Holywell Green Primary School

HOLYWELL GREEN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 4 th – 7 th October 2004

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HOLYWELL GREEN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Holywell Green 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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HOLYWELL GREEN 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. Holywell Green Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 249

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Stainland Road Holywell Green Halifax West Yorkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01422 374369 Fax number: 01422 310556

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Juliet Clark

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 7 th December 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This average sized primary school with a Nursery caters for boys and girls between the ages of three to eleven years. There are 228 pupils in Reception to Year 6 and a further 43 children attend part-time in the Nursery. The school is in a village near to the towns of Elland and Halifax. The village has significant local authority and housing association property unlike the area that surrounds Holywell Green. An average proportion of pupils is entitled to free school meals. Due to significant house building in the past five years a considerable number of children have joined the school later in their school career, and the total mobility of the school’s population is high. In the current Year 6, for example, about a third of the pupils did not start at the school. Nearly all of the pupils come from white British families, although a few other ethnic groups are represented. All pupils speak English

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

as their first language. On entry to the Nursery, children’s attainment is broadly average. Not all Nursery children transfer to the school’s Reception classes. The school was designated as a centre of good practice in the local authority for the Foundation Stage in 2002.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Around a fifth of the pupils have special educational needs, which is higher than average. Some of these needs are very specific and involve learning difficulties and visual or physical impairment. About twice as many pupils in this school have special provision made for them than in schools nationally. The school has a Hearing Impaired Resource that has support from a teacher of the deaf and other services provided by the local authority to meet the needs of the six hearing impaired pupils at the school.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

A School Achievement Award was received in 2002 and the school gained Investors in People status in 2003, as well as an Activemark Award. Holywell Green Primary School - 4 Holywell Green Primary School - 5

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

21227 Barbara Crane Lead inspector English, art and design, design and technology, religious education 1112 Peter Oldfield Lay inspector 10144 Mary Marriott Team inspector Mathematics, information and communication technology, music, physical education 30745 Pat Thorpe Team inspector Areas of learning in the Foundation Stage, science, history, geography 4989 Lynn Lewis Team inspector Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

peakschoolhaus BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Holywell Green Primary School - 6

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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 11

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 27

Holywell Green Primary School - 7 Holywell Green Primary School - 8

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is an effective school that provides a good quality education . Standards are above average by the time the pupils leave. The school supports pupils’ personal development very well and takes very good care of them. Good quality teaching and learning result in pupils’ good achievement. There is an interesting curriculum and pupils with very specific needs get very effective support. Leadership and management are good and the school provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The headteacher’s effective leadership and management have meant that the school has faced up to weaknesses and dealt with them. • Children from Nursery age through to Year 2 achieve very well because of very good teaching. • Pupils with special educational needs and pupils with hearing impairment achieve very well and the provision for these pupils is managed very effectively and they are very well included. • There are times when some pupils should be doing even better in English, mathematics and science in Years 3 to 6. • Pupils grow in confidence and self-esteem but their awareness of different cultures is not as well promoted as other aspects of their personal development. • The school’s strong partnership with parents involves them very well in their children’s learning.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

There has been overall good improvement since the school’s last inspection in 1998. The issues over standards in writing raised at that time have been resolved and standards are now higher. Resources for information and communication technology (ICT) have been improved and standards have risen. Standards and teaching are better than they were.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is good . Performance in the tests at the end of Year 2 has been much more consistently positive than those at the end of Year 6. However, the pattern of mobility in the school mainly affects the older year groups and pupils with special educational needs often join later and cohorts vary considerably in overall ability. Nevertheless, results in 2003 for eleven year olds were in the lowest five per cent of similar schools and more able pupils did not achieve as well as they should have done. The factors in teaching leading to this underachievement have been resolved and led to much improved results, as yet unconfirmed, in 2004. Standards now are above average in Year 2 and Year 6 in reading, writing, mathematics, science, history, ICT, religious education and art and design. Children are on track to exceed the goals set for their age in all areas of learning by the end of the Reception Year and their achievement is very good. Achievement of pupils in Years 1 and

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

2 is very good. Pupils’ achievement, although good overall, sometimes slows in Years 3 to 6 for average and more able pupils because the work in English, mathematics and science is not always pitched at the right level for them. Pupils with special educational needs and pupils with hearing impairment make consistently very good progress throughout the school because of the very good support they receive.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English E C E E* Holywell Green Primary School - 9 Mathematics C A E E* Science D C E E* Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal development is very good , overall. Pupils’ very good behaviour and attitudes to learning are significant factors in their good progress. Adults provide a very good example of very good relationships, respect and concern for others that pupils follow. Pupils’ social and moral development is very good; pupils of different ages, abilities and backgrounds get on very well together, enjoy the company of friends and help each other. They abide by the rules and understand why these are needed. Pupils’ spiritual development is good and particularly well promoted through discussion of challenging issues in religious education and expressing creativity in art and design. Cultural development is satisfactory but pupils’ awareness of different cultures is not as well developed as it should be. Pupils’ very good attendance and punctuality indicate their keenness for school.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The school provides a good quality education. Teaching and learning are good . From the Nursery through to Year 2, teaching is very good because it takes precise account of information from assessments to plan work to meet the needs of all abilities. Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs and those with hearing impairment are taught very well. The support given by highly skilled teaching assistants contributes greatly to pupils’ very good progress and inclusion. In Years 3 to 6, although teaching is good, it does not always as precisely meet the needs of the average and more able pupils. These pupils’ learning sometimes does not benefit from clear guidance in marking or sufficient challenge in questioning. There is a good curriculum that interests and the school further broadens pupils’ experience through clubs and activities, as well as visits. The school’s good resources are well

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

used to enhance pupils’ learning. The school takes very good care of its pupils and makes sure that they know what to do and who to ask for help if they have problems. There is a very good partnership with parents and good links with other schools and its community.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides good leadership in creating a clear direction for the school in promoting inclusion of pupils. Key staff provide good support. The targets that are set for improvement in the performance of teachers and for the school’s overall targets are well managed and achieved through the teamwork of staff. The school has identified the relative weakness in the achievement of Year 3 to Year 6 pupils through its good checks. These make effective use of its successful work in creating systems to track the individual progress of pupils. Very good management of provision for pupils with special educational needs and pupils with hearing impairment has a very positive impact on pupils’ achievement. The governance of the school is satisfactory and all statutory requirements are met, but the governors are at an early stage of developing their role in evaluating and checking the school’s performance and asking questions of the school.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

