St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

CONTROLLED INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 2 - May 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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CONTROLLED INFANT 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. St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 3 - May 2005

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant School category: Voluntary Controlled Age range of pupils: 5 - 7 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 176

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Boothroyd Lane Dewsbury West Yorkshire Postcode: WF13 2LP

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01924 325323 Fax number: 01924 325324

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr J Stead

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St John’s VC CE Infant School is smaller than most other infant schools. The age range of the pupils (boys and girls) is four to seven years. Currently about 40 per cent of pupils are in receipt of free school meals and this is well above that found in most other schools. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is well above average. There are three pupils with a statement of special educational needs. Almost a quarter of the pupils are at an early stage of learning to speak English as an additional language. The number of pupils who enter and leave the school other than at the normal time of entry is well above average. The nature of the school’s intake has changed since the previous inspection with an increased number of pupils who are learning to speak English as an additional language now attending the school, a higher level of pupil mobility and a far higher number of pupils with special educational needs. The socio-economic circumstances of the school

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

are well below average. The attainment of most pupils on entry to the school is well below average. St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 4 - May 2005

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

2465 Mr G Yates Lead inspector Mathematics Science Music Religious education 9649 Mrs J Smith Lay inspector 7979 Mr A Calderbank Team inspector Art and design Design and technology Physical education Areas of learning in the Foundation Stage 21243 Mrs L Moore Team inspector English Information and communication technology Geography History Special educational needs English as an additional language

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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). St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 5 - May 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 10

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 29

St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 6 - May 2005

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OVERALL EVALUATION

St John’s CE Infant School has many very good features and is an effective school. Pupils achieve well and standards of attainment in reading, writing, mathematics and science are in line with those found in most schools. The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher. Pupils’ attitudes to work, relationships with others and behaviour are very good. The school provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The quality of teaching is good and as a result pupils achieve well. Both teachers and pupils benefit greatly from the very good support they receive from classroom assistants. • In this inclusive community, pupils with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs are provided for very well. • The school provides a very good quality of education for children in the Foundation Stage (the reception classes). • Opportunities in lessons are sometimes missed to allow pupils to use and develop their information and communication technology (ICT) skills effectively. • The headteacher leads and manages the school very well. Governors are effective in their roles. • Provision for the pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is very good. • There is a very good whole-school approach to the assessment of pupils' work in the Foundation Stage and in English, mathematics and science in Years 1 and 2. However,

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

when marking pupils' work, teachers sometimes miss opportunities to provide pupils with useful pointers for improvement. • Opportunities for pupils to take part in out of school activities, especially music, are very good. • The school’s links with parents and the community are very strong. • Attendance levels are low. However, the school is doing what it can to improve the situation. • The school’s accommodation has been enhanced greatly and provides a welcoming and attractive environment where learning can take place.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Good improvements have been made in provision since the previous inspection. The nature of the school’s intake of pupils has changed. There is now three times the number of pupils with special educational needs found at the time of the previous inspection and more pupils who speak English as an additional language. Pupil mobility is also higher. As such, comparisons between standards then and now are not reliable. The quality of teaching has improved greatly. Very good improvements have been made to the building. Teachers’ planning is now of a good quality.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004 reading D B E C writing C B E C mathematics D B E C St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 7 - May 2005 Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The table above does not do justice to pupils’ achievements. It needs to be interpreted with great care when judging the school’s effectiveness in that the 2004 Year 2 age group had a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and a high number of pupils who had only been at the school for a short period of time. Poor attendance was an additional barrier to learning.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Inspection evidence shows that pupils’ achievement is good in relation to their well below average attainment on entry. The school makes sure that pupils who join from other schools, or enter from other countries, achieve well by providing targeted support. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well. The inspection judged that standards in Year 2 are average in English, mathematics,science, ICT and religious education and above average in art and design. In the reception classes, standards are below the goals children are expected to reach by the time they enter Year 1. However, the progress children make in personal and social education, communication and literacy and mathematics is very good from a very low starting point in these aspects and as a result they achieve very well.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are very good. Pupils have a good understanding of right and wrong and are very sensitive to the needs of others. Pupils have a good understanding of racial and ethnic diversity for their age. Their attitudes to work are very good and they mostly behave very well in and around school. Attendance is well below the national average, but this mainly because of a small group of pupils taking extended holidays to the Asian continent.

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The quality of education provided by the school is very good. Teaching is of a good

quality. Classroom assistants including bilingual assistants and the learning mentor provide very valuable support. Throughout the school the teaching of reading, writing and number is thorough but more opportunities are needed to enable pupils to use and develop their ICT skills. When teachers mark pupils’ work, opportunities are missed to provide pointers for improvement. The school provides a very good curriculum that meets national requirements.

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The quality of education provided by the school is very good. Teaching is of a good

The school’s partnership with parents is very good and very strong links have been established with the local community and good links with the schools to which the pupils transfer. The school provides a very good level of care for its pupils.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides very good leadership and management. Coordinators carry out their duties well. The governance of the school is good. The governing body fulfils its legal responsibilities conscientiously and makes a good contribution to management and decision making. Financial management is effective.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Most parents hold very positive views of the school. The majority of children like being at the school and feel they receive the help and support they need.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 8 - May 2005 • provide more opportunities for pupils to use and develop their ICT skills in other subjects; • make better use of teachers' marking to provide pupils with pointers to help them improve on their previous best; • continue to try and improve attendance. St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 9 - May 2005

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Overall achievement is good . Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are average by the end of Year 2.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well from a well below average start. • Pupils who are at the earliest stages of learning English and those with special educational needs make good progress. • More opportunities need to be provided for pupils to use and develop their ICT skills.

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Commentary

1. Pupils achieve well given their well below average skills when they start school and an above average number of pupils at an early stage of speaking English as an additional language. Additionally there are an above average number of pupils with special educational needs and a high percentage of pupils who move in and out of the school other than at the usual times of transfer. Poor attendance is a further barrier to learning.

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Commentary

2. Pupils’ current achievements are good because teaching is of a good quality. Most pupils make good progress despite facing extremely challenging social and educational circumstances. For example, some pupils have care orders and the small number of refugees has particular needs that are met caringly by the school.

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Commentary

3. Children’s attainment when they start school is well below expected levels. In communication and literacy, mathematics and personal and social development most children have very low skill levels. They make good progress in the Foundation Stage, and achieve very well overall, due to good and often very good teaching. This raises attainment significantly, though standards are still below average when children start Year 1.

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Commentary

4. In the 2004 National Curriculum tests and assessments taken at the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment was well below the national average in reading, mathematics and writing. These results need treating with care because there was a higher than average number of pupils with special educational needs in the cohort and an above average number of pupils who had not been at the school long. When compared to similar schools (those with a similar number of pupils eligible for free school meals), attainment was average in reading, writing and mathematics. The trend in the school's results over the previous five years is below the national trend but this is only because of last year’s results. Teacher assessments in science indicate that standards were well below average overall.

