Little Hoole Primary School

LITTLE HOOLE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Little Hoole Primary School Page 2 February 2005 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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LITTLE HOOLE 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. Little Hoole Primary School Page 3 February 2005

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 226

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Dob Lane Walmer Bridge Preston Lancashire Postcode: PR4 5QL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01772 613026 Fax number: 01772 617447

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Reverend S Hughes

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is an average-sized primary school situated in a semi-rural location and serving a mixed community. The school caters for boys and girls aged four to 11-years-old. No pupil is from a minority ethnic background, speaks English as an additional language or is from a Traveller, asylum seeking or refugee family. The percentage of pupils in receipt of free school meals is 2.3 per cent and is much lower than average. The percentage of pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs is three per cent and is much lower than average. Only one pupil has a statement of special educational need. Attainment on entry of the present Reception class was slightly above average but year groups vary from year to year and overall are average. Since the previous inspection the school has had a new headteacher and a new deputy headteacher. At the time of this inspection three teachers Little Hoole Primary School Page 4 February 2005

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

were on long-term leave of absence. This group includes a Leading Literacy Teacher and an Advanced Skills Teacher for music. The school gained the Investor in People Award in 2003. Little Hoole Primary School Page 5 February 2005

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

1471 J Randall Lead inspector Mathematics Art and design Music Physical education Religious education English as an additional language 13450 J Madden Lay inspector 27777 R Greenall Team inspector English Geography History Special educational needs 22421 V McGrath Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Design and technology Areas of learning in the Foundation Stage

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Nord Anglia School Inspection Services Anglia House Carrs Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 2LA

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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). Little Hoole Primary School Page 6 February 2005

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

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 31

Little Hoole Primary School Page 7 February 2005

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very effective school giving very good value for money . The outstanding quality of leadership and management by the headteacher, supported by the very good assistance of the deputy headteacher, subject leaders and the governing body, together with the very good teaching and learning in Years 1 to 6, give rise to the overall very good achievement of pupils.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • by the end of Year 6 standards are well above average in reading, mathematics, science, information and communication technology and religious education and achievement is very high; • leadership and management are very good overall and the leadership by the headteacher is excellent; • the school’s efforts to meet the learning and social needs of all are very good; • provision for personal development is very good and as a result pupils are confident, behave very well and have very good attitudes to school; • the school has very high expectations of its pupils; • although standards are above average in Years 1 to 2 and 3 to 6, the use of writing both in English lessons and in other subjects is an area recognised by the school for improvement; • provision for writing, creativity and the use and resourcing of the outdoor area in the Reception class need further development.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The improvement since the previous inspection is very good . High standards have been maintained in all subjects and aspects. Standards have improved in mathematics and information and communication technology. The excellent leadership and management of information and communication technology have been highly effective in improving provision and there have been major developments in resourcing, staff confidence and expertise. All the points for development in the previous report have been met.

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Overall achievement is very good . In the Reception class children attain the standards expected in the national Early Learning Goals in most of the required areas of learning but writing and physical development opportunities are not challenging enough for children to make satisfactory progress. In mathematical development standards are above those expected. Inspection findings are that standards in Year 2 are above average in speaking, listening, reading, writing, mathematics, science, information and communication technology and religious education. These findings are marginally lower than the standards Little Hoole Primary School Page 8 February 2005 in the national tests at the end of Year 2 in 2004 where standards in reading, writing and mathematics were well above average but these findings reflect the difference between the two year groups, with the present Year 2 having fewer higher-attaining pupils than last year.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Standards in relation to schools with similar percentages of pupils in receipt of free school meals were average in reading, and above average in writing and mathematics. In Year 6 standards are above average in English, with well above average standards in reading, mathematics, science, information and communication technology and religious education. In the national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2004, standards were well above average in English and mathematics and in the highest five per cent nationally in science. In relation to schools with similar prior attainment at the end of Year 2 standards were average in English, well above average in mathematics and in the highest five per cent in science. Overall, allowing for small variations that occur between year groups, the school has maintained its high standards in English and improved to very high standards in mathematics and science. Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral,

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

social and cultural education, is very good .

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is very good . The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. It is satisfactory in the Reception class and very good in Years 1 to 6. At the time of the inspection the school was coping effectively with the long-term absence of three teachers, the English, religious education and music subject leaders and the Reception class teacher. The teaching of mathematics and information and communication technology is particularly good and information and communication technology contributes very well to learning in all subjects. In the very good and excellent lessons the pace of work and challenge was particularly rigorous. Lessons all build very well on previous learning and teachers manage classroom behaviour very well. The very good assessment, tracking and recording systems enable teachers to target work appropriately to ensure challenge and security in understanding. The efforts of the very hard-working subject leaders have

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

a considerable effect on improving teaching and learning, with the very careful analysis of test data is used to give pointers as to what might be improved. The overall quality of the curriculum is good. Care and support for pupils and links with parents and the community are very good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good overall. The headteacher’s leadership is excellent. Other key staff share her vision and high aspirations, and provide very good leadership. The governance and management of the school are very effective. Governors fulfil all their legal duties.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents think very highly of the school and appreciate what it does for their children. They have every confidence in the education and care it provides for their children. Pupils enjoy school. They are very well involved in school life.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • improve the use and quality of writing both in English lessons and in other subjects; • improve the provision for writing, creativity and the use and resourcing of the outdoor area in the Reception class. Little Hoole Primary School Page 9 February 2005

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Overall achievement is very good and all groups of pupils in Years 1 to 6 make considerable gains in their learning, attainment and personal development and particularly so in Year 6. Children in the Reception class achieve satisfactorily.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well above average in Year 6 in reading, mathematics, science, information and communication technology and religious education. • The use of information and communication technology in all subjects adds very well to achievement and attainment. • Writing and physical skills are below those expected in the Reception class because opportunities for development are not planned well enough. • Standards in writing, although above average, are constrained by too few opportunities to write at length both in English and in other subjects.

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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 17.1 (15.6) 15.8 (15.7) writing 16.3 (15.0) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 17.9 (16.9) 16.2 (16.3) There were 32 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 2004

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 28.5 (31.1) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 29.5 (30.9) 27.0 (26.8) science 32.0 (33.0) 28.6 (28.6) There were 24 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

1. Achievement is very good overall. On entry to the school the overall level of prior attainment varies between average and just above average from year to year. In the Reception class children attain the standards expected in the national Early Learning Goals in personal, social and emotional development, speaking and listening and reading, and creative development but writing and physical development opportunities are not challenging enough for children to make satisfactory progress. Standards in mathematical development are above those expected. Standards in knowledge and understanding of the world were not judged. Little Hoole Primary School Page 10 February 2005 2. In Years 1 to 2 pupils make good gains in their learning and by the end of Year 2 attainment is above average in speaking, listening, reading, writing, mathematics and science. These findings are marginally lower than the standards in the national tests

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Commentary

at the end of Year 2 in 2004 where standards in reading, writing and mathematics were well above average but reflect the difference between the two year groups, with the present Year 2 having fewer higher-attaining pupils than last year. Standards in relation to schools with similar percentages of pupils in receipt of free school meals were average in reading, and above average in writing and mathematics. Test results have improved over the last four years and substantially so since 2003 and achievement is good.

