Shakespeare Primary School

Shakespeare Primary School Inspection report

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107938 Unique Reference Number Leeds Local Authority 287965 Inspection number 9 °10 July 2007 Inspection dates Joe Peacock 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 Community School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 365 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr David Noble Chair Mr Julian Gorton Headteacher 27 January 2003 Date of previous school inspection Shakespeare Avenue School address Burmantoftf Leeds West Yorkshire LS9 7HP

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0113 3368340 Telephone number 0113 2743514 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 9 °10 July 2007 Inspection dates 287965 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school is close to the centre of Leeds and is much larger than average. It has an integrated children's centre with provision for deaf and hearing impaired pupils. There has been a significant increase in the proportion of pupils from minority ethnic homes who now account for just over half of all pupils. A third speak English as an additional language. The proportion entitled to free school meals is well above average and the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD) is above average. The school has had an unsettled period moving into a new building in September 2006 after two years in temporary accommodation across the city. A new headteacher and deputy headteacher have been appointed in the past year.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Shakespeare Primary School, 9 °10 July 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school in just about every respect. Improvement has been made at a rapid pace since pupils moved back into their impressive new school building where the accommodation is shared with the children's centre and high school making the transition between each phase seamless. This improvement has been achieved because of the commitment, dedication and hard work of all the staff. Parents are very proud of the school and appreciative of all that it is providing for their children. The school's own evaluation of the different aspects has not kept pace with the level of improvement and as a result, inspection judgements are higher in key areas such as standards and achievement, the quality of teaching and learning, and leadership and management. Consequently, the school is judged to be providing good value for money. Overall, standards and achievement are good. Children enter the Nursery with skills that are

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Grade: 2

below those typical for this age group. They make good progress from the moment they start because of the good quality of teaching and very good management of the children's centre which incorporates provision for pre-school and the Foundation Stage children. The newness and quality of the building is undoubtedly impacting on pupils' attitude to school and their behaviour. Pupils are very proud of their new school and behaviour is good. All show a positive attitude towards their learning and are keen to please their teachers and do well. Pupils' generally make good progress in Years 1 to 6, but their progress is dependant on the quality of teaching. Over the past few years, the school has had some significant difficulties to overcome, such as moving into temporary accommodation for two years and, more recently, a large influx of new pupils, many of whom speak English as an additional language. As a result,

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Grade: 2

it is difficult to identify a trend in standards as pupils' performance in the national tests has fluctuated from year to year. Although standards are below average in English, mathematics and science by Year 6, published test data and the school's detailed tracking of pupils' progress clearly shows that most are making good progress. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is good but it does vary considerably. Teachers and teaching assistants work effectively as a team and excellent relationships exist between pupils and their teachers. Much effort has been given to ensure that pupils have a broad and balanced curriculum. The curriculum is good and is a true reflection of the commitment and dedication of the staff to provide the best possible learning opportunities for pupils of all abilities. Their efforts for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those with English as an additional language result in these pupils making good progress. The wide range

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Grade: 2

of after school activities makes a significant contribution to pupils' personal development and their enjoyment of school. Parents appreciate the high level of care, support and guidance for their children and the close partnership that they have with staff. Leadership and management are good. The new headteacher has been the driving force and has quickly established an effective working partnership with the new deputy headteacher. Both are equally determined to raise standards and the quality of education. Every aspect of the school has been reviewed and a large number of priorities identified, but the most important areas for development are not given sufficient priority. Key post holders such as the children's centre manager and special needs coordinator are knowledgeable and extremely conscientious. They make a valuable contribution to the management team. All staff carefully monitor pupils' progress and use the information well to set new targets for literacy, numeracy and on occasions,

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Grade: 2

4 of 11 Inspection Report: Shakespeare Primary School, 9 °10 July 2007 personal and social skills. Governors are very supportive and well led by the chair of governors, who has a very good knowledge of the school. Governors visit the school often, but are not yet sufficiently involved in monitoring the effectiveness of all aspects of the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the consistency of the quality of teaching and learning to ensure pupils' make good progress throughout the school. ■ Sharpen monitoring and evaluation procedures in order to clarify and prioritise the key areas for development.