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Commentary

5. Pupils’ achievement, which is based on their capabilities, is good. Inspection findings indicate that pupils' attainment against national standards in reading and writing and mathematics is in line with that found in most schools. There is no difference between the performance of boys and girls. Teachers provide pupils, some of St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 10 - May 2005 whom do not speak English as a first language, with enough opportunities to use and develop their speaking skills. Satisfactory provision in religious education and ICT ensures pupils reach the expected standard in those subjects. However, although pupils make satisfactory use of their literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects they do not make enough use of their ICT skills.

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

Standards in: School results National results Reading 14.5 (16.4) 15.8 (15.7)

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

There were 59 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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

6. The school is very conscious of the attainment of pupils who speak English as an additional language. Pupils achieve well and attain standards as well as can be expected taking into consideration the extended holidays some of them take in term time. The school ensures that children who have limited English are not held back in subjects by deploying bi-lingual assistants well to support them.

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

7. Progress of pupils with special educational needs is good. They are making the same progress as their peers. They are achieving well because their individual programmes of work include specific and attainable objectives. The good progress of pupils also owes much to the efforts of the teaching staff who ensure that the work done in class matches their prior attainment. All classroom assistants provide very good support.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

The school promotes personal development very effectively and as a result pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and values are very good. Pupils enjoy coming to school but too many of their parents fail to ensure their regular attendance and as a result the attendance rate is well below the national average. Overall, punctuality is sound.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils feel valued and grow in self-confidence in a very harmonious community. • Pupils respond very well to the school’s high expectations of good behaviour. • The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very effectively. • Despite all the school’s efforts attendance is poor.

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Commentary

8. Pupils talk very positively about their school, their lessons and all the interesting and varied things they do. Many pupils join the school with low levels of self-esteem but they are made to feel valued and cared for, and the praise and encouragement they receive helps them to grow in confidence. As a result, all enjoy school and are keen to work hard and to do their best. St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 11 - May 2005 9. The school promotes good behaviour very effectively. Consistent expectations are established from the time children join the reception class and, as a result, even the youngest pupils behave very well and no time is lost for learning. Good supervision and procedures at the lunch-time break and the successful zoning of the playground helps to make this a safe and enjoyable part of the day. Pupils’ relationships with each other and with adults are very friendly and caring. Pupils of different ethnic

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Commentary

backgrounds mix together harmoniously. Incidents of bullying are very infrequent and the school deals promptly and efficiently with any which occur and keeps parents well informed. There have been no exclusions.

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Commentary

10. The school promotes all aspects of pupils’ personal development very effectively. The daily act of worship promotes the spiritual and moral values of the school community very successfully. Great care is taken to interest and involve pupils at their level of understanding, for example by mixing a “friendship cake” in one assembly. The school is highly respectful of the differing beliefs of its pupils and in order to ensure that everyone feels included it focuses on common moral messages such as the importance of caring for each other.

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Commentary

11. The school has created a very bright and attractive learning environment which celebrates pupils’ work and strongly reflects its ethos of care and respect for others and for the environment. Good examples of this include spirit-lifting art work celebrating spring, and pupils’ poems about friendship. The school fosters pupils’ social development by encouraging pupils to work cooperatively together and by giving them good opportunities to exercise responsibility. Pupils have many different tasks as monitors and take their responsibilities very seriously.

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Commentary

12. The school uses its very good links with the community to promote pupils’ cultural development very successfully. It recognises the central importance of understanding and celebrating the British culture in which pupils are growing up. Thus pupils learn traditional fairy tales, participate in local music events, meet the local mayor and visit the war memorial on Remembrance Day. At the same time pupils are taught to respect each others’ cultures and faiths. They visit both the local church and the mosque and everyone in the school community, including parents, celebrates Eid.

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Commentary

13. An excellent display of British and Punjabi weddings, created by bi-lingual support staff, is an example of the school’s confident approach to celebrating both the similarities and the differences of the home cultures of its pupils. Links with a school in Albania help pupils to compare their lives with those of children in a very different culture.

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Commentary

14. Although pupils are keen to come to school, too many parents fail to ensure their children’s regular attendance. As a result, attendance is well below the national average. In the last year more than a quarter of pupils took holidays in term time and ten pupils took extended holidays to the Indian sub-continent. These holidays in term time, and the irregular attendance of a significant minority of pupils, adversely affect their achievements. The school has very good systems for monitoring and encouraging good attendance and it works hard to convey to parents the negative impact which irregular attendance has on their children’s achievement. The school strongly discourages holidays in term time and a few pupils have lost their place in the school as a result of the school’s policy of removing pupils from the register for extended unauthorised absence. Most pupils arrive punctually to school but a small

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Commentary

minority are frequently brought late and a few parents do not to collect their children St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 12 - May 2005 on time. The school is aware of the need to continue its strong promotion of attendance.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 7.6 School data 0.8 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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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a very good quality of education. Teaching and learning are good overall. The curriculum and the support given to pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language are very good. St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 13 - May 2005

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Assessment procedures are good overall and very good in the Foundation Stage, English, mathematics and science .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good throughout the school. • Teachers do not provide pupils with enough opportunities to use their ICT skills. • Classroom assistants are very effective in supporting pupils’ learning. • Opportunities are missed by teachers when marking pupils’ work to provide written comments to help pupils improve further. • The quality of the relationships between pupils and staff is very good and gives pupils confidence and increases their self-esteem.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 30 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 30 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 30 lessons

15. The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage is good overall with teaching of language and mathematical skills being of a very good quality. Children achieve very well overall. This is because teachers and support staff provide good opportunities for the children to learn in accommodation that is very well suited to young children’s needs. Teaching is good in Years 1 and 2. Key strengths include the way equality of opportunity is promoted and the very good use made of teaching assistants.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 30 lessons

16. The care for pupils shown by all members of staff provides a positive environment for learning and the majority of pupils respond well to this. Lessons are usually prepared to a good standard and are interesting. Consequently, learning is good and sometimes better. Staff know most pupils very well and pupils know that if they attempt to answer a question their contribution will be valued.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 30 lessons

17. In nearly all lessons in Years 1 and 2, and particularly those for literacy and numeracy, teachers provide clear introductions that outline what is to be taught and learnt during the lesson. During this part of the lesson most pupils sit quietly and listen attentively and show an eagerness to extend their knowledge and understanding. In most classes teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well and ensure a good climate for learning. As a result, most pupils are able to work on tasks independently or collaboratively. However, in one class pupils sometimes act immaturely and disrupt the pace of the lesson.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 30 lessons

