Deepdale Community Primary School

Inspection Report Deepdale Infants School

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119228 Unique Reference Number Lancashire LEA 280499 Inspection number 6 June 2006 to 7 June 2006 Inspection dates Mr Mark Williams HMI Reporting inspector

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

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St Stephen's Road School address Primary Type of school Deepdale Community School category Preston, Lancashire 3 to 7 Age range of pupils 01772 795586 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01772 795586 Fax number 295 Number on roll Miss Sheila Heys Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Miss Nawal Mirza Headteacher 1 September 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280499 6 June 2006 - 3 to 7 7 June 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a larger than average nursery and infant school, serving an inner city area of social need. A very high proportion of the pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds; 83% of pupils do not have English as their first language. The percentage of pupils entitled to a free school meal is above the national average, as is the number identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school has been awarded the Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark, Eco Schools’ Silver Award and holds Investor in People status.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Deepdale Infants School, 6 June 2006 to 7 June 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school which provides good value for money. The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide very good leadership with a clear focus on continuous improvement and they keep a close watch on all aspects of the school’s work. They are supported by an effective governing body and dedicated staff. Consequently, the quality of education and care provided is good and pupils make good progress from a very low starting point so that, by the time they leave, they reach standards that are in line with the national average. This school is very much concerned with the whole child and provides well for pupils’ personal development. The learning mentor and teaching assistants make a good contribution to this provision. Teaching, the curriculum and the care, guidance and support provided throughout the school, including in the Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception classes), are good. The school knows itself well and seeks to build upon current strengths and improve

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Grade: 2

even further. For example, it has plans in place to make better use of the outdoor play area for Foundation Stage children, and for pupils in Years 1 and 2 to use and develop their writing skills more effectively across subjects. In addition, it recognises the scope to further develop the role of curriculum leaders to assist in whole-school self-evaluation. It is not complacent. The school has made good progress since the previous inspection and is very well placed to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Further improve the curriculum by: -ensuring the use of the Foundation Stage outside play area is fully incorporated into all areas of learning -providing more opportunities for pupils to use and develop their writing skills across subjects. • Enhance the curriculum leaders’ role by involving them more in the monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning in their subject areas.

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Grade: 2

From entering school with skills well below those found nationally, pupils attain standards at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics that are in line with the national average. This represents good progress and is the result of the leaders of the school ensuring good teaching, good support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and for those learning English as an additional language, and the effective use of information about what the pupils can already do. 2 Inspection Report: Deepdale Infants School, 6 June 2006 to 7 June 2006 Pupils make good progress throughout the school. This begins almost immediately after they enter the Foundation Stage, although they do not all attain the national targets for children their age. This good progress is maintained and built upon in Years 1 and 2 and, by the time they are ready to leave for the junior school, nearly all have

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Grade: 2

attained national standards. Progress in mathematics is particularly good, with the proportion of pupils attaining the higher levels in the national tests being significantly higher than most other schools. The school sets challenging targets for pupils and this year’s results indicate standards are higher than in 2005.

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Grade: 2

The personal development and well-being of the pupils are good. The pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. For example, pupils successfully celebrate cultural diversity by demonstrating special skills in art and music. The good work of the learning mentor ensures pupils’ well-being is effectively and sensitively supported. As a result, they are happy in school, keen to participate and well behaved. Overall attendance remains stubbornly low because of the high number of extended holidays taken during term time. The school works very hard to limit the negative effect of such holidays on pupils’ progress. For example, it provides work packs and requires pupils to report back their experiences on their return. The pupils recognise the importance of keeping safe and healthy in and out of school. They use the outdoor play facility safely at break and lunchtimes. The pupils learn

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Grade: 2

about the need to handle medicines carefully in the role play chemist area. With support from the road safety officers, they also learn how to cross the road safely. The pupils are active members of the school community and display good levels of independence. For example, they eagerly join in with group activities and are keen to help each other. They are very good at tidying away to music at the end of their lessons. They show concern for the wider community through their support of charities. The school council provides a voice for the pupils. The pupils’ confidence in basic literacy and numeracy skills enhanced by further role play activities, for example ‘The Bank’, prepare them well for the future.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good throughout the school. Strengths in teaching include well planned activities, good use of questioning and teachers promoting speaking and listening skills well, for example, with ‘talking partners’. The use of role play has a high profile and is used well to enhance the quality 3 Inspection Report: Deepdale Infants School, 6 June 2006 to 7 June 2006 of learning. The quality of the teaching is underpinned by high quality relationships, and this is very evident in the way the school enables pupils from culturally diverse backgrounds to succeed. In the Foundation Stage, the staff strike a good balance between freedom of choice with certain tasks and directing children carefully in others. Although teaching in the Foundation Stage is good, there are missed opportunities to promote learning in the outside area. In Years 1 and 2, teachers use information about what pupils can already do well to