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3. In Years 3 to 6 pupils achieve very well overall, particularly in Year 6 where the quality of teaching and learning is very high. In Year 6 standards are above average in English, with well above average standards in reading, mathematics and science. In the national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2004, standards were well above average in English and mathematics and in the highest five per cent nationally in science. In relation to schools with similar prior attainment at the end of Year 2 standards were average in English, well above average in mathematics and in the highest five per cent in science. Overall, allowing for small variations that occur between year groups, the school has maintained its high standards in English and improved to very high standards in mathematics and science. Test results have improved dramatically since 2003. Targets for 2004 were exceeded in English and mathematics. The

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Commentary

trend in the school’s National Curriculum points score over the last four years was above that nationally.

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Commentary

4. Standards are very high overall because of the quality of teaching and learning and the overall very high quality of leadership and management of subjects. Assessment, tracking and analysis of data give the school a very good focus for constant improvement. Targets are always very high and part of the overall ethos of high achievement in the school. In writing, equally effective provision for promoting basic technical skills leads to above average standards in handwriting, spelling and punctuation across the school but there are too few opportunities for pupils to write at length, personally and creatively and to use writing skills well in all subjects. This constrains attainment and achievement. The school has recognised this as an issue for development.

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Commentary

5. Standards in information and communication technology have improved considerably since the previous inspection and are now above average in Year 2 and well above average in Year 6. There have been major developments in resourcing, staff confidence and expertise. The detailed scheme of work is outstanding and is linked very well to high quality resources. Information and communication technology supports standards in all other subjects very well. In religious education standards are above average in Year 2 and well above average in Year 6. Standards in other subjects were not judged.

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Commentary

6. There is no significant difference in the achievement and attainment of boys and girls. Pupils who have special educational needs achieve as well as other pupils. Their very good progress stems from well-organised and high quality support. Work is carefully tailored to the specific needs that are recorded and monitored on well- written individual education plans. Lower-attaining pupils who need additional support in literacy and numeracy also achieve very well because of very good teaching and programmes that tackle their difficulties. New provisions designed to Little Hoole Primary School Page 11 February 2005 boost the achievement of academically gifted pupils are also having a very good effect.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good . Personal development is very well cultivated and provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good . Attendance and punctuality are very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school works for, and expects the highest levels of conduct in its pupils and as a result there are very high standards of behaviour in and around the school. • Pupils‘ very good attitudes to learning and life at the school are the result of an ethos of challenge, clear direction and praise that permeates the school. • Pupils develop supportive and understanding relationships with their fellow pupils and these are reflected in the classroom and during other activities in the school. • Parents and pupils are aware of the importance of regular attendance and pupils stay away from school only when absolutely necessary. • Very high quality acts of collective worship add very well to spiritual development. • Religious education and other events give pupils a very good understanding of world cultures but opportunities for learning about life in a culturally diverse society should be more securely embedded into the whole curriculum.

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Commentary

7. The high standards reported at the time of the previous inspection in this area of the school’s provision have been maintained. The majority of pupils arrive very happily at school, well in time for the start of the school day. Attendance levels are very high. The school continually reminds parents of the importance of consistent attendance in ensuring that their children gain maximum benefit from all the school has to offer.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 3.5 School data 0 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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Commentary

8. Pupils behave very well at all times and this stems from the work that the school does in helping pupils to be considerate of others. The school includes all its pupils very well. There have been two recent short-term fixed exclusions from the school but these were put in place to ensure the health and safety of others in the school.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 175 1 0 Little Hoole Primary School Page 12 February 2005 White – any other White background 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 1 1 0 No ethnic group recorded 5 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Commentary

9. Pupils work together very well in pairs, groups and teams. They are learning that to succeed in many tasks, personal issues have to be put to one side. This very clearly starts in the Reception class where pupils co-operate and share when working. In the majority of lessons pupils are stimulated and excited by the work, maintaining interest and concentration as a result of the challenging learning. The very good use of praise gives pupils the confidence to approach new work with the knowledge that they can succeed. Pupils with special educational needs grow in success and self- esteem and play a full part in school life because they are always valued and included.

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Commentary

10. The school promotes spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well. Acts of collective worship add significantly to spiritual development and their quality is outstanding. The very high quality of the singing of the Lord’s Prayer in two parts was a moving experience. Spiritual moments in lessons occur when pupils are entranced or amazed, demonstrated when pupils in Year 6 were fascinated by examples of Islamic art. On a few occasions there were missed opportunities for pupils to reflect on their own feelings or to put themselves in the place of others. Moral development is fostered very well. Pupils in Year 2 understand the concept of community and why communities have to have rules. Pupils in Year 6 discussed the writing of personal creeds and the examples on display showed some mature ideas and sensitivities. In discussion, one pupil suggested that having a personal creed helped you to overcome peer pressure. Pupils have a very clear understanding of

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Commentary

11. Social development is promoted very well through many activities. The school council enables pupils to understand simple processes of democracy. In lessons pupils learn to work together through regular opportunities to discuss with their ‘talking partners’ and this activity also fosters speaking and listening skills. The ‘buddy system’, the school fair, organised by older pupils, and the many opportunities to foster self-esteem all contribute very well. The school recognises and values success, however small. Pupils contribute to local events such as panels of high quality representing the planets that were placed in the local church. Children in the Reception class meet the early learning goals for personal, social and emotional development well. Parents value this aspect of the school highly. Cultural development is supported very well by work done in religious education lessons. Pupils have a good knowledge and understanding of several world faiths. Pupils in

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Commentary

Year 1 greatly enjoyed their work about Chinese New Year and proudly presented this to the whole school in assembly, using dance and singing. A Global Education week provides further learning opportunities and the school has a link with a school in Malawi. The school recognises that the opportunities for learning about life in our own culturally diverse society should be more securely embedded into the whole curriculum. Pupils learn much about their own culture in history, geography, art and design and music. The very good personal development of pupils, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development adds significantly to the very high achievement by the end of Year 6.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

Little Hoole Primary School Page 13 February 2005 The overall quality of education is very good . The curriculum is good overall and satisfactory in the Reception class. Opportunities for enrichment are very good. Accommodation and resources are good. Teaching and learning are good overall and very good in Years 1 to 6.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. It is satisfactory in the Reception class and very good in Years 1 to 6. Assessment is very good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Information and communication technology is used very well to support teaching and learning in all subjects. • Very good assessment, tracking and recording systems in Years 1 to 6 enable teachers to target work appropriately and to challenge pupils fully; these are not used as well in the Reception class. • Teaching and learning in mathematics, information and communication technology, speaking and listening and reading are very good. • High quality support staff support lower-attainers and those with special educational needs very well. • The teaching of writing is not challenging enough in the Reception class for children to make satisfactory progress and the weaknesses in planning, resources and adult involvement in physical activity leads to unsatisfactory development of physical skills. • There are missed opportunities in some lessons for developing pupils’ own ideas or for pupils to devise their own investigations.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 31 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 31 lessons

5 (16%) 8 (26%) 10 (32%) 6 (19%) 2 (7%) 0 0

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 31 lessons

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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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 31 lessons

12. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall, matching the position at the time of the previous inspection. However it is very good in Years 1 to 6, showing an improvement. The quality of teaching and learning in the Reception class (Foundation Stage) was satisfactory during the inspection. This was because a temporary teacher was teaching the class due to the long-term absence of the usual class teacher. At the time of the inspection the school was coping effectively with the long-term absence of three teachers. This group included the English subject leader, who is a Leading Literacy Teacher, a teacher who is an Advanced Skills Teacher for music, and the religious education subject leader and Reception class teacher. Also to be given much credit is the high and very high quality of teaching and learning in the core subjects of English, mathematics, science, information and communication

