Westbrook Lane Primary School

Inspection Report Westbrook Lane Primary School

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107861 Unique Reference Number Leeds Local Authority 287932 Inspection number 17 January 2007 Inspection date Marie Cordey 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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Westbrook Lane School address Primary Type of school Horsforth, Leeds Community School category West Yorkshire LS18 5AH 4 °11 Age range of pupils 0113 2587913 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0113 2587945 Fax number 207 Number on roll (school) Mr Richard Hardcastle Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Joan Kay Headteacher 15 October 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 287932 17 January 2007 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

The vast majority of the pupils from this small suburban school are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well below average. A well below average proportion of the pupils is eligible for free school meals. The school holds the Healthy Schools Award and has just gained Activemark Sports status.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Westbrook Lane Primary School, 17 January 2007

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school, which provides excellent value for money. Standards are high by the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science and pupils make excellent progress. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make similar gains in their learning as their classmates. This is because of detailed planning and high quality support they receive to meet their targets. The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage are outstanding. Children settle in well to school life. They are very well taught and make excellent progress. The school is aware of the need to develop the transition between Reception and Year 1 to support some children in accessing the Year 1 curriculum more effectively. The school plans to extend the areas of provision from Foundation Stage into Year 1 to be more creative and in line with the Foundation Stage curriculum. The pupils are welcoming and caring. The inclusive

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Grade: 1

character of the school helps to create a happy, moral and social environment. Pupils are given individual awards when they have achieved exceptionally well. All pupils are made to feel and even sing about how special they are. The school is exceptionally well led and managed by an inspirational headteacher. The pupils are very well known to the staff and they thrive on the attention paid to them. Teaching and learning are outstanding and pupils look forward to enjoying their lessons. Teachers understand their individual needs and plan challenging lessons accordingly. Pupils know how well they are doing in their work and share the process of setting targets with their teachers. Personal development is exceptional. By the time they leave, pupils are responsible and self-reliant. Their behaviour is excellent and they are enthusiastic learners. Very high attendance reflects pupils' enjoyment of school. The curriculum is outstanding and is enriched by out of school events.

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Grade: 1

Residential visits to 'Robinwood', an outdoor activity centre, for example, are enjoyed immensely and contribute to pupils' confidence and awareness of the world. Leadership and management are excellent and staff at all levels share responsibility for the care and nurture of the pupils. Very effective partnerships with the pupils' parents and outside agencies contribute to the excellent care and support that the pupils receive. Parents support and value the school highly. First-rate systems have been built up through careful evaluation of what works best for the pupils. Self-evaluation is accurate. The school is very much aware of its strengths and knows exactly what it wants to do to keep improving. Governance is very successful in holding the school to account and in providing substantial support. There has been excellent improvement since the previous inspection and there is exceptional capacity to develop

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve transition from the Reception to Year 1. 2 Inspection Report: Westbrook Lane Primary School, 17 January 2007

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Grade: 1

Pupils enter Reception with differing abilities from year to year but overall their skills on entry are below those usually expected of children of their age in communication, language and personal, social and emotional development. Throughout school pupils' achievement is outstanding. Some children have difficulty in adjusting to the transition from Foundation Stage and the changes in provision and organisation. To aid transition the school plans to extend the learning environment from the Foundation Stage curriculum into Year 1 so that some of the Year 1 objectives are met through the Foundation Stage approach. When pupils reach the end of Year 6 their standards are high in English, mathematics and science. Writing in particular has recently improved significantly largely because of the increased emphasis on pupils' speaking and listening skills. This has helped to increase the quality of pupils' writing at length. Pupils

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Grade: 1

consistently exceed their challenging targets despite these being reviewed and adjusted twice a year. Pupils' high standards in literacy and numeracy provide them with a very strong foundation for adult life.

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Grade: 1

Personal development and well-being are outstanding. Pupils make exceptional gains in their personal development and become increasingly responsible. This is reflected in the award of 'Investors in Pupils' and exceptionally good attendance. They are very keen to communicate their views that the school is extremely effective in helping them to learn. A very effective personal, social and health education programme ensures that social, emotional and cultural development is of the highest quality. Parents and friends raise significant funds for the school through the Westbrook Flyer train - a charter train organised to carry 700 passengers on a Christmas shopping trip to London or Edinburgh each year. This is looked forward to very much. Pupils are very involved in their local community, particularly in sport and music. They enjoy and take responsibility for caring for each other. For example, they take pride in the 'playground

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Grade: 1

squad' where older pupils look after the younger ones. Pupils take regular exercise and eat healthily. They feel safe and are aware of how to look after themselves. Pupils gain in confidence and develop extremely good social skills, which prepare them very well for later life.