However, governors are committed to supporting the school’s work to promote inclusion of all pupils and direct funds effectively to support this aim.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Holywell Green Primary School - 10 Parents appreciate how the school helps children to settle in happily on starting school and the very good quality of information provided about progress throughout the school and how they can help children at home. Pupils say that they enjoy being at school and welcome the opportunities they have, through the class and school councils, to affect the ways in which the school develops.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Ensure that work in Years 3 to 6 is always pitched at the right level to challenge average and more able pupils to do their best. Improve pupils’ awareness of different cultures. Holywell Green Primary School - 11

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils’ achievement is good , overall, and standards are above average by the age of seven and eleven. Achievement is very good in the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s achievement is very good in the Nursery and Reception classes and in Years 1 and 2. • Pupils with special educational needs and those whose hearing is impaired make very rapid progress. • Average and more able pupils do not always make the best possible progress in English, mathematics and science in Years 3 to 6.

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Commentary

1. The tests taken at the end of Year 2 show a trend in improvement that is greater than in most schools. There is a much more variable picture in the Year 6 test results and the severe drop in 2003 tipped the school’s trend over time to below the national rate of improvement. The variability of results in Year 6 can be partly attributed to variations between cohorts, the high level of mobility in Years 3 to 6 and the number of pupils with special educational needs joining the school late. However, the very low results in 2003 were acknowledged by the school to indicate underachievement, particularly by more able pupils. The leadership and management of the school set about providing support for teaching, improving the accuracy of target setting and enabling even closer tracking of groups and individuals. This led to much better results in 2004, with more able pupils gaining levels beyond those expected for their age. Although boys have not done as well

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Commentary

as girls in English in Years 3 to 6 in the past, attainment is now similar because of improved provision to engage boys’ interest.

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Commentary

2. Children are on track to exceed the goals set for their age in all areas of learning by the end of the Reception Year and their achievement is very good from their starting point in the Nursery. Children do particularly well in the area of personal, social and emotional development because of very effective teaching.

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Commentary

3. Standards now are above average in Year 2 and Year 6 in reading, writing, mathematics, science, history, ICT, religious education and art and design. Overall, pupils of all abilities in Years 1 and 2 achieve very well. Pupils’ achievement, although good overall, slows in Years 3 to 6 for some average and more able pupils because the work in English, mathematics and science is not always pitched at the right level for them. Nevertheless, by the age of eleven, pupils read very competently and write fluently, with correct spelling and grammar. They have a good understanding of how to solve problems in mathematics and a broad knowledge of all aspects of science. Pupils use their competency in literacy, language, mathematics and ICT effectively to support achievement in other subjects.

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Commentary

4. Pupils with special educational needs and pupils with hearing impairment make consistently very good progress throughout the school because of the very good support Holywell Green Primary School - 12 they receive. Targets set for these pupils identify precisely what needs to be worked on next. The high level of inclusion for these pupils is a major factor in their very good achievement. Holywell Green Primary School - 13 Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 15.9 (17.3) 15.7 (15.8)

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Commentary

There were 33 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 23.7 (27.6) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 23.6 (28.6) 26.8 (26.7) Science 25.6 (29.0) 28.6 (28.3) There were 34 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and their behaviour are very good . Their personal development including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall. Punctuality and attendance are very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s personal development is supported very well in their early years. • Pupils with specific needs are very well included so that they take a full part in the school’s daily life. • The school promotes very effectively pupils’ understanding of right and wrong and the advantages of getting on well together. • Pupils’ understanding of different cultures is not as strongly promoted as it should be.

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Commentary

5. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes get off to a very good start in developing positive attitudes to work and responding to the staff’s high expectations of their behaviour because of the warm and supportive relationships in classrooms and secure routines. Independence is very well fostered, right from the start, and children quickly learn the benefits of working together through the good guidance of staff.

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Commentary

6. Pupils with special educational needs and those whose hearing is impaired are very well integrated so that they make friends and benefit from the support of their classmates as well as adults. Many of the pupils, for example, are skilled in signing, which helps to involve hearing impaired pupils in the full range of the school’s daily life. This was very evident when pupils in Years 3 to 6 took part in the art and design afternoon and these pupils confidently and independently joined in activities. Holywell Green Primary School - 14 7. Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are very good, as well as their appreciation of what is right and wrong because of the school’s careful planning for their social and moral development. There have been no recent exclusions.

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Commentary

8. The harmonious atmosphere in the school results from the pupils’ respect for themselves and each other, as well as for adults. New pupils settle in happily and make friends quickly. Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities, such as organising the library or the distribution of fruit at break times. They show a very good sense of self-discipline when adults do not directly supervise them because the need for this is firmly embedded through the staff’s good guidance. The views of pupils are sought through class councils and the school council and pupils put forward ideas willingly and sensibly, mindful of the need to take others’ needs into account. Pupils see that their opinions make a difference and are acted upon, and say that they are proud of their school.

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Commentary

9. Pupils’ spiritual development is good. They develop good self-esteem as well as empathy with others. Their individual creativity is particularly well promoted through art and design activities and assemblies provide suitable opportunities for pupils to reflect on their feelings and how what they do impacts on others. There are some missed opportunities, however, in assemblies to create a special atmosphere through music, images or a focus for pupils to concentrate on whilst reflecting. Cultural development is satisfactory; it promotes pupils’ understanding of their own culture well. However, there are too few opportunities planned for pupils to experience the richness and diversity of different cultures, for example through art and design.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 3.9 School data 0.6 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

10. Attendance is very good and pupils are keen to come to school and do so punctually, ready to learn. Unauthorised absence has reduced over this year to an average level.

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll White – British 234 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 2 Mixed – White and Asian 2 Mixed – any other mixed background 1 Asian or Asian British – Indian 1 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 2 Chinese 1 Any other ethnic group 1 No ethnic group recorded 6 Holywell Green Primary School - 15

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality education. The pupils are eager to learn because of the good and varied curriculum. Teaching and learning are good and meet the needs of pupils’ different abilities well, although pupils’ learning in Years 3 to 6 is less strong than in earlier years. The care extended to pupils is very good. The school has very good links with parents and good links with other schools and its community. Holywell Green Primary School - 16

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Teaching and learning

Teaching, learning and assessment are all good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is very good from the Nursery through to Year 2 because full use is made of assessments to pitch work at just the right level for pupils. • Teaching in Years 3 to 6, whilst good, does not always promote the best possible achievement by average and more able pupils. • Teaching assistants provide very good support for pupils with special educational needs and those whose hearing is impaired. • There are high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, throughout the school. • Homework is very well planned to link into what has been learned in lessons.

