Great Harwood St Bartholomew's Parish Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 29 th November – 1 st December 2004

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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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. Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 215

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Ash Street Great Harwood Blackburn Lancashire Postcode: BB6 7QA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01254 884534 Fax number: 01254 887527

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Revd J Heil

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: February 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St Bartholomew’s Voluntary Aided Parish Primary School is located close to the centre of Great Harwood. The school has close links with St Bartholomew’s church. The school is average in size compared with others of this type. At the time of the inspection there were 169 pupils in Years 1 to 6 and 67 children attending full-time or part-time in the Foundation Stage. Most children come from the surrounding area. The area around the school is fairly mixed; around 15 per cent of pupils are entitled to a free school meal, which is similar to that found in other schools. Attainment on entry is broadly average, although there is a wide spread of ability. There are 21 pupils (10 per cent) on the school’s register of special educational needs, which is fewer than in most schools nationally. Most of these pupils have moderate learning difficulties. Four pupils have a statement of special educational need, which is slightly above average. A very small number of pupils have English as an

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

additional language, although they are not at an early stage of English language acquisition.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school won a Department for Education and Skills (DfES) Achievement Award in 2002. Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 6327 J N Thorp Lead inspector Foundation Stage; Information and communication technology; Art and design; Music 13448 D Lloyd Lay inspector 6282 P Raja Team inspector English; Citizenship; Geography; History; Special educational needs; English as an additional language 16971 R W Hardaker Team inspector Mathematics; Science; Design and technology; Physical education

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peakschoolhaus ltd

BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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peakschoolhaus ltd

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 31

Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 6 Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 7

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Overall the school provides a good quality of education . The school is well led; there is a firm commitment to the inclusion of all pupils. Teaching and learning are good overall. Pupils have very positive attitudes to school. Standards in English are above average and in mathematics and science they are well above average by the end of Year 6. Good provision ensures that pupils develop personally as well as academically. The school provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Standards are above average in English and well above average in mathematics and science by Year 6 • Higher attaining pupils in Year 2 are not achieving well enough in English and mathematics • Teaching is good in Years 3 to 6, ensuring pupils’ learning is good • Pupils’ very good attitudes to school, teachers’ high expectations and their very good management of behaviour all underpin the school’s positive ethos • There are weaknesses in the co-ordination of planning and assessment in the Foundation Stage and in the monitoring of teaching and learning in some subjects across the school • The firm commitment to inclusion, and good provision for pupils’ personal development and care ensure that all pupils’ needs in these aspects are identified and met • Children in the Foundation Stage lack appropriate access to a secure outdoor area and the area available is not used well enough to support children’s physical development

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• There is insufficient formal consultation with parents

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

There has been satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection in February 1999. Procedures for assessment are now better, although better use could be made of the outcomes to address individual needs. Teachers’ planning has improved, especially in Years 3 to 6. This still needs to improve in Year 2, where weaknesses remain. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good; very good support ensures they are fully able to participate in lessons.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Overall achievement is good . Children start school with attainment that is broadly average overall, although there is a wide spread of ability. Children’s learning is good in the Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 8 Foundation Stage and so by the time they enter Year 1 most have achieved the goals children are expected to reach by the end of the reception year in all areas of learning. This represents good achievement. Children make less rapid progress in their physical development however. Achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and standards are average in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils achieve well in science and standards are above average. Whilst the general trend in the school’s performance has been above the national trend, the table above shows that there was a slight dip in standards in 2004 at the end of Key Stage 2. Nevertheless, although standards in English were in line with

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

those achieved by pupils in similar schools, they were well above average in mathematics and science. Current standards are above average in English and well above average in mathematics and science. Throughout the school, pupils achieve standards expected for their age in information and communication technology (ICT).

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

development, is good . Strong relationships and the very good support of all the adults ensure that pupils feel happy and secure at the school and this contributes to their positive attitudes. The behaviour of most pupils is very good. Attendance is well above average and pupils are punctual.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Overall the quality of education provided by the school is good . Teaching is good in Years 3 to 6 , and particularly effective in Year 6. This ensures that pupils’ learning is good. A skilful team of teaching assistants helps to ensure that all pupils are able to participate fully in lessons. Assessment procedures are good, but better use could be made of the information gained to address individual pupils’ needs. Pupils are well cared for and good provision is made for their personal development. The curriculum is good, although planning between the nursery and reception class is not linked well enough. Although there is not enough formal consultation with parents, other links with them are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall leadership and management are good . The headteacher provides good leadership, with a firm focus on inclusion. Effective management ensures the school runs smoothly. Other key staff contribute effectively to leadership and management, although opportunities for co-ordinators to monitor the quality of teaching are limited. Governance is good. The governing body fulfils its legal responsibilities and governors contribute effectively to the management of the school.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

In most aspects of its work, the majority of parents have positive views of the school. A minority of parents are right in their concern that the school does not take sufficient account of their views, as there is insufficient formal consultation. Inspectors found no evidence of bullying during the inspection. Pupils have positive views about school. The vast majority enjoy coming to school, are happy and secure and have no concerns about behaviour or bullying.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 9 • Ensure that the learning needs of all pupils in Year 2 are fully met • Enable all subject co-ordinators to monitor, evaluate and support the development of teaching • Establish a coherent and consistent approach to planning in the Foundation Stage • Provide a secure outdoor area, with appropriate access, for children in the Foundation Stage and use it to promote their learning, particularly their physical development • Provide more opportunities for consultation with parents Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 10

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Overall pupils’ achievement is good . Achievement is good in the Foundation Stage, with the majority of children likely to reach the goals expected by the end of the reception year. Achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2, with standards in reading, writing and mathematics average. Overall achievement is good in Years 3 to 6, although it is slightly better in mathematics and science than it is in English.

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

• Standards in Year 6 are above average in English and well above average in mathematics and science • Children achieve well in most areas of learning in the Foundation Stage; achievement in physical development is satisfactory • Pupils in Year 2 should be achieving more in reading and higher attaining pupils do not achieve as well as they could in writing • Pupils have insufficient opportunities to use their ICT skills in other lessons

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Commentary

1. Children enter the school with wide ranging levels of attainment, but overall standards are broadly in line with those expected. In some areas their prior learning is not as good as in others. Analysis of trends of attainment on entry indicates that in personal and social development and in their ability to communicate and use language, standards are falling and not now generally as good as they have been in the past. Nevertheless the provision made for children in the nursery and reception class ensures that they make a good start to their time in school. They achieve well in most areas of learning, with the majority on course to achieve the goals children are expected to reach by the end of reception. There is a strong emphasis on both personal, social and emotional development and communication, language and literacy; learning is good and children make good progress in these areas of their learning because teaching is good. They also make good progress in their

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Commentary

mathematical development. While there are some opportunities provided to promote children’s physical development, there is insufficient access to appropriate outdoor facilities, which restricts their rate of progress in this area of learning.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 15.7 (16.0) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 14.8 (12.7) 14.6 (14.6) Mathematics 16.6 (17.1) 16.2 (16.3) There were 26 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year. Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 11 2. This table shows that pupils achieved broadly average standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 in 2004 in reading, writing and mathematics compared with pupils in all other schools. These test results also show that in both reading and mathematics pupils in the school did slightly less well than they had the previous year. This is because there is a higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs in this year group. In writing and mathematics, the picture is the same when results are compared with those achieved by pupils in similar schools. In reading, however, standards achieved were below average compared with those of pupils in similar

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 26.8 (28.2) 26.9 (26.8) Mathematics 28.5 (29.2) 27.0 (26.8) Science 29.7 (29.4) 28.6 (28.6) There were 31 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3. This table shows that standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2004 in English were in line with those achieved by pupils in other schools, but in mathematics and science they were above average. These results also indicate that in both English and mathematics pupils did not do as well as they had the previous year. Despite this slight downturn, however, when compared with pupils in similar schools on the basis of their prior attainment, standards in English were average and in mathematics and science they were well above average. Pupils currently in Year 6 are on course to achieve standards in line with those achieved in 2003.

