Elland Church of England (Voluntary Aided) Junior, Infant and Nursery SchoolOfsted inspection, 15 Feb 2007

Inspection Report Elland CofE Junior and Infant School

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107550 Unique Reference Number Calderdale Local Authority 287849 Inspection number 14 °15 February 2007 Inspection dates Jim Alexander 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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Westgate School address Primary Type of school Elland Voluntary aided School category West Yorkshire HX5 0BB 3 °11 Age range of pupils 01422 373159 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01422 311568 Fax number 170 Number on roll (school) Fr D Burrows Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs McGowan Headteacher 3 December 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 287849 14 °15 February 2007 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This smaller than average school is situated in the centre of Elland and draws pupils from the immediate area, which consists mainly of housing association property. The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage and almost all pupils speak English as a first language. The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals is high. The school has had an unsettled period since the time of the last inspection; it has had four headteachers in the past two and a half years as well as other significant difficulties in staffing. The school has been awarded the Artsmark (Silver), the Active Mark and Investors in People.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Elland CofE Junior and Infant School, 14 °15 February 2007

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Grade: 4

In accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than in all circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform. The school is therefore given a Notice to Improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to achievement and standards reached in all subjects by the end of Key Stage 2 and in the use of assessment information to enable pupils of all abilities to be suitably challenged in their learning. Although the school evaluates itself to be satisfactory in its effectiveness, inspectors judge the school to be ineffective overall and to offer inadequate value for money. Recent action taken by the local authority has effectively supported the school during a period of difficult staffing issues. They temporarily placed an experienced headteacher in the school in the autumn term. The newly appointed headteacher, who took up post

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Grade: 4

in January 2007, is a determined leader. She has set out a very clear agenda for improving pupils' achievement, based on a perceptive evaluation of the school's strengths and weaknesses. Swift action has been taken to establish a system that tracks pupils' progress more accurately; there are early indications that it is already having a positive impact. Governors have become more aware of the school's strengths and weaknesses, have established a clear timetable for improvement and are monitoring the school with increased rigour.Children enter Nursery with standards that are below that expected for their age. The separate Nursery and Reception classes have recently been reorganised into one unit. This ensures that effective provision is made for these young children, who are helped to settle quickly into school life. Children explained, 'People always help us to get on with each other, we love it here.' Assessment of

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Grade: 4

learning is robust and enables activities to match these young children's needs. Consequently, they make good progress and by the time they reach Year 1 many children have reached the goals set for their age. This good progress continues through Key Stage 1, where children continue to enjoy school and standards have been on a rising trend over time and are now broadly average. This is an improvement since the time of the previous inspection, when they were judged to be low. However, the school has been slow to address low standards and poor achievement in Key Stage 2; consequently, these weaknesses remain. By the end of Year 6, standards in all subjects are too low and achievement is inadequate.The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall and improving. However, it is not yet consistent across the school, particularly in Key Stage 2, where pupils make the least progress in their lessons. Children in the

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Grade: 4

Foundation Stage have many opportunities to initiate their own learning, moving confidently from one carefully planned activity to another. Throughout the school relationships are positive, and pupils respond well to praise. The most successful lessons gain pupils' interests by using, for example, information and communication technology (ICT) to engage the learners. Initiatives to improve behaviour are having a very positive impact; pupils know how to behave and are extremely courteous to visitors. They were keen to discuss how they support various charities, and explained, 'Fund-raising is great and we get to wear non uniform too!' School meals are popular and nutritious, and lunchtimes are a convivial social occasion; together with the many sporting 2 Inspection Report: Elland CofE Junior and Infant School, 14 °15 February 2007 opportunities available for children, they encourage healthy lifestyles. The care and

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Grade: 4

guidance provided for pupils are satisfactory overall and the good support offered to the most vulnerable children goes a long way to develop their personal development and well-being.In many classrooms and around the school there are outstanding displays of pupils' work which celebrate their efforts. Provision for ICT is a significant strength in the curriculum. Pupils enjoy the good range of extra-curricular activities offered and loved being involved in their annual pantomime and residential visits.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards and achievement by the end of Key Stage 2 in all subjects. • Improve the quality and consistency of teaching and learning in Key Stage 2 to ensure that all pupils make sufficient progress. • Ensure that assessment information on pupils' attainment is used effectively in Key Stages 1 and 2 to enable pupils of all abilities to be suitably challenged in their learning.

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Grade: 4

Children enter school with standards that are below average but make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes. By the time they enter Year 1 many have reached the goals set for their age. Key Stage 1 assessments in 2006 showed that standards overall were broadly average, although stronger in writing and mathematics than in reading. This confirms the good progress made by pupils in Years 1 and 2. By the end of Year 6, however, standards have been significantly below the national average in four out of the past five years. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 make insufficient progress during lessons and over time. The school did meet its targets set for the end of 2006, but these did not represent significant challenge. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make similar progress to their classmates. Inspectors do not agree with the school's evaluation and judge that standards by the end of Year 6 are exceptionally

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Grade: 4

low and that the progress made by these pupils is inadequate.