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Commentary

11. Overall, there has been good improvement in teaching since the last inspection. This improvement has been supported by the school’s management in identifying areas that needed working on to improve pupils’ learning, and effective support has been provided, particularly to enhance skills in the teaching of writing and ICT, as well as to promote better progress by more able pupils.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 39 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

12. Teaching is very effective in the Nursery and Reception classes. The staff have a firm understanding of what young children need to feel secure and gain confidence. Warm relationships mean that children want to please the staff and try hard to do their best because they know their efforts will be recognised. The basic skills in literacy and numeracy are well taught and children learn from first hand experience and practical activities. There is very good teaching in Years 1 and 2, which shares with the earlier teaching the meticulous use of the checks made on pupils’ progress to plan work that meets the needs of different abilities. This was evident, for example, in a Year 1/2 session where teaching successfully extended more able and average ability pupils’ understanding of how different combinations of letters created the same sound. Pupils used what they had learned when they wrote instructions on how to make sandwiches

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Commentary

13. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is good, with examples of very good teaching that successfully promotes a rapid rate of learning. In the most successful teaching, there is a fast pace to the varied activities that are very well matched to pupils’ different needs. However, there are times when teaching lacks pace, particularly in the introductions to sessions, when teachers talk for too long and do not fully involve average and more able pupils by well- directed questions to keep them alert and challenged. There are some very good examples of teaching giving pupils guidance on how to improve their work but other times when targets that are set for pupils are not followed up so precisely for more able and Holywell Green Primary School - 17 average pupils. While work is adapted very successfully for lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs, there are occasions when the work for average and

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Commentary

lower attaining pupils is too similar in English, mathematics and science and this slows pupils’ rate of learning.

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Commentary

14. The teaching for pupils with special educational needs is very good, being based on careful analysis of what pupils need to do next to improve their skills. Teaching assistants provide very effective support because they know exactly what they are doing and provide feedback to teachers at the end of sessions so that future work can be adapted. Teaching for pupils whose hearing is impaired is very good, both in classes and withdrawal groups, because support staff are highly trained and sensitive to pupils’ individual needs and ensure that pupils are fully included in lessons. An example of outstanding practice was seen during the inspection.

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Commentary

Example of outstanding practice Teaching for pupils with hearing impairment enables excellent progress in literacy. In a Year 4 and 5 literacy lesson with hearing impaired pupils, the teacher gave a lively and very clear introduction which was supported by the educational interpreter, who signed the teacher’s words imaginatively and kept pupils fully engrossed in enthusiastic signing conversations. Following the introduction, pupils were taken in groups for specific help. All group work was stimulating and challenging as a result of the excellent planning which included clear direction for the teaching assistants. In one group pupils read the word ‘ask’ and were challenged to use a thesaurus to find alternative words. Pupils’ motivation was very high as words such as ‘enquire’ were read and signed. Further challenges were set for the very able pupils, who worked independently. Relationships were excellent with the pupils’ sense of achievement and enjoyment very evident in facial

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Commentary

expressions. The assessment of pupils’ learning at the end of the session was of high quality and illustrated the expertise of the teaching team and their knowledge and understanding of both the subject content and how best to present it to this group of pupils with profound hearing impairment.

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Commentary

15. Throughout the school, the high expectations that the staff have of pupils’ behaviour are rewarded by a very positive response that leads to purposeful classrooms in which pupils help each other, and are polite and hardworking. Teachers organise homework very successfully to support and extend pupils’ learning during the school day in literacy and numeracy, as well as in ICT and other subjects. Pupils enjoy doing homework because they see its relevance and know that teachers will check their work.

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The curriculum

The school provides a good curriculum for its pupils and there is good enrichment through activities both within and outside the school day. The school’s accommodation is satisfactory and resources are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The provision for pupils with special educational needs, including hearing impaired pupils, is very good. All pupils are fully included. • There is very good provision for the development of personal, social and health education. • Good links are made between subjects so that pupils see the relevance of their learning. • There is a lack of suitable outdoor facilities for the Reception classes.

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Commentary

16. There has been good improvement in developing the curriculum since the last inspection. The good range of learning opportunities in the Foundation Stage enables most children Holywell Green Primary School - 18 to make substantial progress and prepares them well for the next stage of education. However, a lack of outdoor facilities and equipment for children in the Reception classes limits the chances children have to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills through outdoor play activities.

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Commentary

17. Throughout the school pupils benefit from a wide range of good quality learning opportunities to ensure that they achieve well. The curriculum is well managed with all subjects of the National Curriculum being taught. The art and design curriculum is particularly good and this is reflected in the above average standards reached by pupils. Teachers’ planning is good overall and generally meets the needs of all pupils well. A major strength of curricular planning is the attention that goes into linking work in different subjects. This results in pupils having secure skills, knowledge and understanding because they can see the relevance of what they are doing and they use what they are gaining in a meaningful and constructive way. Of particular note is the boost that pupils’ writing skills are given in subjects like history, religious education, design and technology and ICT. However, although other faiths are covered well in religious education lessons,

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Commentary

the cultural diversity of the many groups living in the wider community are not fully explored in the curriculum. 18. The school reflects its aims well in its provision for pupils’ personal, social, health and citizenship education. There is good provision for sex education, learning about alcohol and drugs abuse and understanding how to keep healthy, through visits from the school nurse and the school’s work to achieve its ‘Activemark’.

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Commentary

19. There has been an improvement in provision for pupils with special education needs and this is now very good and a strength of the school. Pupils benefit from the good relationships and inclusion that are evident throughout the school. The very good management of special needs ensures that the needs of pupils are fully met and that pupils have equal access to the curriculum and achieve very well.

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Commentary

20. The school enriches its curriculum by providing activities outside the school day such as football, netball and computer club. It supports music and special needs with opportunities to join the signing choir. Older pupils benefit from taking part in residential visits.

