Paddock Junior Infant and Nursery School

Inspection Report Paddock Junior Infant and Nursery School

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107615 Unique Reference Number Kirklees LEA 277787 Inspection number 26 June 2006 to 27 June 2006 Inspection dates Mrs June Sharpe 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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Heaton Road School address Primary Type of school Paddock Community School category Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD1 4JJ 3 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01484 226565 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01484 226566 Fax number 322 Number on roll Mrs Jenny Palmer Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr R Dodd Headteacher 3 July 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277787 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

Children attending this average sized school are from many ethnic backgrounds, including some who have recently arrived in the country and Travellers. They speak any one of 11 different languages at home. A large number of children are at an early stage of learning to speak English. The proportion of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average, and the proportion claiming free school meals or clothing grants is well above average. Many children leave or join the school in the middle of each stage of their education, and some take long holidays abroad during term time. Plans to open a children's centre in July 2006 are well on the way, and a major building programme is taking place.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Paddock Junior Infant and Nursery School, 26 June 2006 to 27 June 2006

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Grade: 2

This good school has made good progress since the previous inspection and gives good value for money. The school's modest view of itself as a satisfactory school with satisfactory achievement and standards is based largely on the 2005 Year 6 national test results. It does not take enough account of the good progress made in relation to children's starting points and individual circumstances. The outstanding leadership of the headteacher ensures that children and staff enjoy coming to a happy, friendly and caring school. Children's personal development is good. Parents and carers think highly of the school. Harmonious relationships between children and adults from all backgrounds are central to the school's uniquely warm and welcoming feel. Good consultation gives everyone their say, and an outstanding partnership with others ensures that children's needs are met. Staff and governors are working tirelessly to ensure that the quality of children's education does not suffer

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Grade: 2

because of the current major building programme. Standards and achievement, including standards and quality in the Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception classes), are good. This reflects the good quality of teaching and learning, an enriching curriculum and good leadership and management. The more capable children are not always sufficiently challenged in lessons. Although teaching and learning have improved since the previous inspection, not all teaching matches the consistently good teaching in the Foundation Stage and in Years 5 and 6. The very strong management team and successful track record give the school good capacity to improve in the future.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 to 4. • Ensure that the more able children are sufficiently challenged in lessons. • Make better use of assessment information to measure children's achievement more accurately and to inform children how they can improve their work.

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Grade: 2

When children start Nursery or join the school mid-way through their primary education, their attainment is well below average. It is often low in personal, social and emotional development, speaking and listening, reading and writing. Girls and boys of all ethnic groups, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who do not speak English at home, make good progress. By the time they leave the school in Year 6, standards are broadly average. This good achievement is the result of good teaching and learning, especially in the Foundation Stage and in Years 5 and 6, where children's progress is most rapid. In 2005, the school met its target for national test results in English, but fell short in mathematics because the target was too ambitious. Staff find setting and meeting challenging targets difficult because of the frequency of children leaving and starting the school or taking extended holidays abroad.

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Grade: 2

Nevertheless, children in Year 6 are expected to meet the suitable targets set for the 2 Inspection Report: Paddock Junior Infant and Nursery School, 26 June 2006 to 27 June 2006 2006 tests. The 2005 national test data suggests that children's progress between Years 3 and 6 was a little below what it should be. The school's records show, however, that children who remained at the school throughout this period did very well indeed, and that most other children are making better than expected progress over time. Very good progress in reading in Year 2, for example, has improved the school's performance in national assessments. The more capable children, however, are not always sufficiently challenged to do the best they can.

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Grade: 2

Consistently high expectations of children to get along with others and to show respect result in good personal development. Good behaviour and attitudes add significantly to children's progress. Children enjoy coming to school, and below average attendance is partly due to extended holidays abroad and the mobile lifestyles of some families. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, and multicultural knowledge is very good. Work on the World Cup football theme and links with a town in France have extended children's knowledge of the wider world. Children's good understanding of healthy lifestyles shows in their sensible choice of food and snacks at lunch and break times. Children are well prepared for their future lives as citizens. Active school and class councils, for example, manage their own budgets and influence the work of their school. Children make a positive contribution to their community, for example,

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Grade: 2

by working in partnership with students at Huddersfield University and taking part in a joint production. Children in the Foundation Stage settle quickly into school routines and know what is expected of them. This helps them to make a good start with learning the basic skills they need to do well when they transfer to Year 1.