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Commentary

4. By the end of Year 2, standards of reading are generally average, but by the end of Year 6 they are above average. While overall standards are high enough to be comparable with national averages, in Year 2 higher attaining pupils are insufficiently stretched in their reading because they are kept on the reading scheme for too long when they could achieve more. By Year 6 pupils are fluent and expressive readers, able to express choices about reading materials and they enjoy what they read. This has a positive impact on their learning in other subjects.

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Commentary

5. There has been a high priority given to improving pupils’ writing; standards are broadly average by the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. Although pupils make satisfactory progress, expectations of pupils in Year 2 are not high enough and their achievement could be better. Nevertheless, the increased focus on improving standards of writing brought significant improvement in national tests in 2004 compared with the previous year. In Years 3 to 6 pupils’ progress accelerates because provision is good, and as a result many pupils can communicate their ideas effectively in writing by the time they leave the school. However, more could be done to provide pupils with opportunities to use and extend their writing skills in other subjects.

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Commentary

6. The standard of pupils’ work in mathematics by the end of Year 2 is broadly average. This is reflected in the results of the most recent statutory assessment. Pupils’ progress and achievement are satisfactory. Pupils make good progress through Years 3 to 6 so by the time they leave the school they have achieved well and standards are Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 12 well above average. The high quality of the teaching of mathematics is a significant factor.

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Commentary

7. Throughout the school pupils achieve well in science. Standards among pupils currently in Year 2 are above average and in Year 6 they are well above average. Teaching of science is consistently good throughout the school and this is the major contributory factor to pupils’ good progress and achievement.

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Commentary

8. Pupils’ learning and achievement in ICT are satisfactory and standards are in line with those expected of pupils by the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. Improved resources for teaching and learning are having a positive impact on the rate at which pupils make progress and standards are improving. While the teaching of skills is good, with effective use made of the computer suite, teachers generally provide too few opportunities for pupils to use their skills in other subjects and this restricts the opportunities for valuable reinforcement.

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Commentary

9. Pupils with special educational needs achieve satisfactorily in Year 2. In Years 3 to 6 pupils achieve well because of the very effective targeted support they receive. They are given work which matches closely to their individual education plans and pupils’ progress is monitored carefully by the support staff and the class teachers.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and their behaviour is very good . Provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Attendance and punctuality are very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy school, try hard and are keen to do well • Behaviour is consistently good or very good, in response to teachers’ high expectations • Very good relationships reflect the school’s good provision for pupils’ personal development

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Commentary

10. Pupils say that they like coming to school because teachers are kind and lessons are fun. They are motivated to try hard because of the rewards that this will bring, but they are also anxious to please their teachers and their parents. Receiving a good report or a commendation from the teacher makes them feel happy and they are particularly keen to know that their parents are proud of them. In lessons they listen attentively and concentrate on their work. They settle well to practical activities and are eager to show and explain their work to visitors. They are confident to answer questions or to demonstrate what they can do to the rest of the class.

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Commentary

11. Pupils with special educational needs have positive attitudes to learning and demonstrate good levels of confidence in lessons. This is because staff know them well and plan effectively for pupils’ individual needs. Daily routines, consistently followed by support assistants, give structure to pupils’ learning, providing a good level of support and encouragement. Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 13 12. Behaviour, both in lessons and at playtimes, is almost always good. Amongst children in the Foundation Stage and pupils in the older junior classes, behaviour is consistently very good. This is because teachers have high expectations and pupils respond well to them. They understand the simple rules that have to be followed and are familiar with well-established classroom routines, so that lesson time is used to best effect. Behaviour is not quite as good in Years 1 and 2, where pupils sometimes fidget and

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Commentary

find it hard to concentrate when they are all together on the carpet. Pupils move sensibly around the building, particularly on the staircases, which they negotiate carefully with a minimum of supervision. In the playground they take good care of the new equipment that has been provided for them and join together in a variety of games. At lunchtime the younger pupils wait in their classrooms until it is time to eat, playing games under the watchful eye of an adult. In this confined space they can become over-excited and their behaviour sometimes deteriorates as a result.

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Exclusions

13. Although the school’s system of rewards and sanctions is effective for most pupils, very occasionally someone oversteps the mark and the school finds it necessary to send them home for a few days. There were two fixed term exclusions in the last school year. Careful procedures are in place to involve parents if pupils are excluded and to ensure that pupils’ behaviour improves on their return. Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 14 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusion s Number of permanent exclusions

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Exclusions

White – British 165 2 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 4 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 1 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 45 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Exclusions

14. Pupils’ personal and social development is promoted well through lessons and through the school’s positive ethos. The very good relationships that are fostered throughout the school create a happy, purposeful environment, which encourages effective learning. Opportunities to take responsibility, from simple classroom jobs that are undertaken by the youngest children to more complex and demanding tasks for the older pupils, give everyone a basic understanding of what it means to be part of the school community. Discussions on how personal responsibilities increase as people grow older or on global issues such as the destruction of the rainforest, help pupils develop an awareness of the world around them. Because adults in school provide good role models pupils learn to show respect and consideration for others. They are developing a sense of social responsibility, which is clearly seen in their day-to-day

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Exclusions

conduct and in their extensive charitable fundraising.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 3.6 School data 0.2 National data 5.1 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

15. Pupils’ attendance is well above that found in most primary schools and there is hardly any unauthorised absence. Parents support the school well by ensuring that pupils come regularly and on time.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education, enabling pupils to learn effectively. The curriculum is good and there are good opportunities provided for pupils to learn outside of lessons. Teaching is good and pupils are well cared for. The majority of parents have positive views about the school.

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Teaching and learning

Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 15 Teaching is good overall. Pupils’ learning and their achievement are good and they do well to achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6. A clear focus on learning, particularly in Years 3 to 6, contributes positively to these pupils’ good achievement. Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 16

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good in Years 3 to 6 • Teaching is mostly good in the Foundation Stage but there are some weaknesses in planning • In Years 3 to 6 lessons are purposeful, well paced and productive but in some classes the pace of lessons is sometimes too leisurely • The needs of the higher attaining pupils in Year 2 are not being sufficiently well met • Good assessment information enables the school to track pupils’ progress well, but there are some inconsistencies in the quality of planning • Teachers do not use ICT to support pupils’ learning in other subjects as effectively as they could

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Commentary

16. Teaching in the school is good overall. It is particularly strong in Years 3 to 6, where teachers are very skilful, focus firmly on extending pupils’ learning and manage behaviour very well. This has a positive impact on pupils’ attitudes to school and ensures that learning is consistently good. Overall teaching has improved since the previous inspection when a significant proportion of lessons was judged unsatisfactory. In around three quarters of all lessons seen in this inspection teaching was good or better; there were no unsatisfactory lessons. Teaching in literacy and numeracy is effective, especially in Years 3 to 6, where it has a considerable impact on pupils’ learning and contributes most positively to the high standards achieved by the time pupils leave the school. Teachers make very good use of their skilful classroom assistants, who support pupils’ learning very effectively. This also helps ensure that

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Commentary

learning is good. Most pupils find lessons interesting and think that teachers explain things clearly, a view which the inspection team supports in most lessons.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 37 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

17. Teaching is good in the Foundation Stage. In both the nursery and the reception class teachers manage a good balance between the provision of activities from which children can choose and teacher-directed activities with a specific purpose. In the best lessons at this stage, teachers carefully help children to plan which activities they are going to choose. This helps ensure that children engage in the activities and results in more purposeful sessions. There is good teamwork in both the nursery and reception, where teachers and nursery nurses work together very well.