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Commentary

21. The number, qualifications and experience of teaching staff match the needs of the curriculum. The generous number of support staff reflects the school’s very good provision for special educational needs. The accommodation is satisfactory and pupils benefit from a combined library and a computer suite. The school has recently focused on improving resources to support teaching and learning and these are now good overall.

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Care, guidance and support

The school takes very good care of its pupils. It provides good support, advice and guidance for pupils and involves them very well in its work and development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has a high regard for pupils’ health and safety. • Pupils know who can help them if they have problems or concerns. • There is very good advice, support and guidance for pupils with special educational needs and hearing impaired pupils. • The school has well-established systems for gathering pupils’ views, and acts upon these. Holywell Green Primary School - 19

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Commentary

22. The picture is similar to that found at the previous inspection. The school has very good procedures in place to fully ensure the safety and well-being of all pupils. Child protection procedures are very good. The school has a very good level of contact with a range of support agencies and uses the advice and guidance given very effectively to promote pupils’ progress. This is particularly the case for pupils who have special educational needs and hearing impaired pupils. The high level of support and guidance given to these pupils from the well-trained staff is a significant factor in pupils’ very good achievement. .

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Commentary

23. Pupils of all ages know who they can to turn to if they need help, advice or support and staff respond quickly and willingly. The strong relationships throughout the school and the care and support given by all adults, mean pupils feel happy and secure. The procedures to help the youngest children settle into school life are good. Parents are pleased that their children look forward to school. Older pupils have a very good introduction to secondary school, where physical education links have been well developed in a cluster partnership.

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Commentary

24. The school encourages and support pupils’ views and acts upon these very well. Class and school councils ensure pupils can express their views in a structured manner. Pupils say that they value the opportunity to put forward their ideas to the class councils, which in turn present suggestions to the school council. Most recently, pupils have been involved in decisions over adaptations to the play area. Holywell Green Primary School - 20

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a very good partnership with parents, and good links with other schools and its community.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides parents with very good information about its work and their children’s progress. • A high level of communication is achieved with parents whose children have particular needs. • Good links with other schools have supported the school’s work in improving standards in writing.

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Commentary

25. As at the last inspection, there is a very good partnership with parents that benefits pupils’ learning. The school has developed this very strong link by sending very detailed information to parents in newsletters and curriculum letters and encouraging parents to communicate through the homework record book, as well as face to face on a daily basis. Very good opportunities are provided for parents to discuss their children’s progress on more formal, planned occasions, as well as to learn about what is being taught in school. These meetings are very well attended and show the interest of parents in the school. There is a high level of communication with parents of children who have specific needs, so that parents know exactly how the school is helping their children to meet targets. The very active school association has provided a very good programme of social and fund- raising events and its support has helped with the attractive Nursery playground provision

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Commentary

and purchase of interactive whiteboards, to benefit pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

26. Parents’ views are welcomed and sought in questionnaires, and their concerns are considered and acted upon where possible. A significant number of parents have concerns about the cramped conditions in which their children eat at lunchtime and the time allowed for this. Inspection evidence reveals that the mealtime is very well organised and not unduly rushed. There are plans in hand to extend the dining area. The school has provided the opportunity for pupils, whether hot meal or packed lunch, to sit at a table with their friends. Pupils say that they like this arrangement.

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Commentary

27. The local cluster of schools’ staff meet regularly and this provides good opportunities for sharing expertise or ideas. This was particularly useful when the school sought help with moderation in its drive to improve pupils’ writing. The school provides work experience opportunities for secondary pupils. The community has given very good support for family learning projects in literacy, as well as arts festivals.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good . The headteacher’s leadership is good . Key staff provide good support. The school is managed well . Governance is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Holywell Green Primary School - 21 • Effective work by the headteacher in recognising areas of under-achievement and setting up systems to deal with it has led to improved achievement by pupils. • There is a high level of commitment to inclusion and the very good management of provision for special educational needs, including hearing impaired pupils, ensures that they make very good progress. • The governors are at an early stage of developing their role in checking the school’s provision and challenging decisions. • Although the development of the role of most subject managers has shown a positive impact, in a few cases more still needs to be done.

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Commentary

28. Since the last inspection, there has been good improvement in extending systems that allow the school to more carefully track the progress of groups of pupils. The headteacher has a clear vision for the school, based on raising pupils’ achievement and creating an exciting environment in which their personal development is nurtured through a caring and supportive atmosphere. He recognises where there are areas of underachievement through monitoring and has set up very good systems to deal with this. The management team has been extended and key staff know what they need to do to make an impact on provision and standards and to provide good support to meet the school’s targets, and they are doing so effectively. The deputy headteacher has provided very effective support for curriculum development.

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Commentary

29. There is a very good commitment to inclusion, and very good and consistent management of special educational needs including provision for pupils who have hearing impairment. This has led to these pupils achieving very well. Training for support assistants has been very effective and enables them to work as full partners in the teaching team.

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Commentary

30. The good systems of support for raising teachers’ performance and improving pupils’ learning are planned effectively so that the school can tackle areas for improvement. This has been particularly successful in raising the attainment and achievement of pupils in writing and mathematics in Years 3 to 6. The reasons behind the school’s disappointing results in Year 6 tests in 2003 were thoroughly examined and dealt with. Weaknesses in teaching were identified and resolved so that standards rose in 2004 tests and are now even higher.

p.21

Commentary

31. The professional development of all staff is planned very carefully so that the school can tackle areas that it has identified for improvement, such as in ICT. The development of some subject managers has shown a positive impact, for example in raising pupils’ achievement in mathematics and in writing; however, in some cases more needs to be achieved so that all subject managers have a very secure knowledge and understanding of their subject across the school and know where the strengths and weaknesses are so that these can be improved. Time has been allocated for staff to do this, on a rolling programme over this year.

p.21

Commentary

32. The school has some very new governors; consequently they are at a fairly early stage of developing their role in checking the school’s provision and challenging decisions. However, they ensure that the school fulfils all statutory duties and some governors are linked to areas of the curriculum and have started to check what is happening. They play a full role in ensuring that the school’s finances are well directed towards its priorities and that funds are used prudently. The governing body has accrued a substantial reserve to Holywell Green Primary School - 22 enable the school to build a larger classroom to improve the learning environment for pupils.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 795505 Balance from previous year 89587 Total expenditure 791845 Balance carried forward to the next 93247 Expenditure per pupil 2788 Holywell Green Primary School - 23

