Wibsey Primary School

WIBSEY PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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WIBSEY 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. Wibsey Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 643

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: North Road Wibsey Bradford West Yorkshire Postcode: BD6 1RL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01274 678016 Fax number: 01274 775516

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Brian Feather

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Wibsey Primary School is a large school in the village of Wibsey, on the outskirts of Bradford, West Yorkshire, catering for 688 pupils aged 3 to 11, with 78 children attending the nursery on a part-time basis in the morning or afternoon. Most of these children transfer to the Reception classes, which currently contain 90 children. Most of the pupils live in the immediate area, where socio-economic circumstances are broadly in line with the national average. The majority of pupils come from a white British background (442 pupils), with the remainder coming from a wide range of different ethnic backgrounds. The largest group is mixed White and Black Caribbean (17), followed by Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi (10). A few pupils come from families where English is not the first language, four of them at an early stage of learning English. The number of pupils speaking English as an additional language is rising. The principal languages are Arabic and Czech. The number of

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

pupils having special educational needs is above the national average, as is the number having statements. These children have a range of learning, social, emotional, and behavioural needs, speech or communication or medical needs. Standards are also adversely affected by a significant minority of pupils who join or leave the school other than at the usual times. The standard of attainment of children currently entering the nursery is broadly in line with that expected for children of their age but in the recent past a significant minority joined the school with weaknesses in language skills, which is affecting standards further up the school. Wibsey Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

8990 David Tytler Lead inspector 9189 John Horwood Lay inspector 11901 Pat Lowe Team inspector Foundation Stage Art and design Design technology French 12764 Wendy Thomas Team inspector English as an additional language English Music 17128 Megan Warner Team inspector Special educational needs Mathematics Information and communication technology Physical Education 15138 Theresa Mullane Team inspector Science Geography History Religious education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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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). Wibsey Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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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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Wibsey Primary School provides a sound quality of education for all its pupils and has many

good and some very good features. Standards in Year 6 are average in English, mathematics and science. Pupils achieve satisfactorily overall as a result of the sound and often better teaching. Teaching in Year 6 is consistently good. Children achieve well in the nursery, reception classes and Years 1 and 2 as a result of the predominantly good and often better teaching. The acting headteacher’s very good leadership ensures that the school is focused on raising standards. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The acting headteacher’s vision for the school has enabled the staff to make significant improvements in teaching and learning. She is well supported by staff and governors in the drive to raise standards. • Children get a good start to their education in the nursery and reception classes and continue to make good progress as they move through Years 1 and 2. • Not all teachers use appropriate methods for teaching English to children of different needs. • The very good care for all pupils underpins their good personal development. • The number of children in the school speaking English as an additional language is rising and the school has yet to provide for all their needs. • Relationships throughout the school are very good and pupils respond well to the behaviour management skills of their teachers. • Home-school links are very good and parents play an important role in the education of their children at home and in school.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The provision for pupils having special educational needs is good and they are well supported by skilled staff.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Improvement since the last inspection has been good and the school no longer has serious weaknesses. There have been significant improvements in teaching, leadership and management, provision in the nursery and reception classes, standards in science and information and communication technology (ICT), attendance, pupils’ personal development, and the partnership with parents. More remains to be done to raise standards in English and in meeting the needs of pupils speaking English as an additional language.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ overall achievement is satisfactory.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils currently enter the school with standards of attainment matching those expected for children of their age, although a significant minority have had weaknesses in their language skills in the recent past, which is still having an impact on standards. Standards in the current Year 6 match the Wibsey Primary School - 7 national average in English, mathematics and science and there were many examples of high standards. Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds achieve satisfactorily, although progress in English is not as fast as it should be. Results in the national tests for seven-year-olds in 2004 were above the national average in reading and well above in writing and mathematics in comparison with all schools and with similar schools. Standards in the current Year 2 are above average in English and mathematics and average in science. Children make good progress in the nursery and reception classes and will enter Year 1

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

with standards that are above average in English and mathematics. Standards in art exceed expectations throughout the school.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal development is good . Their moral and social development is very good, their spiritual development good, and their cultural development satisfactory. Pupils from the nursery to Year 6 have very positive attitudes to their work and behave well as a result of their teachers’ very good behaviour management skills. Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory.

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The school provides a sound education for all its pupils. Teaching and learning are

satisfactory overall , with some good and very good examples seen. The sound and better teaching in Years 3 to 5 – with particularly good teaching in Year 6 – enables pupils to achieve satisfactorily by the age of 11. The predominantly good teaching in the nursery to Year 2 enables pupils to achieve well. The very good care, guidance and support ensure that all pupils can take full benefit of the learning opportunities offered to them. The very good links with parents and good links with the community and other schools and colleges make an important contribution to pupils’ learning.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The school’s leadership and management are good. The acting headteacher has a clear vision for the school and provides very good leadership, which underpins the good management of the school. She is well supported by all staff and governors in the drive to raise standards. The governance of the school is good. Key governors have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development and play an important role in planning its future at a time of change.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents value the education the school provides for their children. Inspectors agree with these positive views. Pupils have a high regard for their school and know that their views will be taken seriously.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Enable teachers in Years 3 to 5 to match work more closely to pupils’ needs so that pupils can make even more progress, especially in English.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Provide all staff with the necessary training to meet the needs of pupils speaking English as an additional language. Wibsey Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards in the current Year 6 are average in English, mathematics and science. In the current Year 2, standards are above average in English and mathematics and average in science. Pupils achieve well in Years 1 and 2 and satisfactorily overall in Years 3 to 6, with some good achievement in Year 6. Children make good progress in the nursery and reception classes and most will attain expected standards in all six areas of learning, with a significant number exceeding them by the time they enter Year 1.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make good progress from the nursery through to Year 2, with many achieving high standards in reading, writing and mathematics. • Standards in art throughout the school are above national expectations. • Shortcomings in the teaching of English have had an adverse affect on pupils’ standards in Years 3 to 6. • Although pupils speaking English as an additional language achieve satisfactorily, they do not always do as well as they could. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well by the end of Year 6.

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

Standards in: School results National results English 26.3 (26.2) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 26.9 (26.9) 27.0 (26.8) science 28.5 (29.0) 28.6 (28.6) There were 82 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 6 – average point scores in 2004

1. In the current Year 6, standards are being maintained in mathematics and continue to match the national average. Standards in science have improved since the last inspection and are now average. The school has identified the raising of standards in English as a key priority and has already met with some success as standards now match expectations. When compared with similar schools, based on pupils’ prior attainment in their Year 2 tests, pupils’ attainment in the national tests in 2004 was average in mathematics and science and below average in English.

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

2. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve satisfactorily overall, with some good achievement in Year 6 as a result of the consistently good and better teaching in these classes. The school did not meet its challenging targets in 2004 for the number of pupils gaining Level 4 and above in the national English tests for 11-year-olds. It did, however, meet the national average in the number gaining the higher Level 5. In mathematics, whilst the school did not meet its overall targets for Level 4 and above it exceeded its target for the higher Level 5. The significant number of pupils who enter or leave the school other than at the normal times negatively affects pupils’ attainment in these years. In the current Year 6 around 25 per cent of the pupils joined the school from Year 3 onwards. Wibsey Primary School - 9

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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 English 16.5 (16.2) 15.8 (15.7) mathematics 16.0 (14.7) 14.6 (14.6) science 17.5 (16.2) 16.2 (16.3) There were 89 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

3. In the national tests for seven-year-olds in 2004 results were well above average in writing and mathematics and above in reading, when compared nationally and with similar schools. Improvements in teaching and learning, including the use of assessment information, have led to underlying improvement in the last three years. Standards in the current Year 2 have been maintained in English and mathematics.

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

4. Pupils of all abilities make good progress and achieve high standards in art throughout the school. By the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils’ standards match national expectations in ICT, design and technology, history, geography and physical education. In religious education, standards are in line with those expected by the local agreed syllabus by the end of Years 2 and 6. Timetabling arrangements during the inspection meant that it was not possible to see enough lessons in music or any in French to make a judgement on standards.