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Grade: 2

ensure work is matched well to their needs. Good use is made of teaching assistants, some bilingual, to support learning.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum that is of good quality. A well planned programme of personal, social and health education provides pupils with a good awareness of health, environmental and community issues. The outstanding ‘zone-parc’ area (outdoor play facility) is used very effectively during breaktimes and lunchtimes and is much enjoyed by pupils. There is a good range of well supported extra-curricular activities including problem-solving classes. The curriculum is adapted well to support pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, those who have been identified as particularly able and/or talented and the high proportion who are at an early stage of learning to speak English. Although curriculum planning is of a good quality, there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to use and develop their writing skills across other subjects. In the Foundation Stage, children benefit from a well planned range of indoor learning activities. However,

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Grade: 2

the outside area is not used well enough to enhance the range of learning opportunities.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support for pupils are good. Pupils say they feel safe and the staff do all they can to ensure their well-being. A key strength of the provision is the work done by the learning mentor in supporting pupils with social and emotional difficulties. Good links exist with parents and they are very positive about all the school provides. They are pleased with the workshops offered by the school to help them with supporting their children’s learning. Good child protection procedures and risk assessments are in place. Staff are watchful and supervise pupils vigilantly, as seen in the outside ‘zone-parc’ activities where pupils are encouraged to take risks safely. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive good support. Those pupils at an early stage of learning English receive good support from bilingual staff. The 4 Inspection Report: Deepdale Infants School, 6 June 2006 to 7 June 2006

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Grade: 2

school works well with outside agencies. Information about what pupils can already do is used well to ensure the work set is matched to pupils’ needs.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management overall, including the Foundation Stage, are good. Since her appointment in September 2005, the headteacher has built on the improvements made in the five years since the previous inspection. She and the deputy headteacher provide very good leadership. The school has very high expectations of itself and what pupils should be able to achieve. The pupils make good progress in their time at the school. Inspectors strongly believe the school has the capacity to improve even further. The school has an accurate view of its strengths and weaknesses, although in its quest for improvement, it was modest in its view of teaching, the curriculum and leadership and management which inspectors have judged to be good. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and the governing body have a clear vision for the school which is clearly articulated and shared by all staff. The governors support the school well and hold

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Grade: 2

the headteacher to account. The school’s own self-evaluation and resulting good quality plans for further improvement are strengthened by the contributions made by the whole-school community. As a result, the school is held in high regard by pupils, parents, governors and staff. The school is not complacent. It recognises there is room for further improvement. For example, the headteacher acknowledges the existing skills of curriculum leaders would be enhanced by involving them more in the monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning in their subject areas. 5 Inspection Report: Deepdale Infants School, 6 June 2006 to 7 June 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: Deepdale Infants School, 6 June 2006 to 7 June 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 2 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 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 2 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 NA 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 The Pupils Deepdale Infants' School St Stephen's Road Deepdale Preston Lancashire PR1 6TD 8 June 2006 Dear Pupils As you are aware Mrs Platt, Mr Yates and I recently visited your school. I am writing to you now to thank you for the super welcome you gave us and to let you know what we found. You will be pleased to know that we think you belong to a good school. We think it is good because Miss Mirza and Mrs Drew-Williams make sure all the grown-ups teach you and look after you well. As a result, you make good progress in your work, although we would like to see you write more in other subjects. You behave well, try hard, know how to make healthy and safe choices and look after each other. This is good to see. Mrs Musa, your learning mentor, does a particularly good job helping you if you become upset. She helps you to scrunch up your

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

worries! So how are you, all the grown-ups and Miss Mirza going to make your school even better? Well, we think your wonderful outside play area could be used even more in your lessons to help you learn. We also think your teachers who look after the different subjects should visit each other to see what is going on in your lessons. We know you are proud to belong to Deepdale Infants’ School and we know all of you will work together to make it even better. My very best wishes to you all! Mark Williams Her Majesty’s Inspector of Schools

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