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 31 lessons

technology and religious education, in assembly and in the intervention programmes for lower-attainers. The unsatisfactory lessons (where school policies and practices Little Hoole Primary School Page 14 February 2005 were misunderstood), and almost all of the satisfactory lessons occurred in lessons where the usual class teacher was absent. All teachers gave some good lessons and most some very good lessons. The excellent lessons were in Year 6 where the challenge and pace are particularly high and contribute significantly to the attainment and achievement at the end of Year 6. Consistently good teamwork between teachers and support staff enables pupils with special educational needs to succeed in their learning. Support staff are skilful in helping these pupils to maintain focus and to move forward in small steps towards the well-defined targets in their individual education plans. They know their pupils well, and they sensitively include them

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 31 lessons

within a prevailing climate of high expectation.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 31 lessons

13. The teaching of mathematics and information and communication technology across the school is very good and is the result of the excellent leadership and management in these subjects. Teachers are particularly secure in the teaching of these subjects and the understanding of the small steps that pupils need to take in order to achieve. They are very well supported by the quality of the support staff, particularly in the teaching of mathematics to lower-attaining pupils. Information and communication technology is very well used by all staff to support learning and to add interest in other subjects. The use of the interactive whiteboards in three classes adds very well to explanations, interest and enjoyment. In English, the quality of teaching and learning is good overall. High expectations, effective planning, relationships, support systems and the use of resources and assessment are common strengths that

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 31 lessons

promote the secure and productive learning of key skills. However, writing is not always demanding enough for the more able writers. In particular, they lack opportunities to write at length, personally and creatively. High quality support programmes enable lower-attaining pupils to do as well as their capabilities allow.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 31 lessons

14. In science very good teaching was observed in Years 2 and 6 and teaching and learning are good overall. The best lessons promote very good learning because a high emphasis in placed on practical activity but there are missed opportunities in other lessons for developing pupils’ own ideas or for pupils to raise their own questions and devise their own investigations to test their hypotheses. In religious education the quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Teachers have made great efforts to develop the teaching of world faiths but the school recognises that there is still some need for a greater security of knowledge in this aspect. In lessons there were some missed opportunities for pupils to reflect on how they might feel in the different worlds and lives studied.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 31 lessons

15. In the very good and excellent lessons the pace of work and challenge was particularly rigorous. Lessons all build very well on previous learning and teachers manage classroom behaviour very well. There are now very clear learning objectives for every lesson. These are shared well with pupils and reviewed at the end of the lesson so that pupils are clear about what they have learned and what they need to do next time. The very good assessment, tracking and recording systems in Years 1 to 6 enable teachers to target work appropriately to ensure challenge and security in understanding. These systems are very well managed by the use of information and communication technology and lack only the opportunity for pupils to be involved in setting and evaluating their own personal targets. In the Reception class the good systems for recording attainment are not used well enough at present to ensure that the planned work is sufficiently challenging to promote good

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 31 lessons

achievement in all areas of learning, to monitor the pace of children’s progress or to identify aspects of the curriculum requiring more attention. The efforts of the very hard-working subject leaders have a considerable effect on improving teaching and learning, with the very careful analysis of test data used to give pointers as to what might be improved. Marking is secure and up-to-date, but the new system for marking, by which pupils will be given pointers for improvement as well as praise, is not yet obvious in every class. Homework Little Hoole Primary School Page 15 February 2005 plays a significant part in pupils’ learning and achievement. There are very good systems for parents and pupils to know what is expected and very good co-operation in their application.

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The curriculum

The overall curriculum is good . Opportunities for pupils to enrich their learning are very good . The school’s accommodation and resources are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good curricular developments in mathematics and information and communication technology have significantly raised standards in these subjects. • Very good provision for personal, social, health and citizenship education includes a full taught programme and pervades assemblies and the whole life of the school. • Pupils participate very well in a very good programme of visits, special events and extra- curricular activities. • Pupils, particularly the higher-attainers, have too few opportunities to write creatively and at length, both in English and in other subjects. • Good accommodation and resources, including the very good library and provision for information and communication technology, support pupils’ learning well. • The curriculum makes too little provision for preparing pupils for life in a culturally diverse society. • There are not enough opportunities for the Reception class to use the outdoor activity

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Commentary

16. The curriculum has good breadth, meets all requirements and provides very well for pupils’ different needs and talents. The school has maintained the good features noted by the previous inspection and improved provision in others. The accommodation is now better and opportunities for enrichment have increased. The most significant improvements, however, have been in mathematics and information and communication technology. Well-managed and imaginatively led developments have transformed planning, teaching, resources and achievement in these subjects and attainment has risen rapidly. A few shortcomings remain however, particularly in writing, where there are not enough opportunities for pupils to write at length and to control more complex factual or imaginative material in different ways, especially in narrative. Although good examples can be found, this general lack of opportunity extends beyond English to subjects such as science, history and geography. The

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Commentary

school recognises the need for and is improving the opportunities to prepare pupils for life in the culturally diverse society of contemporary Britain. There are too few opportunities in the Reception class for outdoor learning and activity.

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Commentary

17. The school’s ethos, practices, aims and values consistently promote inclusion very well. Staff work hard to ensure that different groups have equal access to all the learning opportunities provided and that they do as well as their different capabilities allow. The taught curriculum gives high priority to promoting achievement in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology. Across the school, planning in these subjects reflects a good awareness of the need to challenge the higher-attaining pupils. To sharpen this challenge, the curriculum is beginning to make specific provisions for pupils identified as gifted or talented. For example, the more gifted readers work with older readers and embark on Little Hoole Primary School Page 16 February 2005 programmes that accelerate their learning. A computer club operates for pupils who have advanced skills in information and communication technology and pupils who

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Commentary

have talents in sport or music have access to expert coaching. These developments are balanced by very well planned support for lower-attaining pupils, including those with statements of special educational need. The curriculum for pupils with special educational needs is very good, largely because individual education plans give clear targets, and detailed guidance for relevant approaches and resources. A good number of well-trained, experienced and skilful support staff work closely with teachers to make sensitive and effective use of this guidance.

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Commentary

18. In subjects other than English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology and religious education, the use of national guidance gives consistency, clarity and balance to the development of pupils’ learning in each subject. However, except where expert leadership and teaching have made a difference, as in music, planning lacks flexibility and links between subjects are not always imaginatively exploited, particularly with opportunities for writing. A marked exception to this is personal, social, health and citizenship education. This already effective area is a focus for intensive development because it is at the heart of the school’s aims. It is also integral to a rich and established range of provision for personal, moral and social development that pervades assemblies and the entire life of the school.

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Commentary

19. Beyond lessons, opportunities to enrich learning are very good and actively supported by many pupils in Years 3 to 6 although there are few opportunities for years 1 to 2. Staff, together with some outside agencies, run a wide range of after- school clubs. A very good programme of educational visits extends learning beyond school and provides opportunities for first-hand investigations. Most notably, pupils in each of Years 4, 5 and 6 make residential outdoor-pursuits visits. In addition to all these opportunities, the school involves pupils in a strong programme of special events. All these efforts exemplify the school’s commitment to a wide breadth of learning experience and achievement.

