Giggleswick Primary School

Inspection Report Giggleswick Primary School

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121392 Unique Reference Number North Yorkshire LEA 281004 Inspection number 13 February 2006 to 14 February 2006 Inspection dates Mr Roger Gill 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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Church Street School address Primary Type of school Giggleswick Community School category Settle, North Yorkshire BD24 0BJ 4 to 10 Age range of pupils

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01729 822248 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01729 824357 Fax number 78 Number on roll Mrs Sue Butler Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Ms A Michelmore-Brown Headteacher 20 September 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281004 13 February 2006 - 4 to 10 14 February 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 small school situated in an advantaged rural area near Skipton. Most children are of white British heritage. A few are from a mixed ethnic background and all speak English fluently. An average proportion has learning difficulties and/or disabilities; very few children have a statement of special educational need. Children's attainment on entry is typical for their age. The school has been vastly extended in the last two years; staff changes, and the number of supply staff used, has been high during that period. The new building has been partly in use since September 2005.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Giggleswick Primary School, 13 February 2006 to 14 February 2006

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school, with some good features, that provides sound value for money. It thinks of itself as good. The inspection concludes that the standards reached, and the progress made, by the oldest children are satisfactory. Disruption to learning caused by the frequent use of supply staff to cover for the headteacher during the building programme had a greater effect than the school imagined. Children achieve well in their Reception year and most reach the expected level for their age. Progress continues to be good in Years 1 and 2, and standards are consistently above average by the end of Year 2. Sometimes children in Year 2 rocket ahead, as in 2005, to reach exceptionally high results. Progress is inconsistent thereafter and this influences the standards attained by the end of Year 5. The quality of teaching is satisfactory despite the good and sometimes outstanding lessons for younger children.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The school's rate of progress since its last inspection has slowed, but it is beginning to improve now that the difficulties are over. There are good methods of care and support and children's personal development is good. One parent rightly described the school as, 'engendering an ethos of caring among pupils, who are noted for their polite, friendly approach'. Some effective methods are used to assess children's work, but not enough use is made of the information to set ambitious targets for older children and involve them in evaluating their own progress. Teaching is checked for its quality, but children's progress in lessons and over time is not evaluated fully enough.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the use made of information gained from test results and assessing children's work. • Involve older children more in the evaluation of their own progress and identifying what is successful and what could be improved. • Improve the monitoring of lessons to include a regular check on children's progress and achievement.

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory by the end of Year 5. Pupils reach challenging targets by the end of Year 2, but thereafter the momentum is lost. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and those with special gifts or talents, progress as well as others. Pupils make rapid progress in some years, but it slows down for older year groups. The youngest children achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. Their good progress is facilitated by purposeful play. Standards by the end of Year 2 are consistently above average. The exceptionally high results in 2005 were produced by some outstanding teaching. Progress in English and mathematics is uniformly strong because well considered fine adjustments to planning and teaching in these subjects are made regularly. 2 Inspection Report: Giggleswick Primary School, 13 February 2006 to 14 February 2006 By the end of Year 5, children reach the expected levels for their age, but progress

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Grade: 3

has dipped to satisfactory in the last two years. The school is back on track. Progress, for example, in the oldest children's writing is good now that the quality of teaching is getting back to normal. Nevertheless, gaps remain in learning as a result of the recent difficulties. Progress is sound in information and communication technology and children meet national expectations. They make good progress in some subjects such as physical education and French.

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Grade: 2

Children's personal development is good. They are very happy in their new building; one child said, and many agree, that 'they now feel comfortable and safe'. They talk about the school being a big family. Children possess a good understanding about healthy lifestyles and how to keep safe. Good behaviour and positive attitudes predominate. School is considered by children to be enjoyable and this is reflected in the good attendance, but they have some reservations. The biggest concern, voiced by some older pupils, is about the interruptions caused by the building work and the frequent changes in staff. They understand that these were unavoidable, but regret them nevertheless. A sense of communal pride is nurtured in the lively assemblies and at playtimes when older children act as mediators. The school council works well, although some children recognise, with justification, that owing to the electoral system, they will never get a

