Haslingden St James Church of England Primary School

Inspection Report Haslingden St James Church of England Primary School

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119452 Unique Reference Number Lancashire LEA 280560 Inspection number 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005 Inspection dates Mrs June Tracey Reporting inspector

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

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Regent Street School address Primary Type of school Haslingden Voluntary aided School category Rossendale, Lancashire 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01706 214134 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01706 225785 Fax number 190 Number on roll Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr J Nuttall Headteacher 1 June 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280560 9 November 2005 - 4 to 11 10 November 2005 Inspection Report: Haslingden St James Church of England Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005

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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

Haslingden St James is an average size primary school. Most pupils live locally. The proportion eligible for free school meals is well above the national average. About 70% of the pupils come from the British Asian Bangladeshi/Pakistani community. Many do not speak English at the time when they join the school. Some 8% of the pupils have learning difficulties or statements of special educational need. Overall, attainment on entry to the school is well below average because pupils have poor communication and social skills. The school has gained School Achievement Awards in three consecutive years since the previous inspection and holds a Quality Mark Certificate for Physical Activity.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Haslingden St James Church of England Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005

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Grade: 2

Haslingden St James is a good school that serves all its pupils well and provides good value for money. It promotes good, sensitive attitudes amongst pupils of all backgrounds and is effective in helping them to overcome the low level of skills on entry. Children make good progress in the Foundation Stage that prepares them well for the start of more formal schooling in Year 1. Throughout the school, there is a strong focus on the development of communication, literacy and numerical skills; these underpin every aspect of each pupil’s work. As a result, they make good progress. Those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities or who do not have English as their first language achieve equally well. Good teaching is the key to pupils’ successful learning. This, together with well-planned support and guidance, leads to pupils’ good personal development. They experience enriching activities in lessons and after school, which broaden their horizons, and

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Grade: 2

encourage them to think for themselves, and be ambitious for the future. The school is well led and managed. Accurate evaluations of its performance result in effective action to remedy weaknesses. Inspectors agree with the school’s judgements. Good improvements since the previous inspection, particularly in standards in the key subjects and in the provision for information and communication technology (ICT), demonstrate the effectiveness of the school’s analyses and actions. Pupils’ greater involvement in assessing their own work and in expressing their personal views would help them to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Involve pupils more in the assessment of their own learning so that they know exactly what to do to improve further. • Provide regular opportunities for pupils to express and discuss their views about school matters.

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Grade: 2

Pupils of all abilities and ethnicities make good progress throughout the school. This includes those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who have little understanding of English when they start at the school. It represents good achievement from the well below average standard overall on entry. Children make rapid progress in the Foundation Stage, especially in the development of social and communication skills. Overall standards in reading, writing and mathematics are below those expected at the age of seven, but, by the time the pupils leave the school, standards are similar to those expected for their age. Pupils meet the targets set for them because teachers assess their capabilities well and focus planning for lessons on developing and reinforcing pupils’ speaking, listening, writing and numerical skills. Pupils gain in confidence as they learn to apply these skills in other subjects.

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Grade: 2

2 Inspection Report: Haslingden St James Church of England Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005 Pupils are keen to learn and apply what they are taught well. In oral work in Years 3 to 6, they demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of the content of the work. Their written work however, particularly in English, is often constrained by the limited range of their vocabulary and the narrowness of life experiences on which to draw to embellish their work. Consequently, the school sets out to provide a diverse curriculum through which pupils gain a wider perspective of life. This, in turn, leads to pupils’ greater confidence and improving standards in writing. Standards in ICT are as expected for pupils’ age by the time they are 11 years old. Pupils make good progress in the subject, which underpins work across the whole curriculum.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. Learners enjoy school, work hard and cooperate well with each other. The strong emphasis on literacy, numerical and communication skills prepares the pupils well for life in school and beyond. They talk confidently about their work and hopes for the future. Behaviour in lessons and around school is very good with pupils showing respect and consideration for others. Older pupils willingly accept responsibility, such as preparing the hall for assemblies. Teachers are quick to seize on opportunities to engage the pupils in discussion about school affairs. Pupils know that their comments are taken into account because they see their suggestions being put into practice, for example, in the school rules. More regular opportunities could be provided however for pupils from across the school to come together to share their views. The school has worked hard and successfully with

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Grade: 2

the help of the key worker to improve levels of attendance and punctuality. Nevertheless, some parents still insist on taking their children on extended holidays. The pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. They celebrate one another’s achievements, know right from wrong and respond sensitively to each other. Though learners have great respect for faiths different from their own, more could be done to develop their understanding of the different cultures represented in the school. Pupils conscientiously follow guidance to keep them safe and understand the reasons why they should adopt healthy life styles.

