Cross Gates Primary School

Inspection Report Cross Gates Primary School

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107934 Unique Reference Number Leeds Local Authority 287963 Inspection number 9 °10 October 2006 Inspection dates Les Schubeler 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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Poole Crescent School address Primary Type of school Leeds Community School category West Yorkshire LS15 7NB 3 °11 Age range of pupils 0113 2645763 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0113 2645763 Fax number 198 Number on roll (school) Mr Nigel Turner Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs R Hamer Headteacher 30 September 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 287963 9 °10 October 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school is of average size and is situated in an area of social and economic disadvantage; a high percentage of pupils are entitled to free school meals. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is increasing and now exceeds the national average. Most pupils are of White British heritage.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Cross Gates Primary School, 9 °10 October 2006

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school with some good features. Although this judgement differs from the school's view of itself as good, the process of self-evaluation has enabled the school to identify some important areas for improvement. Involvement in the local authority's Intensifying Support Programme (ISP) has helped the school to focus on some of these areas. Action to bring about all-round improvement has not yet had time to make its full impact, but there are some promising signs. For example, attainment in English, which has lagged behind that of science and mathematics, is showing gradual improvement. Provisional results for 2006 and the good progress of pupils currently in Year 6 indicate further improvement. Strong pastoral care ensures a secure environment and helps pupils to feel safe, enjoy school, behave well and make good progress in their personal development. The school is rightly proud of its inclusive nature. The curriculum serves the needs of the pupils

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Grade: 3

well. It is enhanced by a wide range of enrichment activities. These make a valuable contribution to pupils' progress and add to their enjoyment and personal development. Enthusiastic participation in sports encourages pupils to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Parents value the school highly and are very supportive of its work. Pupils achieve well in the Foundation Stage, which is well led and managed, and also in Key Stage 1. They move from below average standards when they start at the Nursery to broadly average standards by the end of Year 2. Teachers and teaching assistants effectively promote the pupils' communication skills. This helps them to develop their self-esteem and confidence. The progress that pupils make in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2 is not maintained in Years 3 to 6; it is satisfactory rather than good. This is because the quality of teaching is inconsistent, particularly in relation to

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Grade: 3

matching tasks to individual needs and challenging all pupils appropriately. Pupils leave the school having reached broadly average standards in mathematics and science. In English, progress is less secure. Although standards are below average, there are measurable signs of improvement. The school recognises that more still needs to be done to improve pupils' achievement, especially in English, and to track the progress of individual pupils more effectively. Developments are underway to help pupils to become more aware of how to improve their work. These are in the early stages and are not yet fully embedded throughout the school. The headteacher's leadership and management are good and she is ably supported by her deputy. Together, they are resolute in their pursuit of higher standards. They acknowledge that further improvements are still needed, especially in ironing out some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and in helping the more able pupils to reach

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Grade: 3

higher standards. Their determination and commitment are shared by an active and effective governing body that helps the school to provide satisfactory value for money. As a result, Cross Gates is an improving school and has a good capacity for further improvement. 2 Inspection Report: Cross Gates Primary School, 9 °10 October 2006

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the consistency of teaching and raise teachers' expectations of what pupils can achieve at Key Stage 2. • Improve assessment procedures and the use of assessment information so that all pupils have a clear understanding of how to improve their work.

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Grade: 3

Pupils start school with skills that are below average. Thanks to good teaching in the Foundation Stage, they settle quickly and make good progress. They build on this well, making good progress in Key Stage 1 and by the end of Year 2 standards are broadly average. Progress in Key Stage 2, although satisfactory, slows and by the end of Year 6, standards are average in mathematics and science. In English, standards are below average. Pupils do not make as much progress, mainly because of inconsistencies in the quality of teaching. The school has identified specific areas of weakness in listening, speaking and writing and has introduced strategies that have contributed to some improvement in pupils' standards in English over the last three years. The proportion of pupils who reach average standards has grown year by year, but performance is still behind that in mathematics and science. The most able pupils do

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Grade: 3

not make the progress in English that they should. Very few pupils reach above average standards compared to mathematics and science.