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Grade: 2

As a result of the good quality of teaching and learning, children of all ethnic groups, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, achieve well. Enthusiastic teachers are working hard to avoid disruption to children's learning during the current building programme. Particularly strong teaching in the Foundation Stage and in Years 5 and 6 helps children to make great strides in their learning. In these classes, children rise to teachers' consistently high expectations of them to work hard and to achieve more. While there is no longer evidence of inadequate teaching and learning, there is not as much good teaching in Years 1 to 4 because teachers sometimes require children to sit still and listen for too long. Teachers do not always plan work that takes full account of what children can already do. Consequently, progress slows down, particularly that of the more capable children. Although teachers ensure that children

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Grade: 2

know what they are going to be learning about in each lesson, not all children know what they have to do to improve their work, and marking does not help them sufficiently. Nevertheless, thorough preparation, good organisation, skilled use of new 3 Inspection Report: Paddock Junior Infant and Nursery School, 26 June 2006 to 27 June 2006 technological resources, sensitive deployment of support staff and positive approaches to discipline are strong features of most of the teaching. These ensure that children have good attitudes to learning and want to do their best.

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Grade: 2

The enriching curriculum is matched well to the needs of children, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those whose first language is not English. It gives appropriate emphasis to English and mathematics. Theme weeks, such as the 'creative arts week', add variety and interest. One parent described how her children 'came alive and talked for ages about it'. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage gets them off to a very successful start with their education. All children enjoy going on educational visits, including a residential trip to Northumberland. They often work with interesting visitors and take part in a good range of extra-curricular activities. The school organises children into classes or groups of similar ability for English and mathematics lessons. This is effective in raising achievement, especially in Years 5 and 6. The school's close partnership with the local

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Grade: 2

Primary Learning Network has resulted in improved provision for children to practise their speaking and listening skills across the curriculum subjects.

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Grade: 2

A high level of care underpins everything that the school does to look after all children equally well. Child protection and health and safety procedures are firmly in place and followed diligently, and staff work in partnership with many outside agencies and institutions. Children say that they feel safe at school and that adults will help them if they have problems. The school keeps a close eye on children's academic and personal progress in order to provide the right kind of support at the right time. Learning mentors, for example, play an important part in working with children and their parents in order to maximise learning, including encouraging regular attendance. Similarly, support staff are always on hand to help with specific difficulties, such as when children need help to understand English or need explanations in their home language. Although the school is aware that the more capable children could sometimes do better, action

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Grade: 2

to remedy this has not yet been fully successful.

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Grade: 2

The outstanding leadership of the headteacher and the insightful support of the deputy headteacher ensure that the school meets the constant new challenges it faces. A united staff work hard to achieve the headteacher's vision for the school and its children; as one teacher said, 'We work together as a team and the headteacher is very much a team player'. Parents, carers and children also respect the headteacher; one parent commented, 'He is passionate about everything that goes on in and around 4 Inspection Report: Paddock Junior Infant and Nursery School, 26 June 2006 to 27 June 2006 the school'. The part played by senior staff has improved since the previous inspection. Recent improvements in reading results by Year 2, for example, are the outcome of good leadership and management of a new initiative. Governance is satisfactory, and new governors are becoming increasingly involved in holding the school to account.

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Grade: 2

They have concentrated their efforts on checking that plans for a children's centre are carried through properly. There is good consultation with stakeholders. The school knows its strengths and weaknesses well and faces up to problems by taking appropriate action. Although the previously inadequate teaching and learning has been dealt with, the school can pinpoint where further improvement is needed in order to raise achievement. The school checks its performance very well to ensure that the specific needs of children are not ignored. It knows, for example, where the more capable children could sometimes do better. Staff do not use the extensive data available about children's progress, however, to get a clear picture of their achievement in relation to their starting points. 5 Inspection Report: Paddock Junior Infant and Nursery 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: Paddock Junior Infant and Nursery 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 1 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 3 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 3 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 2 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 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 for welcoming us to your school. We really enjoyed ourselves and the opportunity to chat with you. We think that these are the best things about your school: - you help to make your school a very friendly and welcoming place where everyone is happy - adults look after you well and keep you safe - your behaviour is good and all children get along well together - teachers and classroom assistants work together to make sure that you have help when you need it - you enjoy lessons and other activities and work hard - your headteacher makes sure that your school keeps on getting better all the time. What your school could do to improve: - make all your lessons as good as the best ones are now - make sure that your work always makes you think hard and is never too easy - be more certain about how well you are doing and how good the school really is. We are sure that you will help your teachers to do all that they have to do to make your school

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

even better. We hope that you will enjoy working in the new building next year.

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