Newton Hill Community School

Inspection Report Newton Hill Junior and Infant School

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108164 Unique Reference Number Wakefield LEA 277915 Inspection number 5 April 2006 to 6 April 2006 Inspection dates Mr Hardwick Stephen HMI Reporting inspector

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

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Leeds Road School address Primary Type of school Newton Hill Community School category Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF1 2HR 3 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01924 303680 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils - Fax number 213 Number on roll Mrs C Snart Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs K Briggs Headteacher 3 July 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277915 5 April 2006 - 3 to 11 6 April 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 one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Newton Hill is an average-sized primary school, serving a suburb in the north of Wakefield. Although the number on roll has fallen, it is a popular school that attracts pupils from outside its immediate area. Most pupils are white British. About 10% are from minority ethnic backgrounds and four of these pupils have English as an additional language. Around 10% of pupils have additional learning needs or disabilities, including five pupils who have a statement of special educational need. The latter figure is relatively high but in other respects these percentages are below average, as is the proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals. The pupils' attainment on entry to the school is broadly average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 5 April 2006 to 6 April 2006

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Grade: 3

Newton Hill provides a satisfactory education for its pupils, with some aspects that are good. Since its inspection in 2000, there have been some difficulties over staffing which have been largely resolved, but this has resulted in uneven progress for pupils as they moved through the school. Provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory, with strengths in social development: these pupils make suitable progress and reach the standards expected when they enter Year 1. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 have been consistently above average, but results in the national tests at the end of Key Stage 2 have declined. They were below average in 2005, as was the rate of pupils' progress. However, recent assessments indicate that the scores for the current Year 6 pupils should rise. The school attributes the fall in test results to previous weaknesses in teaching. This is now satisfactory overall, with some elements that are good. The pupils are well

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Grade: 3

behaved, concentrate and are keen to contribute in class; their attendance is good. These qualities are not always fully exploited, with the result that progress in some lessons is not as swift as it could be. The curriculum is good, particularly for the arts, and it is enhanced by many extra activities. Leadership and management are satisfactory. There is a shared aim to provide equal opportunities for the pupils, with a strong emphasis on their care and personal development. Plans for improvement are based on well-judged priorities and there is a good range of monitoring to ensure intentions are fulfilled. However, targets and judgements need to be harder edged to give a firmer picture of quality and progress: the school sees some of its key aspects as good, whereas inspectors judge them to be satisfactory. The issues identified when the school was inspected in 2000 have been tackled effectively, demonstrating the capacity to improve, and the decline in results

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Grade: 3

at Key Stage 2 appears to have been stemmed. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the quality of teaching so the pupils make consistently good progress in lessons. • Where possible, set quantified targets in the school's plans and use more precise measures for monitoring progress and judging success.

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Grade: 3

Pupils in the Foundation Stage make satisfactory progress and enter Year 1 having reached the standards expected for their age. Over the last three years, the school's results in the Key Stage 1 national tests have been consistently above average. In 2005 almost all the pupils gained Level 2, the 2 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 5 April 2006 to 6 April 2006 basic standard expected for their age, and around a quarter of them reached the higher Level 3. Boys and girls fared equally well. This performance has not been matched at Key Stage 2, where results have declined over the past three years. The pupils' average score was above the national figure in 2003 and 2004 but significantly below average in 2005. Last year around four fifths of the pupils reached the expected Level 4 in mathematics and science, but only around a half did so in English. Relatively small proportions of the pupils reached the higher

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Grade: 3

Level 5. Pupils' progress while they were in Key Stage 2 has also declined. The Year 6 pupils who took the national tests in 2003 made average progress, whereas in 2005 the pupils made below average progress, especially in English. There was little difference in the progress made by different groups of pupils, although the boys made better gains than the girls. Raising standards at Key Stage 2, especially in writing, has been a high priority for the school. A thorough system for assessing pupils' progress has pinpointed which pupils are, and are not, making appropriate gains. The most recent assessments indicate that results in the 2006 tests for Year 6 pupils should rise.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being is good. Those spoken to during the inspection said that they like the school and that they feel safe and secure. They also described the responsibilities they undertake around the school; one Year 6 pupil was very proud of her creative work on the school newspaper, Kidz Express. A school council is about to be introduced and pupils are currently electing their representatives. Pupils also speak highly of the rewards they receive and of feeling valued by the teaching and support staff. One pupil said, 'we all help each other at this school and nobody feels left out'. Pupils' attendance is above the national average and their punctuality is good. The pupils behave very well in classrooms and around the school and they have good attitudes to work; there have been no recent exclusions. Pupils' access to sport is good and they are encouraged to develop healthy lifestyles by an increasing range of external

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Grade: 2

visitors. Proper account is taken of the pupils' future needs in the workplace and they make good contributions to the community. They were involved in the process for appointing the deputy headteacher, and cans and paper are collected for a local recycling plant. The provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. An excellent example of the promotion of pupils' personal development was observed in a Key Stage 2 assembly in which a visitor from Wakefield Trinity Wildcats presented awards following a recent coaching session for older pupils. As the coach said, 'The important thing they learned was to have fun and to enjoy themselves'. During this same assembly, a wonderful atmosphere of reflection and spirituality was created by the headteacher, 3 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 5 April 2006 to 6 April 2006 who lit a candle and summed up the meaning of the haunting African background