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

5. Children currently enter the nursery with standards that broadly match national expectations for their age, although in the recent past there have been significant weaknesses in language skills, which are continuing to have an impact on standards in English further up the school. Children make rapid progress as they move into the Reception classes and are well prepared for entry into Year 1. Standards overall are above average for their age, particularly in English and mathematics.

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

6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well across the school, and those who are provided for through ‘high input’ groups in Year 5 and 6 achieve very well. Whilst the achievement of pupils speaking English as an additional language is currently in line with that of their peers, the number of pupils at the early stages of learning English is increasing and a small number of pupils are making satisfactory rather than good progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have very positive attitudes to their work and behave very well throughout the school day. Moral and social development is very good, spiritual development is good, and cultural development is satisfactory. Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good relationships throughout the school underpin its friendly, supportive ethos, which ensures that all pupils can take part in all the school offers. • Assemblies give very good support to pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development. • The lack of exclusions reflects the very good behaviour seen in classes, assemblies, breaks and lunchtimes. • Attendance has improved steadily as result of good procedures introduced and is now similar to the national average.

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Commentary

7. Pupils and adults enjoy coming to school and use the very good relationships existing throughout the school community to promote a friendly and purposeful learning environment Wibsey Primary School - 10 free from oppressive behaviour. The self-evidently good ethos in the school helps pupils to grow in confidence and self-esteem as they move through the school. A key plank in the pupils’ good personal development is the trust and respect teachers have in their pupils and that pupils have in their teachers.

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Commentary

8. Pupils respond well to their teachers’ good behaviour management skills, which aim to instil self-discipline in pupils of all backgrounds and needs as they take part in all aspects of school life. Children in the nursery and reception classes do well in their personal, social and emotional development and most will achieve the expected early learning goals by the time they enter Year 1.

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Commentary

9. A regular range of assemblies involving different year groups gives good support to pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development as they relate stories and events to their own lives. Religious education lessons give very good support to personal development, including spiritual development. Year 6 pupils, for example, understand the key features of different faiths and respect views that are different from their own, discussing issues carefully and sensitively, believing that the need to respect others fairly is a key aspect of learning. Teachers go out of their way in all subjects and most lessons to encourage pupils to think for themselves, whilst being sensitive to the views of others and understanding the importance of working together. A local pastor visited the school to talk of his own experiences of the Asian tsunami, which encouraged pupils to consider the impact of natural disasters on the lives of

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Commentary

10. Aspects of cultural development are promoted in English, art, French and music but the focus tends to be on Western culture. More could be done to prepare pupils for life in a multi- cultural society and in celebrating the growing number of cultures represented in the school. Overall, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has improved significantly since the last inspection .

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.5 School data 0.6 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

11. Attendance last year was below the national average but is currently at about the level of the national average. This is good improvement since the last inspection, when both the level of attendance and the procedures for monitoring it were concerns. Punctuality is satisfactory with only a few regular latecomers. The procedures to monitor and follow up absence and lateness are good and include efficient recording systems and well-defined actions. The local education authority has provided good support but parents have been upset by the rigid monitoring periods and the lack of distinction between authorised and unauthorised absence in triggering letters home. The school has addressed these concerns with procedures to be introduced in September.

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Exclusions

The absence of exclusions is reflected in the very good behaviour in lessons, assemblies and around the school. Wibsey Primary School - 11

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a sound education for all its pupils. Overall, teaching and learning are satisfactory. Procedures for gathering information on what pupils know and can do are good and the information is beginning to be used to plan for the needs of groups and individuals. The satisfactory curriculum is enhanced by a suitable range of extra-curricular activities. The support, advice and guidance provided for pupils are good. The very good links with parents and the good links with other schools and colleges and the community make an important contribution to pupils’ learning.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. They are good in the nursery and reception classes, Years 1 to 2 and Year 6. Satisfactory use is made of the information gathered on what pupils know and can do.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good teaching and learning from the nursery through to Year 2 enable pupils to achieve well. • Whilst there are good features of teaching in Years 3 to 5, not all teachers are able to meet the needs of all children, particularly in learning English. • The teaching of pupils having special educational needs is good and they achieve well in line with their Individual Education Plans. • There is not yet a consistent approach to teaching and curriculum planning for pupils speaking English as an additional language. • All adults in the classroom are skilful in ensuring that pupils can take a full part in their lessons.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 79 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

2 (3%) 21 (27%) 32 (41%) 23 (29%) 1 (1%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

12. The quality of teaching and learning has improved significantly since the last inspection, with a much higher proportion of very good and better teaching. Teaching across the nursery and reception classes and in Years 1 and 2 is good, with some very good and better examples seen. Teaching and learning in Years 3 to 6 is satisfactory overall but with predominantly good teaching in Year 6. The teaching ensures that pupils achieve well in the nursery and reception classes and enter Year 1 with standards above the national expectations in literacy and numeracy. Pupils continue to achieve well in Years 1 and 2.

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Commentary

13. Whilst there were good and better examples seen, teaching in Years 3 to 5 was satisfactory overall. Teachers in these year groups have satisfactory subject knowledge but they do not always use the most suitable methods to develop the knowledge and understanding of different groups of pupils, particularly in English. In an otherwise satisfactory lesson, for example, the teaching was not focused clearly on the needs of different groups of pupils.

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Commentary

14. Two outstanding lessons were seen, both in English, one in Year 6 for pupils working at the national expectations for their age and one in Year 5 for lower attaining pupils. In both of these lessons the teachers used their very good subject knowledge to ensure that the work was very well matched to pupils’ needs and the teaching assistants gave very good support to ensure that pupils achieved well. Pupils in both lessons responded well, having positive Wibsey Primary School - 12 attitudes, which made a major contribution to their learning. Conversely, in the one unsatisfactory lesson seen, again in English, work was not matched to the pupils’ prior attainment and the lesson objective was not clear. As a result, pupils were confused about what they were expected to do and they did not achieve as well as they could have done.

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Commentary

15. Pupils throughout the school respond well to their teachers’ high expectations of work and behaviour, showing good levels of concentration. The consistently good teaching in the nursery and reception classes is characterised by strong teamwork and a wide range of high quality activities, which engage and hold the interest of very young children. As a result, children make good progress and achieve standards, particularly in English and mathematics, above those expected nationally for children of their age by the time they enter Year 1.

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Commentary

16. The overall good, and often better, teaching in Years 1 and 2 enables pupils to achieve well. A characteristic of the good and better teaching was the good range of different and interesting activities that successfully focused pupils’ attention on what they were expected to learn. In a very good Year 2 mathematics lesson on being able to give and follow instructions pupils were engrossed in the task and learnt a new skill.

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Commentary

17. In Years 3 to 5 the learning objectives sometimes focused on the activities to be covered rather than on what pupils were expected to learn. In one lesson, for example, the lesson task was to read a variety of views about various ways of getting to school rather than on recognising and learning the features of persuasive writing. In the good and better lessons, objectives were clear and the quality of learning judged against them at the end of the session.

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Commentary

18. Pupils responded well to the good level of challenge in many lessons, trying hard to do well and enjoying their successes. In a very good Year 5 science lesson on evaporation, pupils rose to the teacher’s high expectations and asked challenging questions in return. They tackled the quite difficult task enthusiastically and achieved very well.

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Commentary

19. Most teachers include a good range of cross-curricular links. In a good Year 6 English lesson for lower attaining pupils good links were made with art when pupils were asked to identify and write about features of a Van Gogh painting. There are many examples of teachers’ providing good opportunities for pupils to practise their speaking and listening skills but there are not enough opportunities for pupils to use their writing skills across the curriculum. The use of specialist teachers in lessons is of considerable benefit to pupils as all their lessons are underpinned by good subject knowledge. This is particularly evident in art and design, where pupils achieve very well and attain standards above those expected of children of their age, and in the weekly Year 6 French lessons.

