Weetwood Primary School

Inspection Report Weetwood Primary School

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107897 Unique Reference Number Leeds Local Authority 287947 Inspection number 20 November 2006 Inspection date 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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Weetwood Lane School address Primary Type of school Leeds Community School category West Yorkshire LS16 5NW 3 °11 Age range of pupils 0113 2756349 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0113 2745875 Fax number 256 Number on roll (school) Mr David Waterhouse Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Tarsem Wyatt Headteacher 4 December 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 287947 20 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

The school serves an area of social advantage and the proportion of children eligible for free school meals is very low. Most children are White British, but a minority are of other ethnic heritage, particularly Asian British. The proportion of children whose first language is not English is average, but growing. The proportion of children who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well below average. The numbers of children entering or leaving school during the year is low. The school is recognised by Investors in People and holds the Healthy School Award. The recently appointed headteacher had been in post for only three weeks prior to the inspection.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Weetwood Primary School, 20 November 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with outstanding features. It has successfully negotiated a difficult period involving budget problems and disruption to staffing. The leadership team has worked well together to raise standards, which, by the end of Year 6, are exceptionally high. Pupils' personal development and well-being are outstanding. Pupils have excellent attitudes to school, understand the importance of doing well and enjoy learning. The school works very effectively to give pupils many opportunities to develop as fully rounded individuals. Its capacity for further improvement is good. Children enter the school with skills and knowledge in all areas that are better than expected for their age. Children make a good start in Nursery and their attainment at the end of Reception is above national expectations. The disruption to staffing in school was felt most keenly in Years 1 and 2 and as a result, from 2003 to 2005, pupils'

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Grade: 2

attainment fell. However, the school addressed this with determination and in 2006 standards improved in the Year 2 teacher assessments. Over the same period, as teaching improved, standards in Year 6 have risen. Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science at the end of Year 6 is exceptionally high. Given their above average starting points, pupils make good progress and their achievement is good. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and plan lessons thoroughly. Strategies to involve pupils more in their own learning, including the linking of marking to learning objectives and involving pupils in assessing their own work, have been introduced. These are starting to have an impact on learning, but are not yet consistently implemented. The school provides a rich and varied curriculum which meets the needs of all pupils well. There is an excellent range of

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Grade: 2

enrichment activities, including visitors to school and offsite visits. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities, which involve a high proportion of pupils. These broaden pupils' experiences and contribute very well to their academic and personal development. The school is very committed to the welfare of its pupils. As a result of recent improvements in the analysis of pupils' learning, the school has a clearer picture of the standards pupils attain. However, these systems do not provide as clear a picture of pupils' progress, and targets are not yet challenging enough to make pupils' progress outstanding rather than good. The quality of leadership and management is good. The new headteacher is quickly gaining the confidence of all members of the school community. Governors have an excellent understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development. The school's checks on the quality of teaching and learning are satisfactory, but greater

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Grade: 2

rigour is needed in following up any areas for improvement identified.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that strategies to involve pupils more in their own learning are consistently used throughout school. 2 Inspection Report: Weetwood Primary School, 20 November 2006 • Improve the systems for recording and analysing teachers' assessments of pupils' work so that the information gained can be used more effectively to accelerate pupils' progress. • Improve checks on teaching and learning to further raise quality.

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Grade: 2

Good provision in the Foundation Stage ensures that children make good progress. At the end of Reception, children attain standards that are above those expected in all the Early Learning Goals. The disruption to staffing in Years 1 and 2 impacted negatively on pupils' attainment, which dipped to more modest levels in 2004 and 2005. Improvements to teaching led to higher standards in 2006, when attainment in reading and mathematics was above average and in writing well above average. Pupils meet challenging targets. Standards at the end of Year 6 have been on an upward trend over the last four years. In English, mathematics and science they are exceptionally high. Given their above average starting points, pupils make good progress. The needs of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, those from minority ethnic backgrounds and those with English as an additional language are met well and they make good progress.

