Dearne Goldthorpe Primary School

Inspection Report Dearne Goldthorpe Primary School

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106580 Unique Reference Number Barnsley LEA 277589 Inspection number 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005 Inspection dates Mr Terry McDermott CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Barnsley Road School address Primary Type of school Goldthorpe Community School category Rotherham, South Yorkshire S63 9NG 3 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01709 892044 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01709 881196 Fax number 301 Number on roll Mrs A Jenkinson Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr G McHale Headteacher 22 May 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277589 28 November 2005 - 3 to 11 29 November 2005 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

Dearne Goldthorpe is an average sized primary school. It serves a former coal mining area of well above average social disadvantage. About half its pupils are eligible for free school meals. This is well above the national average. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is very high. There are very few pupils with a minority ethnic heritage, and a very small number whose first language is not English. The school has gone through a period of significant and damaging turbulence and a new headteacher has recently been appointed.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Dearne Goldthorpe Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005

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Grade: 3

The school evaluates itself as satisfactory and inspectors agree. The new leadership know the school's strengths and weaknesses and are successfully moving it out of a period of significant disruption. A wide range of strategies to improve teaching and learning has been implemented but the school has yet to see the full benefit of these. Actions taken to improve standards have been successful in English and science, less so in mathematics. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, but good in the Foundation Stage where teachers focus all activities well and no time for learning is wasted. In Key Stages 1 and 2, teachers gather information to track how well pupils are learning but do not use this information enough to set individual learning targets. Throughout the school, pupils with a range of learning difficulties and/or disabilities progress as well as other pupils, as a result of early and accurately placed support.

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Grade: 3

The recently introduced curriculum gives many opportunities to enrich pupils' learning. Pupils like being at school and enjoy their learning experiences. They feel safe, and know who to turn to when they need help. All pupils make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development, they are polite, and come to classes prepared to learn. Adults provide a high level of care and support for children in a calm and safe atmosphere. There are good links with parents and the local community that ensure good support for pupils' learning. The school provides satisfactory value for money and has the capacity to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

Raise standards and improve achievement by: • rigorously applying strategies to improve the quality of teaching and learning • maintaining the close partnership with parents and the wider community • using performance information to set individual targets for pupils.

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Grade: 3

Attainment on entry to the school is well below the national average and pupils entering school have significant deficits. Good provision in the Foundation Stage helps them achieve well although standards remain below those expected when they begin Year 1. The school set ambitious targets and worked very hard last year to raise standards by correctly identifying the gaps in pupils' knowledge, understanding and personal development, and targeting support well. Improving provision in Key Stages 1 and 2 is arresting the decline in standards and beginning to build more effectively on Foundation Stage learning. Current work and lessons indicate that pupils are achieving soundly and standards of attainment are 2 Inspection Report: Dearne Goldthorpe Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005 rising. However, overall standards remain significantly below the national expectation in both key stages. Elements of good achievement exist where pupils exceed the

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Grade: 3

expectations based on their prior attainment, such as in writing in Key Stage 1 in 2005. However, overall achievement has been limited by the inconsistent quality of recent teaching. Lack of consistency in staffing has particularly had a negative effect on the most recent 2005 results in Key Stage 2. This is being remedied through better teaching and more effective monitoring.

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Grade: 2

Inspectors agree that the personal development and well-being of pupils are good. The school's positive behaviour policy employs a range of rewards for good behaviour, which are appreciated by pupils. Relationships between staff and pupils are good. As a result, behaviour in school is good and this contributes to the positive atmosphere found in all classes. Pupils are helped to make choices between right and wrong and they are tolerant of, and care for each other. Older pupils take pride in helping younger children. The school provides many opportunities for children to contribute to the local community. However, their knowledge of other cultures and world religions is not yet secure. Pupils enjoy school, recognise the efforts made by staff to make learning enjoyable, and want to learn. School council members are excited by the opportunities offered by this new initiative. Pupils are aware of the need to keep themselves safe; for example,

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Grade: 2

they can talk sensibly about what to do in the event of finding a syringe. They are beginning to understand the importance of practising a healthy lifestyle, the need to enjoy a healthy diet and take exercise.