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Commentary

20. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs by teachers and support staff is good. These pupils enjoy learning, often through practical activities. Teaching and learning are very good when pupils are taught in high-input classes. The needs of pupils with special educational needs are particularly sensitively met in some classes. In one class, for example, when the concentration of one of these pupils lapsed when the teacher was teaching the whole class, he was withdrawn for individual support. Those with physical needs take a full part in lessons with support as required. Class teachers and teaching assistants are fully aware of pupils’ Individual Educational Plans, which have been prepared very well. Teachers lack the expertise to provide effectively for the specific needs of pupils speaking English as an additional language. The school recognises the need to provide professional development in

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Commentary

21. Arrangements for gathering information on what pupils know and can do have improved significantly since the last inspection. Good use is made of assessment in the nursery and reception classes, art and design and in French. The school has tightened up procedures and uses information from a range of tests to set targets for groups and individuals, particularly in Wibsey Primary School - 13 English and mathematics. This more rigorous approach to assessment and its use is beginning to have an impact on standards.

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The curriculum

The good curriculum in the nursery and reception classes is particularly relevant to the children and underpins their good achievement. In Years 1 to 6, the satisfactorily broad and balanced curriculum is suitably enhanced by a satisfactory range of extra-curricular and after-school activities, together with visits and visitors. Accommodation and resources support the curriculum well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils particularly enjoy their French lessons. • The school ensures that pupils of all needs and backgrounds can take full advantage of all the school’s activities. • Personal, social and health education makes an important contribution to pupils’ personal development, their very positive attitudes and very good behaviour. • Skilled support staff make an important contribution to pupils’ good achievement.

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Commentary

22. The curriculum fully meets statutory requirements and is regularly reviewed and adjusted. The well-planned curriculum in the nursery and reception classes ensures that all six of the required areas of learning are covered in an interesting range of activities relevant to the needs of the children.

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Commentary

23. The sound curriculum in Years 1 to 6 ensures that all pupils, including those speaking English as an additional language, have an appropriate range of interesting and relevant activities. The French curriculum is good, with a strong emphasis on conversational French, which adds to pupils’ obvious enjoyment of the subject.

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Commentary

24. Cross-curricular links ensure that pupils are able to reinforce their literacy and numeracy skills to support learning in other subjects although there are not enough opportunities for pupils to use their writing skills across the curriculum. The senior leadership team and subject co- ordinators ensure careful and consistent planning.

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Commentary

25. Personal, social and health education makes an important contribution to the pupils’ personal development and there are many planned opportunities to support pupils’ moral and social development. The curriculum is strengthened by a satisfactory range of after-school activities, which are mainly focused around sport and music, although there is a French club in Year 2, arts and sports clubs in Years 1 and 2 and a drama club in Year 6. Pupils’ experience is also broadened through a satisfactory range of visits to places of interest and of visitors into school.

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Commentary

26. The curriculum meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs well. Individual programs are followed for pupils in Year 6 as required and small group teaching meets the literacy and numeracy needs of pupils in Year 5 and 6 very well. The skilled support staff make an important contribution to the good achievement of these pupils. The curriculum for pupils speaking English as an additional language is not yet sufficiently focused on meeting their needs.

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Commentary

27. Whilst the accommodation is old, it has been well refurbished to provide a good range of accommodation and it is well used to support the curriculum. Resources for teaching and learning are good overall and well used to enhance the teaching in all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. Wibsey Primary School - 14

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is very good. Provision of support, advice and guidance based on careful monitoring is good. Involvement of pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pastoral systems supported by very good relationships within school ensure that pupils’ care is of high quality. • The particularly good induction processes enable pupils to settle quickly. • The school council has had insufficient time to be fully effective but has made a good start. • Health and safety procedures do not fully reflect the good practice that takes place.

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Commentary

28. This is a very caring school where the pupils are the main priority. Pupils are very happy in school, feel safe and are well looked after. In spite of the layout of the school, which results in significant movement of pupils through the hall areas where lessons may be taking place, the supervision and procedures ensure that any hazards are minimal. Pupils are met every morning on the playground by their teachers and supervision throughout the day is good. Whilst parents are unable to accompany their children into the school building on a routine basis, they are able to escort them into the fully enclosed playground area.

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Commentary

29. The health and safety procedures carried out by the school are good and follow local education authority guidelines with governors playing an active part. Routine inspections are carried out and all activities are risk assessed. The detailed procedures and schedule for these are not, however, included within the health and safety procedures. Child protection issues are well addressed with procedures updated and all staff trained. The child protection officer and the responsible governor are named in the procedures. There are currently seven children in the care of the local authority and the school works closely with external agencies to support them. The school has five staff trained in first aid and a room has been allocated for medical purposes, although it is not yet fully operational.

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Commentary

30. Relationships are very good in the school and all adults know the children well enabling them to provide good support. The care of pupils is demonstrated, for example, by the provision of a breakfast club each morning and by the effective management and supervision at lunchtime to ensure all pupils can eat their lunch in the very small dining area.

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Commentary

31. The school has very good induction processes for pupils joining the school at the normal times and for those who join part way through the year. Children entering the nursery and reception classes are able to visit the school before they join and parents are invited to a parents’ evening. There is a phased entry in September and this is currently being revised as a result of a questionnaire to parents. A similar system is available to pupils who join other classes part way through the year. The school also carries out an induction process for pupils transferring from reception into Year 1 as this involves moving into the main school building. This includes letting parents take their children into the school on the first day but practicalities prevent this practice being carried out for a longer period.

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Commentary

32. The school introduced a school council in September and it provides a good opportunity for pupils to take responsibility and express their views. The council is made up of two elected members from each year group from Year 3 to Year 6 and meets regularly throughout the year. Members of the council from Years 5 and 6 visit the younger children in the school to hear their views and report them to the council. There are also suggestion boxes around the school. The council discusses issues sensibly and the school has already implemented some changes as a result of their views. Wibsey Primary School - 15

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents are very good. Links with the community and with other schools and colleges are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides a very good range of information to parents through documentation and meetings. • The open door policy of the school and the willingness to involve parents in all aspects of the school form the basis of a very good partnership. • Good links with local secondary schools help ensure a smooth transfer for pupils into Year 7. • The community is well used to support the curriculum. • Parents have been unhappy with the methods used to monitor and improve attendance.

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Commentary

33. The parents’ questionnaire and comments made at the parents’ meeting show that parents are pleased with most aspects of the school. They are particularly pleased that staff expect children to work hard, that teaching is good and that their children like school. Parents also think children settle quickly in the school, where they are treated fairly and helped to mature and become independent. A significant number of parents thought they were not given enough information about progress and not asked for their views on school matters. The meeting with parents highlighted that there was great concern over the ‘traffic light’ system used for monitoring attendance and the period over which the monitoring was carried out. A number of parents had received letters about poor attendance when this was due to authorised absence for pupils with normally good records. The school is aware that the system is too inflexible but has been unable to modify a local authority system. A revised

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Commentary

system will, however, be in place from September.

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Commentary

34. The information to parents about progress is very good with three meetings a year for all parents, supported by a satisfactory annual report. Although parents are not involved with the setting of targets, these are fully discussed at the meetings. The open door policy and the pupils’ planners enable any concerns to be raised quickly. Information about the school is provided through the prospectus and the governors’ annual report, both of which fully meet requirements, together with regular newsletters which parents say have improved recently. Parents are provided with information about what their child is studying through a series of curriculum leaflets. Parents also support the school by being actively involved with the Parent Teacher and Friends Association as well as helping on school trips.

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Commentary

35. Links with parents who have children with special educational needs are very good through class teachers and their teaching assistants. The school also has good links with outside agencies.

