Otley the Whartons Primary School

Inspection Report Otley The Whartons Primary School

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107881 Unique Reference Number Leeds LEA 277857 Inspection number 12 October 2005 to 13 October 2005 Inspection dates Mr Jim Bennetts HMI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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The Whartons School address Primary Type of school Otley Community School category West Yorkshire LS21 2BS 5 to 11 Age range of pupils 01943 465 018 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01943 465 180 Fax number 188 Number on roll Mr A Hockey Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr J Vincent Headteacher 22 November 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277857 12 October 2005 - 5 to 11 13 October 2005 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 inspectors: one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and an additional inspector.

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Description of the school

The school has 188 pupils. They come mostly from the north side of Otley. The area comprises detached and semi-detached private housing and some lower cost housing, some of which is rented. Due to reorganisation of education in Otley, numbers rose to about 210 a few years ago but have now fallen, with a consequent reduction in the school's budget. Fewer pupils take free school meals than nationally: the proportion has risen from 5% last year to 10%. Almost all pupils are white and all have English as their first language. In recent years the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities has been similar to that found nationally. The school has excellent buildings and grounds and a very stable staff.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Otley The Whartons Primary School, 12 October 2005 to 13 October 2005

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Grade: 1

In formulating its self-evaluation over the last few months, the school considered its effectiveness to be very good, and possibly outstanding. In view of the very high standards apparent across the curriculum in Year 6 and the high quality of the pastoral and academic work of the school across the age and ability range, inspectors judge this to be an outstanding school. High quality has been sustained despite the financial stringency that has been necessary due to falling rolls; the school gives excellent value for money. Pupils start school with skills and capabilities that are mostly above average, but often only average, and sometimes below. They make rapid progress in their first year at school. The school's work in promoting pupils' personal and social development and their aptitude for learning is exceptional. Teaching is very good. Leadership and management are excellent. Not surprisingly, the school enjoys the stalwart support of

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Grade: 1

its parents, many of who come into school to help. In a school of such quality, there is little that could be improved. Very occasionally, tighter monitoring of classroom practice or checking of lesson plans would improve lessons. And, whilst pupils at present make impressive progress, more frequent and more secure tracking of their attainment would ensure the continuation of that progress. Parents should know what improvements their children need to make. Resources for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) are very good and improving, but the school does not yet exploit these facilities sufficiently. In view of its considerable improvement since the last inspection and current outstanding qualities, the school is well placed to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

Teaching could be further improved by: • Closer checks on lesson planning; • Sharper attention to the way some teachers organise things in lessons, for example in giving more pupils an active part to play in activities; and • More use of ICT across the curriculum. Pupils' progress could be safeguarded by: • More frequent and more secure tracking of their attainment; and • Making clearer in reports to parents how children can improve.

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Grade: 1

By the time they leave school, pupils' achievement is outstanding. They enter the school with a range of attainment that is broad but mainly above average. National test results for Year 6 in 2005 were well above average in English and mathematics; for science they were amongst the very best nationally. In the present Year 6, pupils' numeracy and literacy skills are at least as high as those in the previous Year 6. There is generally steady progress throughout the school; good progress is evident in the 2 Inspection Report: Otley The Whartons Primary School, 12 October 2005 to 13 October 2005 reception class and usually good headway has been made by the end of Year 2, where achievement is generally very good. These high standards are apparent across the curriculum, with impressive achievement in, for instance, PE and Spanish in Year 6. This success is stimulated by the high targets that the school sets and by the high

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Grade: 1

expectations that teachers demonstrate on a daily basis. Boys and girls and pupils of all abilities make equally good progress: the progress made by some gifted and talented pupils and by others with learning difficulties and disabilities is exceptional. The school rates achievement highly and inspectors concur with this view.

