactory. 81. The investigative strand of science is taught across the school and pupils record their work in

p.26

Commentary

different ways, including the use of information and communication technology. More opportunities could be made for pupils to devise their own experiments and investigations and explain why they have made particular predictions and conclusions, together with an explanation of the reasoning behind their ideas. Woodfield Primary School - 25 82. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The science co-ordinator is relatively new to the post and science has not yet been a major focus of the school development plan. Some lesson observations have been made and booklets have been given to staff to raise their awareness of the need to further promote investigative science. Work has been started on devising a new assessment system, but there has not yet been sufficient time for rigorous analysis of the trial system. Early indications are that teachers will need to award levels rather than grades for the system to be of greater use in understanding pupils’ achievements.

p.26

Commentary

Developments in science are still at an early stage, but the co-ordinator has appropriate plans for the raising of standards.

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is good .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved since the last inspection and are now above average. • Information and communication technology is used effectively to support work in other subjects. • Although effective use is made of the computer suite, the lack of computers in Years 3 to 6 classrooms limits opportunities to further practise skills. • Assessment needs further development.

p.27

Commentary

83. Raising standards in information and communication technology was the main issue in the previous report. Since the previous inspection, the school has considerably improved its provision in information and communication technology. The school now has a computer suite and an appropriate curriculum. Considerable staff training by outside agencies and the co- ordinator has increased the expertise and confidence of staff. This has resulted in pupils having far greater opportunity to learn new skills and to apply them effectively in their work in other subjects. A good example of this was seen in a Year 6 lesson where pupils were creating PowerPoint presentations for a project on the local environment. In discussion and when answering questions, they showed a sophisticated, above average understanding of the processes involved.

p.27

Commentary

84. Teaching and learning seen was good, enabling all pupils, regardless of ability, to achieve well. The very good relationship between adults and pupils is a very significant factor in the good level of learning. Teamwork between teachers and support staff is very good, ensuring that all pupils are very well provided for. This was very evident in a Year 1 lesson where pupils were creating a pictogram in connection with a design and technology program. The rapport and humour between teacher and classroom assistant created an atmosphere where pupils were very excited and responsive, resulting in very good speaking and listening opportunities. Their basic computer skills were at a level which enabled them to achieve standards above what would be expected. The interactive whiteboard in the information and communication technology suite is used very effectively for class presentations.

p.27

Commentary

85. Pupils are very well behaved. Co-operation between pupils when sharing computers is very good and this, together with their mature attitudes, contributes considerably to good quality of learning. 86. Subject leadership and management is good. The co-ordinator has a high level of personal skill and is very aware of the future developments needed to continue to develop the subject and further improve standards throughout the school. Some assessments are undertaken, but there is recognition of the need to develop the assessing and monitoring of attainment and progress along the lines it has been successfully developed in English and mathematics. Woodfield Primary School - 26

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

87. Information and communication technology supports work in other subjects well as a consequence of the school’s thematic approach to curriculum planning. There is evidence of a variety of interesting projects clearly showing progression of skills. Equipment in the computer room is well used but the lack of computers in classrooms in Years 3 to 6 means that pupils do not have the opportunity to practise skills outside the planned lessons.

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HUMANITIES AND CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

The work in geography and history and in art and design, design and technology, music and physical education meets statutory requirements. These subjects were not specific areas of focus for the inspection and only a limited range of evidence was sampled. As a consequence, there is insufficient evidence to make overall judgements on the quality of the provision.

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Geography

88. Only one lesson was seen during the inspection and so there is insufficient evidence to make secure judgements on the quality of teaching and learning. Evidence from teachers’ planning, from displays around the school and from the pupils’ books indicates that the pupils receive an appropriate curriculum based on national guidance. However, with the exception of Year 6, geography is not being used sufficiently well to develop skills. The two-year cycle of topics is resulting in too little difference in the work produced by the different ages and abilities.

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Geography

89. Very good use is made of the local environment and of visits further afield to enhance the curriculum and geography is used well to explore a range of environmental issues. Years 5 and 6 pupils are currently considering the implications of a new bridge to be built adjacent to the school, focusing on the advantages and disadvantages. Good links are made with other subjects. Younger pupils plot their journey to school, focusing on the range, purpose and age of buildings seen. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 designed their own tartans when studying the Isle of Struay. They also used information and communication technology to produce directions for ‘Postman Pat’ to deliver the mail. There is a good range of stimulating resources.

