Russell Hall Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 27 Jun 2006

Inspection Report Russell Hall Primary School

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107433 Unique Reference Number Bradford LEA 277753 Inspection number 26 June 2006 to 27 June 2006 Inspection dates Mr Bill Keast 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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West End School address Primary Type of school Queensbury Foundation School category Bradford, West Yorkshire BD13 2AW 3 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01274 882116 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01274 881707 Fax number 278 Number on roll Mr K Jenkinson Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr M Ford Headteacher 16 October 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277753 26 June 2006 - 3 to 11 27 June 2006 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

This larger than average sized school is situated in a large village on the outskirts of Bradford. Pupils come from an area with broadly average social and economic indicators. Very few pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds. The proportions of pupils entitled to a free school meal or with identified learning difficulties and/or disabilities are below average. No pupil has a statement of special educational need. The school's nursery provision is large and serves the local area. More than half of these pupils move back to their local schools to continue their education. Attainment on entry to Reception is broadly average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Russell Hall Primary School, 26 June 2006 to 27 June 2006

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory quality of education and gives satisfactory value for money. This evaluation differs from that of the school because the school is not sufficiently precise in its view of itself. The school has created an environment in which pupils feel safe and enjoy coming here. The school takes good care of its pupils. Pupils' personal development is good as a result of the effective curriculum. Pupils behave well and relationships are good. Year 6 pupils are mature and perceptive. Provision in the Foundation Stage is good. Children make good progress because planning, teaching and assessment are closely linked. Their personal development is a particular strength. While the school has important strengths, teaching and leadership have only enabled pupils to make satisfactory progress as they maintain broadly average standards throughout Years 1 to 6. Teaching is satisfactory overall but does not provide sufficient

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Grade: 3

challenge for more able pupils: fewer than expected reach above average levels. Too little use is made of information and communication technology (ICT) to support pupils' learning. The school met its 2005 targets for the pupils but the drive to meet what are now significantly more challenging targets does not begin early enough. The way pupils are helped to understand how to improve their work is not consistent. Although checking on how well the school is doing is effective in many ways, it is not sufficiently focused to clearly identify the issues that have the greatest impact on pupils' progress. The school works effectively with other agencies and schools to promote pupils' well-being and development. The two main issues identified in the previous report have been successfully tackled. The school has a strong record of innovative developments and clearly has sound capacity to improve.

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What the school should do to improve further

To raise standards and increase progress: • plan more challenging work for the most able pupils • ensure planning and target setting challenges and builds pupils' progress throughout the school • focus the monitoring of teaching, planning and marking on their impact on pupils' progress • make greater use of ICT to support learning in all subjects.

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Grade: 3

The standards pupils reach by Years 2 and 6 are broadly average and represent satisfactory achievement. In the Foundation Stage, pupils make good progress, particularly in their personal development. Their attainment when they move into Year 1 is broadly average: it is higher than expected in personal, physical and creative areas but fewer than expected reach the higher levels in mathematical, reading and writing development. The five-year trend in the school's overall results has been similar to the national trend in English and mathematics, although science results at the end of 2 Inspection Report: Russell Hall Primary School, 26 June 2006 to 27 June 2006 Year 6 are rising faster than those nationally. At the end of Year 6, a smaller than average proportion of pupils reaches the higher levels in English and mathematics. Targets set for 2006 are significantly more challenging. The school's assessment

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Grade: 3

suggests that, although the targets may not be achieved, more pupils are likely to reach the higher levels.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' good personal development and their enthusiasm for school are stimulated by a rich curriculum. Pupils say 'We get involved in lots, like the band. It's not just work, work, work.' Productive relationships underpin the development of personal skills, as seen when Year 6 pupils conscientiously worked with and supported younger children. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good. Interesting ranges of experiences, such as residential visits, develop pupils' understanding of themselves, their place in the wider world and teamwork. Attendance is good, illustrating pupils' enjoyment of school. Pupils develop a strong sense of their own well-being. They know the best ways to stay healthy and have a good amount of exercise in school. They feel safe at school and are aware of dangers out of it, such as being careful near roads. Pupils are confident to express opinions, and the school council helps well in