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Grade: 1

Pupils progress so well because they are highly motivated and exceptionally well challenged. Teachers plan work that matches their needs accurately. Learning is made exciting and pupils are thoroughly involved. For example, a doll's crib and a model 3 Inspection Report: Westbrook Lane Primary School, 17 January 2007 theatre, loaned from the Leeds Museum Service, inspired the pupils' high quality work on the Victorians. 'Working walls' are a feature in every classroom and show the high level of pupils' involvement in evaluating and improving their work. Very high expectations of work result in pupils who think carefully and enjoy rising to challenges presented. Pupils enjoy being involved in setting their own targets and know exactly what to do to reach higher standards. Children in the Foundation Stage are confident, happy learners because of the excellent teaching they receive.

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Grade: 1

An outstanding curriculum is matched to the needs of all pupils. Those pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities are extremely well supported. This contributes strongly to an inclusive school where all pupils are equally well supported and cared for. Planning for the different needs classes in particular is thorough in order to cater for individual need. Provision for information and communication technology has improved since the previous inspection and pupils enjoy learning using the new resources. They develop their skills across the curriculum very well, as the teaching of subjects is integrated into topics. For instance, as part of one topic, they grow vegetables in the school garden and then cook them in food technology lessons, learning about science, technology and sustainable development at the same time. Enrichment activities are outstanding and valued and enjoyed by the pupils. All pupils

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Grade: 1

have the chance to play a musical instrument and art is thoroughly relished by the pupils both in lessons and after school. Sporting teams, especially cross-country, have been very successful despite the small size of the school.

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Grade: 1

The quality of care, guidance and support is outstanding. The school provides a stimulating and welcoming environment for its pupils. All pupils are clear about who they can turn to when they are troubled. Wall displays incude pupils' work, guidance and examples of the pupils' strategies for working things out. The school has exceptionally good procedures for child protection and for safeguarding its pupils. Vulnerable pupils and those with additional needs are provided with excellent support. Pupils are very much aware of their standards and exactly how to improve. Meticulous tracking of their progress provides reliable information about their progress for the school and the pupils.

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding and contribute very strongly to high standards and high quality care for the pupils' well-being. The headteacher is very well supported by the deputy headteacher and the staff and they work energetically with the governors to improve the performance of the school. Parents praise both the 4 Inspection Report: Westbrook Lane Primary School, 17 January 2007 headteacher's contribution to the high standards achieved by their children and the way that their children are cared for and encouraged to improve. Governors are very involved in the day-to-day life of the school and know the school well. They hold the school to account because they are critical and also very supportive. 5 Inspection Report: Westbrook Lane Primary School, 17 January 2007 .

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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: Westbrook Lane Primary School, 17 January 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? 1 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 1 The behaviour of learners 1 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. 7 Inspection Report: Westbrook Lane Primary School, 17 January 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? 8 Inspection Report: Westbrook Lane Primary School, 17 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for the very warm welcome you gave me when I came to your school. You were very friendly and clearly enjoyed telling me all the interesting things that happen in your school. I think your school is outstanding. The standards you reach in all your subjects are very high and you make outstanding progress in English, mathematics and science. This is because of the excellent teaching in your lessons. You are very well behaved and you greatly enjoy school.. Children in the Reception classes make an excellent start to their school life. The school is very attractive especially the gardens and the 'working walls'. Your headteacher and school staff lead the school exceptionally well so that you can achieve as well as you can. Your enjoyment is just as important to the school and that is why they look after and care for you so well. You are involved in helping to make the school better. This includes helping to look after each

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

other, plans for the playground and being thoroughly involved in your lessons. The school is going to organise some activities differently for children when they move into Year 1 so they can settle more easily. I expect you to carry on doing your best in the future. 9 Inspection Report: Westbrook Lane Primary School, 17 January 2007

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