Rawcliffe Bridge Primary School

Inspection Report Rawcliffe Bridge Primary School

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117893 Unique Reference Number East Riding of Yorkshire LEA 280178 Inspection number 28 February 2006 to 1 March 2006 Inspection dates Mrs Jane Randall Reporting inspector

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

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Bridge Lane School address Primary Type of school Rawcliffe Bridge Community School category Goole, East Riding of Yorkshire 4 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01405 839249 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01405 839256 Fax number 57 Number on roll Mrs Jane Pow Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Hilary Leach Headteacher 1 March 2002 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280178 28 February 2006 - 4 to 11 1 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 one additional inspector.

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Description of the school

This is a much smaller than average primary school with 57 boys and girls. It serves a small village consisting mainly of local authority housing and is in an area of deprivation. Pupils are taught in three mixed-age classes and year group size range from two to fifteen. The prior attainment of children on entry to the Reception year varies considerably but is generally well below average, speaking and listening skills being particularly poor. The proportion of pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities is high at nearly one third and one pupil has a statement of learning needs at the highest level. Ten per cent of pupils claim free school meals. All pupils are of white British background. The school was placed in the category of needing ‘Special Measures’ in 2002 but removed from the category in 2004 after making the necessary improvement.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Rawcliffe Bridge Primary School, 28 February 2006 to 1 March 2006

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Grade: 3

The inspection team supports the school’s view that it is satisfactory. It has some good features in personal and social development, and care and guidance for pupils and is improving rapidly. Pupils make good progress overall but achievement is only satisfactory because the school is still tackling a backlog of underachievement. Standards are average at the end of Year 6. Strong leadership and management by the headteacher have successfully led the school forward from a very difficult time and there is a good capacity to improve further. Overall leadership and management are satisfactory. The school is still developing teachers’ subject leadership skills and provision in the Foundation Stage, which is satisfactory. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. However, strengthening the pace and challenge in lessons and teachers’ expectations of pupils, is necessary in order to raise achievement

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Grade: 3

further. The very effective procedures for assessing and tracking pupils’ attainment and progress and the action taken as a result are key strengths of the school. Pupils feel safe and valued in school and parents are supportive of what the school is doing for their children. The school gives satisfactory value for money. not applicable

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What the school should do to improve further

Continue to raise standards and achievement by: • strengthening the pace and challenge in lessons and raising teachers’ expectations of pupils further • developing subject leadership skills • improving the quality of the Foundation Stage curriculum.

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory. Standards are average and have been rising since 2003. Overall standards have risen faster in English than in mathematics and science. Science is the weakest subject and the school has taken effective action to deal with this. No pupils attained the higher Level 5 in English and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2. Direct comparisons with national data are unreliable because of the very small number of pupils in each year group. In the current Year 6, where there are six boys and one girl, higher-attaining pupils are on track to reach Level 5. Pupils in the current Year 5 are on track to attain higher results than the present Year 6. Pupils at all stages of the school make good progress overall but achievement is only satisfactory because the school is still tackling a legacy of underachievement from the time when the school had many problems. Overall attainment on entry to school in the Reception class is

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Grade: 3

well below average although there is a broad range. There has been a significant improvement in mathematics, particularly for higher-attaining pupils in Years 1 and 2. The overall low communication and language skills on entry lead to slower progress 2 Inspection Report: Rawcliffe Bridge Primary School, 28 February 2006 to 1 March 2006 in reading and writing than in mathematics in the early stages of the school, but the current focus on developing speaking and listening is improving progress in all stages. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress in line with that of their peers.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development is good. They enjoy school and understand its importance. This is shown in the satisfactory attendance and the good presentation of work. Pupils are confident in expressing their views and have a good understanding of right and wrong. Relationships with each other and with adults are good. Pupils behave well. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and cultural development is well supported by activities and visitors that broaden pupils’ understanding of multi-cultural Britain and the wider world. Pupils develop the skills needed for future economic well-being and the school is currently developing a business and enterprise project with its local secondary school. The school and class councils give pupils the opportunity to learn about citizenship and to put forward their views about school. The school councillors are very proud of their influential suggestions to make the

