Marshfield Primary School

Inspection Report Marshfield Primary School

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107215 Unique Reference Number Bradford Local Authority 287746 Inspection number 1 °2 November 2006 Inspection dates Peter Howard Reporting inspector

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

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Thornton Lane School address Primary Type of school Little Horton, Bradford Community School category West Yorkshire BD5 9DS 3 °11 Age range of pupils 01274 573295 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01274 503964 Fax number 459 Number on roll (school) Mrs Lynne Foreman Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Denise Waring Headteacher 9 July 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 287746 1 °2 November 2006 3°11 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

The school serves a diverse ethnic community in an area of above average social and economic deprivation. It is much larger than the average primary school and the numbers attending are rising. A very large majority of pupils are of Asian British origin. An increasing number of refugees and asylum seekers, many of whom do not speak English as a first language, are also attending the school. A larger than average proportion of children start or leave school during the year. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average. There have been significant changes to the teaching staff over the last two years, including the appointment of a new headteacher this term.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Marshfield Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school. It is beginning to emerge from a period of instability, which saw major changes to leadership and staffing, and a period of low achievement. Under the effective leadership of the recently appointed headteacher the school is starting to improve. Although the school's overall effectiveness is satisfactory, its performance in one respect is inadequate. Before its next section 5 inspection, Ofsted inspectors may visit the school to monitor the progress that it has made in remedying this weakness. The school would receive two to five days' notice of these visits. Children start school in the Foundation Stage with very low levels of skills and knowledge for their age and many speak little or no English when they enter school. Assessment shows that many of these children also have limited skills in their home language. Provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory but by the end of Reception

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Grade: 3

standards are still well below those expected nationally. At the end of Year 6 standards overall are still very low, although they are rising. Following the recent introduction of rigorous assessment strategies pupils are being set challenging targets for improvement, which are beginning to speed up their progress. Given their very low starting points pupils make satisfactory progress and their achievement is satisfactory. Pupils' personal development and well being are satisfactory. They are happy in school and their behaviour is satisfactory. Attendance fell significantly last year and is inadequate. As a result some pupils miss important work. Much absence is related to parents taking children out of school for religious festivals and extended holidays and the school's procedures to improve attendance have not had sufficient impact. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. However, whilst there is evidence

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Grade: 3

of good teaching, this is not consistent throughout the school. As a result in some lessons pupils still do not achieve as well as they should. This contributes to the low standards reached. Pupils at the very early stages of learning English as an additional language in Key Stage 2 speak and understand English quickly, mainly because of effective tuition from the visiting specialist teacher. Other pupils new to English, particularly those entering the Foundation Stage, receive insufficient bilingual support during lessons and this contributes to them making no better than satisfactory progress. The curriculum meets pupils' needs satisfactorily and enrichment by visits and visitors is good. Care guidance and support is satisfactory. Staff of the school are very caring and the school is a safe place for children. The recently appointed headteacher has a good understanding of the needs of the school and has quickly gained the confidence of all members of the school community.

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Grade: 3

Although it is too early to see their impact on pupil performance in national tests recent improvements to teaching and assessment are well founded. This, and the strong teamwork that is developing among staff, indicate that the school's capacity to improve further is satisfactory. The school responds well to the needs and views of parents, who give it their overwhelming support. 2 Inspection Report: Marshfield Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve attendance. • Improve the quality of teaching and make it consistently good in order to raise standards. • Improve the support given to pupils at the very early stages of learning English, particularly in the Foundation Stage, and hence improve their progress.

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Grade: 3

Children are given a satisfactory start in the Foundation Stage, although attainment at the end of Reception is still well below average and basic skills in English and mathematics remain weak. At the end of Year 2 pupils attain standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are well below average. In national tests at the end of Year 6 standards attained in English and science are typically well below average and in mathematics below average. In 2006, although overall standards remained well below average, improvements to the teaching of English led to standards in that subject rising to below average. Given the very low standards when children start school, the need for many pupils entering in Foundation Stage to learn English as a second language and higher than average numbers of pupils entering school in Key Stage 2, including a significant number of children at the earliest stage of learning English,

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Grade: 3

pupils make satisfactory progress. The needs of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those from minority ethnic groups are met through appropriate provision and they also make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 3