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Grade: 2

The school has put a lot of effort into establishing a clear and effective framework for good behaviour. Pupils say behaviour is improving because they take more responsibility for it themselves, especially as they get older. The school council takes its responsibilities seriously and works with the headteacher to bring about improvements to the quality of life, such as the implementation of the Key Stage 2 healthy tuck shop. This, combined with a healthy lunchtime menu, cooked on the premises, is having a calming effect. Reported incidents of unacceptable behaviour have reduced, contributing to a safe environment that pupils appreciate. The school places great emphasis on raising self-esteem, resulting in good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Assemblies, such as harvest when gifts are distributed to the local community and religious education lessons broaden pupils' view of the world around

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Grade: 2

them. Relationships are good and this enables pupils to grow in confidence from the minute they start in Nursery. The school is participating in the Stephen Lawrence Award as part of its raising of cultural awareness. 3 Inspection Report: Cross Gates Primary School, 9 °10 October 2006

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Grade: 3

The school judges the quality of teaching and learning to be good but has not sufficiently taken into account the impact on learning of the inconsistencies especially across Key Stage 2. Pupils in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2 are motivated to learn by a rich variety of activities and an insistence on working to the best of their ability. The teaching of Year 6 pupils is of high quality; lessons are conducted at a lively pace and pupils are engaged in their learning. They have their imaginations stimulated because tasks are well designed to appeal to their interests. However, this quality is not always evident across Key Stage 2. Classroom activities are not always well enough matched to the needs of individuals, leading to insufficient challenge for some pupils. The impact of the ISP is enabling teachers to become more focused on the learning outcomes they want to achieve. Teachers are raising their expectations

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Grade: 3

of what pupils should be achieving but they are still not challenging enough in their demands of the more able pupils. Teaching assistants work well with class teachers to support the learning of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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Grade: 2

A lively and practical curriculum in the Foundation Stage effectively promotes children's personal, social and emotional development and language skills. In the main school also, the curriculum is good, meeting the needs of most pupils well, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Provision for the most able pupils in English is not as effective as it could be. There are valuable opportunities for pupils to take part in activities outside the school day. No pupil is excluded from these activities. Pupils are very appreciative of what is on offer. The physical education curriculum is particularly strong in developing positive attitudes to the adoption of a healthy and active lifestyle. The personal, social, health and citizenship curriculum is well planned to promote pupils' health and safety. The provision of information and communication technology is much improved since the previous inspection and good

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Grade: 2

use of interactive whiteboards adds to pupils' interest.

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Grade: 2

The school works very well with a range of agencies to provide a very high level of care and support, underpinned by a whole-school programme which focuses on the social and emotional aspects of learning. When children start in Nursery they are assessed in order to determine the level of support they need and it is at this time that learning difficulties are identified. Support for these children is very good and continues throughout the school. The senior management team has recognised the need to improve the quality of assessment at all levels. The ISP is giving impetus to 4 Inspection Report: Cross Gates Primary School, 9 °10 October 2006 this and a start has been made to involve pupils more in the assessment of their work. In some classes this is working well and the quality of marking is giving pupils a clear message about how to improve. However, this is not yet a regular routine across the school. There are secure systems for tracking the progress of pupils, and support is

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Grade: 2

put in place to help pupils reach expected levels. The school knows there is more work to be done here, but has made a good start.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher has a clear vision for the future of the school and has her sights firmly fixed on raising standards further. Her main strength is a strong commitment to provide the best for all pupils across the full range of school activities. Weaknesses identified at the time of the previous inspection have been successfully remedied. Together with her senior management team, she welcomes fresh views and support from outside. A good example of this is the way in which the school has embraced in a positive spirit the local authority's ISP, which has successfully led to stronger and more confident self-evaluation. The programme is now less intensive than before and the school is driving itself forward more independently. It has a sharp view of what needs to be improved, but the impact of its action to address weaknesses in achievement, including that of the more able pupils, is not yet evident in results. The monitoring of teaching

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Grade: 3

is not always rigorous enough to bring about improvement. Governors fulfil their duties with a deep sense of responsibility. They are supportive and hold the school to account well. 5 Inspection Report: Cross Gates Primary School, 9 °10 October 2006 .

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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: Cross Gates Primary School, 9 °10 October 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 3 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

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 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?

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: Cross Gates Primary School, 9 °10 October 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: Cross Gates Primary School, 9 °10 October 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for the warm welcome you gave to the two inspectors who visited your school. We would like to thank you for being so polite and helpful. We were interested in your views. We spent a lot of time finding out how well you learn in lessons, looking at your work and talking to Mrs Hamer and the staff. We found some good aspects and also some areas to improve. We came to the conclusion that Cross Gates School is improving and the pupils and staff have many things to be proud of. These are the things that are good. • Your school cares for you and looks after you well. You told us you feel safe and you trust your teachers and other adults to give you help if you need it. • You all get on well with one another. • The school organises many activities that help you to look after your health. • All pupils make at least satisfactory progress and younger pupils make good progress in the Nursery, Reception and Years 1 and 2.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

These are the things that need to be improved. • You are capable of achieving better standards in English. You can help by listening to your teachers very carefully in all of your lessons. • You need to be more aware of the progress you are making. Your teachers will help you by showing you exactly what you need to learn in order to improve the standard of your work. 9 Inspection Report: Cross Gates Primary School, 9 °10 October 2006

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