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Grade: 2

playground a safe and pleasant place to be and their active role in protecting vulnerable pupils. Pupils have a clear understanding of what bullying means and why it is unacceptable. They understand and try to adopt healthy lifestyles and take part in many community events.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning is satisfactory overall and some aspects are good. The many initiatives in the last few years to raise the quality of teaching and learning are clearly showing results in improved progress and attainment, for example, in the challenge in problem solving and using and applying mathematics. The difficulties presented by the need to have two and sometimes three age groups in a class are managed successfully. The good procedures for assessing learning and tracking pupils’ progress and the resulting challenging targets for improvement are producing a satisfactory match of the work set to pupils’ needs and the consequent gains in attainment and progress. The school is aware that the next step is to raise teachers’ expectations and the level of pace and challenge in learning further, particularly for pupils who are currently attaining at average levels. The careful emphasis on the development of

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Grade: 3

vocabulary is raising attainment, particularly in science. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive good support. 3 Inspection Report: Rawcliffe Bridge Primary School, 28 February 2006 to 1 March 2006

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory with some good features. Sound planning ensures that pupils in different year groups in one class do not repeat work and all benefit from an appropriate curriculum. Theme weeks provide for extended study of a topic such as ‘Keeping Myself Safe’. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is satisfactory but the school is very aware of the need to improve it by providing more active learning related to the children’s needs. The recent development of the outside area for learning shows that there is a commitment to this but there is more work to be done. Well-planned support programmes provide well for pupils with learning difficulties. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 clearly enjoy learning French. Across the school, pupils have many opportunities to learn how to lead safe and healthy lives. The curriculum is enriched well by visits and visitors. The extra-curricular provision is good. It provides for a residential visit

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Grade: 3

for pupils in Years 5 and 6, where they are challenged physically and personally by outdoor and adventurous activities.

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Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support for pupils are good. Procedures for ensuring pupils’ health, safety and well-being are rigorous. Child protection procedures are secure. Pupils know about keeping safe and behave sensibly in the playground. A significant feature of the school’s success in improvement is the effectiveness of the assessment and tracking system. This ensures that pupils make good progress and achieve their potential. It is enabling the school to tackle the backlog of underachievement and to identify and support those pupils who have extra learning needs. Pupils value the procedures that allow them to assess their own learning and progress towards their individual targets. They say that they help them to work harder. Parents are told about the targets in consultancy sessions. Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is very supportive and makes suggestions for improvement to which pupils are clearly responding. These

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management is satisfactory overall. The school benefits from the very strong and determined leadership of the headteacher. She has been a significant force in leading strong improvement in the school since the previous full inspection. The school is not complacent. It knows what needs to change and has a good capacity to improve further. Staffing changes have slowed down the progress that was being made in developing teachers’ subject leadership skills. This is an area for development but training is in place and staff are keen to learn. The Foundation Stage is led and managed satisfactorily and the school is currently seeking to improve the stage by visits and training. The provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is managed well by the headteacher. Both parents and pupils are consulted about the school and 4 Inspection Report: Rawcliffe Bridge Primary School, 28 February 2006 to 1 March 2006

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Grade: 3

their views valued. Pupils’ views on safety in the corridors led to building works and the school has made improvements to the building in the last few years. Efforts to include, support and value all are very good. Governors are increasing their understanding of their monitoring and evaluation role. An interesting initiative is their undertaking of a lengthy self-evaluation exercise of their role. All statutory requirements are met. 5 Inspection Report: Rawcliffe Bridge Primary School, 28 February 2006 to 1 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: Rawcliffe Bridge Primary School, 28 February 2006 to 1 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 3 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 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 3 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 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 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

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 Ofsted helpline 08456 404045 Rawcliffe Bridge Primary School Bridge Lane Rawcliffe Bridge Goole East Riding of Yorkshire DN14 8PJ 2 March 2006 Dear Pupils Following the inspection visit to your school this week I would like to thank you for being so friendly, helpful and polite. I enjoyed my visit and particularly enjoyed talking to the school council. I was impressed by your good behaviour and by how neat and tidy your books were. The best things about your school are the way in which you are cared for and your personal development. There are some interesting clubs and visits, and I am sure that you older pupils enjoy your residential visit. You are now making good progress towards your targets and these are helping you to do better. Your test results are improving. To make your school even better your teachers are going to make your lessons more exciting so that you make even better

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

progress, learn how to help each other by sharing ideas for how to do this and improve all the activities for the youngest children in the Reception year. I hope that you all enjoy the rest of your time at Rawcliffe Bridge Primary School. Yours sincerely Jane Randall Lead inspector

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