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Care, guidance and support

Pupils are very well cared for, guided and supported by the school. Their care, welfare, health and safety as well as the provision of support, advice and guidance based on monitoring is very good. There is very good involvement of pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have secure and trusting relationships with adults in the school and feel able to approach them for help if necessary. • All staff in the school give the highest regard to pupils’ care, including their health and safety and child protection. • Pupils’ personal and educational well-being has a very high priority with the staff but the school does not yet further pupils’ self-knowledge and independence through involving them in personal targets for learning. • The school is offering pupils a range of ways in which they can play a full part in decision-making and in the life of the school.

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Commentary

Little Hoole Primary School Page 17 February 2005 20. The very high standards present at the previous inspection have been maintained. The school has very good systems in place to ensure that the site is well maintained and presented. All staff and governors are aware of the importance of pupils’ safety; risk assessments are skilfully addressed, including those for outside visits. Child protection issues and procedures are well understood and staff are vigilant and supportive of pupils and their families. There are very good relationships between pupils and staff throughout the school, so that pupils feel secure and confident and know that they will be listened to should they have a problem. Parents also are very confident in the ability of the school to educate and care for their children.

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Commentary

21. All pupils’ educational needs are well known to the staff and they receive well- targeted and effective support in lessons. Those pupils with special educational needs, including those who are higher-attainers or with behavioural difficulties, are included and challenged by the learning so that they are engaged throughout the lesson. The guidance and support given to pupils with special educational needs are effective because individual learning plans and assessment records maintain a clear picture of each pupil’s progress and current needs. Other lower-attaining pupils benefit from similarly effective guidance and close support. Pupils are given group targets in mathematics and English. However, except for those pupils with special educational needs, there are no individual targets to enable each pupil to know exactly what is needed for improvement.

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Commentary

22. The school is working hard to ensure that pupils are becoming increasingly involved in the running of the school. ‘Circle time’ (a time when pupils discuss aspects of personal and social development) offers pupils the opportunity to express their views about problems that arise and how these can be solved. These can then be followed up through the school council or passed directly to the appropriate management level in the school. Pupils in Year 6 take on many day-to-day organisational tasks during the school day and house captains play a role in encouraging pupils’ achievement through the reward system. Playground ‘buddies’ help pupils to feel safe.

p.17

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school works very well in partnership with parents, other schools and the community.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents have the highest regard for the school and every confidence in the education and care it provides for their children. • Relationships between staff and parents are of the highest quality, based on mutual respect and a shared purpose. • Community links provide pupils with opportunities to relate to the wider world in ways that enhance their personal development and learning. • Annual reports to parents, whilst satisfactory, do not provide parents with the opportunity to respond in writing. • Links with local schools provide support, training and shared events to develop the curriculum and teaching.

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Commentary

Little Hoole Primary School Page 18 February 2005 23. The high standards reported on by the previous inspection have been maintained. Discussions with parents reveal that they think this is a wonderful school in which they have full confidence. They greatly admire the staff, especially the headteacher, and feel they are always available to discuss any difficulties or problems their children may have. There is always time to resolve problems before they become in any way serious. They are kept fully informed by the school about day-to-day issues and involved in the education of their children, especially if they have any kind of special educational need. Problems that may arise around behavioural issues are fully discussed with parents and a course of action agreed on. Parents help with the regular homework; the school helps parents to keep up-to-date with their children’s learning and holds regular parents evenings. Annual reports to parents, whilst

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Commentary

satisfactory, do not provide parents with the opportunity to respond in writing. Those parents whose children are starting in the Reception class are given a six-week course in how to help their children and a series of booklets to support learning. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are well informed of individual targets and progress, and encouraged to be full partners in the process of review and support.

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Commentary

24. There are wide-ranging community links that begin with the local community, where for example pupils in Year 6 organise an Easter Fair, getting sponsorship from local business and ensuring wide community support. The school holds community assemblies, involving a wide range of local representatives, including the heads of neighbouring schools. A local, well-known football team holds regular curriculum support days and pupils benefits from a science initiative. The school makes extensive use of the wider community for residential visits, which have a major effect on pupils’ confidence and self-esteem as well as enhancing learning in history and geography.

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Commentary

25. The school has very co-operative links with the feeder Nurseries and the Reception teacher visits each in order to ensure that prospective pupils know who she is and to obtain the information that will ensure that pupils have as supportive a start as possible. There are similar but more substantive arrangements with the secondary school, which ensure that, for example, friendship groups are maintained and pupils with special educational needs of any kind receive the necessary support in their new school. Sporting and information and communication technology links with the secondary sector enhance the curriculum. The local cluster of schools provides many opportunities for pupils to meet their peers through inter-schools events and enhances teaching skills through training and the sharing of information.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good overall. The headteacher’s leadership is excellent. Other key staff share her vision and high aspirations, and provide very good leadership. The governance and management of the school are very effective. Governors fulfil all their legal duties.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher’s excellent leadership sets the very strong vision, tone and standards that all staff and governors support. • The school’s leadership is entirely committed to valuing and including all pupils and enabling them to achieve their best. Little Hoole Primary School Page 19 February 2005 • The governors are very effective in all aspects of their role, particularly in the quality of their challenge and support for the school. • Excellent financial management significantly supports the achievement of the school’s clear educational priorities. • Because of very effective management, the school is continuing to improve its performance in key areas during a very difficult period of widespread change in the teaching staff.

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Commentary

26. The headteacher’s excellent vision and high aspirations for the school are upheld by all who work there. Her vision centres on valuing all pupils and enabling them to achieve their potential by recognising and meeting their personal, social and academic needs. Other key staff share this vision, provide excellent role models and are equally committed to improvement and achievement. The deputy headteacher has led rapid and impressive improvements in mathematics and information and communication technology. Very good management of provision for pupils with special educational needs enables these pupils to achieve very well and play a full and equal part in school life. Because of the very skilful management of widespread but temporary change in the teaching staff, teamwork and sense of direction remain strong. This enables all staff to set very good examples for pupils and help to enact the vision. As a result, the school is a harmonious and purposeful community in

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Commentary

which pupils mature personally and socially and achieve very well.

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Commentary

27. The school’s very good strategic planning reflects its ambitions. Each year’s improvement plan is part of a coherent long-term plan. It specifies clear, well- informed targets and relevant action for improvement. Subject leaders and the co- ordinator for special educational needs play an important part in developing these areas. They carry out audits and set improvement agendas that contribute to whole- school planning. All staff join the senior management team in respect of their specific responsibilities. As a result, school improvement is shared, focused, pertinent and realistic, and all staff know their part.