Pupils enjoy coming to school and all ethnicities get on well together. However, despite the school's recent efforts to reduce absence, attendance is inadequate. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory. They are learning right from wrong, demonstrate pride in their successes and are developing an appropriate understanding of their community and the life-styles and beliefs of others. Pupils' behaviour is satisfactory overall, but they sometimes do not behave as well as they should for temporary teachers. Bullying is rare and pupils say that when it occurs it is dealt with quickly and effectively. The school promotes a healthy life-style. Pupils are learning to keep themselves safe, play together well and are generally polite and friendly. Pupils on the school council know that their work has a positive impact on the provision made for them by the school. Pupils' readiness for the next stage in

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Grade: 3

learning is limited by low levels of attainment in literacy and numeracy. 3 Inspection Report: Marshfield Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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Grade: 3

Recently introduced rigorous checking of lessons is beginning to have a positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning. Increasingly effective collaboration between teachers is improving planning and leading to better strategies for teaching writing. However, this is in the early stages of implementation and teaching still varies in quality. In weaker teaching learning objectives lack clarity, work is not well matched to pupils' needs, pupils engage in too much chatter and off-task behaviour and as a result they do not make enough progress. In good lessons assessments are used well to plan pupils' work; pupils enjoy challenge and make good progress.

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Grade: 3

The Nursery class provides a satisfactory focus on practical work appropriate to early learners, but space restrictions limit the range of activities that can be offered. Throughout the school the curriculum rightly concentrates on the basic skills of literacy, numeracy and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) although this has restricted provision in other subjects. Topic work and links made between subjects are at the early stages of development, although themed weeks, in history and art for example, are beginning to add breadth to the curriculum. The school welcomes visitors, including storytellers, artists, musicians and members of the local community, to broaden pupils' experiences. There is a good programme of visits including a residential trip for older pupils. Out of school activities, such as clubs for various sports, arts and science are well attended. These enrichment activities contribute well to pupils' personal

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Grade: 3

Staff are committed to ensuring pupils' care and welfare and the school works hard to ensure that all feel safe and happy. Pupils say that there are adults in school they feel comfortable to talk to if problems arise. Academic guidance and support is satisfactory overall. Although there are some weaknesses in the accuracy of teacher assessment, particularly in the Foundation Stage, the school is aware of deficiencies and working hard with the local authority to put them right. Following the recent introduction of more rigorous assessment strategies in some classes the school is beginning to set pupils challenging targets for improvement. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive satisfactory support overall. Whilst some teaching assistants give children good support others need more guidance to improve their effectiveness. There are effective arrangements for transfer to secondary education.

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Grade: 3

Health and safety and child protection procedures meet statutory requirements. 4 Inspection Report: Marshfield Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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Grade: 3

The headteacher has a clear vision for the school's future. With good support from the deputy headteacher she has made a good start at leading the school through a period of necessary change. In a short time she has worked successfully to create a team ethos among the staff, who are responding positively to the programme of improvement taking place. The school's self evaluation, underpinned by effective checks on teaching and learning, is accurate and this provides a secure foundation for further improvement. Middle managers and subject leaders are developing in their roles and becoming increasingly effective, but are only in the early stages of evaluating work in their subjects. The school works well in partnerships with other organisations and parents, adding to pupils' enjoyment of school and their academic development. Governors are very supportive of the school, but do not yet have a sufficiently informed

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Grade: 3

and detailed understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. The issues raised in the last inspection have been dealt with satisfactorily and the school give satisfactory value for money. 5 Inspection Report: Marshfield Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006 .

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Marshfield Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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Inspection judgements

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

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 3 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3 The behaviour of learners 4 The attendance of learners 3 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Marshfield Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Marshfield Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for your friendly welcome to the inspection team. We enjoyed our visit very much. Your school gives you a satisfactory quality of education. What we liked most about your school: • that many of you behave well and work hard • that you get on well with each other, for example, sharing celebrations for Eid and Christmas • how hard all the staff in school work, how well they look after you and how much they want you to do well in school • the good range of clubs, visits out of school and visitors to school. We think there are some things that your headteacher and teachers should do to make Marshfield a really good school: • work with your parents and carers to help make sure that more of you attend school every day • help you to work better in some lessons and so reach higher standards • give more help to children whose home language is not English, and especially to the youngest children.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You can help your teachers by working hard, behaving well and by taking advantage of all the opportunities offered by school. On the behalf of the inspection team, I would like to wish you all the very best for your future at Marshfield Primary School. 9 Inspection Report: Marshfield Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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