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Grade: 2

Good use of information from assessment procedures, strong discipline and the creation of an environment in which pupils want to learn, contribute to good progression in lessons and year-on-year. The stability of the staff, linked to the experience of established teachers and the innovative ideas of those more recently qualified, is stimulating and effective in enlivening pupils’ experiences. Pupils with learning difficulties or who are at the early stage of learning English make good progress because their work is planned for step-by-step. They gain in confidence from success, 3 Inspection Report: Haslingden St James Church of England Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005 however small, which encourages them to want to learn more. Teachers make learning worthwhile and they capitalise on pupils’ contributions, for example, by building on pupils’ mistakes in oral work to move a lesson on. Pupils do not find this embarrassing

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Grade: 2

because they are used to working together and learning from each other. A strength in the teaching is the emphasis on practical work and the good use of visual images to capture interest and get pupils involved. This works well because pupils are not then wholly dependent on language skills to achieve success. Pupils are encouraged to think logically and are provided with plenty of opportunities to test this out in investigative work. They respect the teachers and teaching assistants because their expectations are realistic and stand a good chance of being met. Teachers have a good understanding of pupils’ capabilities. They challenge the most able pupils well through open-ended questions that lead to independent thought and individuality in writing. The marking of pupils’ work is positive and encouraging but it does not always indicate what pupils should do to improve their work further. This is an aspect that could be

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Grade: 2

developed to consolidate the improvement in standards seen in recent years.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is of a good quality with some very good features. It meets the needs of all learners well. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage is firmly based on giving children first hand experiences; as a result, they have a good start to their education. The provision for English, mathematics, science and ICT is very good. The latter has come on in leaps and bounds since the previous inspection. The school places a strong emphasis upon making learning an enjoyable experience, linking subjects together to reinforce the acquisition of basic skills wherever possible. Pupils are being given clear information about how to keep safe, to be healthy and to accept responsibility. This is helping them to cope with changes and dangers in their lives. The curriculum is enhanced through a good range of after-school activities, particularly sport and games. Educational outings enrich learning further. For example, pupils

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Grade: 2

spoke enthusiastically about the residential visit to Wales arranged annually for Years 4, 5 and 6. These activities contribute immensely to pupils’ enjoyment and achievement.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. Staff know the pupils well and are fully committed to their welfare. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who do not speak English as a first language receive good support that is specifically tailored to their individual needs. Teachers put great store on making sure that every pupil develops the personal skills needed to equip them for a full life in and out of school. Their progress is reviewed regularly and the school works closely with external agencies and with parents and carers. The school carries out health and safety checks on a regular basis and risk assessments are fully in place. All adults understand the child protection procedures, which are 4 Inspection Report: Haslingden St James Church of England Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005 frequently reviewed. Pupils say that they feel safe and secure and confirm that they

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Grade: 2

know who to go to if they are worried. The school is successfully helping to shape learners’ attitudes to health. In discussion, pupils displayed a very good understanding of the need to take regular exercise and the effect that this can have on the body. Learners’ progress is carefully monitored and analysed. However, more could be done to ensure that pupils have a clearer understanding of what they need to do next in order to improve their work further. There are good procedures to check that children settle quickly when they start school in the nursery or at a later stage. Good links with the local high school ease pupils’ transition to the next stage of their education.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. They have led to the involvement of teaching and non-teaching staff in the construction and implementation of the school development plan. Training has focused on the key areas identified for improvement and the concentrated efforts, such as on language and ICT skills, are paying dividends in terms of pupils’ improved performance and progress. The school knows itself well and is successful in prioritising what can realistically be achieved and financed in a given timescale. Governors are supportive; they fulfil their responsibilities but could be more proactive in evaluating the outcomes of the school’s actions. Parents are provided with opportunities to share their views and engage in activities to extend their own and their children’s learning. Other than in the Foundation Stage, the uptake is small, which is a pity because the shared experiences would be of mutual benefit.

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Grade: 2

The school has made good improvement since the previous inspection, particularly in raising standards and in the provision for ICT. There is sufficient capacity to make further improvement. 5 Inspection Report: Haslingden St James Church of England Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Haslingden St James Church of England Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 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 2 How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of 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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Personal development and well-being

NA 2 How good is the overall personal development and well-being of the 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 3 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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The quality of provision

NA 2 How effective are teaching and learning in meeting the full range of the learners' needs? NA 2 How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? NA 2 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 2 How effective are leadership and management in raising achievement 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 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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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

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 www.ofsted.gov.uk Haslingden St James Church of England Primary School Regent Street Haslingden Rossendale Lancashire BB4 5HL 10 November 2005 Dear Pupils Thank you so much for the help you gave us when we visited your school. You made us feel welcome and we understand why you are proud of your school. You may have heard already that we think that your school is a good school. There are a number of reasons for this and you might like to know what they are. We found out about them by talking to you and by watching lessons to see how well you were learning. The things that we thought were really good were: you have good teachers and other staff who care for you and want you to succeed you listen well and join in discussion in lessons so your speaking and listening skills are getting better all the time you tell us that ‘learning is fun’ you have very good opportunities to develop your ICT skills because you have good equipment

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and your teachers encourage you to use it in other subjects your school makes good provision for you to join in activities outside lessons, such as sports, dance and learning to play musical instruments you say that you feel safe in school and that if you have a problem there is always an adult to help you the headteacher leads the school well and is keen for each of you to achieve your best. There are a few things that we have asked your school to do to make things even better. We think that: you should have more opportunities to talk to your teacher about how well you are doing and what you can do to make your work even better there should be regular opportunities for you to express your views about school matters you could encourage your parents to get involved more in the school’s activities

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Annex B

We were very impressed by the way you care for the school building and your classrooms. They are bright and cheerful and it was a pleasure to see so much of your good work on display. Keep it up. Best wishes to you all for a successful future June Tracey (Lead Inspector) Anthony Calderbank Annex B Annex B

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