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Grade: 1

Children enjoy their education at this school. Their attitudes and behaviour are mostly good and sometimes outstanding. For example, when pupils entered the hall for assembly, they exhibited excellent attitudes and behaviour as they quickly and quietly settled down. Pupils feel very safe and secure. They value opportunities for a say in the way the school is run. Members of the school council take their responsibilities very seriously; recent examples of their work include the zoning of the playground for safety reasons and improvements to toilets. An exceptionally wide range of opportunities enhance pupils' personal development by undertaking, for example, the role of house captains, and leadership positions on the school council. This outstanding provision enables all children to make a very positive contribution to the school community, thus enhancing their personal well-being. Teachers and support assistants

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Grade: 1

are excellent role models and they very effectively promote children's personal development and character building. The outstanding caring ethos of the school plays a key role in ensuring that all pupils feel highly valued. The provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exceptional and includes enrichment through significant use of the local environment. There is high participation in a wide range of extra curricular activities, which improve access to sport and develop pupils' understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles. School attendance is above the national average and punctuality is good.

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Grade: 1

The school considers that teaching is very good and often outstanding. Inspectors agree. The school is highly successful in teaching pupils how to learn. By the time pupils are ready to move on to secondary school, they have the capacity to engage with enthusiasm in activities as diverse as energetic rugby skill training, role play in Spanish and calculation of angles in triangles. Overall, teaching is very good; over a third of the lessons seen by inspectors were outstanding and the great majority were at least very good. Inspectors' observations confirmed the school's own evaluation. Lessons throughout the school are planned effectively to provide appropriate activities for pupils of different capabilities and all pupils are usually well challenged by 3 Inspection Report: Otley The Whartons Primary School, 12 October 2005 to 13 October 2005 interesting and demanding work. Marking is generally painstaking and helpful. Support

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Grade: 1

staff help greatly, and in some lessons parents or other adults give well focused support with activities that are well planned by teachers. Occasionally, younger pupils have not yet developed the concentration to enable them to make the most of well crafted teaching, but they try earnestly. Early in the reception year, for example, some children were struggling to recognise numerals, but they have made rapid progress, sometimes from a low base. The impressive standards reached by the end of Year 2 show the effectiveness of teaching in developing learning skills. Whilst all lessons were at least satisfactory, and the overwhelming majority were of a very high standard, a very small minority could have been better. In one classroom, a little more pace and more focused attention to the refinement of skills would have been helpful. Elsewhere, it was possible to involve more pupils actively or avoid them

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Grade: 1

getting 'stuck' for short periods. The planning of lessons is usually highly effective, but in a very few instances, closer checking of plans might raise lessons to higher quality. Teaching is well monitored by the headteacher, with strengths clearly celebrated but, occasionally, sharper attention to the minor weaknesses outlined above would promote improvement.

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Grade: 1

Inspectors concur with the school's view on the quality of the curriculum. It is excellent and not only meets all requirements but also offers a multitude of exciting and diverse opportunities. Provision for English, mathematics and science is outstanding; for ICT it is good. Although the school makes regular use of the new ICT suite, there could be greater use of ICT across the curriculum. There is very successful and significant enrichment through a wide range of out of school activities and many opportunities for pupils to work in the local environment, all of which are greatly enjoyed. Their great willingness to participate these activities brings to them an appreciation of the wider world and skills needed in later life. Pupils are taught well about healthy food and lifestyle choices. Innumerable visitors support curriculum areas such as music, art, drama, drugs awareness and 'stranger danger'. Close liaison with a local grammar

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Grade: 1

school gives access to a very wide range of high quality enrichment activities. Children are taught effectively to be self confident and to share and work together in harmony.

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Grade: 1

Care, support and guidance are exceptionally strong. All staff value the uniqueness and welfare of each individual child. Significant attention to detail permeates every strand of the school's work in this area, and the impact on children's development and self-esteem is outstanding. Child protection systems and procedures are entirely secure. Staff deal sensitively and efficiently with any incidents or accidents. The school supports well any vulnerable pupils and those with learning difficulties and disabilities. Effective use is made of internal and external support; monitoring systems and procedures are 4 Inspection Report: Otley The Whartons Primary School, 12 October 2005 to 13 October 2005 meticulous. The school ardently strives for the utmost excellence in this area. It rates its work highly, as do inspectors. Outcomes in tests or other assessments are recorded yearly; but sometimes the levels

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Grade: 1

recorded are inconsistent. To ensure pupils' continuing and sustained progress, this tracking should be improved. Though parents are kept well informed of their children's progress, reports might give clearer indications of areas for improvement.