18. The means of assessing pupils’ achievements are good overall but very good in the Foundation Stage, English, mathematics and science. The information gathered is used well. For example, this year there is a whole school focus on developing pupils’ speaking and listening skills, based on evidence gathered from assessments. Data St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 14 - May 2005 based on prior attainment demonstrates that, in these subjects, pupils are making good progress during their time at school.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 30 lessons

19. There is variation in the quality of the feedback pupils receive from their teachers in writing. While some written comments are constructive, others are too brief and do not give pupils any indication of how they might improve their work.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 30 lessons

20. Teachers conscientiously follow the content of the national frameworks for literacy and numeracy and their planning is effective. Reading skills are taught thoroughly and pupils write for different purposes. Basic number facts are taught well and lessons usually begin with brisk mental activities which pupils enjoy. However, evidence from pupils’ books demonstrates that teachers do not always provide pupils with enough opportunities to solve mathematical problems. During the week of the inspection, teaching in science was good overall with very good use made of the outside area to identify different types of plants.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 30 lessons

21. The school is aware of the need to boost teachers’ confidence in teaching ICT. Teachers are beginning to incorporate the subject into their teaching but technical problems with equipment has hindered progress. Pupils are not provided with enough opportunities to use their newly acquired skills in other subjects.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 30 lessons

22. Teaching assistants offer very good support when pupils are working on set tasks by providing further explanations, enabling good individual learning to take place. This is especially true with regard to pupils who speak English as an additional language with bilingual assistants providing help where needed.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 30 lessons

23. Pupils with special educational needs are well integrated into classes. Sometimes pupils are withdrawn for additional help. This support is effective in helping them improve their language skills because it tackles the specific needs of the pupils and is offered in a lively and engaging manner.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is very good , opportunities for enrichment are very good and accommodation and resources are also very good. Staffing levels are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school ensures excellent equality of access and opportunity for all pupils. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs and also for those pupils who have English as an additional language is very good. • There are very good opportunities for pupils to participate in the arts and other activities outside usual lesson times. • The accommodation has been improved and is now very good. • The ICT curriculum is not sufficiently well developed to support teaching and learning in other subjects.

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Commentary

24. The curriculum is carefully organised to ensure that pupils are provided with a broad range of activities that develop their skills, knowledge and understanding in all aspects of the National Curriculum and also meet the requirements of the locally St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 15 - May 2005 agreed syllabus for religious education. This area has shown good improvement since the previous inspection. Planning to support the teaching of literacy is now fully in place and in sufficient detail to support all staff.

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Commentary

25. The school ensures excellent equality of access and opportunity for all pupils within which there is very good provision for pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. The special educational needs coordinator manages provision very effectively. Procedures to identify pupils with special educational needs to review their progress and to involve their parents in the process are very good. Pupils’ individual plans clearly identify what they need to learn and how it could be taught. They make good progress due to the very effective provision they receive from support staff.

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Commentary

26. Pupils who are learning to speak English as an additional language receive very effective support and the provision made for them is of a very good quality. The work done by bi-lingual assistants in supporting pupils is of a very good quality.

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Commentary

27. Provision for children in the reception classes has improved significantly since the last inspection. A lot of thought and effort has been put into planning an appropriate curriculum and improving the accommodation and resources to their present very good level. The two reception teachers work very well together, and with the support staff form a very effective team that caters extremely effectively for the needs of the youngest children.

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Commentary

28. The school’s very strong links with the community help to enrich the curriculum for pupils very effectively. For example music, art and religious education are enhanced by special events such as participation in concerts, the visits of musicians and visits to the church and the mosque. Members of the community, including governors and retired staff members, give very good support to the school by helping in class and with some after-school clubs, including the French club.

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Commentary

29. The school has developed a good programme for personal, social and health education that reflects the needs of its pupils, including appropriate coverage of sex education and information about drugs and alcohol abuse.

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Commentary

30. The reception classes prepare children well for moving into Year 1 and links with the local Junior school are very good. In addition to the sharing of academic information, pupils visit the Junior school to watch musical productions and previous pupils return to the Infant school to attend concerts. These procedures help the pupils to move from one stage of their education to the next with the minimum of disruption.

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Commentary

31. Planning systems are effective and include good links between different subjects, where appropriate. Teachers’ lesson plans make good provision for pupils’ different needs, including very good use of the high quality support staff. Teaching resources are very good in the reception classes, good in English, mathematics, science, art and design, physical education and religious education, and satisfactory in all other subjects.

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Commentary

32. The curriculum is enhanced by the very good use of visits and visitors to the school. The school provides a very good range of activities outside usual lesson times. These take place mainly at lunchtimes to allow most pupils to participate, and provide opportunities to take part in a variety of activities, including music, country St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 16 - May 2005 dancing, crafts, board games, drama, juggling, library club and French. Musical provision is particularly strong with over 70 pupils involved in activities.

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Commentary

33. The school accommodation has been substantially improved over the past few years and is now very good. The building provides spacious classrooms, an attractive library area and well-planned and equipped teaching areas for the reception classes. The grounds have been tastefully designed to provide a variety of areas for different activities and include a very pleasant garden area and well made, attractive outdoor areas for the children in the reception classes. The building and grounds are well cared for and attractive, informative displays help to provide an inviting, informative and welcoming atmosphere. Many signs are written in dual languages, which help to support the school’s strongly inclusive ethos.

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Care, guidance and support

The school takes very good care of pupils and provides very good support and guidance. The school involves pupils very successfully in its work. St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 17 - May 2005

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• All staff work very effectively as a team to ensure pupils’ happiness and well being. • Arrangements for helping new pupils to settle in school are very good. • The school is very sensitive to pupils’ individual needs.

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Commentary

34. Everyone in the school community is united in ensuring that pupils feel valued and are well cared for. Very good relationships ensure that pupils are confident in turning to adults when they are upset or need help. Very sensitive care is provided for pupils who have physical disabilities. There are comprehensive procedures to ensure pupils’ safety and welfare, including appropriate risk assessments. All staff understand the procedures for child protection. Parents are very happy with the school’s arrangements for helping their children settle in the school. The school has established very good links with local playgroups and nurseries and these links, in addition to the visits and interviews arranged before children start school, ensure that they settle confidently.

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Commentary

35. Pupils have the advantage of very good care and support as they move through the school and the work of the support staff makes a significant contribution to this. The school is very sensitive to the various needs of individual pupils and works well with external agencies to meet these. The work of the learning mentor in supporting pupils is highly valued. The Friendship Club which she runs during lunchtime provides high quality homely care for vulnerable pupils. The careful setting of academic targets for pupils based on thorough assessment procedures promotes achievement effectively. However, teachers’ marking does not consistently show pupils how to improve their work.