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History

90. No lessons were seen during the inspection and, as a consequence, there is insufficient evidence to make secure judgements about the quality of teaching and learning or about standards. The series of topics, which follow national guidance, are taught to two year groups at the same time.

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History

91. A review of pupils’ work in history over the year showed that there are occasions when there is insufficient difference in the standards of work by pupils of different ages and abilities. When this happens, the work set requires a limited response, which provides insufficient challenge for the higher attaining pupils.

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History

92. The pupils’ enthusiasm for the subject is well promoted by a range of historical visits. The pupils learn about their own community through walking around Bilton and looking at the local church. In Years 1 and 2, they enjoy a train ride from Harrogate to Knaresborough, offering an opportunity to visit the castle. A visit to the National Railway Museum at York promotes pupils’ understanding of the history of transport. 93. Pupils from Years 3 to 6 enjoy archaeological work in ‘The Arc’ at York, visits to Lotherton Hall and Eden Camp, together with residential education at Bewerley Park. The visits of theatre groups, such as a Victorian puppet theatre, add to pupils’ interest. Woodfield Primary School - 27

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Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The new co-ordinator is very committed to raising the profile of religious education. • The work benefits from good links with local churches. • There is insufficient difference in standards by pupils of different ages and abilities and often more could be expected of the higher attainers.

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Commentary

94. Although an appropriate amount of time is given to religious education, during the inspection no lessons were seen. Consequently, it is not possible to make judgements on teaching and learning. However, a close review undertaken of the pupils’ work indicates that standards are in line with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus, as they were at the time of the previous inspection.

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Commentary

95. Achievement is satisfactory overall, although pupils could sometimes achieve more. The same topics are covered by pairs of year groups and there are times when there is very little difference in the standards of work of pupils of different ages and abilities. Sometimes, a limited response is expected from the pupils when more could have been expected of the higher attainers.

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Commentary

96. In Years 1 and 2, pupils learn about the life and stories of Jesus. They consider the lives of the disciples, including Peter and Andrew the fishermen. They enjoy stories that Jesus told, such as the Mustard Seed and the Good Samaritan. They learn about the main participants in the story of the first Christmas and they sequence the various elements of the Easter story.

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Commentary

97. In Years 3 to 6, pupils learn about the symbols of different faiths. They learn about some of the main features of Islam and Judaism; they learn of the significance of the synagogue and the torah. Visits to the local churches at particular times help to develop the pupils’ understanding of harvest festivals, Christmas and Easter. These visits are valuable and the school has firm plans to arrange visits to other places of worship and visits to school by members of other faith groups.

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Commentary

98. Acts of collective worship make a significant contribution; for example, during the inspection, pupils became well absorbed in a well-told serialisation of the story of Joseph and his brothers. Overall, the subject is well resourced, partly through the collection of ‘artefact crates’ which support the topics. Although simple assessments are undertaken, there are firm plans to further develop systems to better judge attainment. At the time of the inspection, the co- ordinator had only been in that role for three months or so and so leadership and management are at an early stage of development. The school’s priorities have, understandably, focused on the national initiatives concerned with literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology. There is clear recognition on the part of the co-ordinator that the profile of religious education now needs to be raised.

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Art and design

99. In the limited number of art and design lessons observed during the inspection, teaching was good and expectations high, enabling pupils to make good progress. Judgements about attainment and achievement are based on a review of pupils’ work, including that on display. Standards are good across the school and pupils achieve well. Examples of work on display throughout the school are of a high standard and the very careful presentation helps to create a stimulating environment in keeping with the ethos of the school. Woodfield Primary School - 28 100. The curriculum is rich and varied, allowing pupils to experience and experiment with a wide variety of media. They study the work of a number of artists from a variety of cultures and are given good opportunities to interpret their styles; for example, patterns based on Aboriginal dreams. Work supports other areas of the curriculum very well. Examples include seaside

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Art and design

collages in geography, abstract pictures and patterns inspired by fables and the story of Hiawatha and paintings and drawings of plants. Some pupils worked with the British Trust for Conservation to produce tiles representing aspects of the environment.

