Savile Town Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School

Savile Town Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School Inspection report

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107702 Unique Reference Number Kirklees Local Authority 287891 Inspection number 20 °21 June 2007 Inspection dates Susan Walsh 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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Primary Type of school Voluntary controlled School category 3 °7 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 152 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs J Jenkins Chair Mrs Diane Shaw Headteacher 18 November 2002 Date of previous school inspection Warren Street School address Savile Town Dewsbury West Yorkshire WF12 9LY

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01924 325313 Telephone number 01924 325370 Fax number

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3 °7 Age group 20 °21 June 2007 Inspection dates 287891 Inspection number .

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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. 20 °21 June 2007

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is an average-sized infant and nursery school. All pupils are of Pakistani or Indian heritage. Very few pupils speak English at home and most are not fluent in English when they start in the Nursery class. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is slightly above average, as is the proportion eligible for free school meals. The school has been awarded the Healthy Schools award, ActiveMark, the Basic Skills Quality Mark and the Eco Schools Silver award.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Savile Town Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School, 20 °21 June 2007

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school which successfully combines outstanding achievement, extremely high quality of care and lots of fun! Relationships with the local community and parents are very good indeed. Pupils have a terrific time at school because of very lively teaching combined with an outstanding curriculum which provides many interesting things to do. A typical parent's comment was 'My child's very happy and can't wait to get to school.' Learning is often based on practical experience such as exciting visits which pupils say 'are so much fun'. These trips extend pupils' knowledge and understanding while also improving their vocabulary and ability to write imaginatively. The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. Lessons provide a very good level of challenge for every pupil. Bilingual support assistants make a very important contribution to the pupils' excellent achievement. Pupils' personal development is outstanding. There are many opportunities for them to

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Grade: 1

contribute to the school community and they take their responsibilities very seriously. Pupils have a first-rate understanding of how to keep healthy and safe. The progress of some pupils is held back by their erratic attendance. Achievement is outstanding and standards are above average. Children get off to a flying start in the early years unit. They make outstanding progress because of excellent teaching combined with a very good range of stimulating activities which help them to learn quickly. Although many pupils start school with little spoken English and limited skills in other areas, most reach nationally expected standards by the time they start Year 1. They continue to make outstanding progress through Years 1 and 2 and by the end of Year 2 standards are above average. Standards are above average in reading, exceptionally high in writing and broadly average in mathematics. Progress in mathematics is not quite as rapid as progress in reading and writing.

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Grade: 1

Care, guidance and support are outstanding. Pupils are very well looked after. Pupils' progress is very carefully checked and those who are not making quite as much progress as others are quickly identified and provided with very effective support. This helps to secure outstanding achievement. Leadership and management are outstanding. The excellent headteacher, supported by the committed and hardworking leadership team, ensures that information about the school's performance is carefully analysed and any weaknesses are quickly addressed. As a result of this continuous drive for improvement, almost all aspects of the school's work are outstanding.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that achievement in mathematics matches that in reading and writing. • Make certain that all pupils attend school regularly.

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Grade: 1

Achievement is outstanding and standards are above average. Pupils' progress in writing is particularly impressive. Many children have skills well below the expected level for their age when they join the Foundation Stage. Children make outstanding progress in their acquisition of spoken English in the Nursery and Reception years. However, their writing skills are a little below average when they join Year 1. By the end of Year 2 standards in reading are above average, and current standards in writing are exceptionally high. Pupils produce neatly presented, 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Savile Town Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School, 20 °21 June 2007 interesting pieces of writing with accurate spelling and punctuation. Current work on phonics is further enhancing pupils' progress in reading and writing. Progress in mathematics, although good, is not quite as brisk as that in reading and writing. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or

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Grade: 1

disabilities make outstanding progress because they are very well supported.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Pupils love learning and this is obvious in their happy faces and the way they brim over with enthusiasm. They behave well but some boys can easily become overexcited and inattentive. Strategies to promote good attendance and punctuality are reaping dividends, but the progress of some pupils is held back by their irregular attendance. Pupils feel very safe at school; as one said, 'People care for each other.' Their awareness of and commitment to healthy living is outstanding. Certificates and the 'Golden Boot' for walking to school are valued by pupils and this, combined with gardening, sports activities and Bollywood dancing, motivates them to keep fit and healthy. Pupils make an excellent contribution to the school community through their involvement in the school council, Eco Warriors, playground buddies and the Healthy School task groups. These activities

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Grade: 1

help them develop maturity and good social skills. Pupils' exceptional achievement and good levels of independence mean they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Grade: 1

There is a high proportion of lively outstanding teaching which promotes exceptional achievement. Teachers' expectations are extremely high. Very good use of assessment ensures that work is carefully matched to pupils' needs. Pupils are encouraged to assess each other's work. Consequently they know exactly what they need to do to improve their work, especially in writing. Pupils are often bubbling over with excitement; this is often managed very well and pupils are encouraged to concentrate and work hard. Teachers have very good relationships with pupils and use praise combined with good humour to develop pupils' confidence. Bilingual support assistants make a very important contribution to pupils' learning. For example, pupils are often introduced to important concepts in their home language and this really helps them to develop their understanding. There is also a very strong focus on pupils developing good

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Grade: 1

standards of spoken and written English.

