Lydgate Junior and Infant School

Inspection Report Lydgate Junior and Infant School

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107678 Unique Reference Number Kirklees LEA 277804 Inspection number 6 March 2006 to 7 March 2006 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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Lydgate Road School address Primary Type of school Soothill Community School category Batley, West Yorkshire WF17 6EY 4 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01924 326714 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01924 326715 Fax number 237 Number on roll Mrs J Brook Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Judith Hopwood Headteacher 15 October 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277804 6 March 2006 - 4 to 11 7 March 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

Lydgate is an average sized school situated in Batley, West Yorkshire. It serves a mixed social area, and the number of pupils eligible for free school meals is above average. The number of pupils with a minority ethnic heritage is three times the national average and the number whose first language is not English is six times the national average. Attendance is below average, and the number of pupils joining or leaving the school during term time is above average. A new headteacher took up post in January 2005.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Lydgate Junior and Infant School, 6 March 2006 to 7 March 2006

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Grade: 3

Lydgate Junior and Infant is a satisfactory and improving school. Pupils achieve well to the end of Key Stage 1, and inspection evidence shows that pupils are making satisfactory progress in Key Stage 2. Standards seen during the inspection were average overall. The dynamic and rigorous headteacher has reorganised the leadership and management of the school. There is a palpable spirit of teamwork and optimism. Specific roles and responsibilities have been reallocated, and well founded strategies for improvement have been implemented. The Foundation Stage is well organised, and pupils make good progress. The school encourages the personal development and well-being of its pupils effectively, and takes good care of them. Pupils are polite and friendly, and report that they feel safe and looked after. The school conscientiously seeks to improve attendance, but a small minority of families condone too much absence.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Many teachers plan their work in detail, and ensure that the needs of all pupils are met. Some lessons lack pace and enthusiasm, and this causes progress to slow. Issues identified for improvement at the last inspection are now being tackled vigorously. The school has good capacity to move on further, and it gives satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

Raise standards and achievement, particularly in Key Stage 2, by: • improving the quality of teaching and learning in all years to a common, and consistent, high standard; • ensuring that all teachers set work which matches the needs of individual pupils; • continuing the rigorous monitoring of all aspects of the school's work; • working more closely with parents to improve the attendance and punctuality of those pupils who miss too much school.

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Grade: 3

Children enter the Reception class with below average standards. They make good progress and are broadly in line with the expected standards by the end of the year except for personal, social and emotional development, which is above average. In Years 1 and 2, pupils make good progress in speaking and listening, and by the end of Key Stage 1, standards are significantly above average. Achievement is good. Overall achievement in Key Stage 2 is satisfactory, as evidenced by observation of lessons, the school's own internal tracking system, and the scrutiny of pupils work over time. In 2005, results in the national tests showed standards to be significantly 2 Inspection Report: Lydgate Junior and Infant School, 6 March 2006 to 7 March 2006 below average, with pupils not achieving their full potential and girls doing noticeably less well than boys. Year 6 pupils missed their targets in 2005 in English and

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Grade: 3

mathematics by a large margin. The school has quickly and convincingly identified inconsistent quality of teaching as the reason for this, and has rapidly taken the necessary steps to address the issues. Targets now set for pupils are realistic, because the school has a much clearer view of standards and achievement. The school evaluates itself accurately.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being is good overall. Pupils say that they feel safe and secure and that they have a clear voice in the way the school is led and managed. Members of the school council, for example, take their responsibilities seriously and they are proud that have recently negotiated a special 'ball court' to ensure extra pupil safety in the playground. One member of the council said, "I am pleased that we talk about 'Every Child Matters' on the School Council because it is very important". Year 6 pupils say that they have a wide range of opportunities to support younger children, for example during wet playtimes and by acting as 'buddies' in the dining hall. Pupils also speak very highly of the team point system (teams are Red, Blue and Green) which helps to develop their spirit of competition and enjoyment. The personal, social and emotional development of pupils in the Foundation Stage is

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Grade: 2

good and most pupils make positive progress in their Reception year. Pupils' attendance is below the national average and the punctuality of a small minority is poor. The school works very hard to continually drive up levels of attendance and punctuality but a minority of parents do not fully support the school on these issues. Pupils behave well and they are kind and considerate, for example when holding doors open for fellow pupils and adults. The provision of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development at the school is good and includes effective use of the local and wider environment together with a range of occasional visitors. A range of extracurricular activities and clubs are used well by pupils, leading to improved access to sport and a developing understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles.