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Commentary

36. The school respects pupils’ views well. It has carefully considered procedures for giving pupils a voice in matters which concern them and encourages them to take part in decision making. For example, pupils are asked about how they think playtime and the playground can be improved and they then discuss possible improvements in class circle time. Given pupils’ ages, this is a very good way of involving them in decision making.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a very strong partnership with parents and good links with other schools. Very good links with the community have a significant impact on pupils’ learning and personal development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good communication, information and consultation underpin the school’s very strong partnership with parents. • The school works very effectively to encourage parents to support their children’s learning at home. • The strong partnership which the school has built up with the community is of great mutual benefit.

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Commentary

St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 18 - May 2005 37. Parents hold the school in very high regard. They appreciate the way in which the school makes them feel welcome to all the special events to which they are invited. There is good open dialogue between teachers and parents. Information for parents, including the annual reports on pupils’ progress, is of high quality. Useful letters sent by class teachers explain what pupils have learnt in the week and how parents can support homework. Bi-lingual support staff assist with communication with minority ethnic parents and are available to help at parents’ evenings. The school consults parents well through annual questionnaires and is very quick to respond to any concerns they may have. Parents and members of the community, including governors, provide the school with very good support in a number of ways. For example, an ex- pupil has written musical productions that pupils have performed.

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Commentary

38. Some parents support their children’s learning at home by sharing books and in other ways, but a substantial minority provide insufficient support and this is especially so in the reception classes. The school encourages parents to help their children, for example by inviting them to meetings on how to support reading, and by providing appropriate homework. The school has a good long-term strategy to increase the involvement of parents in their children’s work and is constantly working to build up trusting relationships with parents.

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Commentary

39. The learning mentor plays a very important role in helping to improve links with parents and also provides a drop-in facility for parents and sensitive support for parents facing difficulties. Community courses, such as the popular English language class for parents whose first language is not English and ICT classes currently running, provide a very useful service to the community and to parents. These courses, as well as others previously held, are effective ways of enabling parents to increase their own skills and to improve the support they are able to give to their children.

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Commentary

40. Community courses and the considerable amount of help given to the school by members of the community contribute well to the very effective partnership which the school has built up with the community. Pupils benefit greatly from the visits of community members including the vicar, policeman, school nurse and mayor. Visits to museums and religious buildings, the visit of the art club to a local studio and the visit of a musician who demonstrated instruments from around the world help to make learning fun for pupils and broaden horizons.

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Commentary

41. The school’s good relationships with feeder nurseries and the local junior school aid transfer of information and help to ease transition. There are particularly close links with the local playgroup. Membership of the Dewsbury School Improvement Network helps the school to work on issues common to most local schools such as attendance and transition.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good overall. The leadership of the headteacher is very good and has a strong influence on the ethos of the school. The leadership of the senior staff is good . The management and governance of the school are good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 19 - May 2005 • The headteacher provides very good leadership and is committed to the raising of standards. • The governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. • The budget has been very efficiently used to improve the accommodation and resources since the last inspection. • The school’s ethos for learning is exceptionally high.

p.19

Commentary

42. The headteacher has high aspirations for all the pupils in the school and has communicated this very effectively to all the staff. The deputy headteacher is very supportive. The headteacher has been particularly successful in ensuring that pupils’ work in ‘quality surroundings’. She also provides teachers with valuable statistical information about pupils’ progress that allows them to plan lessons that build on pupils’ ‘previous best’. The school benefits from exceptional teamwork which enables everybody to support each other when necessary and to give of their best for the sake of the pupils. It has a very caring ethos that parents find extremely supportive and reassuring.

p.19

Commentary

43. The leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are very good and subject leaders in the rest of the school provide good leadership overall. All members of staff have created a fully inclusive school. Effective policies ensure that the needs of pupils of different gender, background, or ability, including pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, are fully met. The success of this approach can be seen in the effective teaching and the good achievements of all its pupils.

p.19

Commentary

44. The school has made good progress since the last inspection and the issue raised with regards to improving the detail in teachers’ medium-term planning in literacy and religious education has been addressed successfully.

p.19

Commentary

45. Procedures for self-evaluation and the taking of appropriate action to improve standards and provision are very good. Performance data is monitored closely and challenging but realistic targets are set. The system for performance management works very well and all members of staff, both teaching and non-teaching, are included in the process. Teachers have a shared pupil progress objective leading to a focus on continual improvement. This can be seen in the improvements which have been made to the quality of pupils’ speaking and listening skills throughout the school. Teachers have worked hard recently on these aspects and standards are now similar to those found in most schools.

p.19

Commentary

46. Development planning is very thorough. The school development plan is a practical document that has a very positive impact on the work of the school. It is regularly monitored and progress towards achieving the targets set is carefully assessed. The plan provides a very good focus for the work of the school.

p.19

Commentary

47. Assessment procedures in the Foundation Stage, English, mathematics and science are very good. Systematic and sharply focused analysis of pupil performance data in these subjects has enabled teachers to identify where progress is being made by individuals and groups of pupils and where it could be better. However, when marking pupils’ work, teachers sometimes miss opportunities to provide pupils with useful pointers for improvement.

p.19

Commentary

48. The governing body is strongly committed to the school’s success. It is ably led by an experienced chairman. Governors share a common vision and support the headteacher and St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 20 - May 2005 staff well as they work to improve the learning opportunities for the pupils. A number of governors spend a significant amount of time in the school and this enables them to talk about its work with considerable knowledge and understanding. Governors are linked to subjects and some meet with co-ordinators to discuss their work. As a result, they are aware of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and act as a critical friend when necessary.

p.19

Commentary

49. The leadership and management of the provision for pupils with special educational needs are undertaken conscientiously and are of a very good quality. Pupils’ learning difficulties are identified at an early stage. The coordinator provides valuable support to teachers and teaching assistants, making sure that they are kept up to date. She monitors the progress of pupils towards the objectives in their individual educational plans and liaises with parents to keep them fully informed of their children’s progress. The contribution made by classroom support assistants and the learning mentor is a particular strength of the provision.

p.20

Commentary

50. The leadership and management of English as an additional language are very good, ensuring, where possible, that pupils receive the support they need to achieve well. Staff work well as a team to provide help and guidance for pupils. The work done by bi-lingual assistants is particularly successful in ensuring that pupils with only a basic knowledge of English achieve well.

p.20

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.20

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 444,805 Balance from previous year 25,383 Total expenditure 437,608 Balance carried forward to the next 32,580 Expenditure per pupil 2701

p.20

Commentary

51. The school’s budget is managed well by the school’s administrative officer and the finance committee. Regular monitoring takes place so that all governors are aware of the school’s financial situation. Money is used very efficiently and the principles of best value are applied to all purchases. The school will shortly be spending much of its financial balance on additional ICT resources and further building improvements. The findings in the most recent audit report found the systems in operation to be satisfactory overall. All the recommendations made have been attended to. The school runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis. St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 21 - May 2005

