All Saints Featherstone CofE (VA) Junior Infant and Nursery SchoolOfsted inspection, 24 Jan 2006

Inspection Report All Saints Featherstone CofE (VA) Junior Infant and Nursery School

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108257 Unique Reference Number Wakefield LEA 277935 Inspection number 23 January 2006 to 24 January 2006 Inspection dates Mr Joe Peacock 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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North Close School address Primary Type of school Featherstone Voluntary aided School category Pontefract, West Yorkshire WF7 6BQ 3 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01977 722 600 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01977 722 601 Fax number 209 Number on roll Mrs J Pye Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs J Jones Headteacher 8 May 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277935 23 January 2006 - 3 to 11 24 January 2006 Inspection Report: All Saints Featherstone CofE (VA) Junior Infant and Nursery School, 23 January 2006 to 24 January 2006

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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

The school is smaller than most schools nationally, with 209 pupils. Almost all are from a white British background and of the very small number from a minority ethnic background, only a few need help to speak English. About 20% of the pupils travel to school from beyond the immediate catchment area. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is broadly average. On entry to the nursery class, the attainment of most pupils is broadly in line with that expected for children of this age. The school has experienced disruption due to long-term staff absence, mostly involving senior leaders. There is currently an acting headteacher and acting deputy headteacher.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: All Saints Featherstone CofE (VA) Junior Infant and Nursery School, 23 January 2006 to 24 January

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Grade: 3

Overall effectiveness is satisfactory and the school is giving satisfactory value for money. Problems resulting from the long term absences of the headteacher and deputy headteacher are being tackled successfully. The school's involvement in the intensifying support programme is giving access to additional expertise from the local authority, which is proving to be invaluable. The leadership provided by the experienced acting headteacher is good. New initiatives and strategies are being introduced to strengthen aspects such as the monitoring and evaluation of teaching, which had not been undertaken for over a year. Inspection judgements agree with the school's self evaluation. The curriculum and the quality of teaching and learning are satisfactory. In Years 5 and 6, the quality of teaching varies. Pupils in these years often do not have enough time to complete tasks and to work independently, especially in mathematics

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Grade: 3

and science. The quality of teaching is good in the Foundation Stage, enabling all children to make good progress. Children with learning difficulties make satisfactory progress. Pupils from minority ethnic families are fully integrated and supported well with additional help in learning English. Parents are supportive of the school but understandably anxious about the impact of the many staff changes on their children's progress. The current Year 6 have experienced only one year in school when they had just one teacher. Governance is satisfactory but governors are not working effectively enough with staff to raise standards. There has been satisfactory improvement since the appointment of the new leadership team. The additional support from the local authority ensures that the school has a sound capacity to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

In order to further improve the quality of education and raise standards, the acting leadership team, staff and governors need to: • provide pupils with more opportunities for investigation and problem solving in mathematics and science; • improve the overall quality of teaching by ensuring that it is more consistently effective, especially in Years 5 and 6; • improve the quality of learning by giving pupils a clear focus on learning intentions and more time to undertake tasks; • establish a permanent leadership team and develop their skills in evaluating the quality of teaching and learning to raise standards and move the school forward.

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Grade: 3

Achievement and standards are satisfactory. In 2005, Year 6 pupils did well in the national tests in English, mathematics and science, attaining standards that were above the national average. This represents a significant improvement from the results in 2004, particularly in English and mathematics. The school's records of pupil tracking and levels of attainment seen during the inspection show that it will be a challenge 2 Inspection Report: All Saints Featherstone CofE (VA) Junior Infant and Nursery School, 23 January 2006 to 24 January for the school to reach its published targets in 2006. Inspection evidence shows that standards in Year 6 are average, rather than above average. Standards in ICT are in line with those expected, which is an improvement since the previous inspection in May 2000. Boys and girls achieve equally well and all make satisfactory progress. Pupils' performance in the Year 2 tests show a rapid improvement in 2004 and, despite

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Grade: 3

a small fall back in 2005, they remained above average. Girls have achieved better than boys in the Year 2 tests, which is the case in most schools. Children in the Foundation Stage of their education make steady progress and virtually all achieve the learning targets set for them in all six areas of their curriculum by the end of Reception. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are well supported and they make satisfactory progress towards their targets. The small number of pupils from minority ethnic families achieve as well as other pupils in school.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Pupils of all ages are polite and courteous and enjoy good relationships with each other and the adults in school. All behave very well, particularly in lessons, and pupils of all ages have a good attitude towards their work. Most work hard and take pride in what they achieve. All appear to enjoy their learning and are appreciative of their teachers' endeavours to make learning meaningful and fun. This is reflected in their good attendance and timekeeping. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. School assemblies are well-planned, special occasions. The acting headteacher's flute accompaniment considerably enhances the quality of the pupils' hymn singing. Not enough emphasis, however, is given to making pupils more aware of other world religions. Pupils play happily and purposefully at break-times. They fully understand the

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Grade: 2

contribution that vigorous exercise can make to their health and fitness. They also appreciate the need for a healthy diet, which is reflected in the choices available at lunchtime. Older children take on responsibilities maturely, such as being playtime 'house captains'. Pupils know and understand that they are part of the 'whole-school community'. They raise funds for charities and make regular visits to the local parish church. Pupils stated that they would like more opportunities to influence decisions at the school, and there are plans to establish a school council.