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

33. The provision for children’s learning in the Foundation Stage is very good. There has been good improvement since the last inspection, particularly in improving outdoor play facilities in the Nursery and extending tracking systems through the early years. Management is effective and all staff work well together to ensure the learning and well- being of the children. When they begin in the Nursery, most children have average knowledge and skills for their age. Achievement is high and all children make very good progress. The needs of children with special educational needs and hearing impairment are fully met and they are totally included. Most children are on course to go beyond the levels expected in all areas of learning by the end of the Reception class.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

34. Teaching is very good with particular strengths in personal and social education. The curriculum is planned with great care to provide a wide range of stimulating and challenging activities, which are matched accurately to all children’s needs. Assessment procedures are very thorough and used very well to build up an accurate and informative profile of each child’s achievements and ensure that learning builds smoothly between the Nursery and Reception classes.

p.23

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve very well because of the very good teaching and high expectations of all staff. • Very strong relationships between staff and children promote children’s confidence and encourage them to work hard.

p.23

Commentary

35. Children’s personal, social and emotional development is nurtured very well because of the very good teaching and clear expectations of staff. Staff are very skilled at promoting this in everything children do. As a result, most children are on track to exceed the goals expected of them in this area of learning by the time they start in Year 1. Children’s achievement is very good. Teachers and assistants in both the Nursery and Reception classes provide very good role models for children to follow. They are calm and organised and treat children with respect and courtesy. This leads to warm and trusting relationships and helps children to be kind and considerate and to care for each other. They are expected to behave well, take turns and share. Personal independence is encouraged and children quickly learn to dress and undress and manage their own personal hygiene.

p.23

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision for communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

Holywell Green Primary School - 24 • Very skilful teaching develops children’s speaking and listening very effectively. • Imaginative language is promoted well through creative role-play. • Writing skills are developed very effectively. • Some opportunities are missed to support children’s reading skills because of the limited display of written vocabulary in some areas. Holywell Green Primary School - 25

p.24

Commentary

36. Teaching and learning are very good so children achieve very well in both the Nursery and Reception and most are on course to exceed the goals set for them by the end of the Reception Year. Teaching of such good quality means that even the youngest children in the Nursery soon begin to offer simple contributions to discussions or during play. In almost every activity teachers ask questions and continually emphasise words and names. Staff encourage children to speak clearly and employ their own very good use of language to help children to broaden their vocabulary. There are times, however, when teaching misses opportunities to support children’s reading skills by introducing new vocabulary in written as well as spoken form for Reception children. Writing skills are taught carefully and systematically so that children learn to form and join letters correctly. Creative role-play is used very well to develop speech. Adults join in the play to encourage

p.25

Commentary

imaginative language. They effectively slip in new, but relevant, words. Working with the teacher in the ‘hospital’ children turn to spoken language in their play and to written language by booking patients in or by writing prescriptions.

p.25

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is very good .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good use of games and action songs to develop and strengthen children’s knowledge of number and shape. • Teachers make learning fun through a wide range of practical activities enjoyed by the children. • Children quickly learn to use correct mathematical vocabulary.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

37. Very good teaching develops children’s interest in numbers and they achieve very well. Most children are on course to exceed the early learning goals set for them in this area. They gain an understanding of number, pattern and shape through counting objects, playing and sorting shapes into sets. A strong feature of the teaching is the daily focus on counting routines, such as counting how many children are present, that develops children’s sense of number sequence. Choosing the correct day to display on the board helps children to remember the sequence of days and weeks. Teachers use every opportunity to reinforce mathematics and mathematical language. They do this by planning practical activities using sand, water and dough alongside stories, songs, games and imaginative play. Teachers make good use of computers to promote children’s mathematical development.

p.25

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision for knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s learning is exciting because of discovery through first-hand experiences. • ICT is used well to support children’s learning. • Children have insufficient opportunities to learn about different cultures. Holywell Green Primary School - 26

p.25

Commentary

38. Children quickly widen their knowledge and understanding of the world because of very good teaching and learning through first-hand experiences. As a result, they achieve very well and are on course to exceed the expectations for their age by the start of Year 1. Children are encouraged to talk about themselves and their families. Children in the Reception classes brought photographs of themselves as babies and talked about the differences in how they looked then to now and the many more things they are able to do. They are clearly developing a good understanding of how things change and grow. In the Reception classes teachers frequently use ICT to illustrate teaching points and the children in both the Nursery and Reception classes use the computers in the classroom. Children in the Reception classes regularly use the school’s ICT suite where they develop their mouse and keyboard skills. Although festivals from different faiths are celebrated in

p.26

Commentary

the Foundation Stage, children have limited chances to experience or learn about other cultures.

p.26

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is good .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children rapidly acquire the skills needed for writing, painting and using small tools correctly. • Children are developing a good sense of space and move with confidence and control. • There are limited outdoor play facilities for children in the Reception classes.

p.26

Commentary

39. Very good teaching ensures that children build on skills already learned. Achievement is very good and most children are on course to exceed the expected standards at the end of the Reception Year. Children are soon able to handle pencils, paintbrushes and small tools appropriately and well. The good development of drawing and handwriting skills is seen in the children’s work. In the hall, Reception class children use space well and use the apparatus with increasing confidence. However, the outdoor area available to them is small and steep and this limits the range of activities open to the children. In the Nursery, the provision for outdoor learning is very good and offers a range of surfaces and levels and plenty of space. This means that children can move and balance safely whilst engaged in imaginative and adventurous play.

p.26

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for creative development is good .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers plan and create role-play areas where children act out parts. • A wide range of creative activities is available for the children to explore.

p.26

Commentary

Holywell Green Primary School - 27 40. Good teaching results in children developing their creative skills well and they make good progress. Children express their feelings through a range of materials and media, music and movement, story making and imaginative play. The staff use role-play to develop imaginative language and extend opportunities for the children. For example, the teacher in the Nursery acting as a patient in the ‘hospital’ had her blood pressure taken. In their music, children sing rhymes and songs often linked with other areas of learning. Children achieve well and most are on course to progress beyond the early learning goals by the end of the Reception Year.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve very well because of the precise use of assessments to match work to different needs. • Pupils with hearing impairment and those with special educational needs throughout the school achieve very well. • Teaching ensures that pupils use their skills in reading, writing and language well in other subjects. • There are times when the average and more able pupils’ progress dips because teaching does not consistently meet their needs in Years 3 to 6.