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Grade: 2

Children enter Nursery with wide-ranging skills, but below average overall. In Nursery and Reception, targeted support for individuals, with a strong focus on practical activities, language and personal, social and emotional development ensures children's good progress. However, standards remain below average as they join Year 1. Progress is steady in Years 1 and 2. Where a need for improvement is identified, interventions are effective. For example, progress in reading in Year 2 has been good this year. Fluctuations in results arise from year to year because of some satisfactory rather than good teaching and the changing proportions of pupils new to the school, learning English as an additional language or with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Overall, pupils make good progress in years 3 to 6. By the end of Year 6, although standards are below national averages, pupils who have been at the school for some years achieve standards near to national averages. The number of

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Grade: 2

pupils reaching higher levels in English, mathematics and science is growing. Many of the current Year 6 show very good progress in lessons and in tests in reading, writing and mathematics, exceeding the challenging targets because of outstanding teaching. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those with English as an additional language make good progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils from many different cultural backgrounds relate harmoniously to one another. They care for others and for the school environment. The school's ethos statements are understood by pupils and contribute to the good relationships and behaviour which pervade all aspects of the school day. Pupils report there is very little bullying. Pupils' attendance is broadly in line with national averages and punctuality is good as pupils come to school eagerly. In lessons, good teaching ensures most pupils are highly motivated and engaged. They enjoy learning and contribute well in discussions, keen to show their knowledge and skills. Pupils work well independently and in collaboration with others. This assists their good progress, especially in Year 6. Pupils try to be healthy. All are knowledgeable when talking about the fruit and vegetables

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Grade: 2

they enjoy eating and the sports activities they do to keep fit. They are very aware of staying safe in school and outside. Pupils make a good contribution to the school community, as 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Shakespeare Primary School, 9 °10 July 2007 playground friends or on the school council, with a wider contribution through fund-raising and performances. Pupils' development for future economic well-being is outstanding, with useful numeracy, literacy and social skills, culminating in the Italian Job restaurant project at the end of Year 6.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall, but varies considerably. This affects the rate of progress pupils make in some classes. In Year 6, teaching is outstanding largely due to the high level of challenge and pupils often being encouraged to work collaboratively to solve problems. Pupils' learning is most effective in these lessons. Teaching is less successful when insufficient use is made of information and communication technology to support learning and the pace of lessons is slow. The quality of learning in these lessons also suffers when the final session does not review or consolidate learning well enough. Staff generally have excellent relationships with pupils. Pupils say that, 'teachers are really nice'. The management of pupils' behaviour is a strength, ensuring that pupils always work hard and develop positive attitudes towards learning. Care is taken to challenge higher attaining

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Grade: 2

pupils and to support lower attainers. The teaching arrangements for literacy and numeracy where pupils are grouped by ability rather than age are proving to be most effective in raising standards. Assessment information is used well by staff to set challenging targets in literacy and numeracy, and to identify any pupils who may need additional help or support. The skilled and highly motivated teaching assistants do a marvellous job of supporting any pupil who is experiencing difficulty for whatever reason.

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Grade: 2

Overall, the curriculum meets the needs of all pupils well and as a result, their personal development is good. However, opportunities for outdoor play are not well developed for pupils in the Foundation Stage as each age group has their own segregated space and there is no shelter from the rain. This has already been made a priority for improvement by the school. The SFA (Success For All) initiative in literacy successfully groups pupils by ability from Year 1 to Year 6 and provides all with a relevant curriculum enabling most to make good progress. Pupils' reading is improving because of the school's extra efforts to provide a wide range of learning opportunities to develop reading skills. The use of computers to support learning in all areas of the curriculum is a strong feature in most lessons. A strong commitment by staff to provide pupils with a varied programme of extra- curricular activities such as dance, drama, skipping and art clubs and many educational visits and visitors