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Commentary

28. The school’s self-evaluation is very good. It is rigorously centred on quality and achievement, and based on the analysis of pupils’ performance. Its findings are used very well, both in reviewing the success of current developments and in shaping future developments. They also help to inform the performance targets of the headteacher and other members of staff and ensure that all personal targets relate to standards and link directly to whole-school priorities. For example, meeting the needs of all pupils is a prime concern of the school. Key targets have, in the recent past, aimed to use information and communication technology to track individual progress more efficiently in order to improve educational inclusion. As a result, the school now has rapid, reliable and searching measures for assessing different needs in relation to individual progress in acquiring basic skills. This in turn

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Commentary

has led the school to improve its additional support for very particular needs in literacy and numeracy. This provision is significantly boosting the progress, not only of pupils who find literacy and numeracy difficult, but also of pupils who are capable of very high attainment in these areas. At the same time, the school has been able to establish a register of pupils who have special gifts and talents and also to develop curricular and extra-curricular provision for their needs. Little Hoole Primary School Page 20 February 2005 29. The governing body fulfils its role very well in the way that it understands, supports and challenges the school. The governors have a clear, full and accurate view of the school and make a very good contribution to its management. They are in a very good position to challenge and contribute constructively, because their frequent visits and specific areas of interest give them good contact with pupils and good working

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Commentary

relationships with teachers. Strong formal processes, that work through training events, a good committee structure and a range of written reports from the headteacher and other members of staff, ensure that all governors are kept up-to- date and know the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Financial management is excellent. The headteacher and governing body operate very prudently and link all spending to the school’s aims and priorities. The outstanding work of the bursar puts them in an ideal position to make decisions that ensure best value and a secure future for the school. She uses national networks rigorously, both to investigate issues of best value and to identify and use all means of generating additional income. The very detailed alternative projections that she has worked out give the governing body an excellent basis for making the best decision about how to reduce the staffing costs that are currently supported by the school’s reserves. When the

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Commentary

relatively low cost of educating each pupil is set against the school’s very strong quality, very good improvement and very high achievement, it is clear that the school gives very good value for money. Little Hoole Primary School Page 21 February 2005 Financial information for the year April 03 to March 04

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 479,039 Balance from previous year 67,597 Total expenditure 496,868 Balance carried forward to the next 49,768 Expenditure per pupil 2,279 Little Hoole Primary School Page 22 February 2005

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SUBJECTS

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

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SUBJECTS

Children enter the Reception class at the beginning of the school year in which they are five and attend part-time in the first half term as part of a good induction programme. Currently 30 children attend the Reception class full time. The induction procedures, together with the positive relationships with adults, provide a good transition from Nursery education to school. There are good systems for recording children’s attainments in individual profiles but currently assessments are not used well enough to ensure that the planned work is sufficiently challenging to promote good achievement in all areas of learning. Assessments of children’s competencies are not used well enough to check the pace of children’s progress or to identify aspects of the curriculum requiring more attention. The accommodation and staffing are good. However, the accessible and attractive outdoor area was not used effectively during the inspection. This was because there was

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SUBJECTS

not enough planning for outdoor learning, and children did not access the area frequently enough. At the time of the inspection the class was taken by a temporary teacher but the work of the usual teacher, in the planning files and improvement plan, was also taken into consideration. The school has recognised the areas for further development.

p.22

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is satisfactory .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good relationships promote good emotional development and confidence. • Children are encouraged to initiate activities leading to good independence and collaboration. • In whole group sessions children lose concentration and become distracted when the level of questioning is insufficiently challenging.

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Commentary

30. Positive relationships between staff and children lead to positive attitudes to learning. A good balance of child-initiated and adult-led activity ensures that children interact socially and collaborate well. Children demonstrate good concentration and perseverance when working independently. In some whole group sessions questioning lacked sufficient challenge and led to unenthusiastic responses from children and some distracted behaviour. Although behaviour in independent tasks is good, in whole group sessions the engagement of pupils and behaviour are satisfactory. Children develop a satisfactory awareness of their own and other cultures through their involvement in school celebrations and assemblies. They are beginning to learn about life in distant places. There are missed opportunities, however, in the planned curriculum for exploring the rich diversity of story, music and art from a range of cultures. By the end of the Reception year most children are

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Commentary

meeting the expectations for their age. Teaching, learning and achievement are satisfactory.

p.22

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory . Little Hoole Primary School Page 23 February 2005

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s talk is promoted well as they re-enact stories and take part in role-play. • There are good opportunities for parental involvement in the teaching of reading. • The teaching of writing is unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

31. Speaking and listening are promoted well by the good ratio of adults to children in small group activities. Children show good understanding when following directions and respond confidently when speaking. Good teaching and learning lead to good achievement by all groups of children. They attain standards above those expected for their age in speaking and listening by the end of the Reception year. The teaching of writing is not challenging enough. Although most children have already acquired a satisfactory knowledge of letters and sounds, they are not encouraged to use these skills to sound out and build words as they write. The range of opportunities for writing for meaningful purposes is inadequate to promote enthusiasm and confidence in early writing. The writing and reading areas lack sufficient stimuli to attract and maintain children’s interest. There are too few planned sessions for teaching letters and sounds, using stimulating resources,

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Commentary

practical tasks and games. Children have good opportunities to share books with parents and regularly take books, word games and word lists home. A good range of introductory books is well matched to children’s competencies. The opportunities for reading in school are satisfactory. Children read to an adult, as part of a small group, once each week and enjoy the stories read to the whole class. Emphasis is placed on learning whole words that regularly feature in current reading books. The strategies used by children for attempting unfamiliar words are constrained by the unsatisfactory teaching of letters, sounds and word building. Teaching, learning and achievement in reading are satisfactory overall but there are shortcomings in the teaching of writing.

p.23

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Stimulating resources and tasks promote good attitudes to learning. • There are good opportunities for children to solve simple problems.

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Commentary

32. Children achieve standards above those expected for their age. Good planning enables additional staff to identify the learning purposes for tasks and maximises the use of space and resources. Children demonstrated good learning as they used well-prepared resources to match quantities. Most can count confidently to 20, add and subtract simple calculations and name and describe shapes. Good use is made of additional adults, space and resources to ensure that all children have access to all activities. As a consequence of good teaching and learning, children achieve well and attain standards above those expected by the end of the Reception year. Little Hoole Primary School Page 24 February 2005

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Commentary

33. It was not possible to make a judgement of provision or standards for this area because insufficient teaching was observed. Children take on the roles they have observed as they bath dolls in the ‘bathroom’ and build and organise tools and materials in the ‘DIY area’. They manipulate tools and materials satisfactorily as they build cardboard models and construct with kits. Children enjoy a satisfactory range of experiences to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world. For example, they used a globe to find Africa, named African animals and used a picture book to find out about one type of African home. They have also joined in a range of school celebrations and talked to visitors from the health services. They have frequent access to computers in the classroom and demonstrate good control of the mouse to select and move symbols.

p.24

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is unsatisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Accommodation in the hall and outdoor environment is good. • Teaching and resources are unsatisfactory.

p.24

Commentary

34. Whilst children access the outdoors for a playtime during each session, there are too few opportunities for using the outdoors for planned teaching and learning. The weaknesses in planning, resources and adult involvement in physical activity lead to unsatisfactory development of physical skills. Children enjoyed using wheeled toys and low-level blocks for balancing, but these resources were too small for the age of the children and offered inadequate challenge. The school has acknowledged the need to improve resources in the outdoor environment in its improvement planning. Children’s manipulative skills are promoted satisfactorily and developed through a range of opportunities for constructing, cutting, drawing and modelling. Teaching, learning and achievement overall are unsatisfactory.

p.24

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is satisfactory.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children respond imaginatively when they initiate tasks. • In some adult-led tasks there are not enough opportunities for children to select their own materials and develop their own ideas.

p.24

Commentary

35. Children respond creatively and purposefully in the ‘DIY Centre’ and home area as they imaginatively take on roles and create stories. The creative area indicates that Little Hoole Primary School Page 25 February 2005 children have independent access to a satisfactory range of art materials and tools. However, in some adult-led activities, children were directed to use a narrow range of materials and given inadequate opportunities to pursue their own ideas. For example, children patiently waited for their turn to stick straws to a model. As a consequence there was unsatisfactory achievement in the development of children’s creativity or skills in handling materials. Other children confidently made observational drawings of model animals. Satisfactory links are made with literacy, using large class books as stimuli for making models and pictures. Teaching, learning and achievement are satisfactory. Children demonstrate standards in line

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Commentary

with expectations for their age. Little Hoole Primary School Page 26 February 2005

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Because of good teaching, the majority of pupils achieve well and reach above average standards for their age. • Particularly good provision promotes very high attainment in reading. • In writing, progress is more patchy, especially for the higher-attaining pupils and creative work in narrative is limited. • Pupils who find literacy difficult receive very good support and do consistently well in relation to their ability. • The improving use of information and communication technology supports learning well in literacy, but other subjects give less effective support.