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Commentary

36. The school has developed links with the community to support the curriculum and to benefit members within the community. The pupils all visit the community, locally and further afield, as part of their studies – for example to study buildings or visit local shops and the library. They also have a link with the local church through harvest festival and make use of local study centres. Visitors such as representatives from the police and fire brigade come into school to talk to pupils as do a number of members of the community to talk about their life experiences. A number of sport links also exist to enhance community involvement.

p.15

Commentary

37. The school prepares pupils well for secondary education by providing specialist teaching in the higher year groups. As part of the transfer arrangements representatives from all the secondary schools visit the school in September to talk to all pupils and later in the year to talk to the pupils who will be joining their schools. There are strong links between the special needs departments to support vulnerable pupils. The school also works closely with other Wibsey Primary School - 16 schools in the cluster and benefits from the nearby specialist technology college which gives support with ICT needs. A number of students from local schools and further education establishments also visit the school for work experience and placements.

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The school is well led and managed. The acting headteacher provides very good leadership. The governance of the school is good. All statutory requirements are met.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The acting headteacher’s clear vision has led to significant improvements in teaching and learning. • She is well supported by staff, governors and parents in the drive to raise standards. • The school is well managed with all staff focused on further improvement. • The governance of the school is good, with key governors playing an important role in planning its future at a time of change. • The leadership and management of the school have improved significantly since the last inspection.

p.16

Commentary

38. The acting headteacher’s very good leadership underpins the good management of this large school, which has experienced some instability in its senior management because of the ill health of the headteacher. She has a clear vision and sense of purpose, which are shared by all in the school. She works very closely with her two assistant headteachers, who have clearly identified roles and work well together, with the team as a whole having a good oversight and understanding of all aspects of the school’s work.

p.16

Commentary

39. All in all, the leadership and management of the school have improved considerably since the last inspection when a number of aspects were judged to be unsatisfactory. The senior leadership team delegate responsibilities effectively to subject co-ordinators, who have had appropriate training and the time and resources to manage their areas effectively, and are making an important contribution to the school’s drive to raise standards further.

p.16

Commentary

40. Governors have received appropriate training and fulfil their role well, questioning and revising all aspects of the school’s work in a supportive and constructive way. Key governors, in particular, have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and play an important role in guiding the school through a difficult time of change, having a clear idea of what needs to be done to consolidate the already considerable improvement and to ensure more in the future. All statutory requirements are met.

p.16

Commentary

41. There has also been a marked improvement in the quality of teaching and learning through regular and rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning and providing support where necessary. In addition the provision in the nursery and reception classes is now good, having been judged to be unsatisfactory at the time of the last inspection. Other significant improvements include standards in science and improved rates of attendance.

p.16

Commentary

42. Where there are areas for development, such as the previously disappointing performance in English in Years 3 to 6, the school analyses all the available data to find solutions. The changes put in place are already seeing standards rising in Year 6. The school’s arrangements for self-evaluation are good.

p.16

Commentary

43. All adults in the school ensure that all pupils, whatever their needs or backgrounds, are included in all aspects of the school’s work and can take full advantage of the learning opportunities available to them. Wibsey Primary School - 17 44. The good arrangements for the professional development of staff are securely linked to the school’s sound arrangements for performance management and meet the personal professional needs of staff as well as whole-school priorities. The school sees continuing improvements in the provision for pupils speaking English as an additional language as a priority and is seeking training for staff in the very near future. Good arrangements support newly qualified teachers.

p.16

Commentary

45. The school improvement plan is a useful working document and is regularly reviewed to ensure that priorities are achieved. The success criteria are precise and focus on raising standards.

p.17

Commentary

46. The leadership and management of special educational needs are very good. The creation of a special educational needs management team is a particular strength. The school’s setting and grouping systems provide for these pupils very well, as do individual programmes for pupils in Year 6. A large number of teaching assistants work with these pupils. All have had some training but the degree of training varies considerably. The knowledge and experience brought by one assistant who had worked in a special school are invaluable and highly effective. The records kept by teaching assistants vary in quality and are not sufficiently monitored by the senior management team. Some are very thorough but others do not identify where further help is needed.

p.17

Commentary

47. The school has no register of pupils who are gifted and talented. Whilst these pupils are often provided for well in higher-attaining sets, their particular needs are not always planned for nor results monitored.

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,697,449 Balance from previous year 278,828 Total expenditure 1,798,080 Balance carried forward to the next 178,197

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

48. The school accumulated some significant balances in the past, mostly as a result of monies received to finance the creation of one primary school from a first and middle school. The school now uses all available resources to meet clearly identified educational priorities. The school is well served by its bursar in the efficient use of its resources and applies the principles of best value in all aspects of its work and provides satisfactory value for money. Wibsey Primary School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE (the Nursery and Reception classes)

Provision in the nursery and reception classes (Foundation Stage) is good, due to good leadership and management, strong support from the local education authority, and the hard work and commitment of all staff. Children currently enter the nursery with standards that broadly match national expectations for their age. They make good progress and achieve well, due to good teaching, strong teamwork, a well-planned curriculum and good liaison and partnership with parents. It is likely that the majority of children will meet the national early learning goals in all six areas of learning by the end of their time in the reception year and a significant number of children will exceed them. Overall, standards are above the national expectations for pupils of this age with a significant number of children already working within Level 1 of the National Curriculum, particularly in English and mathematics. This represents very good improvement since the last

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE (the Nursery and Reception classes)

inspection when provision and teaching were unsatisfactory. Accommodation and resources are very good, apart from the limited outdoor area for the reception classes, which is being addressed by the school. Assessment procedures are good, but the results of assessment need to be used to re-group children more frequently to match their changing needs.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Induction procedures are good overall and enable children to settle into school life. • The level of care and the quality of support are very good.

p.18

Commentary

49. Standards are above national expectations, due to the strong emphasis on personal and social development in all aspects of the curriculum. Children of all abilities make good progress and achieve well as a result of good teaching and very good support. They are likely to achieve the national early learning goals and a significant number will exceed them. Very good induction procedures in the nursery enable children to make a good start to their learning. They gain confidence as they work with key workers in small groups. The good relationships between staff and parents and carers make a valuable contribution to children's learning. Carefully planned adult-led and child-initiated activities in the nursery and reception classes engage children’s interest and ensure that they have equal access to learning opportunities. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an

p.18

Commentary

additional language receive very good support. Children are encouraged to become independent users of the classroom and the outdoor area and to be sensitive to the needs of others. Most children understand the difference between right and wrong and accept the need for class rules and a common code of behaviour. Their increasing sense of responsibility is evident in the way that they select and use resources and carry out small tasks, such as giving out snacks.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a strong emphasis on speaking and listening skills. • The early emphasis on letter sounds encourages the development of reading skills. Wibsey Primary School - 19

p.18

Commentary

50. Standards are above national expectations. The good teaching leads to good progress and achievement on the part of all children. Most children are close to achieving the national early learning goals and more than 20 per cent of children are already working within Level 1 of the National Curriculum. Children in the nursery develop their speaking and listening skills well through role-play, stories and rhymes. Following a visit to the local estate agent’s, children developed their understanding further through role play. Children in the reception classes learnt more about fighting fires, following a visit by a member of the fire brigade. Adults encourage children to talk about their own experiences, extend their vocabulary and gain confidence in speaking in a group. Standards in reading are above those expected, due to the early emphasis on letter sounds. Children know many words by sight and use their

p.19

Commentary

knowledge of letter sounds to learn new words. They are encouraged to write for a relevant purpose. All children are supported well in small groups, enabling them to make good gains in their knowledge, skills and understanding.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s mathematical skills are extended and reinforced through well-planned practical activities.

p.19

Commentary

51. Standards are above national expectations. Children make good progress and achieve well, as a result of good teaching and a high level of support. In the nursery, they learn songs and rhymes and are encouraged to count in many situations. They make good gains in their knowledge, skills and understanding as a result of the emphasis on learning through practical experience. Throughout the nursery and reception classes, teachers build systematically on pupils' prior learning. As a result, most children are likely to achieve the national early learning goals by the end of the reception year. Approximately a quarter of children are currently working within Level 1 of the National Curriculum. The emphasis is on numeracy skills and the use of mathematical vocabulary. Oral work is reinforced through practical activities and programs on the computer. Children in the nursery develop an interest in

p.19

Commentary

counting, sorting, matching and ordering a variety of objects. Reception class children use the correct vocabulary when adding and subtracting and are beginning to solve simple problems. They make good progress in ordering objects by length. Through sand and water play, they have a developing understanding of capacity and weight, and use words such as full, empty, heavier and lighter . Most children use the vocabulary of time and money correctly. Children describe some of the properties of two- and three-dimensional shapes.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s understanding is developed through a wide range of activities. • Children have many opportunities to use their senses when exploring their surroundings.