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good overall.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision has improved since the last inspection and is a strength of the school. A significant number of the children entering the school are from minority ethnic backgrounds and speak English as an additional language. When children enter the reception classes their attainment is well below that found typically. Children’s mathematical, communication and literacy skills and personal and social skills are particularly delayed and are very low. Consistent and effective teaching enables children to achieve very well overall. Children, including those with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs achieve as well as other children. However, only about 30 per cent of the cohort is on course to attain the national goals for early learning by the time children enter Year 1.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Children are provided with a very good start to the next stage of their education. Teaching is of a good standard with much that is very good resulting in well-motivated learners. Very good teamwork between the two reception class teachers ensures continuity in learning. All staff use the very good resources and accommodation very well and organise sessions effectively to benefit all children’s learning. Teaching assistants are very well deployed. This has a positive effect on the good progress all children make. Assessment, based on perceptive and regular observations of learning, is very good and is used effectively to plan what children are to learn next.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Management of the Foundation Stage is very good and has been particularly successful in creating a very strong team. All staff are committed to providing children with a high quality education which challenges and extends their learning through a wide range of practical experiences, well thought out play activities and high quality adult support and interactions.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

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

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

• Children achieve very well because staff do all they can to make them feel secure and encourage independence. • Children are eager learners who behave very well.

p.21

Commentary

52. Most children come in to the reception classes with very immature personal and social skills. Though children achieve very well in this area of learning because teaching is very good, most will not attain the standards expected by the end of their reception year. Challenging tasks are carefully planned for the children’s different levels of attainment and experience and they quickly get to know regular routines. For example, when they enter class at the start of the morning session, they confidently remove their coats and look to find a card with their name printed on it. As soon as they start school, the children are encouraged to choose their own tasks and are given time and support to develop their play. Because activities are always exciting and challenging children are eager learners who enjoy working hard and show considerable pride in their achievements. St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 22 - May 2005

p.21

Commentary

53. Adults provide very good role models for the children by treating them patiently and with respect. They have high expectations that children will learn what is right and wrong and are constantly encouraging children to have good attitudes and behave well. As a result, behaviour is invariably very good. A strong feature of this aspect is the respect that children learn for a variety of cultures and beliefs. Every child is valued and learns that his/her feelings and beliefs are respected. Children with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language are included very effectively in all activities.

p.22

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good.

p.22

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

• Children achieve very well. • Very good use is made of play and other planned activities to promote language skills. • The teaching of basic skills is very good.

p.22

Commentary

54. Attainment on entry is very low in this area of learning but very good teaching effectively promotes children’s speaking and literacy skills and enables them to achieve very well. However, only a minority of the children are likely to attain the early learning goals by the end of the reception year. To accelerate children’s progress and ensure they achieve as well as they can, the teaching of literacy skills is given a high priority and is a feature of most of the children’s activities. The very high quality role-play situations contribute significantly to the promotion of children’s language development. Members of staff consistently exploit opportunities to stimulate conversation or extend children’s vocabulary. New vocabulary is constantly introduced and all staff check that children, including those with English as an additional language, understand new words and phrases. Children are provided with

p.22

Commentary

a wealth of vocabulary as they take their baby to ‘The Baby Clinic’ for a check up. They enjoy listening to well known stories such as ‘Noah’s Ark’ and enjoy ‘acting it out’.

p.22

Commentary

55. Staff introduce letter sounds well which provide children with the tools they need to be independent readers and writers. Because of this children are making rapid progress in learning to read and write. They are encouraged to write letters and stories. Lower ability pupils are beginning to recognise letters and sounds and to make very good attempts to write their own names. Higher attaining children write their own sentences such as, ‘ I went to my grandma and granddad’s. I played snakes and ladders and bat and ball’ . Children have developed a good interest in books and stories and use the book areas independently to ‘read’. The most able can read simple stories from the reading scheme and most children know the sounds and names of letters. However, few parents or guardians support their children’s learning at home.

p.22

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good. St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 23 - May 2005 Main strengths and weaknesses

p.22

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

• Basic number skills and mathematical vocabulary are reinforced at every opportunity. • Mathematical learning is based on well-planned practical activities.

p.23

Commentary

56. Children’s attainment in mathematics is below the expected level by the time they enter Year 1 but achievement is very good. Teaching is very good overall and children are provided with an appropriate range of practical activities which build well on previous learning to develop their number skills. As a result, most children make very good progress. For example, they recognise and name the shapes of different packages such as a ‘cuboid’ or a ‘cylinder’. Adults encourage counting; matching objects and number recognition as children play independently, when in teacher directed group times, and through class routines. Number lines, displays, pictures, ICT and counting and sorting good quality objects are all used to extend children’s understanding of number to 20 and beyond. Higher attaining children can order random numbers to 20 and solve simple number problems of addition and subtraction such as 7-3 = 4. However, a significant number still relate addition to

p.23

Commentary

combining two groups of objects such as the spots on a ladybird. Children who are learning English as an additional language are given additional help to learn new words and are eager and keen to practise their skills.

p.23

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision for knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Interesting activities excite children’s curiosity. • Children construct with a range of materials.

p.23

Commentary

57. Most of the children have only a limited experience of the world around them when they first start school. As a result of good teaching, children achieve well but most will not attain the early learning goals. The natural curiosity of young children is enhanced in the role-play areas such as the ‘The Baby Clinic’. Adults are always on hand so that children get the maximum benefit from the activities. They continually encourage children to talk about their discoveries and experiences, to ask questions and to explore for themselves. Children work independently with a wide range of construction materials. For example, they are encouraged to make a cot or a high chair out of wooden blocks. They discover how different toys work, by twisting, pushing, turning or shaking movements. Very detailed records are kept of the children’s responses and the information is used very effectively to plan the next

p.23

Commentary

stage in their learning. Computers are available in the classrooms and the children enjoy using them in independent learning sessions. They know that the mouse is used to give instructions or to change images on the screen. Children enjoy exploring outside. During the inspection, they were encouraged to work co- operatively to make a ‘secret place’ using drapes, pegs, and wooden blocks. One child was really excited when he discovered a snail and shouted ‘ That’s our first slug!’ St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 24 - May 2005

p.23

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is good.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have good opportunities to develop all aspects of their physical skills.

p.24

Commentary

58. Children make good progress and achieve well because of good teaching. However, most children will not achieve the early learning goals. Children’s natural exuberance and energy is developed very effectively through well-planned lessons, topics and routines which provide regular opportunities for children to move in both a creative and controlled way. Well organised sessions in the hall promote an awareness of space, obstacles and other children. Staff interact well with the children, participating in activities and encouraging them to try to develop their bodily control and co- ordination. Children are given very good help and support to develop dexterity and their coordination when handling pencils, scissors, brushes, modelling tools and construction toys. Children are competent in using different computer programs to support their learning in mathematics and language and literacy.