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Commentary

18. Teaching is particularly effective in Years 3 to 6 because here there is a clear focus on pupils’ learning. Teachers manage lessons with these classes purposefully, with good pace and as a result pupils respond positively and productively. In a very good lesson in ICT with Year 5, in which pupils learned to interrogate a database, the teacher managed the lesson very purposefully, providing very clear explanations at every stage and moving the lesson on at a good pace, all of which ensured pupils’ learning Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 17 was good. Such good pace and purpose in lessons are not always achieved in Years 1 and 2, because the organisation of teaching and learning is not always as effective as it could be. At times insufficient thought is given to the extent of individual pupils’ engagement in particular activities and sometimes lessons are managed at too leisurely a pace because there are insufficient demands made of pupils, particularly of

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Commentary

19. In Years 3 to 6 teachers are very good at matching appropriate tasks to pupils’ specific learning needs. They can do this because they are good at assessing pupils’ learning, using questions at the beginning of lessons to evaluate what pupils have understood from previous ones, for example, which enables them to identify aspects to reinforce or areas for further challenge. This was the case in a very good mathematics lesson with Year 3, in which the teacher not only directed pupils’ learning on the basis of assessment at the beginning of the lesson, he also further evaluated how well their understanding had been moved on in the closing session. Such an approach enabled the teacher to identify the specific learning needs of groups and individuals in the class.

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Commentary

20. Teachers in Years 3 to 6 use a good variety of teaching techniques and approaches effectively to engage pupils’ interest and enhance levels of understanding. This also enables them to manage pupils’ behaviour well and ensure that classrooms are orderly so pupils are able to learn. In a very good English lesson with Year 3, teaching was lively and imaginative, with the teacher making very good use of drama and role-play in the story of the Pied Piper and modelling the use of language very effectively. This modelling of language was also very effective in a Year 6 English lesson, in which the teacher engaged her pupils in thinking about a report on William Shakespeare and the theatres of his time. Such lively and engaging teaching is very effective in sparking interest and enjoyment in pupils and contributes to their good learning. In a very few lessons, however, the inappropriate choice of materials results in lower levels of

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Commentary

interest from all pupils and a specific lack of challenge for the higher attainers.

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Commentary

21. The school has good systems for assessment, and a good deal of assessment information provides the school with a clear picture of pupils’ progress. However, the use of this information to help teachers plan specific learning activities to meet the needs of some individuals or groups of pupils is not consistent across the school. This contributes to the lack of precision in planning for learning in some classes and in some subjects.

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Commentary

22. While the teaching of skills in ICT is good and the use of the interactive whiteboards is effective in enhancing teaching, teachers make insufficient use of ICT to promote or extend pupils’ learning across the curriculum. Pupils have too few opportunities to work with the computers in other subjects, because teachers do not make sufficient use of the computers in their classrooms as effectively as they might.

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Commentary

23. Pupils who have statements of special educational needs are generally taught well, particularly in Years 3 to 6, and make good progress towards the targets set in their education plans. The very effective support they receive from the learning support assistants enables pupils to take part in whole-class lessons and to work on individual programmes of work at planned times each day. Good teamwork between teachers Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 18 and learning support assistants provides a clear picture of pupils’ achievement, enabling new work to be closely matched to need.

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The curriculum

A good curriculum meets pupils’ needs well in the Foundation Stage and in Years 3 to 6. The activities provided for pupils in Years 1 and 2 are satisfactory. There is good provision for out of class activities, which enrich pupils’ learning. Provision for personal, social and health education is good. Accommodation and resources are overall satisfactory with good resources for the Foundation Stage.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is well balanced, relevant and interesting in Years 3 to 6 • Support for learning outside the school day is good • There is good provision for personal, social and health education • Procedures for early identification of special needs are not applied with the same rigour and consistency throughout the school • The lack of a secure outdoor area for children in the Foundation Stage limits the opportunities they have to learn and develop outside Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 19

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Commentary

24. The curriculum provided for children in the Foundation Stage is good overall, despite the limitations of the restricted access to the outdoors. Although there is insufficient co-ordination of planning across the nursery and the reception class, in both areas teachers and nursery nurses plan and provide a wide range of good practical activities to extend children’s learning. They provide a very good balance of directed activities, in which one of the adults usually works with a group of children, and opportunities for children to choose for themselves. This contributes to the overall good provision made for children in the Foundation Stage.

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Commentary

25. The school ensures that the statutory requirements for the National Curriculum are effectively met. Pupils in the Foundation Stage and in Years 3 to 6 are provided with a good range of learning experiences, which enable pupils to learn well. There is a well- planned programme for personal, social and health education and this supports pupils’ personal and social development well. Good attention is given to the dangers of solvent abuse and to the importance of healthy eating and personal fitness. Personal development is further promoted through providing Year 6 pupils to train as ‘Buddies’ for younger pupils.

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Commentary

26. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities. Annual residential visits provide Years 5 and 6 pupils with good opportunities for personal and social development. Visitors frequently contribute to lessons, adding a valuable dimension to the day-to-day curriculum. For example, the visit of Kinetic Theatre for a science- based show focusing on the ‘forces’ theme significantly contributed to pupils’ knowledge and understanding of this topic. In addition a wide range of visits helps pupils to appreciate the wider world. For example, pupils have visited a number of museums and art galleries. A range of sporting and musical activities contributes effectively to pupils’ learning and personal development. These are mainly but not entirely for older pupils.

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Commentary

27. The school has fully implemented the requirements for pupils with special educational needs. These pupils are well supported and consequently have access to all aspects of the curriculum. However, there is some lack of monitoring to ensure that the school’s procedures for early identification of pupils’ special needs are implemented with the same rigour and consistency throughout the school.

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Commentary

28. The accommodation is satisfactory overall, supporting the curriculum appropriately, except in the Foundation Stage, where the lack of a secure outdoor area restricts the opportunities for children to learn outside and limits the pace of their physical development. The addition of a well-equipped computer suite is having a positive impact on pupils’ progress in developing their ICT skills. The new library is attractive, well resourced and used effectively.

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Care, guidance and support

Pupils are cared for well and arrangements for health and safety are good . Support, advice and guidance, based on monitoring, are satisfactory . There are satisfactory procedures for seeking and acting upon pupils’ views. Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 20

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are good procedures to ensure the health and safety of staff, pupils and visitors • Very good relationships mean that pupils feel safe and confident, so that they learn well • Pupils’ involvement in the work of the school is underdeveloped

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Commentary

29. Careful attention is paid to all aspects of health and safety. Risk assessments are regularly updated and new ones written whenever necessary. Arrangements for school trips are researched thoroughly to identify any potential hazards and staff are meticulous about observing safe practices in lessons, especially in areas such as physical education, design and technology and science. Almost all staff have received training in basic first aid, with four currently attending a more advanced course. A successful bid for funding has allowed the school to construct a purpose-built medical room which can cater for any specific needs of individual pupils. Appropriate procedures for child protection are in place and all staff have been trained.