p.27

Commentary

41. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. The difficulties identified with pupils’ writing have been resolved through effective work to enhance teaching, the use of assessment and improving opportunities for pupils to write in different subjects. Competent planning to deliver the National Strategy for Literacy supports teaching and this is adapted to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs very effectively. These pupils benefit from very good support from teaching assistants who have a thorough understanding of how to help pupils with specific needs. Similarly, pupils with hearing impairment benefit from highly skilled teaching and support from signing assistants, deaf instructors and the specialist teacher that enable them to make very good progress. Although boys’ performance has lagged behind that of girls in Years 3 to 6, the steps taken by the school to more fully engage boys’ interest in writing has led to better

p.27

Commentary

achievement and there is now similar attainment to girls.

p.27

Commentary

42. Standards are above average in reading, writing and speaking and listening in both Year 2 and Year 6. Achievement is very good in Years 1 and 2. Teaching is very good in Years 1 and 2 because there are high expectations of pupils and it makes very precise use of information from assessments to set targets for different groups of pupils, which are carefully followed up and reviewed. This means that pupils of all abilities in these years make very good progress in all aspects of English. This was evident in a very successful lesson with Year 2 pupils, where teaching made very good use of knowledge about pupils’ prior understanding of connectives to match work for the different abilities of groups as they wrote instructions to make a milkshake. Very good questions probed pupils’ understanding of what they read. Pupils gain a high level of confidence in reading new Holywell Green Primary School - 28

p.27

Commentary

texts because they have a very good grounding in learning how sounds combine to create words.

p.28

Commentary

43. Teaching is good in Years 3 to 6, overall, as is pupils’ achievement. However, there are times when teaching does not promote the average and more able pupils’ achievement as consistently as in the earlier years. This is most evident when the class is taught together and teachers’ questions do not fully extend these pupils’ ideas or understanding sufficiently because they are not pitched at a suitably challenging level. While there are very good examples of precise guidance, as in the Year 5 and 6 class, teachers’ marking does not follow up the targets set for these groups of pupils as consistently as in Years 1 and 2 and so pupils’ learning does not always benefit from clear guidance to help them improve.

p.28

Commentary

44. Good leadership and management of the subject have ensured that areas of weakness are identified and that support is given that brings about improvement in teaching and learning. This has led to the good improvement in standards in writing, as well as overcoming the problems of underachievement evident in the school’s performance in tests for eleven year olds in 2003. In addition, the good management has ensured that teaching builds in opportunities for pupils to use their skills in writing in other subjects.

p.28

Language and literacy across the curriculum

45. Pupils’ good competency is used well across the curriculum and is a significant factor in their good achievement. Teaching identifies times when pupils can put their skills to use in relevant situations, such as when pupils in Years 3 and 4 practise their skills in taking notes in science, or Year 6 pupils organise their writing to describe what they have found out about holy books in religious education. Holywell Green Primary School - 29

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are plenty of good opportunities for pupils to work together to solve problems. • The very good relationships within classrooms ensure that pupils are eager to succeed. • Teaching assistants support learning very well. • The school uses assessment data skilfully to strengthen most pupils’ learning, but there are still times when teaching does not fully extend learning for average and more able pupils.

p.29

Commentary

46. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. Standards by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are above average. Pupils have good number skills because they are given plenty of opportunities to work together to solve number problems. Achievement in Years 1 and 2 is very good. In one lesson, for example, pupils in Year 2 swiftly reinforced their knowledge of amounts up to 50 pence as they solved different money problems, involving different amounts of money. Older pupils enjoy their mathematics as they solve problems relating to estimation and measurement, working well together as they measure everyday objects. Other older pupils learn how to reduce a fraction to its simplest form by cancelling common factors in the numerator and denominator. However, there are a few times when some pupils in Years 3 to 6 do not always have the opportunity to develop their own strategies for solving problems because teachers do not always plan their

p.29

Commentary

lessons to cater fully for average and more able pupils. Pupils’ achievement is good by the time they leave the school and there is little difference between the achievement of boys and girls. Pupils with special educational needs and pupils who have a hearing impairment achieve very well because of the very high quality support that they receive from their teachers and teaching assistants.

p.29

Commentary

47. The quality of teaching is very good in Years 1 and 2 because teachers have a very good knowledge and understanding of the subject and understand how children learn and the next steps that they need to take in their learning. In Years 3 to 6 teaching is good but does not always use the information from assessments as consistently to ensure that pupils’ individual needs are met. Consequently, there are times when some average and higher attaining pupils do not always achieve as well as they could. Teaching assistants are well trained and have a good understanding of the mathematics curriculum. The support that they give to their pupils impacts very well on standards that the pupils achieve. Teachers and teaching assistants help their pupils to understand their learning as they talk to them about the work that they are doing. This helps pupils to know what they need to do next to improve their work.

p.29

Commentary

48. Classrooms are happy, purposeful places. Pupils are eager to learn. Teachers focus pupils’ attention very well by using resources like computer projection to support and clarify learning. This was seen in a Year 1 and 2 lesson where the classroom whiteboard was used very well to support pupils’ learning. When pupils tackle their tasks, a purposeful murmur pervades the classroom, for example in a Year 2 lesson as pupils solved money problems together. Holywell Green Primary School - 30 49. The management of the subject is good. Standards have improved because the right areas have been worked on. The subject manager has good knowledge and understanding of the subject and knows the strengths and areas for development through a regular programme of checking colleagues’ planning.

p.29

Mathematics across the curriculum

50. There is a good focus given to pupils using relevant mathematical techniques and calculations in other subjects. For example, time lines are used in history, and Year 6 pupils can select the appropriate intervals for these to suit the length of time being covered. In art and design pupils use calculations when they create Aztec designs. There are good links with ICT that are used well to support learning, for example to create pictograms of favourite pets.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils acquire a good range of enquiry skills and build a secure understanding of the key ideas of science. • Pupils work well together and they support and contribute to each other’s learning. • More able pupils in Years 3 to 6 sometimes do not achieve as well as they might because of limited opportunities to devise their own investigations in their own way.

