Ripponden Junior and Infant School

Inspection Report Ripponden Junior and Infant School

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107514 Unique Reference Number Calderdale LEA 277764 Inspection number 3 July 2006 to 4 July 2006 Inspection dates Mr Roger Gill 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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Halifax Road School address Primary Type of school Ripponden Community School category Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire HX6 4AH 4 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01422 823362 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01422 825154 Fax number 203 Number on roll Mr David Piggott Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr D Brier Headteacher 20 September 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277764 3 July 2006 - 4 to 11 4 July 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a slightly below average sized school situated in a relatively advantaged area. The vast majority of children are from White British families; a few are of mixed heritage. The proportion of children who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average, but the number with particular needs is high. This includes a small group with behavioural difficulties. The school's roll is rising as a result of the many building projects in the vicinity.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Ripponden Junior and Infant School, 3 July 2006 to 4 July 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school, which provides good value for money. It knows itself well because all who are involved play their part diligently. Achievement is good as a result of the good teaching provided overall. In recent years, standards at the end of Year 6 have been exceptionally high although in 2005 they were above average because of the number of children in that Year 6 group who had learning difficulties. Provision and standards in the Foundation Stage (Reception) are good, with outstanding features: children find learning exciting in such a well ordered and creative environment. Thereafter, in Years 1 to 6 teaching is good but learning sometimes slows to satisfactory in lessons that lack the rigour found elsewhere in the school. Some outstanding lessons help children romp ahead; learning has a creative edge and a strong spiritual flavour. The assessment of learning is thorough, but the information about children's progress

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Grade: 2

is not yet evaluated closely enough. The good leadership and management are characterised by the welcoming and inclusive approach of the headteacher and senior staff, and a sense of teamwork and commitment from all staff. Issues from the last inspection in 1999 have been tackled well and the school is poised to improve further. Thorough procedures for care and support produce good personal development in children. Parents applaud exciting aspects in the school's good curriculum One parent stated, 'The special focus weeks.have certainly been a hit with the children.' Most parents assert correctly that children enjoy school greatly. Teaching is monitored regularly and this helps to highlight main strengths and weaknesses. However, not enough emphasis is placed, during monitoring, on children's achievement and progress in lessons in order to make teaching consistently good.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the effectiveness of the school's monitoring of teaching to ensure consistently good teaching and good progress throughout the school. • Evaluate assessment information about pupils' progress throughout the school more closely, to improve progress even further.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good. Children begin in Reception at an overall level above that expected nationally, but attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is typical for their age. Progress is good in Reception: by the end of the year, children exceed the nationally expected goals. Achievement is good by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Standards often go well beyond the national average, depending on the proportion of children who find learning difficult in any year. These children achieve well; they race ahead in Year 6, making outstanding progress. Challenging targets are met by the end of Year 6. Where this does not happen, the school is rigorous in tackling the causes. For example, the 2005 downturn in test results at the end of Year 6 in mathematics and writing has been stemmed. This is because learning includes new 2 Inspection Report: Ripponden Junior and Infant School, 3 July 2006 to 4 July 2006

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Grade: 2

problem solving techniques in mathematics, and a closer involvement of children in considering how their writing could be improved. Children make good progress in information and communication technology (ICT), because learning is supported so well by a knowledgeable teaching assistant. Achievement in science, and art and design is good because the school capitalises on the talents of staff so well and uses the school grounds to good effect.

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Grade: 2

Children enjoy school, which is reflected in their good attendance. One child, echoing others, said with justification, 'We get a good start in life. . School helps to build your self confidence.' School council members are proud of being instrumental in the purchase of new playground equipment and the introduction of 'worry boxes'. Parents state correctly that the school has a strong influence on children's knowledge about health and safety matters. Responses to spiritual, moral, social and cultural education are good. Ideas and feeling are discussed well and children's understanding about global issues is developed thoughtfully. Most children behave well, although there are occasions when some find it hard to keep to the rules. Nevertheless, the school is having a good effect on behaviour, and Year 6 children are sure that problems are getting fewer in this respect. Many activities give children a spiritual perspective that