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Commentary

36. Attainment is above average in both Years 2 and 6 in speaking, listening and writing; in reading it is above average in Year 2 and well above average by Year 6. Pupils of differing abilities, including those who find literacy difficult, achieve well in relation both to their prior attainment and to the exacting demands placed on them by the school. Standards in Year 2 are similar to those found at the time of the previous inspection but in Year 6 they are a little lower, particularly when compared with those of similar schools. However, allowing for the natural variations caused by differences in character between year groups, test results since that time show that the school has maintained its typically strong performance. Currently, it is doing well to maintain good progress during a very difficult period of staffing change.

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Commentary

37. In reading, all groups achieve very well so that standards are very high by Year 6. Book resources are very carefully graded and used to ensure that pupils learn to read at their best rate. The active support of parents for this progress, both in school and at home, is made more effective by very good homework arrangements, guidance booklets and informal training. Pupils develop strong reading habits and attitudes because they are helped and encouraged to explore and enjoy the wide range of quality fiction available. Good opportunities to work with older pupils, to participate in fast-track schemes, or to undertake independent research in the very good library, stretch the more able readers to reach their best level. At the same time, the very high quality of the teaching designed to support those pupils who find literacy skills difficult is a strength of the subject. It explains why almost all of these

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Commentary

pupils reach the level expected at the end of Year 6. In Years 3 to 6, weekly lessons in library skills enable pupils to use information books to support their learning generally. In fiction, many Year 6 pupils read ‘between the lines’ to deepen their understanding of an unfamiliar text and the more able pick out particular phrases that prompt their response.

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Commentary

38. In writing, equally effective provisions for promoting basic technical skills lead to above average standards in handwriting, spelling and punctuation across the school. Pupils also learn to vary the way they write to suit a variety of purposes, such as to instruct, explain, inform, persuade or report. The same high quality support Little Hoole Primary School Page 27 February 2005 programmes enable lower-attaining pupils to do as well as their capabilities allow. In Years 3 to 6, occasional opportunities such as a visit, challenge pupils to write at length in various styles and to organise complex information in different ways. Pupils rise to these occasions well, but they occur too infrequently and without an overall plan to ensure breadth, continuity and balance in writing opportunities. Typically, the writing required is very brief and restricted to a given model. This is not always demanding enough for the more able writers. In particular, they lack opportunities to

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Commentary

write at length, personally and creatively, either in their own style or in the manner of an author they have studied.

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Commentary

39. In speaking and listening, pupils achieve well overall and standards are above average. However, the use of assessment and targets is relatively limited in this area and the school’s new policy is not yet consistent in practice. Most pupils are thoughtful and responsive listeners and talkers, well versed in the forms of Standard English. Whether discussing texts with ‘talking partners’ or with the class, they work skilfully to share thoughts clearly and raise each other’s understandings. When teachers engage and challenge these skills, the quality of learning rises strongly. This was the case in an excellent lesson in Year 6, when, with a powerful mix of pace, challenge, support and inspiration, the teacher involved pupils in an ordered range of different talk roles and types of discussion. The process transformed pupils’ understanding of how to create an effective story opening. However, not all teachers

p.27

Commentary

draw pupils into such active learning roles. Pupils then lose opportunities to express, share and extend their ideas and reason things out for themselves.

p.27

Commentary

40. Taken overall, the quality of teaching and learning is good. Most lessons were good or better and pupils’ work over time confirms that teaching promotes good progress for different groups. A high level of expectation, together with effective planning, relationships, support systems and the use of resources and assessment are common strengths that promote the secure and productive learning of key skills. However, not all teachers actively engage and extend pupils’ thinking skills and work through their spoken ideas to lift learning to a higher level. This links with some shortcomings in the use of individual targets because teachers do not consistently help pupils to develop their understanding of how well they are doing and how they can improve. Good action to improve marking and provision for speaking and listening shows that the school recognises these issues and is tackling them well.

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Commentary

41. The leadership and management of English are good. Whilst action for improvement is not always sharpened by rigorous evaluation of work in classrooms, the work of the subject leader is systematic, thorough and informed by strong subject knowledge and a vision that is focused on achievement. Planned developments are clearly established and are making a difference, despite the effect of her temporary absence.

p.27

Language and literacy across the curriculum

42. Overall, English and the rest of the curriculum support each other satisfactorily. A particular strength, and a significant recent improvement, is the increasing use of pupils’ good skills in information and communication technology to exploit and extend their reading and writing skills in a variety of ways and contexts. Pupils’ very good reports and brochures on Borwick Hall exemplify this. Similarly, pupils have good opportunities to develop independent research skills and to use the library and the Internet to enrich their learning. However, as noted above, pupils’ skills in spoken Little Hoole Primary School Page 28 February 2005 English are not consistently used and developed across all subjects, and writing tasks are not always matched to pupils’ actual capacity as writers.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are very high because of the very good teaching and learning and excellent leadership and management. • The use of information and communication technology significantly enhances teaching, learning, attainment and achievement. • Very good assessment and tracking procedures ensure that the needs of all are well met.

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Commentary

43. The school has maintained and improved the very high standards of mathematics since the previous inspection. Standards in Year 2 are above average and in Year 6 well above average. These findings reflect the results attained in the national tests at the end of 2004 at the end of Year 6. Although the judgement is marginally below the national test results for the end of Year 2 this is because the present Year 2 has fewer higher-attaining pupils in it and slightly more lower-attainers. Overall achievement by the end of Year 6 is very good. The very high standards are attained because teaching and learning are very good and the subject is very well led and managed. Information and communication technology is also used particularly well to support mathematics.

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Commentary

44. In Year 6 pupils are adept at using all four number operations and can apply these to solving problems by devising a hypothesis and working out a strategy to test this out. They very successfully used a graph to solve a problem of distance and time. They have a very good range of mental strategies for calculation, for example speedily finding 10 per cent and multiplying by 2 for 20 per cent. They are very confident and explain their strategies willingly. In Year 2 all pupils counted speedily in 2s up to 50 from any given starting point. The very good use of a puppet engaged their attention well and they were delighted to spot the puppets ‘mistakes’. They remembered their previous work on shapes very well.

p.28

Commentary

45. The very good quality of teaching and learning is particularly enhanced by the use of the interactive whiteboards and computers to extend learning. Through information and communication technology in particular, pupils gain much experience in investigations and problem solving. Pupils with all levels of prior attainment are successfully challenged by this approach. Teachers are very secure in how to teach mathematics systematically and there are many supportive strategies in place, both in documentation and discussion. The quality of teaching and learning is checked regularly as part of the performance management strategies. All lessons are very well structured and the pace of learning and the quality of teaching is never less than good. Two lessons were excellent and two very good. In these lessons the pace was particularly rigorous and pupils were strongly encouraged to give their own Little Hoole Primary School Page 29 February 2005

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Commentary

explanations of answers and strategies, thus adding to their understanding. Lower- attaining pupils and those with special educational needs are particularly well supported by the use of intervention programmes such as Springboard. In this session, led by a specialist teaching assistant, the quality of teaching and learning was very good and pupils’ achievement was very high. Pupils worked with eager confidence because they were sure that every effort would be valued. Small steps of learning and a pace suited to the needs of this small group ensured success. Games are used very well in these sessions and in class lessons to give all pupils fun and enjoyment in learning mathematics.