p.19

Commentary

Wibsey Primary School - 20 52. Standards are above national expectations. Teaching is good and children make good progress and achieve well. Carefully planned activities increase children's knowledge of the local area. Most children are likely to reach the early learning goals and a significant minority will exceed them. With strong adult support, children in the nursery have helped to create a flourishing nursery garden, containing a variety of vegetables and flowers. During the inspection, children braved the April showers to mix cement and build a brick wall during their investigations of the best way to build a house. They investigated the properties of wet and dry sand and looked closely at similarities and differences, patterns and change. Skilful questioning helped them to interpret their discoveries. Children in the reception classes investigate changes that occur through heating and cooling and what happens when ice

p.20

Commentary

cubes are added to water. They use digital cameras to record what they see. Computer skills are developed progressively. Children make good gains in their knowledge of the cultures, values, traditions and beliefs of others, as they listen to stories from Jesus's life and learn about traditions that are special to people of different faiths. They talk about past and present events in their own lives and the lives of people they know. Their understanding of being part of a community develops well through a range of visits and visitors.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children move with growing confidence and awareness of space. • They have a developing understanding of the importance of exercise. • The area for outdoor activities for reception children is under-resourced.

p.20

Commentary

53. Standards are above national expectations. Children achieve well due to high quality teaching and support. They are all likely to meet the national early learning goals. Adults make good use of the well-equipped nursery outdoor area, as well as the school hall, to develop children's physical skills. A planning application has been made to provide an outdoor area for the reception classes to complement the indoor classroom. Despite the current limitations, a significant number of children in the reception classes have already achieved the early learning goals, due to strong and imaginative teaching. They demonstrate a good awareness of space and of others and move with confidence, control, co-ordination and imagination, developing their jumping and landing skills through the use of small apparatus. They are encouraged to initiate combinations of movement, in order to respond to feelings and ideas.

p.20

Commentary

Children use climbing equipment safely, and a range of body parts as they travel along, under and over equipment. They are aware of changes that happen to their bodies when they are active and discover that their hearts beat faster when they jump up and down. As they construct models of houses and use Playdoh and construction sets, they demonstrate increasing control in handling tools, objects and construction materials safely.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for creative development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are many opportunities for imaginative and creative development.

p.20

Commentary

54. Standards are above national expectations. Children are encouraged to develop their creativity within stimulating, well-resourced learning areas. Teaching is good and leads to Wibsey Primary School - 21 good progress and achievement. Most children meet expectations for their age and a significant number exceed the national early learning goals. Children in the nursery respond imaginatively to music, songs and rhymes with simple body movements, and use instruments to accompany songs. They recognise sound patterns and loud and quiet sounds, and sing simple songs from memory. There are many opportunities for children in the reception classes to express their ideas, thoughts and feelings and to use their imaginations in response to music. They demonstrate a developing understanding of pitch, dynamics and tempo. Children in the nursery are encouraged to experiment with colours, to see how they can be

p.20

Commentary

mixed and changed. Reception children use a range of materials and a variety of painting, printing and collage techniques. They show developing skills in drawing, painting, threading and joining materials.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well and standards are above average • Teaching in Year 6 is consistently good or better • Standards in Years 3 to 6 are improving. • The subject is well led and managed

p.21

Commentary

55. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well, maintaining well above average standards in writing and above average standards in reading in the current Year 2.Pupils enjoy their English lessons and are keen to answer questions, speaking clearly and confidently. They listen well to their teachers and to one another. Pupils in Year 1 greatly enjoy reading and begin to read aloud with good expression. They use punctuation to guide their expression and explain that they have emphasised words or read loudly because of the bold print or exclamation marks. When discussing a poem, they were able to suggest a good range of alternatives for scary, such as spooky, terrifying, and creepy . Teachers took care to explain that using a wider range of vocabulary makes the writing more interesting. Year 2 pupils enjoy poetry and try to create sound effects by using alliteration. They are confident readers and their writing skills are

p.21

Commentary

56. In the national tests for 11-year-olds in 2004, standards were below those found in schools nationally and also below those found in similar schools. Whilst the proportion of pupils attaining the higher Level 5 in English was similar to that found in schools nationally, the proportion attaining the average Level 4 was below that found nationally. Standards attained by pupils in Year 6 were similar to those expected by pupils nationally. Staff have recognised the need to address this and have worked very hard to do so and analysed pupils’ work rigorously to identify the aspects that pupils find difficult. Assessment procedures have improved and teachers are making use of the information to set individual and group targets for pupils. Pupils are set for English, which helps teachers plan effectively for pupils’ specific learning needs.

p.21

Commentary

57. Lesson observations and scrutiny of pupils’ work show that standards are improving. Pupils continue to speak confidently and clearly. They express their ideas well and are good listeners. In all the lessons observed pupils were interested in their work and were keen to answer questions. In two of the Year 6 lessons teachers used role-play and discussion very effectively to develop pupils’ understanding of characterisation. Pupils read confidently and Wibsey Primary School - 22 are able to use their reading skills to find information from a variety of sources. Although pupils enjoy reading, they talk about only a limited range of popular children’s fiction. 58. Standards in writing are improving and the majority of pupils attain the levels expected for their age. A good proportion attain above average standards by the end of Year 6 as a result of good and very good teaching in Year 6.

p.21

Commentary

59. Teaching in English is satisfactory overall; however it is variable across year groups and is good in Years 1 and 2. In Years 3 and 4 teaching is satisfactory. Teachers in these year groups have satisfactory subject knowledge but they do not always use the most suitable methods to develop the knowledge and understanding of different groups of pupils. Lower attaining pupils were often given tasks that required them to listen for too long and then to write. By contrast, the best lessons made good use of role play and practical activities. This engaged pupils’ interest and helped them to understand the tasks. The best teaching was seen in Year 6 and with the lowest attaining set in Year 5. In these lessons teachers were careful to provide for pupils with different learning needs. Teachers were skilled at using discussion and the lessons were very well paced. Two outstanding lessons were observed.

p.22

Commentary

In both these lessons relationships were excellent and support staff made a very effective contribution to pupils’ learning. The methods used were very well matched to pupils’ needs, enabling them to make very good progress.

p.22

Commentary

60. English is well led and managed. The subject leaders work very well together and have a good understanding of what needs to be done to raise standards further. They have observed colleagues teaching and regularly lead professional development sessions for teachers and support staff. They analyse data from pupils’ tests and are using this to set targets. They also monitor pupils’ work in books. Improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

61. Pupils’ reading skills enable them to find information from textbooks and other sources. They are competent in using dictionaries and reference books as well as finding information from the Internet. There is some use of writing in history but writing across the curriculum needs to be developed further. In religious education pupils discuss ideas and teachers are making increasing use of debate and discussion to support pupils’ learning.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

62. In French , no lessons were observed due to timetabling arrangements and, therefore, it is not possible to make overall judgements on provision, standards, achievement, teaching or improvement since the last inspection. French is taught to pupils in Year 6 for 40 minutes each week. The curriculum is good, with a strong emphasis on conversational French. Good assessment procedures are used well to respond to individual needs and pupils have a good knowledge of their own learning. Their very good attitudes promote learning and they acquire a good accent, because they listen carefully to the way that the teacher speaks.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