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Grade: 3

The school evaluates teaching and learning as satisfactory and inspectors agree. In the Foundation Stage, however, children are taught well because teachers let them know what they need to do to get better. The best teaching throughout the school is based on thorough planning, high expectations, and lessons that proceed at a good pace. Where teaching was less than good, work was not always well matched to the needs of individual pupils, and teachers did not make the best use of marking to focus pupils on what they need to do to improve. Pupils' good behaviour and their clear desire to learn have a positive impact on the progress they make. Teachers accurately track pupils' progress in English and mathematics but make inconsistent use of this information. It is used well to allocate resources and provide successful additional support to those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and, increasingly, to higher achieving pupils. However, insufficient advantage is taken of

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Grade: 3

the information to set targets for individual pupils to enhance teachers' planning to 3 Inspection Report: Dearne Goldthorpe Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005 help pupils learn. The school knows this is an area for development and is actively working to improve its use of data so that it can better meet the needs of individuals and groups within lessons.

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Grade: 3

The school judges curriculum to be satisfactory and inspectors agree. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage is very well planned to provide a wide range of activities both inside and outdoors. The school has recently begun to tackle low overall attainment by changing its curriculum for Key Stages 1 and 2 to link subjects together in themes. The new curriculum plan is broad and balanced and meets national curriculum requirements. However, in the coverage of literacy and numeracy, not all work meets the needs of pupils with sufficient accuracy. This does not give pupils the opportunity to achieve all that they might. There is a wide range of enrichment activities that enhance the work in the classroom and contribute to pupils' academic and personal development. For example, visits within the local community and to museums and visitors into school, including storytellers and sports coaching.

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Grade: 3

The school thinks that the care, support and guidance it provides for pupils are good. Inspectors judge them satisfactory, because older pupils are not guided well enough to know how to improve their work. They lack individual targets, and the few comments on their marked work do not help them clearly enough. Pupils are well cared for. Health and safety and child protection procedures are secure and much improved since the last inspection. Pupils' views are gathered via the recently formed school council. Pupils with challenging behaviour are well supported by a learning mentor throughout the school day. This has a good impact on improving behaviour in lessons. The care, guidance and support for children in the Foundation Stage are exemplary. Their progress is tracked meticulously and there are good arrangements to prepare nursery children for their transfer to the Reception class. The support and identification

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Grade: 3

of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is good, as a result of the recent review of the range of individual learning needs across the school and more effective allocation of support. 4 Inspection Report: Dearne Goldthorpe Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005

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Grade: 3

The school accurately evaluates its overall leadership and management as satisfactory. The recently appointed headteacher is thoughtful and committed, and has set a clear direction for improvement and acts as a strong stabilising force in the school. The school development plan is well considered, with demanding timeframes for action. It demonstrates that the school leaders know the school's strengths and are working well to redress weaknesses by focusing on the right things to improve the quality of provision. Significant changes in both curriculum and tracking, particularly in the Foundation Stage, lead inspectors to believe that the school is well placed to improve further. The new leadership team has created a strong and dedicated partnership of staff, governors and parents. It has put in place well founded developments that have yet to have their maximum impact throughout the school but which are showing clear

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Grade: 3

effects, particularly in the Foundation Stage. Effective action is beginning to directly address shortcomings, especially those in teaching, which determine the quality of learning and progress, with energy and a growing sense of optimism. Senior managers are well supported by the governing body and together they closely monitor developments to ensure the effectiveness of improvements. Equality of opportunity is promoted well. The school operates a balanced budget, which is driven by a clear desire to improve the quality of the learning experience for all pupils. 5 Inspection Report: Dearne Goldthorpe Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Dearne Goldthorpe Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 4 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 3 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 3 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

As you know, we visited your school recently to see how you were all getting on. Thank you for being so polite and helpful to us. It was really nice to see you enjoying your lessons so much and working hard. You told us about how excited you were to be involved in making your school better, and we could see that you looked after yourselves, and the building. We think that the school is good at getting you to work together, and looks after you well. However, the teachers would help you to learn faster if they told you exactly what you needed to do to get better at your work. Mr McHale is a good headteacher, and he gets lots of help from the other people who are in charge of the school, so the school is improving all the time. Thank you once again for helping us with our work, and we wish you good luck for the future.

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