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Grade: 3

Overall, the quality of teaching and learning are satisfactory but there are some pockets of good teaching. In the Foundation Stage, the quality of teaching is good. Staff work 3 Inspection Report: All Saints Featherstone CofE (VA) Junior Infant and Nursery School, 23 January 2006 to 24 January well together and their enthusiasm and good relationships successfully engage the pupils' interest. However there are not enough opportunities to develop the youngest pupils' writing skills. In Key Stage 1 and 2 particular strengths include the good relationships between staff and pupils, and skilled questioning to check on learning and challenge pupils. Engaging activities capture the pupils' enthusiasm, such as the Year 4 teacher who acted as a robot in one lesson. Teaching assistants effectively support pupils who need help, including those who need help in speaking English. However, these features are not

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Grade: 3

found consistently across classes and there is scope to improve the quality of teaching, particularly for pupils in Years 5 and 6. Aspects which need improvement include overlong introductions to lessons that limit the amount of time pupils can spend on tasks. The focus for learning is often not sufficiently clear or shared with pupils. Insufficient work is recorded in pupils' exercise books, particularly those of the older pupils, and a there is a lack of opportunity for investigations and problem solving in mathematics and science.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory overall. It meets statutory requirements, including in the Foundation Stage. Nursery nurses and teachers in the Foundation Stage make good use of the excellent equipment and spacious outdoor area to support the curriculum, which is good. Literacy skills are promoted effectively but there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to use them in subjects such as history and geography. Elsewhere, there are insufficient opportunities in the mathematics and science curriculum for pupils to work in groups, conduct investigations or solve problems. Computers are generally used well to add interest to lessons, though not all classes have access to interactive whiteboard technology. Work in the classrooms is enriched by a satisfactory range of visits to places of educational interest and visitors such as an author, who came during the inspection. Parents and pupils say that they would like more extra-curricular opportunities and

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Grade: 3

there are firm plans to increase provision. Good links are established with the church and local rugby club.

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Grade: 2

The school takes good care of all its pupils. Pupils trust staff and know who to turn to if they need help. There is good support for pupils when they are upset or troubled. Parents and carers feel welcome in the school and are strongly encouraged through parents' meetings to be involved in their children's education. Pupils say that they feel safe in school because the staff deal swiftly and effectively with rare instances of bullying. They also think that the arrangements for preparing them for their transfer to secondary school are good. Child protection and health and safety procedures are well established and there are very good links with outside agencies, which give a range of help to the pupils, including those who need to learn to speak English better. 4 Inspection Report: All Saints Featherstone CofE (VA) Junior Infant and Nursery School, 23 January 2006 to 24 January The assessment of pupils' progress is good and the information is used well by teachers

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Grade: 2

in their planning. Pupils in need of additional support are quickly identified and these pupils and their parents have been made aware of targets for improvement.

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Grade: 3

Inspectors agree with the school's evaluation of satisfactory leadership and management. The school's new leadership team is focused and committed to doing its very best for the school. It welcomes the support of the local authority in bringing about improvement. The experienced acting headteacher, seconded from another school for a year, is enjoying the challenge and is determined to make a difference. New management strategies have been introduced which are clearly aimed at improving the quality of provision and ultimately raising standards. Strategies to accelerate achievement, such as target setting for groups and individual pupils, monitoring standards and teachers' planning, have been implemented but have not had time to impact fully on raising standards. A caring Christian ethos permeates the school and ensures that the welfare of pupils is central to its work. The acting headteacher and leadership team are not yet sufficiently rigorous in

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Grade: 3

evaluating the quality of teaching and learning and judging how well it impacts on standards. As a result, they do not have a sufficiently detailed understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. Parents, at the meeting in school and in returned questionnaires, were positive about the school but many are concerned about the number of temporary teachers. A new pupils' school council is planned to enable pupils to express their views about school issues more easily. Governors are very supportive of the school but need to be much more involved in evaluating the school's strengths and areas for development. The school's capacity to improve is satisfactory. 5 Inspection Report: All Saints Featherstone CofE (VA) Junior Infant and Nursery School, 23 January 2006 to 24 January .

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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: All Saints Featherstone CofE (VA) Junior Infant and Nursery School, 23 January 2006 to 24 January

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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 3 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 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 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 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 3 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

Thank you for helping us when we visited your school. We really enjoyed talking to everyone. We think you are lucky to have such a great outdoor area to enjoy. The things that we particularly liked were: - the good start to school you all get when you come into nursery and the many interesting things they have for you to do - how much all of you enjoy school and your good attendance - how knowledgeable you all were about the things you need to do to be healthy, fit and well - the way you all behaved so well towards each other and your high level of concentration in lessons - the visits to places of interest and the links with your church. We have asked the staff and governors to do all they can to improve how well you do in English, mathematics and science by: - giving you more time for problem solving and investigations in mathematics and science - making teaching even better in all classes and lessons

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

- making sure that you know what you should be learning in every lesson and giving you more time to do tasks - making sure that you have a headteacher and deputy headteacher who can make your school even better. We would also like your teachers to help you to start a school council. Thank you again for helping us with the inspection of your school. We hope that you will carry on helping your teachers to make it even better!

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