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Grade: 3

Personal development and well-being are satisfactory. Pupils' attitudes to school and the positive partnership developed with parents have ensured that attendance has improved: it is now satisfactory. An increasing number of pupils are benefiting from the nutritious food provided before school, at playtimes and lunchtimes; these are lovely social occasions and are beginning to make a positive impact on both attendance and performance in lessons. Pupils' spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is satisfactory overall, with strengths in their spiritual and moral development. They have a growing awareness of the richness and diversity of world faiths while building on strong Christian traditions. Although a number of pupils and parents have some concerns, behaviour in lessons and around school is satisfactory and improving; 3 Inspection Report: Elland CofE Junior and Infant School, 14 °15 February 2007

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Grade: 3

consequently, the number of exclusions has fallen significantly. Pupils are enjoying the opportunity to become more actively involved in school life through the newly formed school council.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall and improving, although some inadequate lessons were observed during the inspection. Generally teachers plan work that attempts to match individual needs. Teachers diligently follow national guidance, but not all reflect on how effective their teaching is in enabling pupils to learn. The quality of marking has improved greatly since September, when it was mainly for factual accuracy. In many classes marking now contains appropriate guidance so that pupils clearly know how to improve their work. The best teaching was seen in the Foundation Stage; here teachers have accurately assessed what the children need to do next in their learning, and provide challenging and interesting activities to engage them. This helps learning to be fun, relevant and rewarding. Where lessons are inadequate the pace of learning is slow, and work is not matched appropriately to pupils' needs; here the newly

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Grade: 3

implemented assessment procedures are not being effectively used by all teachers to set challenging targets for pupils to achieve.

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Grade: 3

Inspectors agree with the school that the curriculum is satisfactory. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage is good although the provision for outdoor play is not fully developed. Provision for ICT is a significant strength of the curriculum and is used wisely by teachers and pupils alike, from the youngest age. There are many strategies and booster activities to support pupils' individual needs, the impact of which is being carefully monitored by the headteacher. However, insufficient attention is given to developing pupils' knowledge and understanding in science, when compared to that in other subjects. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities. Visits and visitors, as well as successful themed weeks, also enrich the pupils' lives.

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory overall. Good relationships between children and adults ensure that the majority have someone to turn to if help is required. Policies for health and safety, first aid and risk assessment are sound and becoming more rigorous. However, procedures for vetting teachers and adults are not fully in place. Teaching assistants provide satisfactory support for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The management and monitoring of these staff are developing, and training has been planned to ensure that this provision improves further. The 4 Inspection Report: Elland CofE Junior and Infant School, 14 °15 February 2007 assessment and tracking of pupils' progress over time have been poor and, although much improved, are not yet effective in setting challenging targets for pupils to achieve. Induction arrangements into Nursery are strong, and effective links are being

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Grade: 3

established with the newly developed children's centre.

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Grade: 3

The overall quality of leadership and management is satisfactory and, with the positive support from the local authority, is fast improving. The newly appointed headteacher has worked quickly to establish procedures to check on the progress pupils make. These systems are still in an embryonic stage and as yet do not ensure that all pupils are suitably challenged in every lesson. However, there is clear evidence of improvement: pupils are more attentive in class and improvements in the quality of marking and matching of work to the needs of individual children are also giving them a better understanding of how to develop their work. Improvements made in governance in the last 12 months and the strong leadership of the newly appointed chair of governors mean that the governors are much more involved in school life. Governors are becoming more rigorous at holding the school to account for the provision and

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Grade: 3

standards reached. Inspectors judge that the strengthened management and recent improvements demonstrate that leaders have satisfactory capacity to take the school forward. 5 Inspection Report: Elland CofE Junior and Infant School, 14 °15 February 2007 .

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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: Elland CofE Junior and Infant School, 14 °15 February 2007

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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 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements No Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

4 How well do learners achieve? 4 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 4 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 3 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: Elland CofE Junior and Infant School, 14 °15 February 2007

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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 No Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? Yes Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Elland CofE Junior and Infant School, 14 °15 February 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for making us so welcome during the two days we spent in your school. We would like to share with you those things we thought were good. We also would like to share those things that need to improve. What we most liked about your school was that the youngest children are helped to settle really quickly, so they get off to a flying start. Your displays around the school and in your classrooms are really good and celebrate your hard work. You know how to use computers well to help with your learning. Your attendance has improved a lot recently - well done. You obviously all really enjoyed your pantomime and we were sorry to miss it.We think that some things need to improve significantly, so we have asked your headteacher and governors to make sure that the following improvements are made. • Make sure all of you make better progress in order to reach as high standards as possible,

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

especially those of you in Years 3 to 6. You can help by working really hard in lessons. • Help all teachers to make every lesson challenging and exciting for you, so you all make good progress. • Make sure that all teachers keep a close eye on how well you are doing, and that the things which have been introduced recently to help you all have a better education work well. You can help by telling your school council about how the improvements are helping you. Thank you for helping us with the inspection of your school. 9 Inspection Report: Elland CofE Junior and Infant School, 14 °15 February 2007

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