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Grade: 1

The Foundation Stage curriculum is outstanding. It offers an excellent range of enjoyable activities which are carefully designed to help children make rapid progress, especially in learning English. In Years 1 and 2, planning for reading, writing and mathematics is extremely thorough and these basic skills are very well developed through all subjects. Very occasionally, the work set in mathematics does not allow pupils enough opportunity to use their knowledge and set work out for themselves. Although there is a strong focus on language development the curriculum is very broad and balanced. Pupils thoroughly enjoy a very wide range of activities which develop their knowledge, understanding and creative skills. Their learning is underpinned by an excellent variety of visits, visitors and exciting things to do in lessons. The use of a variety 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Savile Town Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School,

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Grade: 1

20 °21 June 2007 of competitions, games and dynamic activities promotes tremendous enjoyment and encourages exceptional personal development and learning. Many teachers and bilingual support assistants deliver lessons in the subjects where they have developed particular expertise and this promotes exceptional achievement.

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Grade: 1

The school is a very caring community where relationships between adults and pupils are exceptionally good. Consequently, pupils feel valued and secure, and know that staff have their best interests at heart. Procedures that keep pupils safe are robust and vulnerable pupils are very well supported. The procedures to monitor and track pupils' progress are outstanding. They are used extremely well to identify and support pupils who are at risk of falling behind right from the time they start in Nursery. The progress of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and pupils with very little English is regularly checked. As a result, these pupils' additional needs can be accurately identified and appropriate support put in place. There are numerous successful support mechanisms including the Better Reading club and small-group work, led well by bilingual support assistants.

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher leads a very strong staff who successfully combine experience with a clear commitment to developing new ideas and securing continuous improvement. Together, staff have ensured that high academic standards are achieved within a school that provides a very caring family ethos. The monitoring of teaching quality is accurate but relatively infrequent. However, senior managers are thoroughly involved in what goes on in the classroom, and they check pupils' progress very carefully indeed. This hands-on approach combined with the very rigorous analysis of data ensures that self-evaluation is accurate and effective. Very successful strategies ensure that pupils make outstanding progress in English. The school is aware that pupils are now not doing quite as well in mathematics, and is already considering how to further accelerate their progress in this subject.

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Grade: 1

Governors are knowledgeable about the school. They provide effective challenge and help to ensure constant improvement. The school's impressive record of continuous improvement, rigorous self-evaluation and commitment to securing the very best education for every pupil indicates an outstanding capacity to secure future improvements. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Savile Town Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School, 20 °21 June 2007 .

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Grade: 1

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Savile Town Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School, 20 °21 June 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? 1 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

1 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 1 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 2 The behaviour of learners 3 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 1 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Savile Town Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School, 20 °21 June 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 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Savile Town Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School, 20 °21 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

It was a delight and a privilege to visit your school. We really enjoyed talking to you all and listened very carefully to what you had to say. You go to a really super school! It is outstanding! It's clear that you have a brilliant time at school because of all the exciting things you have to do. We were very pleased to hear that you enjoyed your visits to The Deep and the farm. It is clear that you had a wonderful time and learned lots of amazing facts. The Bollywood dancing was lots of fun. There are some great dancers in your school! We were impressed by your good behaviour. The school council, playground buddies and Eco Warriors are doing a very good job and the gardening club are growing some wonderful flowers and vegetables. It was good to hear that you know lots about keeping healthy and safe. Your teachers work very hard indeed to make sure your school just gets better and better. Your lessons are interesting and lots of fun but your teachers also make sure you work hard, and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

that is why the quality of teaching is outstanding. You are doing much better than most children do in other schools. Well done! We know you all try hard and do your best. The quality of your writing is exceptionally high and although your work in mathematics work is good we think you could do even better. Some of you miss too much school and this is slowing down your learning. Managers at your school are doing a very good job. They have worked very hard to make your school one of the very best. Thank you again for being such good company. I wish you well for the future. 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Savile Town Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School, 20 °21 June 2007

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