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Commentary

30. Staff know pupils well and show genuine concern for their welfare. As a result, they have established relationships of trust and confidence, so that pupils know that if they have worries of any kind, whether academic or personal, there is an adult in school to whom they can turn for help. Pupils report that they feel safe and well cared for in school and that their teachers are kind. Consequently, they are confident in lessons and prepared to take risks; for example, in writing prayers, they felt able to describe intensely personal feelings and experiences without fear of ridicule or criticism. Pupils themselves play a part in making school a happy place to be by their participation in the ‘Buddy’ scheme, where Year 6 are formally trained to help with the younger children, looking after them and playing with them at lunchtimes. As well as contributing to the social development of the younger ones, the scheme enhances the

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Commentary

self-esteem of the Buddies and helps them to develop social and organisational skills.

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Commentary

31. There is good support for pupils’ learning in lessons, especially for pupils with special needs. The procedures for tracking pupils’ progress are clearly set out so that pupils with special needs are identified early and supported effectively from an early age but the rigour with which these procedures are applied varies amongst staff. Guidance for all pupils on how they could improve their work is inconsistent. There are some examples of good practice that show pupils exactly what they need to do to achieve higher standards, but sometimes targets are imprecise.

p.20

Commentary

32. Staff take informal soundings of pupils’ views and have taken action as a result, for example in introducing the option of trousers instead of skirts for girls, and in beginning to create a quiet area in the playground. However, there is currently no mechanism for pupils to be part of any formal consultation process and thus to contribute to the work and development of the school. In spite of the very good relationships that exist between pupils and adults, pupils are sometimes reluctant to voice their concerns about day-to-day matters that directly affect them. When issues appear trivial, they feel that adults do not always listen and can be dismissive of their views.

p.20

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 21 Links with parents and with the local community are good overall. Links with other schools are satisfactory .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most parents are happy with the education the school provides • A number of parents are concerned about some aspects of school • Strong links with the local community extend pupils’ learning and contribute to their personal development well

p.21

Commentary

33. The majority of parents support the school and appreciate the experiences it offers to their children. Attendance at parents’ consultation evenings is very high and parents take an interest in pupils’ work by helping them learn spellings, listening to them read and supporting research work on topics. The small, but highly successful, Parent Teacher Association raises substantial funds for extra resources and contributes to the community spirit of the school by organising functions that involve both parents and pupils. Parents find the school approachable, and think that their children are making good progress and are treated fairly. Almost all agree that children like school and that arrangements to help them settle in are good.

p.21

Commentary

34. A minority of parents are concerned that the school does not take sufficient account of their views. They do not feel that they are informed well enough about their children’s progress and think that there are issues surrounding behaviour, bullying and lunchtime supervision. The inspection team agrees that current procedures for finding out what parents think are underdeveloped, but finds no evidence to justify the other concerns raised. During the inspection, no poor behaviour was seen and pupils themselves confirmed that, with a very few exceptions, most pupils behave well. Relationships between pupils were clearly very good, supported by the good role models provided by staff and the promotion of care and consideration for others that is an integral part of the school’s ethos and of teaching in assemblies, religious education and personal, social, health and citizenship education. Bullying has been approached as an issue for

p.21

Commentary

class discussion and written work and the pupils spoken to were adamant that there was no bullying at all in school. Children are supervised well at lunchtimes by staff who have been trained in first aid and behaviour management. Apart from some noisy, excitable behaviour in the dining room, behaviour overall was very good.

p.21

Commentary

35. The school uses parent governors, the members of the Parent Teacher Association and daily informal contacts between staff and parents to collect information on parental views. It has, in the past, taken account of what has been said, resulting, for example, in the changed format of the school report to make it less wordy and easier for parents to see exactly how pupils are achieving in relation to national expectations. However, there is insufficient formal consultation with parents to make sure their views are known and that they are fully active in the parent/school partnership.

p.21

Commentary

36. The school’s provision of information for parents on pupils’ progress is good. Strategically timed parents’ meetings allow proper consultation with class teachers, with alternative arrangements made to ensure that all parents have an opportunity to Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 22 attend. There is an ‘open door’ policy, which allows parents easy access to teachers on a daily basis for informal discussions, while appointments to see the headteacher are easily made.

p.21

Commentary

37. Because of its Church of England status, the school has very close links with the parish, which mean that the vicar regularly takes assembly, pupils attend church services and Christian values are an important part of school life. The local community is used extensively as a resource, with many visits to places of interest that extend and enrich the experiences that pupils have in the classroom. For example, visitors to school have spoken to the pupils about their roles in the community, while history was brought to life by a grandmother who described how differently people lived when she was young. Links with the receiving high schools ensure that pupils move on smoothly to Year 7, while the pupils themselves make their contribution to the life of the local community by singing for senior citizens at Christmas and raising funds for a wide range of local and national charities.

p.22

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff are good . Governance of the school is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has a clear vision for the school, which is central to the whole school’s effectiveness • The governors’ good grasp of the school’s strengths and weaknesses underpins good governance • The school operates very smoothly on a day-to-day basis Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 23 • Key subjects are effectively led and managed, but in others co-ordinators have insufficient opportunities to monitor and support the development of teachers’ skills • The school manages its finances well

p.22

Commentary

38. The headteacher has a clear vision for the school and is committed to developing a fully inclusive school where all pupils achieve as well as they can. Enjoying the full confidence of his staff he leads the school well, giving it a good sense of direction and purpose. He is very well supported by the deputy headteacher. Under his leadership the school has managed to maintain overall good standards.

p.23

Commentary

39. Governance has improved since the last inspection. The governing body does its job well. Governors have good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and they keep a good focus on essential issues. Some governors are well informed through regular visits to the school and they receive good information from the headteacher and other senior teachers. They play an active role in the strategic management of the school.

p.23

Commentary

40. Performance management systems for staff are fully in place and the headteacher is trying to ensure that this directly relates to improvements in the quality of teaching. This has already brought a consistency in the good teaching seen in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 but there remains some inconsistency in the quality seen in other parts of the school. Attendance on a good range of courses leads to the effective continuing professional development of all staff, which is helping to improve teachers’ expertise. The school reviews its performance regularly, having very good systems in place for evaluation. The school, in partnership with an institute of higher education, is very effectively making a contribution to the training of future teachers. The deputy headteacher and the Year 6 teacher are very good role models for the aspiring teachers with whom they work in their classrooms. There are good procedures in

p.23

Commentary

41. The school runs very well on a day-to-day basis. All adults work well as a team, largely ensuring that all pupils enjoy the same opportunities. Morale in the school is good. Subject managers for English, mathematics, science and ICT manage their areas well. In other subjects, however, co-ordinators have too few opportunities to monitor, evaluate and support the development of teaching, which contributes to the inconsistencies in the quality of teaching across the school.

p.23

Commentary

42. The management of provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. All the statutory requirements are met. Support staff are trained appropriately, enabling them to approach their work confidently. The co-ordinator uses her weekly release time for administration purposes mostly, which results in a lack of consistent monitoring of pupils’ progress through the school. The co-ordinator is not yet involved in strategic forward planning and although this aspect is a school improvement priority, the action plan is not linked to improving teaching and learning, and resources for special educational needs are not sufficiently clearly identified.