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Grade: 2

helps them to consider ideas, talents and important issues in a new light. This is particularly true when they explore the major religions and respond inquisitively to investigations in science. Children assume responsibilities willingly, but are capable of even more. They would like, for example, to chair and minute meetings of the school council.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning has improved well since the last inspection. Teaching in the basics produces good achievement and some outstanding learning in some lessons. Walls around the school are covered with displays that demonstrate how well children develop their understanding and interest in many subjects. For example, the superb batik work and silk painting, which were produced during a Creativity Week, are a testimony to the children's learning in art and education with a global perspective. Children in Reception are thrilled with their learning because teaching is so well coordinated by all adults concerned working in harmony. Elsewhere, teaching assistants often take a leading role, to good effect, in ICT and in supporting children who find learning difficult or who cannot easily control their behaviour. Outstanding lessons, like the exciting drama in Reception and the writing about Fairtrade issues in Year 6,

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Grade: 2

bristle with high expectations and children respond with vigour. Some teaching is without these ingredients; learning lacks urgency, because the drive for children to reach ambitious targets is missing. Teachers evaluate children's learning and test results 3 Inspection Report: Ripponden Junior and Infant School, 3 July 2006 to 4 July 2006 well; they know what needs to be tackled next. The way this knowledge, in terms of targets, is applied and evaluated lacks consistency.

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Grade: 2

Children undertake a wide range of challenging activities in English, mathematics and ICT. Numerous activities with a creative slant in science, art and mathematics fire children's imagination, develop skills and enhance personal development. A spirit of enquiry is alive in Reception where educational play is a firm vehicle for all kinds of valuable learning. All children grow in confidence, through taking part in the many clubs, dramatic performances and residential trips. The curriculum is geared well to making children conscious of health and safety issues, but is limited in its lack of business partnerships. Links with a local secondary school provide a wonderful chance for children to use an up-to-date centre for media studies. The curriculum is bulging with new ideas, but not all of them have had time to bed in. Furthermore, the restricted space in some classrooms and the hall limits the scope and style of learning possible.

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Grade: 2

Children receive good quality care and support. There are effective systems to assess risk. Health and safety are paramount. Child protection procedures, including checks on staff, are in place and working. Parents are rightly positive about the way their children are looked after. The small group of children who find self-control hard are guided well. There are effective systems that help to moderate their behaviour. Respectful and considerate relationships between staff and children help to create the good personal development and well-being, which exist throughout the school. Children know that someone is on hand to lend them a listening ear, particularly since discussion time and lessons for personal development are so effective. Some instances of academic guidance are outstanding, for example, in Year 6, but the new methods adopted by the school in 2006 are not embedded in every class: a relative weakness

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Grade: 2

in an otherwise good aspect of provision.

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Grade: 2

A culture of collaboration is promoted by a professional, knowledgeable and innovative senior leadership team. The headteacher provides a pastoral steer as good as it was in 1999, but with methods of delegation far superior to those which existed then. Furthermore, the deputy headteacher provides an outstanding example in the classroom for others to emulate. Leadership and management are shared well among the staff who work together productively. A capable body of governors knows the school well and helps it to improve. All these factors have a direct result on the school's achievements. For example, standards have risen well since 1999 and ICT flourishes, owing to improved resources and more knowledgeable teaching. 4 Inspection Report: Ripponden Junior and Infant School, 3 July 2006 to 4 July 2006 The school's ethos is strong and effective, both academically and pastorally. Strong care and support for children have an immediate effect on their self-esteem. One child

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Grade: 2

in Reception glowed with pride in saying, 'I have written a lot of lovely writing in Reception this year.' These feelings are nurtured throughout the school and capitalised upon by all those with managerial responsibilities. Parents, staff and governors rate the school highly and rightly so. Practice is monitored well, and senior staff learn much from what they find. However, the evaluations of lessons are not sharp enough to deduce how well different groups and classes are achieving. Notwithstanding, leadership and management are good and improved by innovations undertaken in mathematics and the Foundation Stage. 5 Inspection Report: Ripponden Junior and Infant School, 3 July 2006 to 4 July 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: Ripponden Junior and Infant School, 3 July 2006 to 4 July 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 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 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 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 2 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 2 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

Thank you for your help when we inspected your school. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit because everyone was so welcoming and friendly. We would like to share with you what we thought. These are some of the things that we enjoyed. - We were impressed with the work displayed around school, which shows how much you enjoy learning, particularly in the special weeks. - You work hard and make good progress. - We think some lessons are first-rate in the way that they help you to learn quickly and think deeply. - You are lucky to have a chance to attend three residential trips and many clubs. - There are wonderful grounds at your school in which you can play and learn. We know everyone wants to do even better and we have suggested two things that we think will help. - We would like your headteacher and teachers to check lessons closely to see if teaching is helping you make as much progress as possible to meet your targets in reading, writing and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

mathematics. - We think your assessments and test results should be looked at carefully to make sure that you are getting on well enough.

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