Woodhouse Primary School

Inspection Report Woodhouse Primary School

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107528 Unique Reference Number Calderdale Local Authority 287840 Inspection number 7 November 2006 Inspection date Joyce Taylor 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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Daisy Road School address Primary Type of school Brighouse Community School category West Yorkshire HD6 3SX 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01484 714750 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01484 720347 Fax number 378 Number on roll (school) Mr Ken Blackburn Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs S Stoker Headteacher 4 November 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 287840 7 November 2006 4 °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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

About half of the pupils in this large school come from the local area, with the rest, a rising proportion, travelling from further afield. Overall, pupils come from areas with average levels of social and economic advantage. Fewer pupils than average have learning difficulties and/or disabilities and the proportion having statements of special educational need is lower than in most schools. There are fewer than average pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Woodhouse Primary School, 7 November 2006

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Grade: 1

Woodhouse Primary School provides an outstanding education for its pupils. The vast majority of parents are understandably pleased with the education their children receive and the pupils say they are very happy in school. The school is extremely calm and pupils receive particularly effective care. This means they feel safe and secure and settle confidently to their work. Consequently, during their time in school, pupils achieve well. Most children start in Reception with levels of attainment that are typical for their age although in previous years standards on entry were higher. They get a good start in the Foundation Stage classes because of good teaching and well planned opportunities to learn. Teaching throughout the school is at least good, with a small proportion being inspirational, enabling pupils to achieve well. As a result, standards by the end of Year 2 are above average. By the time they leave Year 6 pupils reach well above average

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Grade: 1

standards. However, progress in some other subjects, for example history and geography, should be faster for the most able pupils, who often cover the same work as their classmates instead of starting at a higher level. Teaching assistants play a key role in supporting learning and contribute most effectively to ensuring that pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and sometimes the wider range of pupils, make rapid progress. Very thorough assessment procedures identify how fast individual pupils learn and rapid intervention remedies any slips. For example, earlier plateaux in learning in writing and mathematics in Years 3 and 4 were discovered so that pupils have now caught up. Classrooms, while immaculately tidy, sometimes display too few examples of pupils' work. As a result, the pupils cannot readily see how well they and others have done in a range of subjects. The focus on broadening pupils' learning opportunities through visits, themed weeks

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Grade: 1

and linking curriculum subjects ensures that pupils thoroughly enjoy their lessons. This is another factor in their good achievement. They readily identify favourite activities and describe the fun of, for example, information and communication technology (ICT) lessons and the satisfaction of good achievement in physical education. Opportunities for learning outdoors in Reception, while satisfactory, provide too few chances to climb and scramble, limiting children's opportunities to extend their physical development in a safe outdoor environment. The needs of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are met very well. Detailed assessments show what these pupils need to learn next and an extremely effective combination of class-based and small-group work ensures that they make good progress. Pupils enjoy school very much and this inspires them to do their best, inevitably leading to good achievement. Older pupils relish taking on considerable responsibilities to

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Grade: 1

support and befriend others. All pupils show exceptional maturity and good manners around school. The pupils' understanding of healthy lifestyles is extremely good and has clearly been taken to heart: they talk confidently about sensible eating and the need for regular exercise. Representatives from Year 1 to Year 6 form the school 2 Inspection Report: Woodhouse Primary School, 7 November 2006 council. These pupils take their role very seriously and have already been involved in changing several aspects of school provision. The headteacher, senior staff and governors provide outstanding leadership and management. Although they draw back from identifying their work as exceptional, they have transformed the school since it was reported to be failing its pupils seven years ago. Pupils' high quality learning and the opportunities for them to extend their concepts and skills of good citizenship set the school apart. There has been extremely

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Grade: 1

good improvement since the last inspection. Particularly effective use of links from outside the school and strong teamwork are significant factors in the school's excellent capacity for further improvement. It provides outstanding value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that the most able pupils are appropriately challenged across the full range of subjects. • Improve provision for outdoor learning for Reception children. • Display more examples of pupils' work.

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Grade: 2

The good teaching and the assessment systems that identify target levels for all pupils ensure that at the end of Year 2 pupils' standards have consistently been above average in reading, writing and mathematics. In 2006 the Year 6 results were very high, with half to three quarters of the pupils reaching the higher Level 5 in English, mathematics and science. These pupils achieved very well. Standards have been lower in previous years and, over time, pupils' achievement has been good. Across the school the most able pupils reach high standards in English, mathematics and science but in Key Stage 2 do not always achieve so well in other subjects because they are not always challenged so effectively. Effective strategies for supporting the progress of pupils from minority heritage groups and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities means they learn as well as their peers.