p.23

Financial information

Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 24 Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 602393 Balance from previous year 32223 Total expenditure 617737 Balance carried forward to the next year 16879 Expenditure per pupil 2606 Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 25 43. Financial planning and management are good. The governors and the headteacher have a good grasp of finances and funding issues. The headteacher and governors make prudent, but effective, decisions working within the constraints of a tight budget. They successfully ensure that good standards are maintained, that all pupils have good opportunity to succeed, and that the school continues to make sound improvement. The principles of best value are clearly understood and well applied and all spending is effectively monitored and controlled. The school is an effective school

p.24

Financial information

giving a good quality of education and providing good value. Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 26

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

44. At the time of the inspection there were 41 children attending the nursery half time. A significant number of children are brought to the nursery from some distance from the school. As a result not all children in the nursery join the school’s reception class.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

45. Children enter the nursery with prior attainment that is broadly average overall, although there is a wide spread of ability. In some areas of learning, particularly in language development and personal and social development, children’s attainment is generally not as high as in others. There is also some indication that attainment on entry is not as high as it has been in the past. By the time they enter Year 1, however, the majority of children have made good progress and are working at expected levels in all areas of learning, indicating good achievement overall.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

46. The good features reported in the previous inspection remain strengths. The overall provision for children in the Foundation Stage remains good, because the quality of teaching and the effectiveness of the organisation of learning are good. In both the nursery and the reception class, the teachers and nursery nurses work together very effectively. They are skilful in exploiting the opportunities to extend children’s learning through the variety of resources they have set up. There is a good balance of teacher- directed and self-chosen activities. This ensures that children’s learning is good; they have good opportunities to learn through structured practical activities, which are contributing to the progress they make and their good achievement. However, there has been no improvement in the provision for learning outdoors and this continues to slow children’s physical development.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

47. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are satisfactory; the new co- ordinator has had little time to make an impact on the pace of improvement. Although there is very good teamwork amongst staff working separately in the nursery and in the reception class, there is limited co-ordination of planning and assessment to ensure coherent and consistent provision across the whole Foundation Stage.

p.26

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children settle quickly into nursery because they feel safe and secure • Teachers and classroom assistants are good at building effective relationships • Children’s achievement in their social and emotional development is good • Children gain confidence in working independently because the organisation of teaching and learning is effective

p.26

Commentary

Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 27 48. This area of learning is given an appropriately high priority right from the start when children enter the school because some children’s personal and social development lags behind that of other children their age. The teacher and nursery assistant are good at building appropriate and effective relationships, enabling children to settle quickly into the nursery. Throughout the Foundation Stage good teaching enables children to make good progress in this area of learning. As a result children rapidly grow in confidence; most settle well to the activities planned for them and enjoy what they do. They work well both with the adults and on activities they have chosen for themselves. Achievement is good and as a result, the majority of children reach the goals they are expected to reach by the end of reception.

p.27

Commentary

49. Teaching is good in both the nursery and reception. Despite the difficulties of access to the building, there are effective routines that ensure that children feel secure and they come into school happily and confidently for each session. The organisation of teaching and learning is effective. In both the nursery and the reception class, teachers and classroom assistants successfully help children to become aware of others, reinforcing the importance of sharing, taking turns and co-operating with others. This enables them to develop the skills of working independently. Children enjoy learning, and are well behaved and this also contributes positively to their social development.

p.27

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s learning is good and most achieve the goals they are expected to reach by the end of reception • A high priority is given to the development of children’s speaking, which is successful in increasing their confidence and ability to communicate effectively • Stories are used very well to interest children in reading, but books could be used more frequently to support children’s learning in other areas • Children have good opportunities to develop their early writing skills

p.27

Commentary

50. Children enter the school with generally average language and communication skills, although some children’s ability to communicate effectively is underdeveloped. Teaching is good, with teachers and nursery nurses all giving a high priority to extending children’s language skills. This contributes to children’s good learning and enables them to make good progress. As a result achievement is good, with the majority reaching the goals children are expected to reach by the end of reception.

p.27

Commentary

51. The teachers and nursery nurses effectively reinforce routines for speaking and listening, so children learn how to listen to each other and take turns in speaking. All the staff provide good opportunities for children to speak and they are skilled at involving them with questions, both in groups and as they interact with them individually. In the nursery, the teacher and nursery nurse are sensitive to the needs of those children who are reluctant speakers and they support and encourage them Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 28 which effectively helps them develop confidence. In reception, good opportunities are provided for individual children to speak, about something they have brought in from home for example, and these encourage individuals to speak in front of the whole class. Working with masks to act out stories also effectively encourages children’s speaking. By the time children enter Year 1, many of them are able to communicate

p.27

Commentary

52. Children enjoy listening to stories. In the nursery, for example, good use of props enabled the teacher to bring the story of The Three Bears to life, very effectively reinforcing children’s understanding of small, medium and large. Children were delighted with this activity. In reception, a variety of activities help children learn initial letter sounds and some simple words, such as the use of objects and the large play mat. Children know how to use books appropriately and they enjoy sharing them with others. Some children can match the names to some pictures of characters from a story. There is good use of language displayed around both the nursery and reception to interest children in words. There is good provision to promote reading, and children handle books appropriately. In the nursery the bears’ cave provides a very good opportunity for children to sit quietly and share books, carefully selected to reflect the

p.28

Commentary

theme of many of the current planned activities. In reception, work with the puppets in the puppet theatre provides a very good opportunity for children to retell a familiar story. At times, more use could be made of books to support children’s work in other areas, such as in model-making or the role-play. 53. Teachers provide a good range of activities to promote the development of children’s early writing skills, with specific planned activities like writing a Christmas list in the writing area or opportunities to include mark-making in the role-play shop. Children make appropriate progress in developing their pencil control as they copy individual letters and sometimes words. Some children can already write their own names appropriately.

p.28

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.28

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

• Good teaching ensures children have a good range of practical activities to promote their mathematical understanding and so their learning is good • Teachers do not encourage children to work with the computers often enough

p.28

Commentary

54. Teaching is good, with teachers and nursery nurses providing a good range of practical activities to promote children’s mathematical development. This ensures children’s learning is good and contributes positively to the progress they make. As a result achievement is good, with the majority of children achieving the goals they are expected to reach by the end of reception.

p.28

Commentary

55. The teachers and nursery nurses are good at reinforcing children’s mathematical understanding and their ability to use appropriate mathematical language, through the range of practical activities they provide. The number lines provided, for example, Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 29 effectively reinforce children’s understanding of counting and number and the regular discussion of the calendar in reception helps children understand the sequence of numbers larger than ten. The counting of drumbeats also effectively reinforces children’s ability to count and the majority can count accurately to ten and some beyond. Good use of number fans in reception enables children to show that they understand ‘one more than’ and ‘one less than’. There are good opportunities for children to use their developing mathematical skills in the various areas around the classroom, such as in the role-play shop for example, or in the wrapping of presents in

p.28

Commentary

which they choose small, medium or large sized paper. At times children are able to work with the computers to reinforce their understanding of mathematical concepts such as counting, size or sequence, but generally teachers do not encourage children to work with the computers often enough.

