Arnold View Primary School

Inspection Report Arnold View Primary School

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131642 Unique Reference Number NOTTINGHAMSHIRE LEA LEA 282241 Inspection number 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006 Inspection dates Mr. Geof Timms LI Reporting inspector

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

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Gedling Road School address Primary Type of school NG5 6NW Community School category 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 0115 956 0967 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0115 956 1104 Fax number 294 Number on roll Mr.Paul Key Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr. Stuart Northedge Headteacher 26 June 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 282241 22 May 2006 - 3 to 11 23 May 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Arnold View Primary School serves the district of Arnold and also takes a few children from the city of Nottingham. The school is of above average size and has a 50 place Nursery class. Most children come from an average mix of social and economic backgrounds. The number eligible for free school meals is average. Most children are White British, but there are a small number from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds. The school has a small number of looked after children. The proportion of children with learning difficulties and disabilities is below average overall but high in some age groups. The attainment on entry of most children is broadly typical given their age. The school has recently moved into a new building.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Arnold View Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory but improving school. This view of its effectiveness is shared by the school and by the inspection team. The staff and children have been through some unsettled and disrupted times over the last two years, including changes to senior management, and moving to a new building and losing schooling when building work was not completed on time. All of this had a negative impact on achievement and some children's test results. However, since the children and staff have settled into the new building and the acting headteacher has been leading the school, achievement has improved, standards are rising and a significant amount of improvement is evident. Leadership and management are now satisfactory with some good aspects. The school is currently providing satisfactory value for money and the improvements made since last year show that there is a good capacity to improve further. Current standards of

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Grade: 3

achievement are satisfactory and have improved greatly since last year. The introduction of a range of target-setting and assessment initiatives is beginning to have a positive impact on standards in English and mathematics but they are not yet fully embedded or consistent across the school. However, some children's work is untidily presented. There are insufficient opportunities for children to develop their writing skills or to use these in longer pieces of writing in different subjects. The children with learning difficulties and disabilities achieve well and make good progress towards their targets. More able children do not always make sufficient progress as the work does not always sufficiently challenge them or build on their prior learning. Children behave well and have good attitudes towards school. The Nursery and Reception classes offer children a positive start to school, with good teaching, resources and accommodation. The

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Grade: 3

youngest children make satisfactory progress towards the levels expected given their ages.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Raise standards in English and mathematics by consolidating the work done on target setting and assessment. - Provide more opportunities for writing at length and in different subjects. - Improve the quality of children's handwriting and the presentation of their work. - Ensure the more able children are provided with sufficiently challenging work.

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Grade: 3

Current standards in English, mathematics and science are average and children are making satisfactory progress. This represents an improvement from last year but there are still some more able children who are not achieving the levels of which they are capable. Standards in 2005 were below average and achievement was unsatisfactory. These weaknesses have been addressed over the past twelve months, and this is evident in the rising standards. Standards of handwriting, and the care taken over the presentation of children's work, are not high enough. The school sets sufficiently 2 Inspection Report: Arnold View Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006 challenging targets and, although they have not met these in the past, they are on line to meet or exceed them this year. Throughout the school, the main area where children are failing to meet targets is in writing and they do not have sufficient opportunities to write at length or in other subjects such as history and religious

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Grade: 3

education. The children make at least satisfactory and sometimes good progress through the Nursery and Reception classes to achieve the goals expected of their age. Progress remains satisfactory through Years 1 and 2 and this appears likely to be maintained according to the current teacher assessments. In Years 3 to 6 the progress made by children has been more inconsistent over time, and between classes. However, the dip in achievement evident in 2005 has been addressed and standards in English, mathematics and science are again in line with those expected nationally. Analysis of the progress of Year 6 children's achievement shows it has been satisfactory when compared to the levels they reached at the end of Year 2. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve well owing to the good support they receive and they make good progress towards their targets.

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Grade: 3

Children's personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is satisfactory. Children have good attitudes towards their work and say that they enjoy coming to school because it is friendly and welcoming. Behaviour is good in lessons and at break and lunchtimes. Most pupils are articulate and friendly. Children say that there are few instances of bullying or racism. Children demonstrate care and consideration for each other. They have a sound awareness of how to stay safe and be healthy. In Year 6, children take part in a programme of drug awareness and sex education, and their knowledge of these issues is satisfactory. Currently, children acquire satisfactory basic skills to support their future economic well-being. To improve this further, the school has appropriate plans for involving pupils more in their learning and in developing their thinking skills. There are an appropriate range

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Grade: 3

of opportunities to take on responsibilities around the school. Children greatly enjoy working as teams when raising money for a variety of charities, or when taking part in residential visits. Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory and the school strives to encourage regular attendance. Even so, a small number of children arrive late and therefore miss the start of the school day.