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Grade: 2

music with the words, 'with God, everything is possible'.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, with some strengths. Lessons are well planned and organised, based on clear objectives that are shared with pupils. Preparation is thorough, with materials to hand. Good use of interactive whiteboards contributes to the teachers' clear explanations. The pace of work is usually appropriate, sometimes aided by time limits. There is no common format for planning lessons and this contributes to unevenness in provision. At times too little allowance is made for the range of ability in the class with all the pupils asked to cover similar work, and on other occasions teachers rely heavily on those who volunteer answers without checking that all the pupils have understood. The classroom assistants make valuable contributions when pupils are working individually or in groups but they are often underused when the class is being taught as a whole. Pupils bring many positive qualities to their learning. They settle quickly, gather the

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Grade: 3

equipment they need, work neatly and concentrate for long periods. Many are keen to answer and they cooperate maturely in sharing ideas and completing tasks. These attributes are not fully exploited in all lessons, with the result that progress is sometimes satisfactory when it might readily be good.

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Grade: 2

The school's positive ethos underpins its good curriculum, which is a developing strength. Emphasis is being given to literacy and pupils, particularly in Key Stage 2, are increasingly aware of their targets for improvement. Provision in the Foundation Stage is well organised, covering the required areas of learning within an appropriate combination of adult-led activities and those in which pupils have a degree of choice. Excellence and enjoyment through the curriculum are promoted well. For example, 4 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 5 April 2006 to 6 April 2006 the headteacher, who is an experienced musician, takes the whole of Key Stage 2 for music, and this is enhanced by a visiting range of musical specialists in addition to a link with Outwood Grange College. The curriculum is further enriched through after-school clubs and especially through the many opportunities provided for pupils

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Grade: 2

to visit, study and work in the local environment, such as at Wakefield Art Gallery. They also have access to specialist training by, for example, members of The School Sports Partnership, visiting dance teachers and physical training instructors.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support for the pupils are good. There are effective and relevant levels of support and welfare provided for vulnerable pupils, as well as for those who speak English as an additional language and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Procedures for child protection are in place and appropriate safety checks are made on staff new to the school. Accidents involving pupils are quickly addressed by the school's staff. Regular fire drills are undertaken and risk assessments are carried out in advance of school trips. Pupils are aware of and understand their short-term targets for improvement, particularly in writing and mathematics. The school's recently improved assessment and tracking systems demonstrate pupils' progress over time, enabling support to be targeted at those who need it. The help of parents is also enlisted; for example, in Year 6 where the pupils are working towards national tests. There have been well

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Grade: 2

considered reforms to the systems for monitoring and reviewing individual education plans for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher provides firm direction to the school, and the structure of responsibilities allows other staff to contribute appropriately as managers. The recently arrived deputy headteacher is using her previous experience well to take forward key aspects of the school's work, and other coordinators are raising the profile of their roles. There is a shared aim to provide equal opportunities for the pupils, with a strong emphasis on their personal development and well-being. The governing body fulfils its responsibilities and supports the school well. Links are being made between nominated members and coordinators, enabling governors to be better informed about progress. However, the governors' part in setting overall plans and priorities is underdeveloped. The school's plan for improvement is based on well judged priorities but it lacks sharply focused targets. Similarly, there is a good range of monitoring to check that intentions

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Grade: 3

are being fulfilled but at times evaluative judgements need to be harder edged, particularly over the quality of teaching. The school knows its strengths and weaknesses 5 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 5 April 2006 to 6 April 2006 and concentrates its efforts accordingly, for instance, over standards in Key Stage 2, but there is sometimes a failure to gauge precisely how good the provision is. The building is clean, tidy and attractive, reflecting the school's aspirations. Resources are deployed efficiently and used to support initiatives; for instance, new computers to facilitate developments in information and communication technology. The school gives satisfactory value for money. The issues arising from the school's inspection in 2000 have been tackled effectively; for example, the provision for information and communication technology has been much strengthened. This demonstrates the school's capacity to improve, but the fall

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Grade: 3

in standards at the end of Key Stage 2 has only just been stemmed. There are good links with the community, including local schools. Parents are kept regularly informed about school and most are pleased with what it offers for their children. 6 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 5 April 2006 to 6 April 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. 7 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 5 April 2006 to 6 April 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 3 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 3 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 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 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 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 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 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

We enjoyed visiting Newton Hill and being able to talk to you and watching you at work. Everyone at school was very polite and welcoming. This is what we found. - You are very well behaved and you told us you enjoy school. - The adults care for you well, so you are safe and know who to turn to for help. - The school offers you many good things to do, for instance, in sport, music and art, and you benefit from many extra trips and visitors. - Your school is clean and attractive, and you are responsible in the way you take care of books and equipment, and help with jobs and recycling waste. - You work hard in lessons and you have targets to aim for. There are times, however, when some of you do not get as far as you might. We were also worried that the results in the tests you take in Year 6 have not been as good as they were. We have asked Mrs Briggs to make sure that you make good progress in all your lessons so you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

can do as well as possible in Year 6. We wish you well for the future.

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