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Commentary

46. Assessment, tracking and recording procedures and analysis of test data are at a very sophisticated level, lacking only a system for pupils to be involved in setting and assessing their own targets. These procedures have been highly successful in providing teachers with the knowledge of pupils’ progress that enables them to be both demanding and supportive in their teaching. Homework plays a significant role in pupils’ success and the school has many helpful strategies to enable parents to support their children. Workshops for parents have been used to explain the new methods of working in number and the school also provides books on loan to parents to explain these. There are information and communication technology packages for homework, with care taken to ensure that all have access.

p.29

Mathematics across the curriculum

47. There are particularly strong links with information and communication technology. The interactive whiteboards are used very well to explain, enliven and to play mathematics games. Much work takes place on the computers, particularly data handling, problem solving and investigations. In Year 6 most pupils were able to select appropriately from a range of data handling programs to organise problem solving. They label, cut, paste and save graphs and grids with a high degree of confidence and speed. They are familiar with a range of mathematics programs and recognise how different purposes can be met. Other very good links with mathematics were made when pupils in Year 6 used geometric patterns and tessellations in their study of Islamic art and design. The use of mathematics in other subjects is more incidental.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils attain above average standards by the end of Year 2, and well above standards by the end of Year 6. • As a consequence of good practical opportunities, pupils achieve very well. • Good leadership leads to a well-planned and resourced curriculum. • Very good use of information and communication technology contributes to very good achievement in Year 6 • Pupils collaborate very well and show very positive attitudes. • There are not enough opportunities for pupils to raise and investigate their own questions.

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Commentary

Little Hoole Primary School Page 30 February 2005 48. The school has maintained the very high standards identified in the previous inspection and pupils are above average by the end of Year 2 and well above average by the end of Year 6. A scrutiny of work and discussions with pupils shows current Year 2 pupils have a good knowledge of scientific facts but they show average standards in their understanding of how to carry out a fair test. Whilst the work completed in Years 3 and 6 shows that pupils have a good grasp of how to use investigative skills, there is little evidence of this in Years 4 and 5.

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Commentary

49. Some very good teaching was seen in Years 2 and 6 and teaching and learning are good overall. The best lessons promote very good learning because a high emphasis is placed on practical learning. For example, Year 2 pupils made their own circuits to light bulbs and make buzzers work. They were confident enough to explore and some wanted to find out which way a motor was rotating and attached a piece of paper. They showed real delight in their learning and one boy declared ‘I’ve made a fan’. In Year 6 pupils applied their very good previous learning when using sensors to measure and record temperature. Very explicit teaching of scientific vocabulary and ideas promoted very good understanding of how energy is transferred as ice cubes cool a drink, which in turn warms up again. Year 3 pupils were taught effectively how to control variables as they tested the absorbency of paper towels.

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Commentary

50. Whilst teachers promote good understanding by enabling pupils to draw on practical experiences and first-hand observations, there are missed opportunities for developing pupils’ own ideas. There were few opportunities observed in lessons or pupils’ recorded work for pupils to raise their own questions before devising their own investigations.

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Commentary

51. Resources are used very well. The interactive whiteboard was used very effectively in Year 6 to illustrate and demonstrate. For example, a video camera enabled all pupils to see on a large screen how a test was being set up. This ensured that all pupils had good access to the test as well as the results as the temperature changes were displayed. The practical nature of lessons is particularly effective in promoting good achievement for pupils with special educational needs. Learning support assistants also make a positive contribution by sustaining good quality questioning and maintaining pace in practical tasks.

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Commentary

52. A well-planned curriculum and good resources are having a positive effect on provision. The quality of science teaching is regularly checked as part of an annual cycle. Consequently there is good vision for improvement, which includes the need to promote more opportunities for scientific enquiry. The revised assessment procedures enable teachers to assess pupils’ attainment against the planned learning for each unit of work. These factors reflect good leadership and management of science.

p.30

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Leadership and management are excellent and teachers’ confidence and expertise has improved substantially because of this; the quality of teaching and learning is very good. • There has been very good improvement in provision leading to well above average standards by Year 6 and above average standards by Year 2. • The excellent curriculum guidance successfully promotes the development of information and communication technology skills and knowledge when working in other subjects. • Pupils are highly motivated and behave very well. Little Hoole Primary School Page 31 February 2005 • The satisfactory opportunities for using e-mail are not as well developed as other aspects of information and communication technology.

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Commentary

53. The excellent leadership and management of information and communication technology have been highly effective in improving provision since the 1999 inspection. There have been major developments in resourcing, staff confidence and expertise. An outstanding feature is the detailed scheme of work, which gives teachers access to lesson plans for teaching skills and knowledge systematically. This is linked very well to high quality resources. A scrutiny of work shows that the breadth of information and communication technology experience enjoyed by pupils throughout the school is impressive. They edit and improve the presentation of their writing and illustrate it. They complete research for subjects using computer software and the Internet and create presentations, incorporating the use of video and digital photographs. Pupils create pictures, plans and explore simulations. Older pupils learn to control and monitor robotic movement, record change

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Commentary

using sensors and present this information graphically.

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Commentary

54. In Years 1 and 2 standards are above average. Pupils show confidence and high levels of enthusiasm in their work and they achieve very well. In Year 2, a very good lesson enabled pupils to respond creatively to the Elmer story. Pupils were able to find and use stored information and use ‘painting’ software to generate colour, shade and pattern. They independently explored the range of tools available and saved their work. By Year 6 standards are well above average. In an excellent mathematics lesson Year 6 pupils were able to identify the most effective data handling process for solving a problem. They recorded the travel and rest times for a lorry driver by plotting the journey using co-ordinates. They also entered the data into a spreadsheet and were able to assess which method was more efficient.

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Commentary

55. The quality of teaching, learning and achievement is very good. The computer suite is put to very effective use. The very good range and quality of resources enable the development of all pupils’ skills and knowledge. Higher-attaining pupils are encouraged to extend their work independently and access some very challenging activities; for example using control technology and refining extended writing. Carefully selected programs match the competences of pupils with special educational needs very well. The achievement of all pupils, regardless of their ability, is very good because the teaching methods place emphasis on learning practically and offer high levels of challenge in lessons and the information and communication technology clubs.

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Commentary

56. Pupils work very productively as a consequence of their very good behaviour and positive attitudes. Assessment is very good and is now used more accurately to identify pupils’ levels of attainment. Increasingly teachers are encouraging pupils to self-evaluate their work and this has been identified as an aspect to be developed further. The school also acknowledges the need to broaden the opportunities to communicate through e-mail.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

57. The excellent planning guidance identifies very good opportunities for pupils to apply and extend their information and communication technology skills in other subjects. Pupils’ knowledge, understanding and enthusiasm are regularly enhanced by the use of information and communication technology in mathematics, English, science, religious education, history and geography lessons. For example, pupils used computers to watch two short video Little Hoole Primary School Page 32 February 2005 recordings about the Hajj pilgrimage, downloaded maps of rivers and used heat sensors to record changes in temperature. Pupils work enthusiastically when using computers and this makes a significant contribution to their very good overall achievement.

p.31

Religious education

Provision in religious education is good .