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Grade: 2

Across the school the quality of teaching and learning is good. The school has worked hard to bring about improvements. Teachers plan lessons to make learning interesting and to address the needs of different groups within each class. For example, they make good use of information and communication technology (ICT) in lessons and children are confident when using the new resources to continue with their own research. 3 Inspection Report: Arnold View Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006 Relationships between staff and children are good and children are keen to learn. Teaching assistants are well trained and contribute strongly to the quality of teaching and learning. Staff are good at encouraging children's confidence and self-esteem. As a result children are developing self-assurance in their ability to learn effectively. Teachers are good at explaining clearly to children exactly what they are to learn in

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Grade: 2

lessons. In addition, the use of targets and shared success criteria shows children where they need to improve their work. These systems are helping children to make better progress. However, targets for the more able do not always offer them sufficient challenge so that on occasions they do not achieve as well as they could. Teachers regularly mark children's work but they do not always place sufficient emphasis on how children should present their work.

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum. In the Foundation Stage there are good learning opportunities. Throughout the school the curriculum is adapted well to the needs of children with learning difficulties and disabilities. Children are taught how to keep safe, and provision for health, sex and drugs education is suitably built into the curriculum. However, only Year 3 has the opportunity to learn to swim and this is insufficient time for some children to acquire the necessary skills. Resources for ICT are good and teachers and children make good use of these aids to support learning in other subjects. Children from Years 2 and 6 enjoy residential visits which enhance their learning and their social development. There is a satisfactory range of after- school activities for younger children but inspectors agree with parents and children that the school provides only a limited range for older children. The school prepares

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Grade: 3

children well for transition to their new school.

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Grade: 3

This aspect of the school's work is satisfactory. The arrangements for safeguarding pupils are good. Child protection procedures are clear and well understood by all staff. Statutory requirements for staff security checks are met and health and safety risk assessments are carried out regularly. Parents feel strongly that their children are well cared for. Pupils report that they feel safe and secure at school and very comfortable in approaching staff if they have a concern. There is a good level of care at lunchtime both from kitchen staff and midday supervisors. The office staff are very helpful and approachable. The school has worked hard recently to improve the tracking of pupil progress in English and mathematics and these systems are now beginning to help teachers provide appropriate work and raise standards. Recording of progress in other subjects is not as developed but the school has established a two year cycle to address

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Grade: 3

this. Pupils are involved through their individual targets in English and mathematics and are responding well to these. Part of this process involves pupil interviews, enabling children to explain how they understand their targets and the progress they are making towards achieving them. 4 Inspection Report: Arnold View Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory with some good features. The school has had significant changes to its leadership over the last twelve months, and is currently led by an acting headteacher and acting deputy headteacher. Together with the other senior staff, they make an effective team and have introduced a number of important and successful changes which are already raising standards. The positive way the staff have worked to support improvement clearly shows that the school has a good capacity to improve further. The school's self-evaluation is accurate. The acting headteacher and subject leaders are monitoring progress and recognising strengths and weaknesses, as well as drawing up detailed action plans to help improve standards. The school has used local authority support effectively in doing this. The feedback from these activities has encouraged better teaching and learning. The tracking of data is good and analysis

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Grade: 3

of this shows how children are progressing in English, mathematics and science. This information is providing the leadership with a powerful management tool and helping staff to focus on specific children or groups of children who are falling behind the levels expected. The introduction of a range of target-setting processes and other assessment information is having a very positive impact on provision. The regular review of progress against these targets is very effective. The school uses regular questionnaires to survey parents' and pupils' views. The governing body offers the school effective support, and has an efficient structure for carrying out its work. Governors are aware of the need to develop their monitoring role further so that they can be more effective in holding the school to account. The acting headteacher has ensured that the governors receive sufficiently detailed information about the school's

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Grade: 3

performance. 5 Inspection Report: Arnold View Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 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: Arnold View Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 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 3 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 3 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 3 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 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 3 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 3 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

Many thanks for the way you welcomed us to your school. We enjoyed being with you, watching you in lessons and talking to you about the school. We particularly want to thank the school council members who were very helpful and very good at talking about your school. The school has been through a lot of important changes in recent years. Even so, you are very lucky in attending Arnold View because, as well as having nice new buildings, you are in a school which is improving very quickly. It is doing this because Mr Northedge and the other staff are working very hard to help you learn. For example, the idea of setting targets for you to try and achieve has been very successful. You were able tell us about your targets and what you have to do to get better. You also told us you think that the office staff are very friendly and helpful. Some of you would like more chances to join after-school clubs and more time to go swimming. Most

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

of your parents tell us that you really enjoy being at school, and the children we spoke to also said they enjoyed being at school. To make the school even better we think you need to carry on improving and getting higher standards. You need more chances to write longer pieces of work. You also need to make sure that your writing is neater and your work is much tidier and better stored, especially when it is done on paper. The teachers need to be sure that the work you are given is hard enough for those of you who find learning easy. Once again, thanks you for helping us find out about your school. Enjoy your time at Arnold View and work hard!

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