Marsden Infant and Nursery School

Inspection Report Marsden Infant and Nursery School

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107644 Unique Reference Number Kirklees LEA 277795 Inspection number 2 May 2006 to 3 May 2006 Inspection dates Mrs Rosemary Rodger 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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Brougham Road School address Primary Type of school Marsden Community School category Huddersfield, West Yorkshire DH7 6BL 3 to 7 Age range of pupils

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01484 222583 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01484 222583 Fax number 163 Number on roll Mrs J Harrison Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs J Holdsworth Headteacher 8 May 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277795 2 May 2006 - 3 to 7 3 May 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 small infant and nursery school situated in a village on the outskirts of Huddersfield. Pupils attend the school from the immediate area which is mixed socially and economically. The average proportion of pupils eligible for a free school meal reflects this. There are an average number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Marsden Infant and Nursery School, 2 May 2006 to 3 May 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with some outstanding features. This judgement generally matches the school's own evaluation of its effectiveness. Parents hold the school in high regard. It is very caring and welcoming. Pupils are well behaved, work hard and enjoy coming to school. 'I like maths because it keeps my brain working,' said a Year 2 pupil. Standards are broadly average and achievement is good based on the low attainment on entry to the Nursery. Pupils make good progress as a result of the good teaching in Years 1 and 2. Actions to tackle the fall in standards in reading and writing in the 2005 national tests are working for writing but are still in need of improvements in aspects of reading, because some pupils are not taught systematically how to read the sounds of words, particularly in Year 1. Provision and standards in the Foundation Stage are outstanding because of the inspirational teaching, and the exciting and

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Grade: 2

innovative outdoor activities. Personal development and well-being are good and the care, guidance and support for pupils is outstanding. Assessment procedures are exemplary and provide very detailed information about individual pupils as they progress through school. The curriculum is good. It is well planned to link different subjects of the National Curriculum in a way that really helps pupils' learning. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are well supported and achieve well as a result. Leadership and management are good, with particular strengths in the impact of the deputy headteacher and Foundation Stage leader. The school provides good value for money. The capacity to improve is good, based on the improvements since the previous inspection.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve standards and teaching of reading, particularly in Year 1.

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Grade: 2

Standards are satisfactory. Achievement is good overall. When children start school standards are low. Progress through the Foundation Stage is outstanding. The improvements to children's early language skills provide an excellent foundation for later learning. This leads to sustained good progress in Key Stage 1. By the time they reach Year 2, standards are in line with nationally expected levels and achievement is good in writing and mathematics. This good achievement is the result of good and outstanding teaching in the Foundation Stage and Year 2. Achievement in reading is only satisfactory because pupils are not taught systematically how to read the sounds of words, particularly in Year 1. Standards achieved in the national tests in 2005 showed an untypical dip after rising steadily prior to that time. As a result of this dip, the school identified the need to make improvements. The recently appointed subject

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Grade: 2

leader for literacy has tackled improvements required in writing very effectively, although some weaknesses remain in the teaching of reading. All pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are ably supported and achieve well. 2 Inspection Report: Marsden Infant and Nursery School, 2 May 2006 to 3 May 2006 Pupils' achievement in art and design is outstanding and well reflected in the high quality work displayed around school.

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Grade: 2

Personal development is good. Pupils' well-being is at the heart of school life. An understanding of healthy lifestyle choices and the need for safety is outstandingly developed. For example, the impact of daily fruit has raised pupils' awareness of the need to eat healthily. Pupils behave well and enjoy coming to school, although there have been some exclusions in recent months. Attendance is above the national figure. Pupils cooperate very well with staff and others. The provision for pupils' personal, social and emotional development in the Foundation Stage is outstanding. This contributes well to the good progress in personal development and well-being throughout the school. The school gained a Healthy Schools award in 2003 and continues to update this achievement. The pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. There is a good impact on the pupils' understanding of social

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Grade: 2

and moral issues as a result of the planned personal, social and health education development programme. Pupils are well prepared for the next phase of their education and are given a good grounding in skills that enable them to contribute effectively to their communities. For example, pupils learn about road safety and the democratic processes involved in elections.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Pupils make good progress and have very positive attitudes to learning. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is outstanding because of the innovative strategies used to motivate and engage children in their learning. As a result, they concentrate and listen with rapt attention, for example, when listening to and talking about Jack and the Beanstalk. The contribution of the outdoor environment to learning in the Foundation Stage is inspirational as demonstrated by the confidence and enjoyment evident in the children. In Key Stage 1, lessons are well planned and organised with plentiful resources and good deployment of support staff who make a good contribution to the learning of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Effective use is made of whiteboard technology to provide the pupils with clear illustrations to enrich their learning, especially in