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. • Standards are well above average in Year 6 because there is a clear development throughout the school in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. • The use of information and communication technology enhances learning experiences very well. • Staff are not all fully secure in their knowledge and understanding of faiths other than Christianity but the school is aware of this.

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Commentary

58. Standards are above those normally found at the end of Year 2 and well above them at the end of Year 6 showing an improvement since the previous inspection. Pupils achieve very well by Year 6. Although the subject leader is currently on an extended period of leave of absence, the school is enthusiastically working on a new scheme of work that she has put in place to reflect the latest version of the agreed syllabus and this is an improvement since the previous inspection. It is recognised in improvement planning that staff still need some further support in the teaching of faiths other than Christianity and this was reflected in a minor way in some lessons. However, the overall quality of teaching and learning is good.

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Commentary

59. Pupils in Year 2 talk fluently about their work on the Hindu faith. They know the stories associated with the faith, the purpose of Diva lamps and mendi patterns and bindi. They clearly enjoyed making rangoli patterns, providing a good link with art and design. They were very clear that Hindus mainly live in India but that there are many Hindus living in Britain. They remember with interest a visitor showing a sari and were delighted when the teacher dressed in a sari for the lesson. They know some of the stories from the Christian faith; that Jesus is the Son of God and sang the story of the Loaves and Fishes . They talked about the idea of community and why we need to have rules and this demonstrated a very good contribution to pupils’ personal development. In Year 1 the Chinese New Year was used very successfully as a basis for work in many other subjects.

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Commentary

60. Pupils in Year 6 remember very well the current work about Islam. They know that Muslims live all over the world and worship in a mosque. They were enthusiastic and competent in using the computer to compare short video recordings of different mosques. They understand the geometry of Islamic art and the role of calligraphy. They are beginning to make comparisons with Christianity but this aspect of learning is not so securely built into the planning. Pupils understand that the Five Pillars of Islam are a framework for living. In discussion with the inspector they compared this with their writing of personal creeds and showed a good understanding of how this Little Hoole Primary School Page 33 February 2005 helps in life. They compared well the use of church bells with the Muslim call to prayer. A good understanding of the Old and New Testaments was demonstrated when they recalled their work on Christianity and know many stories relating to the

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Commentary

61. The good quality of teaching and learning is enhanced particularly when lessons incorporate the use of the interactive whiteboards and these are used well to provide video recordings and other experiences to make the learning come alive. The school agrees that more learning needs to be based on first-hand experiences and is beginning to develop a programme of visits and visitors. This issue was raised in the previous report. This aspect and the development of subject resources is part of the school improvement plan. There were some missed opportunities in lessons to reflect on how the pupils themselves might feel in different circumstances, for example when taking part in the Hajj. A simple assessment system is currently being trialled. A portfolio of pupils’ work is also being developed and is being used to raise standards further. The subject is led and managed well and makes a very good contribution to spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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History and geography

62. No judgements have been made in history and geography on standards or the quality of teaching and learning, as not enough evidence was available during the inspection. One lesson was observed in geography ; none in history. These subjects were briefly sampled through discussion with pupils and an analysis of examples of their recorded work. However, this evidence does not support firm overall judgements on provision or standards in either subject, or on improvement since the previous inspection. Pupils’ written work in books is uneven in quality and sometimes minimal in quantity. They have too few opportunities to use their literacy skills independently to extend and record their learning in substantial ways. However, the increasing use of information and communication technology sometimes answers this need, as is evident in the multi-media presentations saved in pupils’ folders in Year 6.

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History and geography

63. In geography , pupils in Year 2 talk well about the different holiday destinations they have travelled to with their teddy bears. They compare distances and methods of travel; describe some features of place and weather, and explain the layout of a postal address. In a good lesson in Year 4, as a result of skilful questioning, pupils used their earlier learning about South America to work out why many people are forced out of the countryside and drawn into the cities. Pupils in Year 6 show great interest in their current study of rivers. Early research enables them to explain how features such as valleys, meanders and estuaries are formed. Local knowledge of the nearby Ribble estuary adds depth and interest to their learning. In history , pupils in Year 2 had little to say beyond recalling a few facts about Remembrance Day and some differences between bygone and modern things. In contrast, pupils in

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History and geography

Year 6 were very articulate about aspects of life in Victorian England. They showed a sound understanding of some Victorian achievements, and of major changes that occurred in industry and society. Little Hoole Primary School Page 34 February 2005

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Art and design

64. Not enough evidence was available to make secure judgements about standards or the quality of teaching and learning in art and design in the time available. In the one lesson observed the teaching was excellent. This lesson was very well linked with religious education when pupils explored the techniques and patterns of Islamic art. The results are to be sent to the local mosque. Evidence taken from the work displayed around the school shows a good breadth to the curriculum. Year 2 pupils produced some effective designs using natural materials. The study of famous artists was illustrated by the effective work in Year 4 based on the jungle paintings of Rousseau. Three-dimensional work, completed with a visiting artist, was of high quality.

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Design and technology

65. No lessons were observed for design and technology and therefore no judgements were made on provision or standards. A scrutiny of planning indicates the requirements of the National Curriculum are being met. There has been good improvement since the previous inspection because the subject is now planned and taught as a distinct subject. National planning guidance has been implemented and resources are now satisfactory.

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Music

66. No lessons were seen in music and no judgements have been made on standards, teaching and learning. During assemblies the quality of the singing was very high. Pupils sang the Lord’s Prayer in two parts, making a significant contribution to spiritual development. The music of the day for assembly is always well illustrated and described and pupils listen intently. Pupils in Year 1 made their own music for Chinese New Year and sang songs. Pupils have the opportunity to learn several musical instruments. The Advanced Skills Teacher for music (on long-term leave of absence at the time of the inspection) encourages participation in performances and activities both in and outside of school.

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Physical education

67. Only one lesson was observed in physical education and no judgements have been made about standards, teaching and learning. The full curriculum is covered and pupils learn to swim. In the Year 6 class leaving the school in July 2004 all pupils could swim a minimum of 25 metres. The physical education curriculum is greatly enhanced by the residential visits for pupils in Years 4 to 6 covering a range of outdoor and adventurous pursuits. There is a range of activities outside of lessons covering a variety of sports and games.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

68. Personal, social, and health education and citizenship were not inspected in full. The school attaches great importance to this area of the curriculum and works continuously to improve its breadth and quality. An up-to-date programme of lessons and themed discussions ensures that all pupils cover the different strands of study in a balanced and coherent way. Current developments in planning and staff training are strengthening work on citizenship, drugs awareness and sex and relationships Little Hoole Primary School Page 35 February 2005 education. Elements of study in science and physical education contribute to this programme. Each class undertakes a period of ‘circle time’ (a time when pupils discuss items of social, health and personal concerns). These sessions, and those of the school council, give pupils the opportunity to put forward their views and ideas about the school. This contributes well to personal development. The school is

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

currently up-dating its policies and schemes of work for personal, social and health and citizenship education and for the education about the misuse of drugs. There is an appropriate policy for teaching sex education. Older pupils have taken part in a young people’s conference about drugs and sex and relationships education. The school is working towards the Healthy Schools standard. Little Hoole Primary School Page 36 February 2005

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2

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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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