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Grade: 1

The school's success in achieving Investors in People and Investors in Pupils awards confirms that all pupils benefit from numerous opportunities to extend their social and decision-making skills, and grow in confidence. One young pupil, whose self-esteem has been boosted enormously, said 'I thought I was rubbish but my teacher wrote that my story was stunning. I didn't know I was that good.' Extremely good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development means pupils play an active part in their school and local communities. The school council, sports leaders and monitors are some of the roles they volunteer for. Being interviewed and trained for these specific roles gives pupils a sense of achievement. Year 6 pupils take on responsibilities enthusiastically 3 Inspection Report: Woodhouse Primary School, 7 November 2006 and successfully, showing how much they have matured during their time in school.

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Grade: 1

This prepares them very well for life outside school and the next stage of education. Pupils have an exceptionally good understanding of how to stay safe and keep healthy and are rightly proud of their Healthy School award. Pupils want to be in school and are keen to get on with their learning: as a result, attendance is good and behaviour is excellent.

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Grade: 2

Teachers set a fast pace in lessons. They follow extremely clear programmes of work which ensure that pupils make good progress and become confident learners. When answering questions, pupils think carefully, correct themselves unselfconsciously and sometimes come back with a more thoughtful response. Teachers wait while pupils think and commend them for the efforts they make, thus improving their learning. Very thorough tracking procedures of individual pupils ensure that staff have an extremely accurate view of each pupil's progress. Across the school, the more able pupils are challenged extremely well in English, mathematics and science but some would make faster progress in other subjects if the work were matched to their ability and needs. Support staff provide very high quality support to ensure that all pupils, but particularly those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, access their work

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Grade: 2

successfully. Classrooms, while effective workstations for pupils, do not always display much of their work, so they cannot experience a sense of satisfaction and achievement when glancing round their rooms.

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Grade: 2

Recently improved ICT resources mean pupils have particularly good opportunities to use and develop ICT skills while learning about other subjects. Links with history and ICT, for example, enabled pupils to design short animations showing aspects of life for Victorian children. This contributes well to the standards pupils achieve in both subjects. Additional activities extend the curriculum effectively; for example, French and Spanish are taught to the older pupils. However, while provision is good in the Foundation Stage, the outdoor curriculum for Reception children is limited by a lack of large-scale resources.

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Grade: 1

The extremely high quality care, support and guidance pupils receive significantly promote their personal development and achievement. Pupils know staff listen to them and this helps develop their confidence and makes them feel valued. The varying needs of pupils are identified quickly and high quality support is provided, ensuring 4 Inspection Report: Woodhouse Primary School, 7 November 2006 that they develop the confidence to work well. The very positive relationships staff make with pupils ensures that academic and personal guidance for pupils is very effective. Pupils develop mature attitudes and become extremely focused on working hard. Arrangements for safeguarding pupils' health and safety meet government guidelines.

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Grade: 1

The very strong leadership team provides outstanding direction for the school. The headteacher and senior staff have a very clear view of how to take the school forward and provide staff with clear targets designed to improve provision. To ensure that any problems are identified rapidly, these targets are regularly monitored by senior staff. This means that if support is required, quick and effective action can be taken. A strong team spirit means the new systems of reallocating responsibilities to teachers and teaching assistants have smoothly replaced earlier systems and are already providing new and extremely effective learning opportunities, in ICT, for example. The school has strong community links. For example, swimming lessons for toddlers are run in the school pool. A parent group works well with the school in raising funds and providing support. Governance is excellent. Strengths are in the governors' thorough

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Grade: 1

knowledge of how well the school is doing and the level of challenge and support they provide to help the school move forward. 5 Inspection Report: Woodhouse Primary School, 7 November 2006 .

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Grade: 1

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Woodhouse Primary School, 7 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? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 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

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 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?

1 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: Woodhouse Primary School, 7 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: Woodhouse Primary School, 7 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for your help when I visited your school earlier this month. I very much enjoyed watching you work and talking with you in your classes and around school. Yours is an extremely good school and you have a brilliant headteacher. You work hard and you learn well. Many of you reach high standards by the time you leave because you and your teachers work extremely hard. You have fun times and I particularly enjoyed hearing about the responsible jobs you do to help your school. I noticed how very well you behave and what good manners you have. You told me you are happy in school and enjoy lessons. Your parents say they are pleased you come to this school because it helps you do well. I have asked your headteacher and staff to carry on with their good work and I have identified three areas I think will make your school even better. • Ensure that some of you work at more difficult tasks than the rest of the class.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• Give Reception children more climbing and scrambling equipment to use when they are learning outdoors. • Display more of your work and involve you more in choosing examples of your work for display. You are enthusiastic about your school and I hope you carry on enjoying lessons and helping your teachers keep Woodhouse Primary School a happy and successful place to learn. 9 Inspection Report: Woodhouse Primary School, 7 November 2006

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