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Grade: 2

add breadth to pupils' learning. Health and safety is very well promoted. The curriculum successfully raises pupils' awareness about diversity in our society, with additional experiences such as learning to speak French and through visits and close links with the local church. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Shakespeare Primary School, 9 °10 July 2007

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good with some obvious strengths. The school responds particularly well to the needs of the most vulnerable pupils. There are satisfactory procedures for safeguarding these and all pupils. Careful attention is paid to health and safety and to child protection. Where pupils have specific learning needs, the school is very effective in its use of specially trained support staff and outside agencies. Deaf and hearing impaired pupils, for example, are fully integrated into the Nursery and Reception, and benefit from additional, individual specialist help. The school has developed staff expertise in speech therapy, managing behaviour and learning English as an additional language. Intervention strategies are very well planned and targeted. Academic mentors work very effectively with older pupils to ensure that they are kept on track to meet their learning targets. Pupils have personal targets in literacy and numeracy which help

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Grade: 2

them to progress and improve. Such provision has a significant impact on pupils' personal development and the progress they make. Pupils feel safe and confident that that there is someone they can talk to if they are troubled or upset. One pupil summed up the views of others when she commented, 'If we have a problem the teachers will sort it out.' Pupils feel valued and special because they are rewarded for their achievements when they try hard in class and in the weekly 'Star Assembly'.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher leads by example and his commitment, energy and enthusiasm are helping to bring about improvement at a rapid rate. He is exceptionally well supported by the deputy headteacher, and the senior management team is to be further strengthened with an assistant headteacher in September. Much has been achieved in the short time that the new building has been open, despite the many staff changes, a rapidly increasing number of pupils and over half the governors being replaced. The capacity for further improvement is good. Staff with management responsibilities are conscientious and a new approach where they work in teams is being developed. They carefully monitor standards and each has evaluated the quality of teaching and learning, trying to find ways of improving standards and the quality of education in their subject. The management of provision for the many pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is good, with support staff being trained and deployed effectively.

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Grade: 2

The management of the provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language is particularly effective. The school improvement plan contains many priorities as the new management team re-evaluates and reviews all aspects of provision. The key areas for development, however, are not clearly enough identified and how improvement will be measured needs to be much more precise. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Shakespeare Primary School, 9 °10 July 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Shakespeare Primary School, 9 °10 July 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 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? 3 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?

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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Shakespeare Primary School, 9 °10 July 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Shakespeare Primary School, 9 °10 July 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We really enjoyed visiting your fantastic new school. It is easy to see why you are so proud of it. We were very impressed with the members of the school council when we met them. They are such good ambassadors for the school and told us all about the things that you do. We think that these are the best things about your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You so obviously love being at school and behave so well in class and around school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ How hard your new headteacher, deputy headteacher and all the staff work to make sure you have the best of everything. It is surprising how quickly you have all settled in. ■ It is really good to see how well the children's centre, your school and the high school are working together. ■ The good progress most of you make, especially in reading.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ All the interesting learning opportunities you have in lessons and in after school activities. It was good to see the interactive whiteboards being used so well in some classes. ■ The school takes such good care of you all and is quick to support those of you who need help. ■ The way skills to help you when you are older are developed is outstanding. We think that the Italian Job topic for Year 6 is a great idea. We have asked your governors and staff to concentrate on the following to try and improve your school even more.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Making it clear what the most important things to improve each year are and deciding what will show how successful staff have been. We hope that all staff and the governors will play a bigger part in checking how well the school is doing. ■ We want you to enjoy your learning and to do well each year so we are asking your teachers to make sure that they give you lots and lots of interesting things to do that will really make you have to concentrate and work hard. Thank you again, for helping us with this inspection. We hope that you will carry on enjoying everything that school offers and try your best to make it even better. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Shakespeare Primary School, 9 °10 July 2007

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