63. Pupils are developing an understanding of French and European culture, acquiring a basic key vocabulary and knowledge of language functions. Lessons include visual elements such as flashcards and pictures, auditory elements including songs, rhymes, word games, movement, actions and games. Leadership and management are good. The subject leader has a degree in French and a strong commitment to teaching the subject. Pupils in all three Year 6 classes benefit from her expertise. In discussion, pupils say that they enjoy French and that having some knowledge of the language makes them feel more confident about learning it in secondary school. A number of children in Year 2 take advantage of a weekly lunchtime French club, led by another teacher. They demonstrate a developing basic vocabulary, including greetings, days of the week, months of the year, colours, animals and items found in the classroom. Pupils in Year 4 who choose not to go on the residential trip

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

enjoy learning basic vocabulary during a French week led by the subject leader. Wibsey Primary School - 23

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Assessment is used very well to group pupils and to provide extra support where needed. • The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good. • Mathematics lessons throughout the school, additional to those following the format of the numeracy strategy, promote the teaching of investigative mathematics well. • Termly booklets for parents give very helpful information on their children’s progress in mathematics. • The subject is well led and managed.

p.23

Commentary

64. In 2004, standards in the National Curriculum tests in Year 2 were well above the national average as there was a larger than usual number of higher attaining pupils in this year group. Standards were average in Year 6 when compared with schools nationally and with similar schools.

p.23

Commentary

65. In the current Year 2, standards seen in pupils’ books were slightly above average and, with the extra help given through booster groups, standards are on course to be above average by the end of the year. In lessons, standards were average, but pupils made good progress and achieved well. For example, pupils working at just below the higher Level 3 are taught in a separate group and make very good progress as a result of the very good teaching. In a Year 2 lesson where pupils gave instructions on how to move through a maze and avoid obstacles, they achieved very well because assessment was used particularly well to match the tasks to the attainments of different groups of pupils. Demonstration was used very well to introduce the topic; pupils were engrossed in their tasks, and, by the end of the lesson, all were able to write a series of accurate instructions using forward, backwards, left and right and some were

p.23

Commentary

66. Pupils also achieve well through the ‘maths extra’ lessons, which are focused on investigating problems. In a Year 2 lesson time was used particularly well and pupils devised their own division problems. Booster classes and ‘maths extra’ lessons are also effective in Year 1. Teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 are good overall and often very good in Year 2. In the best lessons questioning is used well throughout to assess what pupils know, to improve their understanding and increase their knowledge. Teaching assistants make a strong contribution to the success of lower-attaining pupils in both Years 1 and 2. More planned provision could be made for the most able.

p.23

Commentary

67. Standards seen in pupils’ books in Year 6 were average and they achieved satisfactorily. Carelessness is a particular problem in this year group. Pupils’ inaccurate work brings down standards from a potentially higher level. This, together with a shaky recall of multiplication tables, rather than a lack of understanding, prevents some pupils from reaching the national average.

p.23

Commentary

68. The quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6 ranges from satisfactory to good and is good overall. Teaching in Year 6 is consistently good and sometimes very good. Whilst standards in pupils’ books are average, standards in lessons were above average. Pupils are now making good progress and achieving well. Higher attaining pupils are working securely at the expected Level 4 and at some aspects of the higher Level 5. There are very able pupils in this year, although none has been identified as gifted or talented. Wibsey Primary School - 24 69. Booster groups for lower-attaining pupils are very successful in Years 3 to 6. By introducing these booster groups last year, the school improved results for these children. Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well in Years 5 and 6 through small high-input groups. Standards are very low, but the enjoyment these pupils show in accomplishing a task

p.23

Commentary

successfully and answering questions correctly gives them confidence and raises their self- esteem considerably. The teaching of the Year 5 group was most imaginative, highly skilled and met their needs very well indeed. Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well throughout the school.

p.24

Commentary

70. Teaching and learning overall in Years 3 to 6 are good. They were very good in a ‘maths extra’ lesson in which pupils were shown how to set out an investigation. The progress they made in this single lesson was considerable and pupils achieved very well. In a Year 6 revision lesson for higher attaining pupils, the linking of multiplication tables to polygons was very successful. Good use was made of a variety of methods, including a short computer program, to remind pupils how to find perimeters and areas. Pupils were engrossed throughout the lesson and they made good progress. On the few occasions when pupils were not well motivated, teachers used a range of techniques to regain and hold their interest. In one lesson where this did not happen the work was not matched well to the differing needs of pupils. The quality of teaching across the school has improved since the last inspection, when

p.24

Commentary

it was judged to be satisfactory in both key stages.

p.24

Commentary

71. The subject is well led and managed. Although the subject leader has been on leave, alternative leadership and management in his absence have ensured that classroom observations of teaching and learning have continued. Written feedback is given to teachers after lesson observation and also after pupils’ work has been collected and monitored by the subject leader. A strength is the linking of the monitoring of pupils’ books with the monitoring of teachers’ lesson plans. The subject leaders have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the subject. National test results have been carefully analysed. Charts showing pupils’ achievements and areas of weakness are passed on to their next teacher and good assessment procedures are in place for tracking pupils’ progress. In-service training has been provided over the last 18 months for all staff. All year groups have individual targets.

p.24

Commentary

Excellent information is sent each term to parents on their child’s targets and how they can help. Leadership and management have improved since the last inspection, when they were judged to be satisfactory.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

72. Whilst there is evidence of numeracy being used in other subjects, such as in ICT and history, and particularly well in science, this is not as strong as it should be and could be better planned.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject is well led and managed. • Good opportunities for investigative and experimental science are given to pupils. • An over-reliance on published worksheets limits older pupils’ opportunities to choose how they will record their scientific ideas.

p.24

Commentary

73. Overall standards by the end of Year 2 match the national average. Standards attained by 11- year-olds in national tests have been average over the past four years. Pupils have a good understanding of scientific processes. In the last two years the curriculum has focused on Wibsey Primary School - 25 developing pupils’ understanding of investigative and experimental science and this has raised standards across the school, but particularly by the age of seven. Pupils have a sound understanding of scientific facts. Pupils show satisfactory knowledge of life processes and living things, materials and their properties, and of physical processes.

p.24

Commentary

74. Pupils have many good opportunities to plan and carry out science investigations. In Years 3 to 6, however, the over-reliance on published worksheets to record pupils’ observations and conclusions limits their progress in this aspect of science because they are not always able to make decisions about the most appropriate way to record their results. The school has recognised this is an area for further development and is currently revising the curriculum to address this. Work in pupils’ books shows that they make limited use of their reference skills to research topics. However, they use their mathematical skills well in science, using different types of graphs and charts to record results from their investigations.

p.25

Commentary

75. In a very good Year 6 lesson, pupils showed very good understanding of the effect of forces on elastic bands and how to measure them. They greatly enjoyed planning an investigation and predicting how changing aspects of the investigation would affect their results. Pupils showed good understanding of the principles of fair testing. Year 5 pupils were enthusiastic about planning an investigation to see whether different liquids evaporated at different rates. They enjoyed suggesting ways to measure the rate of evaporation. Year 4 pupils were keen to show that they could use a Newton meter to measure friction and record their results in a bar chart. Pupils’ written work shows that they tackle a good range of investigations that cover all areas of the science curriculum.

p.25

Commentary

76. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are given more frequent opportunities to choose how they record their science ideas, as worksheets are used less frequently. Their work is neat, often in pictorial form and it is always clear what area of science has been tackled. Pupils are beginning to record their work using bar charts and developing an understanding of fair testing. Pupils in Year 1 were able to identify parts of plants and to record observations of changes to seeds they had planted the previous week.

p.25

Commentary

77. Teaching in science is satisfactory. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and place emphasis on teaching pupils to use scientific vocabulary. In the most effective lessons, teachers plan a good range of scientific experiences for pupils. They encourage pupils to predict what they think will happen in their experiments and to discuss the reliability of their test results and explain that sometimes they need to repeat tests to check their results. Teachers also encourage pupils to consider the most appropriate ways of recording their findings in graphs and charts. Where teaching was less effective it became over-directed, with pupils being told what the outcomes of their observations should be. In a small number of cases, teachers planned too much work so that pupils did not have enough time to complete their tasks well. Teachers have good relationships with their pupils and enable them to work productively.