p.29

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching ensures learning is good and children achieve well • Some activities engender a real excitement in learning, extending children’s understanding effectively • Children have too few opportunities to work with the computers in both the nursery and the reception class

p.29

Commentary

56. Teaching in this area of learning is good in both the nursery and the reception class. Children are provided with a good range of practical opportunities to extend their knowledge and understanding of the world, and stimulate their curiosity. Learning is good and children achieve well. As a result, the majority of children achieve the goals they are expected to reach by the end of reception. 57. At times, the activities teachers provide create a real excitement in learning. For example, when a teddy bear is stranded in the playground overnight and sends a note for help, children in the nursery are immediately involved in a search and rescue. This led on to some very interesting discussion about ways in which he could be dried and experiments with different materials to find out how he could have kept dry while outside. In this activity children’s learning was very good as they were engrossed in

p.29

Commentary

solving the teddy bear’s problem. Children are able to manipulate small toys well, in their imaginary play in the sand for example or when playing with the polar bears on the ice. There are good resources to support children’s making, constructing or building. Some children use the computers confidently, demonstrating an ability to control the mouse appropriately as they move the cursor around the screen, but generally they have too few opportunities to work with the computers because teachers do not give this sufficient emphasis.

p.29

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory . Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 30

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have limited opportunities to work with the outdoor equipment, which is a weakness that has not been sufficiently addressed since the previous inspection • There are good opportunities provided for children to work with a variety of tools in both the nursery and reception • In their physical education lessons, reception children have too few opportunities to explore space, direction, speed and balance for themselves

p.30

Commentary

58. Overall teaching is satisfactory, enabling children to achieve satisfactorily. The restricted opportunities for children to use the outdoor equipment inhibit the rate of their progress, but most children achieve the goals they are expected to reach by the end of reception.

p.30

Commentary

59. The limited outdoor facilities noted in the previous inspection have not been improved. Children in both the nursery and reception have limited opportunities to work outdoors because they have no direct access to the playground. At times children are taken outside as a whole class and on these occasions good use is made of the available equipment to promote their physical development. Adults are good at working with the children in the various activities. In one very good activity, for example, as children aimed and threw beanbags, the nursery nurse was able to reinforce children’s understanding of ‘more than’ and ‘less than’. The available bats and balls help children to develop skills of throwing and catching. Such activities are effective in helping most children to become well co-ordinated. Children in the reception class have opportunities to work in the hall, although there is a tendency to rush them on to

p.30

Commentary

more formal lessons in physical education too quickly. As a result children have insufficient opportunities to explore space, movement and the selection of equipment for themselves. This approach limits their achievement.

p.30

Commentary

60. In the nursery and classroom, children have good opportunities to develop their skills in manipulating equipment such as pencils, paint brushes and scissors. They use the available tools well, to wrap their chosen presents for example, and this helps them make progress in developing co-ordination and manipulation. Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 31

p.30

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A good range of activities is provided to stimulate children’s imagination • Children work co-operatively and imaginatively at times as they develop their play in the role-play areas and in the puppet theatre

p.31

Commentary

61. Teaching in this area of learning is good overall. Teachers plan a good range of activities to stimulate children’s imagination; children enjoy the range of opportunities provided. This helps ensure children’s learning is good and they achieve well, with most children reaching the goals they are expected to achieve by the end of reception.

p.31

Commentary

62. Children experiment with mixing colours, as they paint, print or make collages, for example. In the nursery, their various pieces of work on the theme of brown and orange have reinforced children’s understanding of mixing colour. In both the nursery and reception children enjoy the opportunities they have for role-play, using the good range of props provided to support their play. Such activities provide children with good opportunities to work together in pairs or small groups to explore situations or create stories for themselves, as when they work with the masks or in the puppet theatre for example.

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average in Year 6 and overall pupils achieve well in Years 3 to 6 • Teaching and learning are good in Years 3 to 6 • English provision is co-ordinated well by the subject leader • Higher attaining pupils are not always given sufficiently challenging work in Year 2 and, as a result, there is some underachievement • Teachers have made a concerted and successful effort to improve pupils’ standards of writing but use of published scheme materials sometimes limits the opportunities for independent writing, in Year 2 particularly

p.31

Commentary

63. The school’s good provision has been maintained since the previous inspection in Years 3 to 6. Pupils’ standards of work this year are at the level expected nationally in Year 2 and above the expected level in Year 6. This represents good improvement over the previous year when standards were average. The school has set very challenging targets for the 2005 national tests, which pupils are likely to attain in Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 32 reading and speaking and listening but fewer pupils are likely to achieve the higher than expected Level 5 in writing.

p.31

Commentary

64. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and good in Years 3 to 6. Pupils typically enter Year 1 with attainment at a level expected nationally in English. They make satisfactory progress through Years 1 and 2 and achieve average standards. In Year 2, whilst most pupils make steady progress, the work provided for the higher attaining pupils is not well matched to their needs and their progress is not as good as it should be. Moreover, on occasions the activities set for different ability groups, for example to improve comprehension skills, show that expectations are not high enough and progress over time is not so brisk. Pupils with special educational needs in the Year 2 class make similar progress to others in the class. In Years 3 to 6, pupils with special educational needs are very well supported by the teaching assistants, teachers provide challenging work which is very well matched to their individual education plans

p.32

Commentary

and as a result these pupils achieve well and sometimes make very good progress in lessons. The few pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds achieve as well as other pupils.

p.32

Commentary

65. Pupils’ standards in speaking and listening are in line with expectations at Year 2 and above the level expected nationally at Year 6. In most lessons throughout the school, pupils are active listeners and confidently ask and answer questions. They have a good understanding of what is expected of them. In Years 3 and 6, pupils give detailed answers to questions in good sentences. Teachers strongly encourage pupils to structure their answers in sentences, which are grammatically accurate. Standards in reading are average at Year 2 and above average at Year 6. In Year 2, there is well- organised programme for younger pupils, who work through a scheme. However, on occasions the higher attaining pupils spend too long working through this scheme when they are capable of reading at a more advanced level. The daily guided reading sessions in Years 3 to 6 provide good opportunities for pupils for silent reading, and to

p.32

Commentary

read with the teacher and to write book reviews. Pupils read regularly with parents at home and this attention also helps them to make good progress. Older pupils who are more competent readers choose their own books from the well-stocked library. Pupils in Year 6 develop preferences for particular authors, and research for information from a range of sources, such as the Internet and CD-ROMs. The recently refurbished and attractive library is used well to foster the habit of reading for pleasure amongst pupils in Years 1 to 6.

p.32

Commentary

66. The school has made writing a priority for improvement. Writing standards are in line with expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6. Pupils enter Year 1 with average skills in writing and make satisfactory progress through the year. In Year 2, expectations are not high enough, and pupils do not achieve as well as they could. In the 2004 national tests in writing at Year 2 there was very good improvement over the 2003 results which were well below average. In Years 3 to 6, provision is good and progress accelerates. Most pupils throughout the school now write in different forms and for a range of purposes. The recently purchased exciting range of good quality materials is used particularly well in Year 1 and Years 3 to 6 and is beginning to have a positive impact on the interest with which pupils write. In Years 3 to 6, pupils break down the way English is written and analyse the components with growing skill. They have a

p.32

Commentary

good understanding of grammar and punctuation in Years 5 and 6. Throughout the Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 33 school, teachers often use materials from published schemes in other subjects, which limits opportunities to write independently at length for different purposes.