p.24

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are good resources and activities are well planned.

p.24

Commentary

59. Teaching is good in this aspect. Children enjoy taking part in the high quality role- play situations provided and achieve well. Despite good progress most will not attain what is expected in this area of learning. Pupils develop their imagination and extend their language skills very well. In their ‘Baby Clinic’ they bathe and measure their babies. A very good range of music, songs and rhymes helps children learn about sound, rhythm and pattern. A wide range of materials is available to help children develop their skills of cutting, folding and sticking. Advice is always on hand to help them make the appropriate decision as to which is the most suitable material to use for a particular purpose. However, the final decision is always left to the individual child, helping them to learn by their mistakes and promoting good thinking skills and a sense of independence and responsibility for their own learning. This was very

p.24

Commentary

much in evidence when the children were observed making their own animal masks and when designing and making a biscuit for a toddler’s birthday party.

p.24

ENGLISH

Provision in English is good. St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 25 - May 2005

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well due to consistently good teaching. • Pupils have positive attitudes towards their work. • Classroom support assistants make a valuable contribution to teaching and learning. • The quality of marking of pupils’ written work is inconsistent. • Writing is used well to support other subjects.

p.25

Commentary

60. Standards in the 2004 national tests were lower than in recent years, mainly due to the high number of pupils with special educational needs in that particular year group. Standards have also been adversely affected over the past few years by high pupil mobility and the number of pupils taking extended family holidays.

p.25

Commentary

61. Currently, standards in speaking and listening, reading and writing are in line with national averages. This indicates a good level of achievement as most pupils enter school with skills which are very low. The school has rightly focused upon improving English skills in its development planning and this is beginning to have a very positive impact upon pupils’ achievement.

p.25

Commentary

62. Recently, teachers have placed particular emphasis upon developing pupils’ speaking and listening skills in order to improve standards. Good examples of developing speaking skills were observed during the inspection, for example, when Year 2 pupils discussed their favourite author in pairs, deciding that they liked his books ‘ Because they are about creatures ’ and ‘ The pictures are good ’. This type of activity helped pupils to prepare for writing book reviews in a later lesson. Listening skills are regularly and consistently reinforced throughout lessons, with clearly displayed reminders on classroom walls of what makes a good listener. Pupils respond positively to these reminders and show that they are trying hard to be good listeners.

p.25

Commentary

63. Standards in reading are in line with the national average. Pupils are developing a satisfactory range of skills, including using letter sounds and picture clues, which help them to tackle unknown words. They enjoy reading and can talk about the main characters in the story. They can find the name of the author and other information about the book. They are developing basic library skills and understand that books are grouped according to subject matter, but most need adult support to find their way around the recently-developed school library.

p.25

Commentary

64. Pupils’ writing skills are in line with the national average. They make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ handwriting is usually neat and work is well-presented, although most pupils have yet to develop a joined writing style. Pupils are able to retell stories, write instructions, use basic punctuation marks, design a treasure map and begin to make use of a widening vocabulary in their work. They are also practising basic library skills, for example by using word search sheets. Spelling is variable and teachers do not pick up on pupils’ mistakes in their marking of their work. Displays do not always contain correct spelling to provide a good example for pupils to follow. St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 26 - May 2005 65. The quality of teaching and learning is good, with some very good teaching apparent in some lessons seen during the inspection. This results in good achievement by pupils overall, including those with special educational needs and those for whom

p.25

Commentary

66. Literacy lessons are well-planned and include all the appropriate elements of the National Literacy Strategy. In one very good Year 2 lesson, the teacher had skillfully planned whole-class shared reading, practice in the use of speech marks and individual written work all linked to the same theme, thus giving a sense of progression as the activities flowed from one to another. This competently showed the pupils how the individual elements built up to enhance their writing skills.

p.26

Commentary

67. Teachers have very good knowledge of the subject and their pupils’ needs, planning lessons which are well-matched to different attainment levels. They make very good use of the high-quality support staff to provide a range of appropriate activities for all their pupils. Teachers generate a supportive yet challenging atmosphere in their lessons, encouraging pupils to try their hardest and praising them when they do so.

p.26

Commentary

68. The school staff has worked hard to provide an environment which encourages pupils to read and react to what they see around them. Displays are attractive and the school library is well-organised and welcoming. Class libraries contain an adequate range of books, but are not always situated in a position which is convenient or which encourages pupils to browse in comfort. Very good use is made of books put together by the pupils themselves to enhance the basic provision. In one Year 2 class, for example, groups of pupils had made books of very high quality in the style of the author they were studying. The storyline and illustrations, together with the well-produced finished product, made these books a valuable and long- lasting reading resource of which the pupils were justly proud.

p.26

Commentary

69. Assessment arrangements are very good. Teachers’ records show pupils’ progress through the reading scheme, phonics progression and basic reading skills. In addition, teachers keep samples of pupils’ writing to show progress made. While there is a good range of writing, teachers do not always use written comments when marking pupils’ work to help them to improve their writing even further. Detailed analysis of test data helps staff to plan lessons which help their pupils achieve as well as possible.

p.26

Commentary

70. The subject is well led by a knowledgeable and conscientious co-ordinator, who works hard to support her colleagues in improving standards and has made a positive impact on provision.

p.26

Language and Literacy across the curriculum

71. Within a highly literary environment, teachers make satisfactory use of language and literacy skills to support other subjects. For example, speaking and listening are encouraged in most lessons, with adults providing good role models for the pupils to follow. Pupils make good use of writing skills to recount what they have learned in history, geography and religious education; they describe what they have learned in science by writing about it and labelling diagrams; and they practise word-processing on the computer.

p.26

MATHEMATICS

St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 27 - May 2005 Provision in mathematics is good .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are broadly average and pupils achieve well. • Teaching and learning are good but more opportunities need to be provided for pupils to apply their numeracy skills in solving problems. • The subject co-coordinator provides very good leadership. • Assessment and the use made of the information gathered are very good.

p.27

Commentary

72. The results of the 2004 national tests showed standards to be well below the average of all schools but in line with that of similar schools. Overall standards this year are better and in line with those found in most schools. Pupils achieve well because teachers have clear and high expectations for all groups of pupils. For example, pupils who speak English as an additional language who need extra support and those pupils with special educational needs receive extra support from classroom assistants and achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well through the effective support of the teaching assistants. The small number of higher attaining pupils achieve well because work is well matched to their needs. For example, in one Year 2 class during the inspection, a higher attaining pupil was challenged to work with numbers up to 100 when carrying out calculations.