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Grade: 1

The school promotes pupils' personal development and well-being very successfully. Pupils' behaviour is excellent and they appreciate how teachers make learning interesting. A pupil summed up the views of many with the comment about the good balance of fun and hard work in lessons. Pupils appreciate the way that the school values them as individuals and the many opportunities they have to take responsibility. One described with enthusiasm his role as a 'little rotter' and how it is his job to collect fruit waste to be composted. Pupils have a very good understanding of how to stay safe and show high levels of care and consideration towards others, for example in their roles as buddies to younger pupils. Pupils value the school council, which gives them an effective voice in school life. The school provides many opportunities for pupils to understand how to live a healthy life and many make good choices about

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Grade: 1

their diet and participate in school sporting activities. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. The strong school ethos helps pupils understand the difference between right and wrong and they develop an excellent understanding of those from different cultures and religions. Pupils' good attendance and punctuality, their ability to work in teams and their sense of fair play mean that they are well prepared for the next stage of their education. 3 Inspection Report: Weetwood Primary School, 20 November 2006

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Grade: 2

Teaching in the Foundation Stage is well geared to meeting the needs of young children, who as a result make good progress. Relationships between staff and pupils throughout school are excellent. This means pupils enjoy their learning and they respond well to the school's positive approach to managing behaviour. However, strategies to link marking to lesson objectives and to involve pupils more in judging the quality of their own work are less well developed. Teachers are creative in their use of a wide range of teaching strategies, including information and communication technology (ICT). In a Year 6 lesson, for example, light sensors were used to measure the speed of vehicles descending a ramp, the data then being manipulated in a spreadsheet. Teaching assistants and other adults make a valuable contribution to the teaching and learning of all pupils, but particularly those with learning difficulties

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Grade: 2

and/or disabilities. The school makes good use of the partnership with parents, who give strong support to learning in school and at home.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. In the Foundation Stage, children benefit from a very good range of practical activities. For example, playing in a bath of porridge stimulated excited discussion about the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Provision for English, mathematics and ICT throughout school is good. High standards in science reflect the priority given to a broad curriculum and pupils' extensive knowledge of the world. Although links between subjects are already made, for example in topics, the school recognises the need to extend opportunities for pupils to apply their literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum. Provision for personal, social, health and citizenship education, such as residential experience and circle time, together with the teaching of social skills, have an outstanding impact on pupils' personal development. The school makes very good use of its grounds to promote learning for all pupils.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. Staff demonstrate high levels of care and pupils have confidence in adults in school. Pupils said that if they had a problem there is somebody they could go to for help. They appreciate the 'worry box' in which they can post their concerns. This support contributes very well to pupils' personal development and helps to raise achievement. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is good. Teaching plans for those pupils are expressed in small steps that help staff focus on what they need to work on next to help pupils move on. There are good arrangements in place to ensure that pupils move from one 4 Inspection Report: Weetwood Primary School, 20 November 2006 phase of their education to the next as smoothly as possible. Arrangements for health and safety and child protection are in place and well managed.

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Grade: 2

The leadership team members, both staff and governors, have worked successfully to address the serious issues facing the school during the last few years. During this period, high standards of pupils' personal development have been maintained and academic standards improved. The new headteacher has a good understanding of the needs of the school and a clear vision of how to take it forward. Middle managers make an increasingly effective contribution to leadership. Although the school's self-evaluation is accurate and provides a good foundation for further improvement, checks on teaching and learning by senior managers are not rigorous enough to help improve teaching even further. Improvement plans are well focused and the school has a good understanding of how proposed changes will lead to raising achievement and standards. The issues raised in the last inspection report have been dealt with effectively. Necessary action to put the school on a sound financial footing has been

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Grade: 2

taken and the school gives good value for money. 5 Inspection Report: Weetwood Primary School, 20 November 2006 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Weetwood Primary School, 20 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 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 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? 1 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 2 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?

2 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: Weetwood Primary School, 20 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: Weetwood Primary School, 20 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for welcoming me so warmly into your school. I appreciated your politeness and enjoyed your enthusiasm when you spoke about your teachers and the work you do. What is good about your school? • The very high standards you attain and the good progress you make in your work. • Your excellent behaviour, the way in which everyone in your school is so kind and helpful and that you so clearly enjoy learning. • How well you respond to the many opportunities you have to contribute to school life, including the school council, being a buddy, helping the environment and helping to raise funds for charity. • The atmosphere in school which shows that it is a special place where you are well cared for. • How hard all the staff in school work, how well they teach you and the many interesting things they plan for you to do so that you can succeed in school. I think there are some things that your headteacher and teachers should do to make your good

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

school an outstanding school. • Involve you more in judging the quality of your own work. When teachers mark your work they should more often explain how well you are doing in reaching your targets. • Make more use of your test results to understand how much progress you are making so that your targets are just right for you. • Work even harder to check that all teaching is helping you to learn as much as possible. You can help your teachers by continuing to work hard and behave well and by making sure that you take advantage of all the opportunities offered by school. 9 Inspection Report: Weetwood Primary School, 20 November 2006

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