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Design and technology

101. No lessons were seen in design and technology; therefore, it is not possible to make firm judgements about the teaching and learning. Other evidence, such as work in books, on display, in teachers’ planning files and photographic evidence, suggests that standards achieved by pupils by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, in investigating, disassembling, making and evaluating artefacts are broadly in line with those expected. The planning and design stages are aspects of work that need further development in order to raise standards.

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Design and technology

102. Pupils use skills from other subjects to help them with their work in design and technology. Younger pupils taste fruit and make a graph of favourite fruits in preparation for making fruit salad. Older pupils learn of the importance of measuring accurately. When making shelters, they use their knowledge of the suitability of particular materials for making the shelters waterproof. Purpose is given to their work in the consideration of the needs of refugees. The displays of design and technology around the school are striking and informative. They reflect the effort that teachers and pupils have put into the work.

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Music

103. In music, there is insufficient evidence to make secure judgements on teaching and standards. All pupils were heard to sing tunefully and with enthusiasm in assembly. A small number of pupils provided an effective percussion accompaniment. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 were observed taking part in a very successful rehearsal for a production of Peter Pan, involving great enthusiasm on the part of all the pupils; Year 6 pupils were observed in a lunchtime xylophone practice in preparation for the rehearsal. One lesson was seen at Key Stage 2. Some Year 2 pupils were observed during a well-taught recorder lesson.

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Music

104. Curriculum planning is satisfactory and covers all the required elements of the curriculum, but more opportunities could be provided for pupils to listen to and appraise music from other cultures. In the music activities that were seen, pupils worked enthusiastically. They enjoy practical music activities and the rehearsals for the production of Peter Pan showed that pupils in Years 5 and 6 are very enthusiastic about musical performance.

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Music

105. Music is effectively managed by the headteacher. He has introduced a commercial scheme for staff to follow to offer support to teachers who do not have specialist knowledge. The school benefits from the part-time work of a professional musician with older pupils.

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Physical education

106. No lessons were seen during the inspection and so no judgements can be made on standards or the quality of teaching and learning. The work is led by national guidance, which ensures that pupils receive an appropriate curriculum. The work benefits from there being two halls, one for each key stage, and extensive playing fields.

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Physical education

107. Good opportunities are provided for swimming, with pupils in Years 3 to 6 having lessons at the local secondary school swimming pool for around eight weeks a year over four years. There is a good range of sporting activities provided outside the school day, including football, tag rugby, Woodfield Primary School - 29 ‘Kwik Kricket’ and netball. Boys and girls are enthusiastic about the activities, involving as they do, opportunities to take part in competitive sport with other schools. There are firm plans for the school to apply to achieve the ‘Active Mark’ in the year ahead.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

The quality of provision in personal, social and health education and citizenship is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Personal, social and health education and citizenship are well promoted in all aspects of school life. • Skills of independence and responsibility are nurtured well. • Pupils are given good information about how to lead a healthy lifestyle.

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Commentary

108. The strong emphasis given to encouraging responsibility and independence is helping to promote the pupils’ very positive attitudes and other personal qualities. The programme is well organised and includes work on diet and healthy eating, sex and relationships education and personal safety. It is also used as a means of raising multicultural awareness and of giving older pupils insights into global communication.

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Commentary

109. Circle time makes a positive contribution. Pupils are encouraged to share thoughts, think about issues and show respect for views that may be different from their own. With Year 1 and Year 2 pupils, a discussion on why ‘Elmer the Elephant’ was special led to circle time when pupils made comments about each other, promoting positive thinking and self-esteem. Activities such as this help to foster the very good relationships which exist within the school.

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Commentary

110. The school’s programme makes a positive contribution to its strong, caring, community ethos where very child is valued. Co-operative relationships are encouraged throughout the school. The School Council gives pupils insights into the democratic process, helping them to make their views known; the council members take their responsibilities very seriously. Pupils of all ages show a good awareness of how to behave in a community and they work well together in a supportive and caring way. The provision for personal, social and health education and citizenship is one of the many features which make this a good school. Woodfield Primary School - 30

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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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 3 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 3 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 3 Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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