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Grade: 1

Leadership, management and governance are at least very good in all respects and are exemplary in all significant aspects, resulting in pupils' outstanding progress and personal development. The headteacher's leadership skills have drawn out the best in a committed staff of very effective classroom practitioners. Staff and parents speak highly of his empowering support, encouragement at a personal level, and steadfast dedication to the pursuit of excellence. The school is very thorough, and democratic, in the review of its own effectiveness. Self-evaluation has been carried out by groups of staff, including support staff. Pupils have written letters saying what they value and what might be improved. Parents' views have been canvassed. The governing body has carried out a rigorous evaluation of its own procedures and the effectiveness with which it discharges its functions. The local authority has supported the school robustly

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Grade: 1

in self-review. Documented self-evaluation and what senior staff and governors say about the school's effectiveness ring true. The school aspires to the highest standards in pupils' personal development and in the subjects of the National Curriculum. A wealth of enrichment opportunities stimulates learning across an extraordinarily broad front. Senior staff and governors have given diligent attention to upgrading the school buildings and grounds. The governing body is outstanding in its monitoring of standards and curriculum provision: individual governors assess the strength of the school's work in different curricular areas and sub-committees ensure that budgetary and staffing provision support the highest quality of education. Potential financial difficulties associated with a falling school roll have been adroitly managed. Issues from the last inspection have been attended to effectively. Sensible action has been taken to tackle areas of weakness

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Grade: 1

in the recent past - for example, science standards in national tests, creative writing and provision for ICT. Management has a firm but appropriately light touch. Where needed, a slightly more rigorous approach to checking lesson planning and to picking up of minor weaknesses in teaching style, and more secure tracking of pupils' attainment term by term would further safeguard their progress. The school is well placed to improve further. The school modestly judges leadership and management to be very good. Inspectors consider it to be excellent. 5 Inspection Report: Otley The Whartons Primary School, 12 October 2005 to 13 October 2005 .

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Grade: 1

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Otley The Whartons Primary School, 12 October 2005 to 13 October 2005

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Inspection judgements

16-19 School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

NA 1 How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? NA 1 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 1 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 1 How well do learners achieve? NA 1 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 1 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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Personal development and well-being

NA 1 How good is the overall personal development and well-being of the learners? NA 1 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 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 1 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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The quality of provision

NA 1 How effective are teaching and learning in meeting the full range of the learners' needs? NA 1 How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? NA 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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The quality of provision

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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Leadership and management

NA 1 How effective are leadership and management in raising achievement and supporting all learners? NA 1 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 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 1 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 1 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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Leadership and management

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 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 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

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Leadership and management

wider community 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

N/A Thank you for making us so welcome when we visited your school. We learnt a lot by talking with you and seeing what you had written about the school. We were very impressed by the school. We think that in many ways it is outstanding. These are some of the things that make it so good: - By Year 6 boys and girls are doing extremely well. - In all classes you are all growing up very nicely, and generally learning exceptionally well. - Those who sometimes find it hard to learn are given plenty of help; the brightest of you are given plenty of opportunity to reach a very high standard. - You try hard and you usually concentrate well in lessons; you are happy, polite and helpful as you go about the school. - Teaching is of high quality and your work is well marked. All the staff, the headteacher and governors do all they can to help you. - All the trips out and visitors to the school, as well as the sports and other after school activities,

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

give you lots of interesting opportunities to learn a wide range of things. We think the school is exceptionally well run. To make sure that everything is as good as it can possibly be, we recommend that: - The headteacher makes even more checks on teaching; - Teachers keep clear records of the standards you have reached and let your families know how you can do even better; - Teachers let you use ICT more. We know that you all enjoy school. You are very lucky to have a school as good as this. We wish you all well in the future.

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