p.25

Commentary

78. Science is well led and managed by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic co-ordinator. She has good knowledge of the primary science curriculum and supports colleagues well. She has done a great deal to support colleagues to develop a more practical and investigative approach to science teaching and has identified how provision can be developed further. She has provided support and advice to colleagues, observed teaching and monitored pupils’ work. A range of visits and visitors enriches the science curriculum. For example, a theatre group visited the school to perform a play about skeletons. Good links have been established with the nearby high school where Wibsey pupils can use the science facilities.

p.25

Commentary

79. The school has improved its provision for science and made satisfactory progress since the last inspection. Wibsey Primary School - 26

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

Provision for information and communication technology is good.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is very good. • Pupils have a high degree of confidence, resulting in very good achievement. • The subject is very well led and managed. • There are excellent examples of teaching in Year 2. • Teaching in Year 6 is consistently very good. • Very good lesson planning leads to a clear understanding of pupils’ levels of attainment.

p.26

Commentary

80. Standards by the end of Years 2 and 6 are in line with those expected nationally of pupils of their age. Significant recent improvements in the leadership and management are already raising standards and pupils of all levels of attainment now achieve very well, showing considerable confidence as they develop their ICT skills. Standards have improved in Year 6 this year. In 2004, 44 per cent of pupils reached the expected Level 4; by the end of the 2005 school year, 75 per cent of pupils are expected to reach this level. Teaching, learning and leadership have improved since the last inspection from satisfactory to very good. There has been a considerable improvement in the number of computers in the school and digital cameras and scanners have been bought and used successfully in other subjects such as history. Five classes have overhead projectors and interactive white boards are to be installed in the new academic year. Resources overall are good.

p.26

Commentary

81. The quality of teaching and learning in Year 2 is very good and has some outstanding features. Planning is excellent, with work planned at different National Curriculum levels, including detailed descriptions of activities, expected outcomes and assessment opportunities. Teachers link what pupils are learning in school to their home lives very well. Exceptionally good questioning of pupils promotes learning very well, keeps their interest and enables the teacher to assess what they know. Teachers develop pupils’ speaking skills well; for example, by encouraging them to enlarge on their explanations when asked what could go wrong if a device were programmed incorrectly. The pace of lessons is excellent and pupils are given challenging tasks to complete, such as drawing an imaginary island with bays, sandy beaches and piers and using the correct vocabulary to explain how they have created the island.

p.26

Commentary

Higher-attaining pupils, working in groups with a floor turtle, use the same language to program their roamer to avoid obstacles. Pupils discuss what to do and work very well in groups, with partners and individually. Work is very well matched to pupils’ different levels of attainment.

p.26

Commentary

82. Lower-attaining pupils make good progress, working with a support assistant for some of the lesson on computers in a separate room. In the lesson observed, achievement was high for almost all pupils and it was good for pupils with special educational needs. Every pupil in the school has a log-in number and their own folder and Year 2 pupils confidently switch on the computers and find the correct program at which to work.

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Commentary

83. Teaching and learning are very good in Year 6, where pupils approach their work with enthusiasm and confidence. Teachers plan very effectively and have very good subject knowledge. Higher-attaining pupils are given tasks which challenge them well, and pupils with special educational needs follow their own specific programs. All pupils are provided for very well. In the lessons observed, pupils demonstrated that they could link devices together, such as fairground equipment, and improve them, controlling sound, movement and lights. By Year 6, pupils are also able to collect information, such as the range and number of drinks sold in a vending machine and enter their findings onto spreadsheets. They are able to use formulae and produce graphs of their results. Formulae are used to work out the area and perimeter of Wibsey Primary School - 27 shoes and to investigate which lengths of sides give the greatest area. Pupils in Year 6 make

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Commentary

multimedia presentations about themselves, hammer-headed sharks or on making a musical instrument.

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Commentary

84. The subject is very well led and managed by the subject leader, who has done an enormous amount to develop the subject since the last inspection. The aims and policy have been revised and a considerable amount of written advice and guidance is now available for teachers. The subject leader has compiled a portfolio of levelled work and each example gives advice on what could be done to reach the next level. ICT working parties are held half- termly, with a different representative from each year group attending, to analyse the progress of the action plan, making any necessary adjustments. Very good record sheets have been produced which clearly identify pupils’ strengths and weaknesses. All records are kept on computers and pupils complete self-assessments at the end of each unit. Teachers and support staff are at present carrying out their own self-assessment to inform the subject leader

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Commentary

where in-service training would be helpful.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

85. The use of ICT across the curriculum is satisfactory. There is evidence of its being used in most subjects in a limited way, but it is not yet fully integrated into the daily classroom curriculum. The school has identified this as an area for development. ICT is linked to religious education where, for example, pupils design Joseph’s multi-coloured coat and carpets based on Islamic patterns. In mathematics pupils use ICT to draw rectangles and squares and in literacy they word process poems or study rhyming words. Year 5 pupils carry out simple searches on the Internet, when, for example, getting up-to-date on the school meals debate. By Year 6 pupils use computers to write extended texts and many of their very well presented history projects show ICT skills being applied well.

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HUMANITIES

86. Timetabling arrangements during the inspection meant that it was not possible to observe any lessons in geography but a scrutiny of pupils’ work indicates that standards match the national expectations. A Year 2 trip to the seaside enabled pupils to study a place beyond their own locality and to experience at first hand some of the geographical features of the shore line. Visits are used across Years 3 to 6 to enliven the subject and to give pupils experience of travelling by different modes of transport and learning from their own observations about features such as valleys, caves, stalactites and stalagmites. There is a satisfactory range of written work and some good links are made with mathematics. Graphs and charts are used to record information from traffic surveys and for making comparisons between rainfall in different places such as Alice Springs and Singapore. By Year 6, pupils have studied features of different places and can discuss how an environment can be

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HUMANITIES

changed or damaged. Adequate time is allocated to the subject and geography is well planned with a co-ordinator who is now responsible for monitoring provision.

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HUMANITIES

87. It was only possible to observe one lesson in history but evidence gained from sampling pupils’ work indicates that standards are in line with national expectations throughout the school. Further evidence was gained from a study of teachers’ planning, scrutinising displays around the school and looking at work in pupils’ books.

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HUMANITIES

88. A good range of strategies is used to promote pupils’ understanding of history. In the lesson observed, Year 6 pupils developed their understanding of democracy, as part of their work on ancient Greece, by preparing a debate about the location of a new supermarket. The teacher effectively helped pupils to prepare for the debate by discussing their ideas with them and encouraging them to present their ideas persuasively. Wibsey Primary School - 28 89. Visits are used to deepen pupils’ understanding of particular historical eras. A very good example of this was the visit to a nearby Tudor manor house where Year 4 pupils learnt about Tudor life by dressing up in servants’ clothes and preparing typical food for a family. Good links are made with other subjects such as art. Year 3 pupils, for example, made clay coil pots based on pictures of Roman pottery. Provision for history is well planned and adequate

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HUMANITIES

time is allocated to this subject. The co-ordinator for history effectively oversees all aspects of provision.

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Religious Education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils display empathy, openness and respect for different religious beliefs. • Religious education is used well to develop speaking and listening skills. • A good range of work is covered.

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Commentary

90. Pupils throughout the school achieve standards that meet the expectations of the local agreed syllabus. By the end of Year 2 pupils have read a range of Bible stories and have learned about the festival days of different religions. Teachers relate pupils’ experiences to religious ideas. A good example of this was the way pupils could see the similarities between their personal special places and places of worship. By the end of Year 6 pupils are knowledgeable about different faiths, places of worship and symbols associated with particular religions. Pupils study Christianity, Sikhism and other world faiths, covering a good range of work.

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Commentary

91. Pupils’ understanding is developed well through Years 3 to 6. Pupils’ written work shows that teachers take care to emphasise how stories from different religious traditions relate to the lives of believers and this helps pupils to appreciate the importance of the stories. Year 6 pupils understood the key features of the different faiths that they had studied and recognised the importance that religion plays in people’s lives. In discussing their work, pupils displayed empathy, openness and respect for different religious beliefs and felt that this understanding was the most important aspect of learning for them.