p.32

Commentary

67. The teaching is good overall. In Years 1 and 2 it is satisfactory and good overall in Years 3 to 6. Teaching overall immerses pupils in learning so that most pupils wish to do better. Relationships in lessons are very good and pupils settle very well to their work with interest. In Years 3 to 6, teachers make good use of questioning to check understanding and to extend pupils’ ideas. Teachers’ lesson targets are specific and therefore the group tasks for pupils to complete are well focused; this results in most pupils making good progress in the lessons. The pace of lessons in Year 2 is occasionally a little slow and the teaching does not move pupils fast enough through the tasks in lessons. Where teaching is very good, for example in the Year 3 lesson about writing The Pied Piper of Hamelin as a play script, pupils use a range of strategies. These include ‘hot seating’, dramatising the story and learning the

p.33

Commentary

conventions of presenting a play; pupils learn with a high level of motivation and enjoyment and make very good progress. Teachers make good use of homework, which enhances learning well. The quality of marking is variable with a few teachers such as in Years 3 and 6 providing detailed evaluative comments which help pupils to improve their work.

p.33

Commentary

68. Subject leadership and management are good overall. Both the subject leader and the headteacher analyse pupils’ work and evaluate teaching in lessons. The subject leader has taken up this responsibility fairly recently, but has already made improvements. The handwriting policy, for example, is now implemented consistently and as a result pupils’ standards of handwriting and presentation are improving. The subject leader has a clear vision and good ideas for developing the provision but this is not yet effectively communicated to others. This is because the action plan in the school improvement plan is not sufficiently focused on teaching and learning.

p.33

Language and literacy across the curriculum

69. The school has made a good start with developing strong links with ICT. This was clearly evident from the work of pupils in Year 6 on producing newspaper reports and also from their work on mountains linking geography, ICT and English. However, the school recognises that this is an area that needs extending further, so pupils get more opportunities to practise the skills learnt in literacy lessons. Some effective writing was seen in pupils’ religious education books. Overall, opportunities are missed to develop writing when pupils use textbooks and related worksheets in geography and history for example.

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most children in Years 3 to 6 achieve well in all aspects of mathematics • Teaching is usually good with some very good features • Higher attaining pupils in Year 2 are not always sufficiently challenged • Leadership is good and supports effective teaching and learning Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 34 • Children enjoy mathematics and have good attitudes to learning • Homework is used effectively to reinforce learning

p.33

Commentary

70. Currently pupils in Year 2 are attaining standards close to the national average in all areas of mathematics and those in Year 6 are attaining standards that are well above the national average in all areas. This represents satisfactory achievement for pupils in Year 2 and good achievement for those in Year 6. Pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5 are also achieving well. Pupils with special educational needs achieve as well as others in their respective classes as a result of good classroom support from teachers and teaching assistants.

p.34

Commentary

71. Good achievement in Years 3 to 6 is the result of good overall teaching. During the inspection some very good teaching was also observed. For example, in Year 6 the teacher drew on her very good understanding of mathematics to give pupils very clear explanations of ways to solve some quite complex number problems. She used visual resources very well to help them understand. She carefully chose a range of problems for pupils to solve, making sure that the complexity of those given to particular individuals was both within their capability to solve and yet sufficiently challenging. She encouraged pupils to explain in words the strategies they used in solving them and at the end of the lesson she spent some time encouraging them to evaluate how well they had learnt.

p.34

Commentary

72. Teaching in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory with some weaknesses. A close inspection of pupils’ completed work shows most to be making at least satisfactory progress with their learning. However, the standards and achievements of the higher attaining children in Year 2 should be better since the work they are given to do is not always sufficiently challenging. This was partly evident in an observed Year 2 lesson. The actual task given to the higher attaining pupils was appropriate but there was no sense of urgency about its completion. As a result pupils worked away somewhat leisurely in response to the teacher’s undemanding expectations. During the inspection a good lesson was observed being taught to Year 1. These pupils were being taught how to tell the time using a conventional clock with hands pointing to figures. At the start of the lesson the teacher assessed the children well to determine their level of

p.34

Commentary

learning. This enabled her to build on this existing learning and not go over unnecessary ground. She was quickly able to clear up a number of misconceptions and move learning on. Pupils were given appropriate tasks to do and the pace of learning during this lesson was good. 73. Mathematics is generally well managed with the result that the subject has improved well since the last inspection. This is reflected in improved standards. Teaching is now consistently good in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6. A strong feature is the quality of marking. This is especially high in Year 6 where it indicates clearly to pupils how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve further. This has a positive impact on pupils’ achievement. There are good procedures for assessing how well pupils are doing and this information is used to set targets for them all. The results of National Curriculum tests are analysed to identify which areas of mathematics appear to be

p.34

Commentary

causing difficulties. This is helping teachers plan their work to take account of these difficulties. Homework is used well in the older classes and contributes to the good learning, especially in Years 5 and 6. Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 35

p.34

Mathematics across the curriculum

74. The promotion of mathematical skills across the curriculum is satisfactory. Numeracy skills are being used in a number of subjects. For example, in science pupils accurately measure and record findings in charts and tables. In design and technology pupils measure when preparing materials to a given size and when designing, for example when Year 6 make slippers to their own designs and when Year 4 make money containers.

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching helps all children achieve well • There is a good focus on investigative work • Science is led and managed well by an enthusiastic teacher • Although overall satisfactory, assessment procedures need improving • Children enjoy lessons; they work hard and are inquisitive

p.35

Commentary

75. Since last being inspected standards in Year 6 have risen steadily and currently they are well above average in all areas of study. Standards in Year 2 are overall currently above average. This is largely the result of consistently good teaching throughout the school. All pupils achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs receive effective support in classrooms and this enables all to fully participate in all activities and subsequently make good learning gains.

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Commentary

76. A strength of this good teaching is the effective focus on investigative work. In Year 2 pupils study what happens when a car is allowed to roll down a ramp. They change the slope of the ramp and predict the effect this will have. They use their mathematical skills to measure the distance the car travels on leaving the ramp. The higher attaining pupils work out for themselves what they must do to ensure they carry out the tests fairly. Year 6 pupils observe what happens to a candle as it burns. Before starting their observations they make predictions using their existing knowledge of the way substances change according to changed conditions. They have a good awareness that some changes can be reversed but they also know some changes are irreversible. As a result of this focus the older children are developing very good investigative skills and the younger ones good skills. In lessons pupils behave well and work hard; they are enthusiastic and display a good level of

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Commentary

77. Science is led and managed well. The co-ordinator makes sure that teachers have good resources at their disposal. She provides a good model of teaching of the subject. Since the last inspection the subject has developed well. Resources have improved and more use is being made of ICT in learning. For example, pupils use a digital microscope to observe small organisms, and sensors linked to computers are Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 36 used by older pupils to measure changes over time such as changes in temperature. Assessment procedures are overall satisfactory. The school has a good awareness of standards pupils attain in Years 2 and 6. However, assessment procedures are not yet sufficiently robust throughout the school in order to enable teachers to keep an eye on progress in learning of children in all classes.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Resources for ICT have been improved significantly since the previous inspection and they are used well to promote the development of pupils’ skills • While overall standards are in line with those expected, pupils achieve higher standards in some aspects of ICT by the time they leave the school • Pupils have insufficient opportunities to develop their understanding of the control aspect of the subject • Teaching and learning are good but teachers provide too few opportunities for pupils to work with the computers and use their ICT skills in other subjects • The co-ordinator provides very good leadership and management, with a firm focus on raising standards • The co-ordinator has insufficient opportunities to monitor the quality of teaching, although her contribution to developing the skills of teachers and support staff is very good

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Commentary

78. There has been significant improvement in provision for ICT since the previous inspection. There is now a well-equipped computer suite and interactive whiteboards in three classrooms and the suite itself. These resources are used well to enhance teaching and promote the development of pupils’ skills. As a result, pupils’ learning is good and they make good progress in Years 3 to 6. Progress is not so rapid through Year 1 and 2, one reason being because these pupils have fewer opportunities to work in the computer suite.