p.30

Commentary

51. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. Pupils reach above average standards in Years 2 and 6. These are similar to those found at the last inspection.

p.30

Commentary

52. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall and pupils achieve at a satisfactory level. Well-managed introductions and discussions, stimulated by teachers’ clear explanations and effective questioning, mean that pupils of all ages absorb information quickly and retain it well. Older pupils are aware of the connections between what they are learning in different subjects and know how to use the skills they have learnt. For example, pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 study periods in history when great scientists and inventors lived and they readily see their work as relevant to the investigations they themselves undertake.

p.30

Commentary

53. Teachers place emphasis on developing and using correct scientific vocabulary with even the youngest children. This was evident in a Year 3 class where pupils talk about ‘predicting’ and ‘fair testing’ when investigating the thermal properties of different materials. Consistent emphasis on the development of scientific enquiry by all teachers has ensured that by the time pupils reach Year 6 they have become confident at planning and carrying out the investigations chosen for them. More able pupils in Years 3 to 6 do not have sufficient opportunities to pose their own questions, make decisions and devise their own experiments thus pushing their learning forward. This limits their progress.

p.30

Commentary

54. Relationships are very good at all levels and so is pupils’ behaviour in lessons. These factors lead to a very good level of co-operation, with partners or in groups and so support Holywell Green Primary School - 31 pupils’ learning. Pupils with special educational needs or hearing impairment are fully included in every activity and make good progress when learning assistants support them. Pupils record their work in a variety of ways, such as charts and graphs. Pupils are also encouraged to write about their work with careful emphasis on recording in sequence and drawing a conclusion. Thus, pupils make good use of the opportunity to practise and improve their writing skills.

p.30

Commentary

55. The leadership and management of science, which have very recently changed, are satisfactory. The school has systematically improved its resources for science and these are now good.

p.31

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

Provision for information and communication technology is good .

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average and pupils are achieving well. • Good management has ensured that the subject is well resourced and teachers and teaching assistants have the necessary skills and support. • Interactive whiteboards are not always used as well as they might be. Holywell Green Primary School - 32

p.31

Commentary

56. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. Standards by the end of Years 2 and 6 are above the national expectations for pupils’ ages. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those pupils who have a hearing impairment, achieve well and make good progress in their acquisition of ICT skills.

p.32

Commentary

57. Pupils learn how to word process at an early age and are increasingly competent by Year 6. They also know how to use the computer for different purposes. For example, pupils in Year 3 combine text and graphics to produce a word document, in Year 2 pupils create a pictogram using previously gathered data, and in Year 5 and 6 pupils use an object- based graphics package to manipulate shapes as part of a multi-media presentation.

p.32

Commentary

58. Teachers and teaching assistants are confident in ICT and teach it well. They demonstrate techniques clearly and effectively, often using the interactive whiteboard to reinforce learning. Sometimes, however, the potential of the interactive whiteboard is not fully exploited; for example, in a few lessons it is just used to explain what the pupils are going to learn. Teachers encourage pupils to investigate computers and this helps pupils to learn from their mistakes. Teachers ensure a focused atmosphere in lessons and this makes pupils keen and eager to learn.

p.32

Commentary

59. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The subject leader monitors and evaluates teaching and learning and has good knowledge and understanding of the subject’s strengths and areas for development. The subject has been well developed since the last inspection and much has been done to ensure that classrooms are provided with a very good range of resources including interactive whiteboards. All staff have been trained to a high level and this enables them to teach the subject well and positively challenge pupils’ learning so that their achievement is good. The school is therefore well placed to drive up standards further.

p.32

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

60. The use of ICT in other subjects of the curriculum is well developed. Teaching uses computers well to enhance the learning of their pupils. For example, in Years 1 and 2 pupils learn to create a pictogram, using data they have collected on their favourite pets. Pupils use their skills well to support writing in English, and use CD-ROMs for research and are adept at importing information from the Internet to support their studies in music and history. Digital cameras are used to record the work that pupils have done, for example in the art carousel, as when a group of Year 3 and 4 pupils made faces using vegetables and these were photographed to make a permanent record of their work.

p.32

Geography

No lessons were observed and so the subject was sampled. Examination of teachers’ plans and pupils’ work show that the school is teaching a broad and balanced curriculum, making use of both the local area and visits further afield to enhance pupils’ learning.

p.32

Geography

Provision for history is good . Holywell Green Primary School - 33 Main strengths and weaknesses

p.32

Geography

• Pupils’ enthusiasm for history is high and standards are good. • Good links are made to other subjects. Holywell Green Primary School - 34

p.33

Commentary

61. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. Standards in history are above expectations at ages seven and eleven and pupils’ achievement is good. Less able pupils and those with special educational needs are well integrated into lessons and with good levels of support are also achieving well. This is due to good teaching and enthusiasm for history in the school. A strength of the teaching and learning is the constructive links that are forged between history and other areas of the curriculum, in particular art and design, design and technology and music. Therefore learning in one subject supports and enhances the learning in another. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6, studying the ancient civilisations of the Aztecs and the Egyptians, create beautiful designs for their necklets and masks.

p.34

Commentary

62. Teachers plan interesting ways to show pupils how people lived their lives in the past and how this compares to the present. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are developing a good understanding of the passage of time as they consider how they themselves have changed and grown older. As they look further into the past, they compare old and new household utensils and learn about the changes in the way people cook and wash and clean their houses. Using a range of sources, pupils in Years 4 and 5 investigate the differences between the lives of the rich and the poor in Victorian England.

p.34

Commentary

63. By the end of Year 6, pupils have a good knowledge of the periods they have studied. They understand the different ways of life from more distant periods and use their detailed knowledge and understanding to discuss things in more depth. Pupils are enthusiastic about their history lessons and are keen to display their knowledge. Pupils use their developing writing skills to record events and express ideas in more detail. The management of the subject is satisfactory. The school makes good use of visits to museums and the local historical sights to support pupils’ learning.

p.34

Commentary

Provision for religious education is good .

p.34

Commentary

• Effective teaching provides good opportunities for pupils to debate issues and explore their ideas. • While pupils learn about a good range of different faiths, they do not benefit from visiting different places of worship.