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Grade: 2

this process. Pupils appreciate the time teachers and students from local secondary schools spend with them, saying it makes them feel 'more confident' about the next step in their education. The steady progress pupils make in literacy, numeracy and ICT skills contributes satisfactorily to their readiness for secondary education. Many pupils have special responsibilities in their class and around the school, which give them a good understanding of contributing to the community.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall and has some good features. As a result, pupils make sound progress. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good. Teachers and adults plan learning activities which are active, fun and themed, so making valuable links between areas of learning and accelerating children's progress. In Years 1 to 6, good relationships foster good attitudes to learning. Well planned lessons are lively and characterised by pupils enjoying their learning and making good progress, for example, where the teacher used specialised software in a geography lesson. The school has recognised, however, that ICT is not being used sufficiently to support learning in all subjects. Teachers do not always plan work to match the differing needs present: in particular, the most able are not consistently challenged to make as much progress as they can. In contrast, pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities

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Grade: 3

make sound progress because work is planned more consistently to meet their particular needs. Teachers mark pupils' work conscientiously. In Years 5 and 6, comments give good advice on how work can be improved. Overall, however, pupils' specific targets 3 Inspection Report: Russell Hall Primary School, 26 June 2006 to 27 June 2006 are often too broad and do not relate closely enough to National Curriculum expectations.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and extended by a wide range of visits and visitors which enrich provision, stimulate pupils' interest and result in good levels of take-up. The school has just achieved the Artsmark Gold award in recognition of this particular aspect of work. The Foundation Stage curriculum is good because it is themed well and also provides specific teaching on previously weaker areas, such as learning letter sounds, and this is raising standards. The curriculum in Years 1 to 6 meets statutory requirements. Throughout the school, the needs of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are met effectively and, as a result, they achieve as well as others. The good provision the school makes to encourage healthy and safe lifestyles, to promote social development and self-esteem and to provide good role models leads to pupils' strong personal development and the good ethos within the school.

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Grade: 2

Good care, guidance and support underpin all that the school does for its pupils. Child protection procedures, health and safety routines and risk assessments are firmly established. Pupils say that adults will help them where necessary and that they are free from harassment and racism. Parents agree that their children are safe in school. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are quickly identified and supported appropriately. External agencies are used effectively to help meet identified needs. Guidance given to pupils on how to improve their work varies. Where there is good practice, for example, in Year 5, pupils have personal targets that are clearly related to National Curriculum requirements to help them raise the standard of their work. Arrangements for joining the school, transferring to new classes within the school and moving on to secondary school, are excellent and ease transition.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher, staff and governors share a clear understanding of what they want for their school. The ethos of the school is particularly successful in promoting pupils' personal development. The good record of pupils' attainment is well used to set class targets but the monitoring of these, at an individual level, is not linked to the overall progress a pupil might reasonably be expected to make. The drive to reach what are increasingly challenging school targets does not start early enough. Monitoring of teaching and the evaluating of pupils' performance has not been sufficiently self-critical to clearly identify issues for improvement. Improvement planning, therefore, has few identified criteria by which its effectiveness can be evaluated. Identified issues, for example, the literacy skills of 4 Inspection Report: Russell Hall Primary School, 26 June 2006 to 27 June 2006

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Grade: 3

younger pupils, have been tackled effectively. While senior leaders are actively involved in monitoring, newly appointed subject leaders have yet to start this part of their role. Parents are very happy with the quality of the school provision. Their views are sought, on occasion, as are those of the pupils. Governors satisfactorily fulfil their responsibilities. They are very supportive of their school but have not been sufficiently challenging or involved in evaluating the impact of their agreed actions. The need to increase resources for ICT has been recognised. The issues identified in the last report have been effectively tackled and the school has a good record of innovative developments. The school clearly has sound capacity to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: Russell Hall Primary School, 26 June 2006 to 27 June 2006 .

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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: Russell Hall Primary School, 26 June 2006 to 27 June 2006

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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 3 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 3 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 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 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 2 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 2 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 3 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 3 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

Thank you very much for welcoming us to your school. We really enjoyed our visit and the opportunity to talk with you and see you working. These are the most effective things about your school: - how the school helps you to develop into responsible and mature pupils through, for example, the work of the school council - your good behaviour and hard work - the many activities and clubs that you enjoy and which provide you with opportunities to practice sport, music and art - how your teachers take good care of you so that you feel safe and enjoy coming to school - the good start given to the youngest children - the careful way the school teaches you to be safe and healthy and to concern yourselves about others - the excellent arrangements made to help you move into different classes and on to the high school. To make things even better, we have asked your headteacher and teachers to: - plan more work which really challenges you to reach the highest standards

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

- give each of you targets which, by building year on year, will help you make the best progress by the time you leave this school - see what works best in helping you make progress in your learning and for all teachers to use these ideas more regularly in their teaching - make more use of computers in your lessons. You can help your teachers by continuing to listen carefully and working hard and, of course, enjoying your time at school.

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