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Grade: 3

The school accurately judges the quality of teaching and learning as satisfactory. Most teachers have taken on board the guidance offered to them following the rigorous monitoring undertaken by the headteacher, but there is still variation in quality. This is most notable in Key Stage 2, where teaching in the range between outstanding and inadequate was seen. In the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 teaching is more consistent. 3 Inspection Report: Lydgate Junior and Infant School, 6 March 2006 to 7 March 2006 In the best lessons, teachers place clear emphasis on challenging pupils to think for themselves. High expectations in terms of pupils' work rate and behaviour push pupils on in their learning. Where teaching is less effective explanations are often confusing, in some instances tedious, and the work is not well matched to pupils' needs or abilities. Some teachers have a weak knowledge of what pupils should be achieving, and this

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Grade: 3

leads to a lack of pace and challenge in the work. Regular and rigorous assessments of pupils' learning are now carried out five times a year throughout the school. This is beginning to give the school the information it requires to improve the planning of teaching. This is having a particularly strong and clearly evident effect in the development of pupils' literacy and numeracy skills. Pupils work is marked regularly and consistently across the school, and the headteacher makes regular and thorough checks to ensure that this is done.

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Grade: 3

The school's curriculum is satisfactory with some good features. Work in English and mathematics in both the Reception class and Key Stage 1 provides a good foundation for children to acquire the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. This also helps to ensure a positive grounding towards their future economic well-being. The effective delivery of the English, mathematics and science curriculum in Key Stage 2 was affected by changes in staffing and ineffective pupil tracking procedures. However, effective action by the school is now quickly addressing this issue and early assessments are showing positive improvements in pupils' attainment. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are supported well in the classroom through a range of intervention strategies and differentiated work. A range of extracurricular activities and clubs adds support to the curriculum and these include a strong focus on sport and music. The

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Grade: 3

school is also developing good links with other schools and colleges in curricular areas such as information & communication technology. An effective introduction of domestic science to younger pupils has included the culinary delights of the Gingerbread Man.

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Grade: 2

The quality of care, support and guidance to pupils at the school is good. The school roll includes a wide spectrum of pupils. There are particularly good levels of support, welfare and guidance provided for looked after and vulnerable pupils, in addition to an autistic child and those pupils who have English as an additional language. A number of pupils who have been identified with learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive good levels of support but the recently improved monitoring and assessment systems linked to their progress are not yet being fully utilised to move pupils forward at a fast enough pace. Good child protection procedures are in place and staff have received appropriate training. Regular fire drills take place and appropriate risk assessments are carried out in advance of school trips. Although pupils are aware of and appreciate short-term targets for improvement, the school acknowledges that there is a need to involve

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Grade: 2

4 Inspection Report: Lydgate Junior and Infant School, 6 March 2006 to 7 March 2006 pupils more in checking their own work to understand when and how they have been successful. Parents say that they are kept well informed of their children's progress.

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Grade: 2

The school cautiously evaluates leadership and management as satisfactory. Inspection shows it to be good. In her short tenure, the sharply analytical headteacher has quickly identified the necessary areas for development, and has already made a significant impact on improving the school. This was noted by the pupils and is supported by one Year 6 pupil who commented that 'the headteacher has made the lessons exciting'. The school now has an energetic, knowledgeable, and well balanced leadership group with clear lines of responsibility and accountability. It has implemented an impressive whole school framework for assessment which allows the progress pupils are making to be tracked accurately and relentlessly. This is having a very clear impact on standards of literacy and numeracy across the school. As an example, every pupil now undertakes a piece of extending writing at least once a week. The governing body is led astutely by a well informed and committed chair, and gives

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Grade: 2

good support and realistic challenge to the headteacher. The school seeks and properly considers the views of the parents, pupils, and others in its community. Issues identified for improvement at the last inspection have been gradually addressed, and with increasing pace over recent months. The leadership group is now tackling these issues head on through intensive monitoring, always followed up by appropriate action. Teaching, planning, and assessment have already improved, and the school is demonstrating a good capacity to make further improvements. 5 Inspection Report: Lydgate Junior and Infant School, 6 March 2006 to 7 March 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: Lydgate Junior and Infant School, 6 March 2006 to 7 March 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 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 4 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 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

Thank you for looking after us when we visited your school. We appreciated the welcome you gave to us and the time many of you gave to talk with us, to let us know your views. I enjoyed talking to you over dinner, and really liked your singing in assembly. You are obviously very proud of your school. These are our main findings from the inspection. - Lydgate is a very friendly school. You told us that the adults in school look after you and keep you safe. We found that the school really wants you to stay healthy and is doing all it can to help you to achieve healthy lifestyles in what you eat, and how you exercise. - Your behaviour is good, and you listen very well to the views of others. We found that you looked after each other really well, respected the adults who help you, and also looked after the environment around you. - We asked your parents and carers for their views of your school. They nearly all said how

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

much they value the work that all the staff do for you. - You told us you like lessons better when they are more exciting and interesting. We think that some lessons are like this, but not enough of them. - We think that you work hard, and make satisfactory progress, but we also think that the teachers could help you to do even better. We have asked your headteacher to make sure that all the teachers expect the best from all of you, and that they really challenge you to work extra hard, and learn lots of new things. This means no more gentle, easy lessons! But it also means that you will get better marks in your examinations. - We found that some of you miss school, or arrive late, too often. This will affect how well you learn, so please try not to do it. Thank you once again for helping us on our visit. Please keep working hard and doing your best, and good luck to you all for the future.

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