p.27

Commentary

73. In Year 2, pupils understand the principles of place value and repeated addition well. They have a satisfactory command of basic number. Some good opportunities are provided for pupils to use their numeracy skills to solve problems in one class by shopping for items in the ‘market garden’. However, the work scrutiny shows that there is a strong emphasis on number calculations but not enough on problem solving activities. Well produced two dimensional shape booklets help pupils develop their knowledge well in this aspect. Pupils in all classes do not make good use of ICT to consolidate their number skills. Most pupils are able to explain well how they have arrived at a particular answer to a sum. In Year 2 for example, one child, when asked how he had solved a money problem, said, ‘ I really thought about it and counted on 6 more to the number you told me ’.

p.27

Commentary

74. The quality of teaching and learning is good. It has improved since the previous inspection. A strong combination of good teaching methods and very good pupil attitudes leads to good achievement. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the subject and question keenly to encourage pupils to think their answers through. Most teachers are skilled in targeting questions at specific pupils in order to challenge all levels of attainment. They receive very good support from classroom assistants.

p.27

Commentary

75. The subject co-ordinator is knowledgeable and highly experienced. She provides very good leadership, and monitors standards well. She leads by example and is always keen to improve on pupils’ previous best. The school makes very good use of assessment information about what pupils know, understand and can do to set challenging but attainable targets for all its pupils.

p.27

Commentary

76. Overall, planned satisfactory use is made of mathematics to support other areas of the curriculum. For example, pupils construct their own graphs to demonstrate healthy eating diets. St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 28 - May 2005

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good balance in lessons between practical activities and developing factual knowledge. • Pupils make good progress and achieve well. • Teaching is good overall. However, when pupils’ books are marked, wrong spellings of technical words are not highlighted. • Assessment is of a very good quality.

p.28

Commentary

77. Standards are in line with those found in most schools at the end of Year 2. All pupils, including children with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress and achieve well from a well below average start. There is no significant difference in the achievement of boys and girls. There were no major issues from the previous inspection.

p.28

Commentary

78. Discussions held with pupils show that they enjoy their work, especially when they are given the opportunity to engage in practical activities. In one class, pupils talked with great enthusiasm about the life cycle of a frog and were able to sequence events correctly. Pupils cover an appropriate range of scientific topics that involve a satisfactory number of investigations. Pupils write up their observations competently when completing well presented booklets about electricity. As a result, science is now making a good contribution to the development of children’s literacy skills. However, key words such as ‘wiyers’ (wires) and bullb (bulb) are spelt incorrectly and are not picked up by teachers when pupils’ work is marked. Effective links are also being made with some other subjects such as design and technology. All pupils learn that you must not touch tablets, medicines or needles without an adult being present.

p.28

Commentary

79. Teaching is good overall. In all the lessons seen, there was a strong practical element that deepened pupils’ understanding and enhanced the quality of learning. However, opportunities are missed to use ICT and this aspect has not improved since the previous inspection. In a Year 2 class, the pupils were working well towards an understanding of fair testing by comparing the different conditions in which seeds might grow. In another lesson, pupils worked outside in small groups and were asked to identify different plants such as lavender and rosemary. They recorded their findings by making good use of their mathematical tallying skills. Occasionally, opportunities are missed to reinforce the correct technical language as witnessed during the inspection when one child thought that there were 12 lavender bushes rather than four bushes with three stems each. This child learns English as an additional language and would have benefited from an explanation of the difference

p.28

Commentary

80. The subject has a new coordinator who has not had time to take on all aspects of the role. Information from assessments is being used very well to track pupils’ progress and attainment in each class. The information is drawn together well. Resources are of a good quality and stored in an easily accessible area. St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 29 - May 2005

p.28

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has correctly identified this subject as an area of focus in the school development plan and is beginning to address resource needs. • Pupils are not given enough opportunities to use and develop their skills.

p.29

Commentary

81. The perception of ICT has changed a great deal since the previous inspection and much more is now expected of schools than six years ago. Expectations of ICT teaching and learning have changed and so have the demands of the National Curriculum.

p.29

Commentary

82. Current provision is judged to be satisfactory overall. The school has correctly identified the need to focus on ICT provision and has included this subject as an area of focus in the school development plan, to receive attention next term. Planned developments include the purchase of more equipment and further staff training.

p.29

Commentary

83. Standards are about average overall. Pupils can manipulate a roamer accurately and can use computer tools to word process their work. They are able to explain how technology is used in the home. Some unreliable hardware and variable levels of confidence and competence amongst the staff, has resulted in a subject which has been slow in developing. The school has begun to address these issues by closing the computer suite and putting the computers into classrooms. One interactive whiteboard has been purchased, with plans for further equipment to be installed as soon as possible.

p.29

Commentary

84. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory, resulting in satisfactory achievement for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. Pupils’ displayed work does not always give the appropriate message; for example, word-processing which contains numerous spelling mistakes is put on the wall for pupils and staff to see. This does not provide a good example for pupils to imitate.

p.29

Commentary

85. Arrangements to assess pupils’ progress are satisfactory. The recently-appointed co- ordinator is developing a clear view of strengths and weaknesses in the subject. She provides satisfactory leadership and management and is well-prepared to lead the school in developing provision and improving standards in the near future.

p.29

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

86. Unsatisfactory use is made of ICT in lessons, with missed opportunities to use the subject to support teaching and learning across the curriculum. The school is aware that this issue needs to be addressed. St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 30 - May 2005

p.29

HUMANITIES

87. Work was sampled in history , so no judgement on the school’s provision has been made. The work seen included a study of toys and some very good art work related to a study of evacuees in World War 2. Skills of chronology are developed well through the use of a time-line.

p.30

HUMANITIES

88. As work was sampled in geography no judgement has been made on the school’s provision. Examples of work on display show a broad range of activities to cover the local area, including maps showing the routes taken to get to and from school. Links have been established with a school in Albania. There is little evidence of the use of ICT skills in any of the work that is produced. However, pupils are encouraged to write, for example, holiday diaries related to the travels of Barnaby Bear. As in history, there is no whole school approach to the gathering of assessment information to ensure pupils are developing the necessary skills in the subject. Some good work has been done relating to making the area near the school safer.

p.30

HUMANITIES

89. The school makes good arrangements to enrich the basic curriculum in both geography and history by, for example, arranging a history week and, in geography, developing links with a school abroad. Good use is made of visits within the local area and further afield to enhance the basic curriculum in both subjects.

p.30

Religious Education

Provision for religious education is satisfactory .