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Grade: 2

mathematics and English. Questions are frequently probing and explanations are encouraged, resulting in good understanding in mathematics. As the pupils in Year 2 said, 'We like hard work and have to concentrate'. The challenges in mathematics are particularly valued. 'It (mathematics) is really tricky and keeps me busy'. Time is generally used well, but the daily session of shared reading lacks structure and purpose and the productive involvement of all pupils. Assessment procedures are extremely thorough and are used diligently to identify pupils in need of additional support and 3 Inspection Report: Marsden Infant and Nursery School, 2 May 2006 to 3 May 2006 to track the progress of pupils over time. The recent introduction of displayed class statements (targets) is helping pupils know what to do to improve their writing, although pupils' progress in reading is slowed because they are not taught

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Grade: 2

systematically how to read the sounds of words, especially in Year 1.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good, with outstanding features in the Foundation Stage. It is carefully planned and provides a good range of interesting activities providing all learners with the opportunity to make good progress. All statutory requirements are met and the curriculum is reviewed regularly. Links with outside agencies, such as the National Trust, provide good enrichment and extend pupils' knowledge and understanding of environmental issues. Visitors to school and visits out of school provide enjoyment and opportunities for practical learning. The curriculum is well planned to link different subjects of the National Curriculum so as to develop key skills. This is having a marked impact on learning because of some of the innovative ways in which it encourages pupils to develop their knowledge and understanding. Lunchtime clubs provide additional good enrichment in the creative arts.

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Grade: 1

The care, guidance and support of the pupils are outstanding. Staff provide a supportive and encouraging environment in which pupils feel safe, secure and confident. The school is a caring community and the health and safety of pupils is given a high priority. The school has excellent links with outside agencies to provide additional support, care and guidance when needed, especially for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Parents feel well informed and appreciate the school's welcoming ethos. Child protection arrangements are robust. Health and safety procedures are very effectively attended to and risk assessments are completed and reviewed rigorously by the governors and the headteacher. Pupils' progress is carefully tracked throughout the school and targets for improvement are displayed in all classrooms. A wide range of playground activities ensure happy, settled playtimes. Lunchtime procedures run

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Grade: 1

smoothly and children are well cared for and enjoy games organised very efficiently by a lunchtime playworker. Parents are kept well informed through high quality information provided by school, especially on entry to the Nursery.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The ethos of the school is caring and welcoming. The headteacher has a clear vision for the school's direction and is well supported by the governing body. Pupils enjoy their learning and achieve well. The headteacher is well supported by a very effective leadership team. Steps to improve standards in reading and writing are having a good impact on improving achievement for all groups 4 Inspection Report: Marsden Infant and Nursery School, 2 May 2006 to 3 May 2006 of pupils. Teamwork is strong and new staff are rigorously inducted into the school's high expectations by the deputy headteacher. Leadership of the Foundation Stage is outstanding and is reflected in the exceptional quality of the provision and the progress made by children. The school improvement plan is very comprehensive and includes measurable success criteria. Involvement in external initiatives to provide training and

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Grade: 2

support for staff has been effective in bringing about improvements in writing. Arrangements to check the progress of pupils and the quality of teaching and learning through appraisal are thorough. Efficient day-to-day organisation and management ensure the school runs smoothly. Governors are well informed and provide a good level of support and challenge to the headteacher. The improvements to accommodation since the previous inspection have made a good impact on outdoor learning throughout the school. Resources are plentiful and most classes have access to whiteboard technology so that pupils use computers readily and with confidence. Parents are very happy with the school and with the 'care and compassion' with which sensitive issues have been handled. 5 Inspection Report: Marsden Infant and Nursery School, 2 May 2006 to 3 May 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: Marsden Infant and Nursery School, 2 May 2006 to 3 May 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 1 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 2 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 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 1 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 very much for welcoming us to your school. We really enjoyed talking to you and looking at your work. This is what we liked best about your school - In the Nursery and Reception classes, you have a brilliant time learning. - In Years 1 and 2 you learn really well in writing and mathematics. - You behave well in lessons, around the school and in the playground. - You get on very well with each other and with your teachers. - You eat healthily and know the best foods to eat. - You keep fit really well by using all the outdoor play equipment and by playing lots of games. - Your teachers work hard to make school a welcoming place. - Your parents are very pleased with your school. What we would like to see improved - We would like to see all of you being really good readers. To help make this happen, some of you need to learn the sounds that make up the words you find hard to read. You can help to

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

be better at reading by learning your sounds at home every day. We hope you continue to enjoy your time at Marsden Infant and Nursery school. Good luck.

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