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Commentary

92. Teaching is satisfactory. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and plan their lessons very carefully. In the most effective lessons teachers used questioning skills to help pupils to recall previous work and to reflect on what they were learning. This often promoted discussion and helped pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills. Where teaching was less effective, pupils were given tasks that were not well matched to their needs or interests, leading to a slower pace of work.

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Commentary

93. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. Planning for the curriculum has improved and assemblies are used well to enhance pupils’ learning. The co-ordinator provides support and advice to her colleagues, observes teaching and monitors pupils’ work. She has written a clear action plan for the development of the subject. Improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory. Wibsey Primary School - 29

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards by the end of Years 2 and 6 are above national expectations. • Strong emphasis on the progressive development of skills contributes to pupils’ good achievement.

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Commentary

94. Standards by the end of Years 2 and 6 are above national expectations. Pupils of all ability groups make good progress and achieve well as a result of good teaching by a number of specialist art teachers. It is clear from the high quality of pupils’ work on display that art and design has a high profile in the school.

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Commentary

95. Good use of visual images overrides language and learning difficulties and enables all pupils to have full access to the curriculum. Pupils use their sketch books well to gather information and practise specific techniques such as perspective and shading. They have opportunities to use a range of materials, tools and techniques and draw on the work of great artists to stimulate their ideas. They are encouraged to experiment with a range of media. Their work demonstrates progress in the use of line, colour, form, texture and pattern and in their ability to produce close observational drawings, moving figures, portraits and landscapes. Collages produced by pupils in each year group during a recent art day are particularly good.

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Commentary

96. The quality of teaching is good and leads to good learning. Teachers plan very effectively and often teach all three classes in a particular year group, thereby promoting equality of opportunity for all pupils in the group. They successfully engage pupils’ interest and inspire them to apply creative effort to their work. Teaching assistants give valuable support where needed. There are strong links with other areas of the curriculum. Pupils in Year 2, inspired by Jackson Pollock’s work, used forces and movement to create prints and images. In a Year 4 lesson, pupils drew on their knowledge of history and the environment, using recycled materials to produce Roman mosaics.

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Commentary

97. Pupils in Year 5 used papier mache to make canopic jars in the style of the ancient Egyptians. They took account of line, colour, shape, scale and detail when decorating them. In a Year 6 lesson, pupils used their knowledge of water and rivers to create high quality collages based on the movement of water. Leadership and management are good. The subject leader has a clear vision for future development and sees the potential to raise standards further. Assessment is used well to respond to individual needs. Resources are good and are used well. Improvement since the last inspection has been good.

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Commentary

98. Time-tabling arrangements during the inspection meant that it was only possible to see one lesson in design and technology . It is not possible, therefore to make overall judgements on provision, achievement, teaching or improvement since the last inspection. In the Year 6 lesson observed teaching was very good and inspired pupils to give of their best when completing a project on making slippers. Pupils’ planning, annotated designs, evaluations and models on display, together with photographic evidence, suggest that standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 match expectations for pupils’ age. Literacy and mathematical skills are used well. Tasks are generally open-ended and pupils draw on their knowledge and investigative skills. Their attitudes to their work are very good; pupils take pride in their designs and models and are keen to talk about them. The consistent approach to planning, designing,

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Commentary

making and evaluating products is helpful in maintaining standards. Wibsey Primary School - 30 99. Cross-curricular links enrich the curriculum. Skills are taught progressively and pupils undertake a broad range of designing and making activities. Planning shows that visual images are used widely as a stimulus for design. Assessment is thorough and constructive and is used well to respond to individual needs. Pupils are encouraged to assess their own work and that of their peers and they have a good understanding of how they can improve. Accommodation, in the form of a well-equipped design and technology room, is good. Leadership and management are good. The experienced co-ordinator provides good support for staff and pupils. She has a good knowledge of standards throughout the school, as a result of monitoring teaching and learning.

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Commentary

100. As only two music lessons were observed during the inspection it is not possible to make a secure judgement about teaching and learning. Pupils sing well in assemblies. They sing tunefully, with good diction and expression and the older pupils confidently sing in two parts. In the lessons observed pupils showed good rhythmic skills and played percussion accompaniments competently. Teachers’ planning shows that ICT is used but this was not observed during the inspection. Pupils enjoy the extra-curricular musical activities such as a choir and a recorder group. Pupils have the opportunity to learn the guitar, violin, brass and woodwind instruments.

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Physical Education

Provision for physical education is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good overall, and sometimes very good. • The subject is very well led. • Pupils achieve well. • A wide range of extra-curricular activities is provided.

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Commentary

101. Standards are in line with national expectations throughout the school. Teachers are knowledgeable and teach through demonstration. As a result pupils achieve well. In a Year 1 lesson, pupils improved their co-ordination when shadowing a partner and developing dance skills. The lesson also contributed well to pupils’ social and cultural development. In another Year 1 lesson, pupils achieved well above average standards when they balanced a beanbag on different parts of their body before running, picking up and replacing the beanbag as they moved across the hall. The demonstrations given by all three adults were particularly effective and resulted in pupils achieving very well. The quality of teaching and learning was very good,

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Commentary

102. Overall teaching and learning in Years 3 to 6 are good. Skills are clearly taught through explanation, questioning and demonstration, which keep pupils’ interest. Lessons have a clear structure, enabling teachers to check on pupils’ learning and there is a good balance of discussion and activity. Planning is effective and health and safety considerations are discussed well. Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. As a result pupils achieve well. Year 5 pupils, for example, achieve well at triple jumps and throwing activities. In Year 4, pupils are better at catching than throwing. More than half the pupils are able to match the national expectations of swimming 25 meters by the end of Year 5, a year ahead of curriculum requirements.

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Commentary

103. Physical education has a high profile in the school and is led by a dedicated subject leader. Many other teachers and support staff are also involved in taking lessons and running clubs. Lunchtime dance clubs, led by support staff, are very well attended, with pupils working towards a performance. The subject leader is a specialist and enthusiast, leading by example; he gives generously of his time, running clubs and entering pupils in matches and Wibsey Primary School - 31 competitions. Amongst the extra-curricular activities provided are gymnastics, dance, table tennis, bull-tag rugby, various football league and tournament matches, swimming galas, cross country running and athletics. A group of pupils has also had ‘taster’ lessons in basket ball. The subject leader has kept comprehensive records with photographs and the names and specific achievements of all pupils who have entered competitions and matches over the

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Commentary

last six years. The subject is very well led and well managed. No judgements were made on standards, teaching, learning, leadership or management in the last inspection.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP (PSHEC)

104. Timetabling arrangements meant that it was not possible to observe any PSHEC lessons during the inspection. Judgements are based on a review of the school’s arrangements, observations in the breakfast club, assemblies, extra-curricular activities and conversations with pupils. The co-ordinator has a clear view of the purpose of PSHEC, how she expects it to be taught and what pupils are expected to learn. The policy was reviewed after she had undertaken training. She has monitored some lessons and ensures that PSHEC is planned and taught consistently. There are weekly time-tabled lessons in each class and these cover drugs and sex education at a level suitable to pupils’ ages. In other lessons, teachers encourage pupils to discuss their ideas, to listen carefully to others and to take responsibility for their actions. Social and moral issues are a regular feature of assemblies. The school has

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP (PSHEC)

a particularly productive relationship with the local police liaison officer, who takes PSHEC lessons on a regular basis. Pupils know that their ideas and suggestions are listened to and taken seriously. The recently formed school council is beginning to have an influence on how the school is run. Wibsey Primary School - 32

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The overall effectiveness of the school 4

How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 4

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities (ethos) 2

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

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The quality of education provided by the school 4

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

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The leadership and management of the school 3

The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the acting headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

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The leadership and management of the school 3

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); Wibsey Primary School - 33 poor (6); very poor (7).

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