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development. • Attractive displays enhance the pupils’ learning about other faiths. • Marking does not indicate to pupils what they need to do next in order to improve.

p.30

Commentary

90. As at the time of the previous inspection, standards are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus by the end of Year 2. Pupils are achieving well and can identify some of the religious practices, ceremonies and festivals associated with Christianity and Islam. For example, they know that both faiths have special books which should be treated with respect. They have a positive attitude to learning about different faiths and clearly enjoy the subject. They spoke enthusiastically about the visit they had made to a local mosque and how they had to take their shoes off before entering.

p.30

Commentary

91. No overall judgement can be made about the quality of teaching because very few lessons were seen. In one good lesson, the teacher used visual aids and the Internet well to deepen pupils’ understanding of the creation story as recorded in the book of Genesis. Teachers in the Year 2 classes make good use of the subject to development pupils’ writing skills. For example, one pupil wrote this very moving prayer, ‘ Dear Allah, forgive us. Thank you for making the world. Thank you for the food that you give us. Sorry for the flowers we pick .’ The sentiments expressed in this prayer are very much in keeping with one of the school’s aims to ‘ Develop within the child a reflective approach to life and a sensitivity to all God’s creation .’ However, marking comments do not indicate to pupils what they need to do to improve the quality of their work. St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 31 - May 2005

p.30

Commentary

92. The curriculum is enhanced by the visits that pupils make to the local church and mosque. These help them to gain an understanding of ‘special places’, and to recognise the importance of features such as the altar and pulpit. The vicar is a regular visitor to the school.

p.31

Commentary

93. The subject contributes well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. An attractive display in one part of the school illustrates clearly the similarities and differences between a Christian and Muslim marriage ceremony. Such displays help to enhance pupils’ understanding of how other cultures celebrate their special festivals and traditions. Assemblies play a very important part in helping to develop pupils’ knowledge of Christianity and other faiths with the focus during the inspection on the creation stories in the Bible and the Koran.

p.31

Commentary

94. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The subject leader has steadily improved resources and provides appropriate support. She keeps the subject constantly under review and has a clear vision of how the subject should develop. The issue from the previous inspection regarding the lack of detail in the medium-term planning has been addressed successfully. However, assessment procedures and the use made of the information to improve standards are in need of further development.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

95. It was not possible to make overall judgments about provision in any subject in this area. However, from the evidence available it is very clear that in all subjects good opportunities are provided for pupils to use their skills. As a result, the school is alive with bright displays of work reflecting many areas of the curriculum. For example, pupils in Year 1 have painted some very detailed pictures of evacuees during one of the world wars to support the work being done in history.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

96. In art and design there is a wealth of evidence on display around the school to indicate that standards are above those found in most schools by the end of Year 2 and that pupils are achieving very well. These findings are similar to those made at the time of the previous inspection. In accordance with the school’s strong stance on educational inclusion, all pupils have equal access to all parts of the art curriculum and provision is culturally sensitive.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

97. Pupils develop a good range of skills and are provided with the opportunity to work with a wide variety of media. They are systematically taught various art skills so that they interpret their feelings and reactions to a wide range of stimuli that their teachers put before them. For instance, pupils in Year 2 looked at some spring flowers. After sketching them, they copied their designs onto a piece of polystyrene. Next the pupils used a roller to cover it with paint and pressed it down onto a piece of paper. They called their designs which were of a very good quality ‘ Press-printed spring flowers ’. Teachers also encourage pupils to explore the work of well-known artists such as Seurat and to try to emulate their style in their own work.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

98. In design and technology pupils are introduced to an appropriate range of activities which cover food technology, mechanisms and structures. Good planning is in place and pupils are introduced to the full design and make process. Evidence of pupils’ work is to be found around the school in some attractive displays which show that, as at the time of the previous inspection, pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding are meeting the nationally expected standards. Some of the work is of a good St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 32 - May 2005 standard. For example, pupils in one of the Year 2 classes have looked at different types of puppets and discussed how they worked. They grouped them into families such as animals or fairy tale characters. The children finally had to design and make their own puppet which had to be bright, colourful and fit on a finger. The co- ordinator has only just taken up responsibility for the subject and has not yet had the

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

time to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning in the subject. The curriculum is suitably planned using national guidelines and there are sufficient resources.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

99. In music the standard of singing in acts of worship is good and pupils demonstrate a good sense of beat and dynamics. In one lesson seen during the inspection, good opportunities were provided for pupils to develop their skills in identifying slow and fast tempos. Good use is made of a support assistant in teaching pupils to play the recorder. Pupils enjoy taking part in regular school productions. The school is fortunate to have a talented ex-pupil who has composed works for pupils to take part in. Video evidence clearly demonstrates a high level of performance. A major strength of the school is the high number of pupils ranging from those in the reception classes to those in Year 2 who take part in out of school musical activities. The school was the first infant school to be invited to take part in the Kirklees music festival.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

100. During the inspection, lessons were observed in dance and gymnastics in physical education . The standards have been maintained at the expected level since the last inspection in gymnastics, but have improved in dance by the end of Year 2 and are now above average. In a very good dance lesson based on The Pied Piper of Hamlin both the teacher and support assistant ensured that all pupils took a full part in the activities. The level of challenge was high and the very good use of visual aids such as a whistle and toy rat enabled the pupils to identify with the story. Pupils demonstrated very good listening skills and produced imaginative movement patterns at high, medium and low levels. They concentrated well, worked hard and enjoyed the good pace and challenge of the lesson. However, in general, teachers did not involve pupils enough in the assessment of their own and others’ performance. This was a missed opportunity to develop pupils’ speaking skills. The

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

management of pupils is good and care is given to ensuring safe working practices. Resources and equipment are of a good quality.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

No lessons were seen during the inspection. The school provides a broad curriculum for all aspects of personal, social and health education and citizenship, through separate specialist lessons as well as through the subjects of the National Curriculum, assemblies and class discussions. It provides very good opportunities for pupils to develop confidence, a sense of responsibility and respect for the differences between people. Pupils’ personal and social skills, as well as their understanding of citizenship, are also developed well. A classroom achievement tree allows pupils to celebrate their perceived strengths. St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 33 - May 2005

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Inspection judgement Grade

The overall effectiveness of the school 3

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Inspection judgement Grade

How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3

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Inspection judgement Grade

Value for money provided by the school 3

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Inspection judgement Grade

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2

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Inspection judgement Grade

Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2

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Inspection judgement Grade

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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Inspection judgement Grade

The quality of education provided by the school 2

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Inspection judgement Grade

How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 2

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Inspection judgement Grade

Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2

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Inspection judgement Grade

Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2

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Inspection judgement Grade

Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2

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Inspection judgement Grade

How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2

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Inspection judgement Grade

The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2

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Inspection judgement Grade

The quality of the school’s links with the community 2

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Inspection judgement Grade

The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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Inspection judgement Grade

The leadership and management of the school 3

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Inspection judgement Grade

The effectiveness of management 3 St John’s CofE VC Infant School - 34 - May 2005 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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