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Grade: 2

chance to be involved. Teachers are trusted to resolve problems so bullying is uncommon. Good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted in a variety of ways. Social skills are developed through the extensive cultural and multicultural activities. Frequent fund raising and activities related to the school's partnerships in Bradford and Greece promote a strong sense of global citizenship.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory owing to the difficulties faced in the class for Year 4 and 5 children. As the children rightly comment about the temporary difficulties, 'It takes a long time for supply teachers to get to know us and what we can do'. Teaching and learning are good in the other classes. A strong link between home and school helps to make teaching successful in the Reception and Year 1 class. This quality of work continues in Years 2 and 3 where some outstanding teaching exists. In a mathematics lesson, for example, the seamless blend of energetic teaching and eager learning (children whooped with enthusiasm) made sure that the basics of division, with remainders, were mastered successfully. Children who find learning difficult are taught well in most cases, but there is a recognisable dip in their progress in Years 4 and 5. Methods to assess children's learning are good, but targets set for

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Grade: 3

3 Inspection Report: Giggleswick Primary School, 13 February 2006 to 14 February 2006 the older children lack ambition and consistency. Target setting works well in the first two classes: parents and children play an active role in pursuing them. By contrast, older children are not yet involved enough in evaluating their own success, which limits their achievement.

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Grade: 2

The school has a good curriculum. The effect, for the older children, has been temporarily impaired, but this does not diminish the many worthwhile activities that enrich children's learning. Activities for the younger children fuel the imagination. Moreover, they promote investigation and success in basic skills. The links with other schools at home and abroad develop in children a wide interest in other people's lives and a sense of cultural unity. Children's personal development is boosted by the residential trip in Year 5 to the Lake District. One child, filled with self-esteem, claimed that canoeing was, 'absolutely brilliant'. Learning about health, safety, working together and managing money are combined in the many fund raising ventures, which develop a moral outlook and a responsible attitude. Collaboration is developed very well in the weekly shared activities in which children of all ages work together, for example, in

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Grade: 2

The school gives children good care and support and, as a result, they get on well together. Rare instances of bullying are sorted out quickly. Children feel confident that adults will lend a listening ear, but some report that recent changes in key staff have dented their sense of stability. Rigorous procedures ensure that children are safe and well cared for. Child protection arrangements are in place and working well. Healthy lifestyles are encouraged strongly and there is a particular emphasis on fitness. Some children and parents have reservations about school meals: they are healthy enough, but sometimes too small and do not always cater for special diets. Parents have a good partnership with the school. They appreciate the care their children receive and the support for their learning. Notwithstanding, the academic guidance for older children has been affected adversely of late. The school has already devised some useful

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory, which is exactly how the school judges this aspect. The recent upheaval has resulted in a new building of which everyone is justly proud. However, during the last two years, managerial systems have had to take account of the building project and leadership has had to juggle so much, it has not been able to maintain the high standards at the end of Year 5, which were identified in the school's last inspection. Despite its difficulties, parents and children still admire 4 Inspection Report: Giggleswick Primary School, 13 February 2006 to 14 February 2006 what the school has to offer. This is a small rural school with a reputation for success. It is getting back on course well: a staff vacancy has been filled and there is a settled atmosphere everywhere. A family ethos is created by staff and children alike who respond well to an inclusive style of leadership. This, for example, has encouraged

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Grade: 3

children to help in the appointment of the new staff member and take a lead in the decoration of the new building. Governors fulfil their responsibilities and know the school well. They are supportive and knowledgeable about school matters, informed well by their regular visits and links with the local authority. Teamwork among staff at all levels helps the school to run smoothly. Self-evaluation is reasonably successful, but is not rigorous enough in assessing children's progress between Year 2 and Year 5. Subject leaders play a useful role, with the headteacher, in providing a good curriculum. They check on the quality of teaching but, in doing so, do not give enough attention to children's progress and achievement in lessons. 5 Inspection Report: Giggleswick Primary School, 13 February 2006 to 14 February 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: Giggleswick Primary School, 13 February 2006 to 14 February 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 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 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 your help when I inspected your school. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. I would like to share with you what I thought. These are some of the things that I enjoyed: - the friendly way in which visitors are greeted and shown around even by the youngest children - the family feeling in the school as demonstrated in assemblies, for example - the way that many of you enjoyed lessons and said, 'Yes!' at the most special bits - the very sensible approach to school life adopted by the older children - some of the teaching that was so interesting it made me want to join in. I know everyone wants to do even better and I have suggested three things that I think will help: - your teachers need to use your test results, and their own marking, to help them set even more ambitious targets for the older children - children in Years 4 and 5 need help to think even more deeply about their own progress and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

about what is successful and what could be improved - your headteacher and teachers should check up on how well you are doing in lessons more regularly to find out which bits of teaching are most successful.

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