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Commentary

79. Overall standards are in line with those expected of pupils by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This picture is similar to that reported in the previous inspection. Pupils’ achievement is good. This is because there is a good range of activities planned to extend their skills. By Year 2 most pupils use a word-processing program to write their own sentences, and some can edit their text, adding words into a list for example, or adding connecting words to link sentences. These pupils can create a picture using a graphics package, showing they can select and use the different tools available. By Year 6 most pupils have developed their skills well. They can use PowerPoint and Textease to create multimedia presentations, in which the work of some pupils is better than expected for their age. In creating advertisements, pupils show they can vary text size, colour and font and they can add clipart, data and graphics. In their

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Commentary

work on data handling, pupils show they can use spreadsheets, and present information using different kinds of graphs and charts. While pupils begin to develop their understanding of the ways events can be controlled using technology, using a Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 37 floor turtle for example, they have insufficient opportunities to extend their skills because the resources for this aspect of ICT are underdeveloped.

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Commentary

80. The teaching of ICT skills is good. Teachers make good use of the recently acquired interactive whiteboards where they are available, and in the best lessons they use them well, as in one very good lesson with Year 5 in which pupils learned to interrogate a database. Teachers are confident and they communicate this to their pupils, as they skilfully support and guide them in the various activities planned. Lessons have well thought out learning objectives and teachers’ clear instruction ensures pupils’ learning is good. This good teaching contributes positively to the progress pupils make. In other subjects, however, teachers provide too few opportunities for pupils to use their ICT skills. Assessment in ICT is developing well, with further work towards ensuring consistency in levelling pupils’ work planned.

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Commentary

81. Leadership and management in this subject are very good. The co-ordinator is very well informed and leading development across the school very effectively. She communicates an enthusiasm for the subject, which enables her to help and guide teaching colleagues and support staff in developing their skills. This has a positive impact on the quality of teaching and on pupils’ learning. She maintains a firm focus on raising standards and plans effectively for further development. However, there is insufficient time for monitoring teaching and learning in lessons, although this will improve during the current year since this is a priority in the school improvement plan.

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Commentary

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

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Commentary

82. Although pupils’ skills are broadly average, they do not get enough opportunities to use the computers in other subjects. Teachers do promote the use of ICT in many lessons when using the interactive whiteboards in Years 4, 5 and 6, but there are missed opportunities for pupils to work with the computers in all classes. Pupils can use a word-processing package for their writing, create simple graphs and spreadsheets in mathematics and use the Internet to research information in history and geography.

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Geography and History

83. Provision was sampled through two lessons in history, scrutiny of pupils’ work and discussions with pupils and teachers. It was not possible to see any lessons in geography and there was very little completed work available. As a result there was insufficient evidence to support judgements about standards and the quality of teaching and learning in these subjects.

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Geography and History

84. The school has adopted the national guidance and devised an appropriate long-term plan. This enables teachers to plan work, which shows clearly what pupils will learn in each class. Teachers plan a range of activities that promotes geographical and historical knowledge, understanding and skills of enquiry. For example, Year 5 pupils carried out a survey of the sources of water supply in the area and investigated the issues arising from the council closing a street to the traffic because of repair work to be carried out to the water pipes. Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 38 85. Teaching in both the history lessons was satisfactory. Year 5 pupils gathered information from secondary sources about the Ancient Greeks and in Year 1 pupils looked for similarities and differences in old and new objects in their homes. The good relationships established between the teachers and the classes ensured pupils worked

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Geography and History

hard and behaved well. In Year 1 opportunities to develop historical vocabulary were sometimes missed.

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Geography and History

86. A range of visits to interesting places supports and enriches learning in both subjects. Visits to places such as the Wigan Pier, the Roman Museum at Ribchester, Winmarleigh Centre and Robin Wood outdoor pursuits centres provide valuable experiences that extend pupils’ learning effectively.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

87. It was not possible to observe any lessons in art and design during the inspection and only a very small number in design and technology, music and physical education. Consequently there was insufficient evidence to support a judgement about provision in these subjects.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

88. The curriculum for art and design is satisfactory. Standards in the work seen in art are in line with those expected and there is evidence of the use of an appropriate range of media on display. Some work is of a high standard.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

89. In the only lesson seen in design and technology , teaching was good. In designing and making money containers, pupils were working at the expected level for their age. Most of them had appropriate making skills, involving marking out, cutting and fixing. They used their mathematics skills effectively when measuring during the process of marking out. Teachers’ planning indicates that pupils are given good opportunities to make choices when designing and making. For example, in the lesson seen, pupils chose their materials and they designed and made their own fasteners having first studied how some commercially-produced money containers are fastened.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

90. In music , teachers plan an appropriate range of activities. This ensures that pupils enjoy a varied musical curriculum. In the single lesson seen, teaching was very good, with pupils composing simple melodies using the pentatonic scale. In this lesson the standard of their work was appropriate for their age. Pupils enjoy singing; on the occasions when pupils sang together in assemblies their singing was tuneful and of a standard expected of pupils their age. On occasions, pupils are able to listen to music, although opportunities are missed to provide music to listen to at other times than in lessons, as pupils enter the hall for collective worship for example, and more could be done to help them appraise it.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

91. Although it was possible to observe four lessons in physical education , these were all in Key Stage 2 and so it was not possible to make a judgement about overall provision. In these lessons, however, overall standards were in line with those expected of pupils’ age. The teaching in all the lessons seen was at least good and in one it was very good. Pupils responded well to the various activities planned for them in all the lessons. In the very good dance lesson with Year 6, the pupils’ response was excellent as they built their ideas around music that excited them. There was a high Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 39 level of engagement, involvement, effort and enjoyment as pupils co-operated extremely well, working in small groups and exploiting different ways to interpret music through movement.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

92. There was insufficient evidence to support an overall judgement about provision for pupils’ personal, social, health and citizenship education. It was possible to observe only two lessons, but discussions were also held with teachers and pupils.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

93. The school sees pupils’ personal development as a very important part of its work. It makes a good effort to raise pupils' confidence and self-esteem. The school does not have a school council as yet, and as a result pupils have insufficient opportunities to communicate their ideas and concerns to adults in a formal setting. Personal, social, health and citizenship education lessons are provided in all classes. There is a good programme of activities, including work on diet, health, sex education, drugs and alcohol abuse and personal safety. Through this programme, pupils are supported well to develop a safe and healthy lifestyle, gain in confidence and practise their social skills. Circle time 1 sessions are also provided regularly in all the classes to discuss concerns and issues and develop interpersonal skills. A good range of opportunities is provided, which promotes pupils’ personal development well.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

1 Circle time – is an opportunity for the whole class to discuss and reflect on a range of issues, often relating to pupils’ personal and social development. Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Primary School - 40

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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 4 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 (ethos) 3 Attendance 2 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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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 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

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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 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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