p.34

Commentary

64. Standards are good in both Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils of all abilities make good progress and achieve well because of good teaching. There has been good improvement since the last inspection because of good leadership and management. The shortage of resources for the subject, previously identified, has been resolved and artefacts from different faiths are well used to stimulate pupils’ interest. Very effective support for pupils with special educational needs enables these pupils to make very good progress.

p.34

Commentary

65. Teaching very successfully allows pupils to explore their ideas and extend their understanding through discussion. Year 6 pupils say that this is a major reason for their Holywell Green Primary School - 35 interest and enjoyment of the subject. Hearing impaired pupils are enabled to take a full part in discussions because of sensitive support. In a lesson with Year 1 and 2, pupils talked about what they remembered from a visit by the local vicar to conduct a mock Christening. They freely gave their ideas about why it was important for babies to be given names. Year 4 and 5 pupils engaged in lively discussion in groups when presented with the task of deciding which rules belonged to which religions and argued convincing cases for some rules being shared. When pupils were later faced with answering questions such as “Should people who steal be imprisoned?” they reflected on a range of issues that

p.34

Commentary

affected their viewpoint. By Year 6, pupils are very proficient in providing well-reasoned arguments to back up their views. In one session, for example, Year 6 pupils discussed the relevance of the Ten Commandments to life today and aired opinions based upon their ideas about the need to maintain the coherence of society, whilst protecting people’s freedom to decide, think and act individually.

p.35

Commentary

66. Pupils learn about a good range of faiths and make connections between them as well as recognising the differences. Year 6 pupils, for example, know that Islam and Judaism accept that Jesus was a prophet, but not that he was the Son of God. While pupils benefit from visits from people from different faiths, they only visit Christian places of worship.

p.35

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Design and technology, music and physical education

p.35

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

67. There was insufficient evidence to make firm overall judgements about provision in design and technology, music and physical education; these subjects were sampled.

p.35

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

68. There are some good links made to other subjects in design and technology , as when Year 1 and 2 pupils created a fruit salad and Year 4 pupils used their knowledge about healthy foods to create a design in the form of a face from salad and vegetables and learned how to safely cut, grate and tear the component features. Year 3 pupils knew that they were going to use pneumatics to enable their model monsters’ mouths to open, providing a good link with science. Year 5 pupils used knowledge from history in designing shields based on Viking designs. These shields were created from textiles, sewn, padded and decorated. The strongest aspects of pupils’ learning are seen in the planning and making stages, with a very good regard given to the quality of finish. Less effective emphasis is placed on the evaluation of finished products.

p.35

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

69. In music many pupils clearly benefit from a range of good activities. The signing choir sings and musicians perform during celebrations of religious festivals, school productions and performances. The signing choir also performs in other schools locally and nationally. The school provides very good opportunities for all pupils to learn music through the provision of a specialist music teacher who visits the school for one morning each week. The one very good lesson observed taught pupils about the history of the Baroque period and pupils were given opportunities to listen to and comment on musical compositions such as the Toccata in D Minor, which pupils quickly recognised and related to ‘scary music’ that they had heard in other settings. This helped to develop pupils’ musical and historical knowledge and understanding very well.

p.35

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

70. In physical education pupils have many opportunities to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding as they take part in football, tag rugby and netball clubs after school. When pupils leave the school, almost all are able to swim 25 metres. Space for physical activity is good because the school has extensive playing fields, one of which enables Holywell Green Primary School - 36 effective outdoor games to take place and the other for events involving the community to take place. The school ensures that pupils have access to a varied and exciting physical education programme and its commitment to physical activities and sport has been recognised by the Activemark award.

p.35

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

• Pupils learn a very good range of skills and techniques. • There are very effective links with other subjects that enhance pupils’ learning. • Teaching is well informed and promotes pupils’ enthusiasm and full involvement. • There are too few opportunities for pupils to learn about art and design from different cultures. Holywell Green Primary School - 37

p.36

Commentary

71. There has been good improvement since the previous inspection. Standards are above average in Year 2 and Year 6 and pupils of all abilities achieve well because of good teaching. Pupils with special educational needs and with hearing impairment are fully included and often achieve very well because of well-targeted support. The subject supports pupils’ spiritual development very well through celebrating and extending their creativity.

p.37

Commentary

72. Pupils have a very good understanding of what they are learning and demonstrate this when they talk about their work. Year 2 pupils, for example, explain how they blended different colours of pastels to create the shades for the brick and stone of houses and that this was much harder than mixing paint with water, but achieved a ‘softer’ effect. Their illustrations for a story indicate close observation and depiction of detail, such as the fretwork on a music stand and the air holes on musical instruments played by characters. In Years 3 to 6, pupils benefit from a ‘carousel’ arrangement in which they learn a wide range of art and design skills and techniques such as clay work, working with textiles, painting, design and technology, food technology and printing. Teaching is enthusiastic and pupils’ enjoyment is evident in lessons. Pupils’ work is often linked to other subjects and pupils explain how they are using knowledge gained elsewhere in lessons, as well as

p.37

Commentary

demonstrating a very good understanding of the benefits of working together. Year 5 and 6 pupils, for example, explained how they researched Aztec designs to create a series of increasingly complex prints and negotiated in groups to arrive at the final colour range and sequence of images. Teaching shows a good breadth of knowledge that ensures techniques are taught thoroughly. Year 4 pupils worked on making clay tiles, under the guidance of two teaching assistants, in a very successful session where pupils learned techniques of rolling, cutting and using slip to attach details in relief.

p.37

Commentary

73. The good leadership and management of the subject ensure that the expertise of teachers and teaching assistants is fully exploited to benefit pupils’ learning. Good quality resources stimulate pupils’ ideas and encourage pride in the finished work. There are, however, insufficient opportunities planned to extend pupils’ awareness of art and design from a range of different cultures.

p.37

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

74. No specific lessons were seen and so an overall judgement is not made on provision. There is, however, very good guidance for teaching in this area when specific times are set aside for pupils to consider particular issues. Some of the work is integrated into subjects such as science, where pupils learn about the benefits of exercise and healthy eating, or in design and technology and physical education, where safety in moving equipment or using tools is considered. Year 6 pupils say that they enjoyed the time set aside for them to learn from ‘Operation Charlie’, a programme that raised their awareness of strategies for personal safety, the dangers of drugs and how to resist pressure from others to do things that are wrong. Holywell Green Primary School - 38

p.37

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 3

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 4 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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