Five Lanes Primary School

Five Lanes Primary School Inspection report

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107968 Unique Reference Number Leeds Local Authority 287978 Inspection number 16 °17 May 2007 Inspection dates Roger Gill 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 455 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Diane Harold Chair Ms Jo Fiddes Headteacher 3 December 2001 Date of previous school inspection Stradbroke Way School address Wortley Leeds West Yorkshire LS12 4NB

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0113 2790122 Telephone number 0113 2205386 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 16 °17 May 2007 Inspection dates 287978 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

This large school is situated in an area of economic disadvantage. The majority of children are from White British backgrounds. The minority is from a wide range of heritages. Few are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of children who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities is broadly average. The school changed its name and moved into newly built premises in September 2002. A new headteacher was appointed in April 2006. As a result of the sizeable turnover in staff since 2001 the headteacher appointed a new leadership team, which has been in place since September 2006. It achieved the Investor in Pupils award in 2005 as well as an ActiveMark and the Healthy School National Standard in 2006.

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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: Five Lanes Primary School, 16 °17 May 2007

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Grade: 3

Five Lanes is a satisfactory school that has improved remarkably quickly since September 2006. This inspection finding is echoed by parents and children. They believe correctly that the school was on a downward slope in terms of results and progress, but now it has made a strong recovery. Children were underachieving by the end of Year 6 for three years, up until 2006, and attainment in Year 2 had been falling since 2002. As a result of first-rate leadership by the headteacher, attainment in Year 2 is average and children are achieving satisfactorily by the end of Year 6. The standards of the oldest children are still below average, but closer to national expectations than they were. Typical of parents' views is that, 'The school is improving fast. It has made huge improvements in children's reading and lately their confidence has grown and grown.' This is because the school, as a matter of priority, has tackled poor behaviour and low self-esteem and refined the

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Grade: 3

teaching of reading to great effect. The school has an accurate view of itself. So powerful is its passion to see standards rise further by the end of Year 6 that it underplays what has been achieved so far. Children enjoy school immensely and are very quick to say how much it has improved in the last year. They talk warmly about: learning to keep healthy and fit; the central part that music plays in school life; and how well the school supports them if they find it hard to learn and behave well. The various groups, such as the Nurture Group, designed to boost children's confidence and help them get the best from lessons are most effective. Moreover, the school has overhauled its methods of teaching children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, so they are able to achieve as well as other children. The curriculum is satisfactory in its influence on children's academic progress, but it has been charged with energy for children's personal

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Grade: 3

development. In consequence, the delight that children possess when helping others around the school is almost tangible. The system of peer mediators was described by children as, 'Great. to help others does not put all the pressure on teachers.' The deputy headteacher has been highly influential in devising a system to keep a very close eye on children's progress in English and mathematics. This has enabled the headteacher to lead staff and governors equipped with valuable knowledge. Learning has improved well this year because teachers are now crystal clear about what needs to be done to raise standards. So much so that some children have achieved two years worth of progress in one year. Teaching is satisfactory overall, despite some strengths, found mainly in Years 2 and 6, which cause the rapid progress. Unsatisfactory teaching has been eliminated, but it is not yet all at least good because groups of children, such as boys and higher attainers do not find learning

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Grade: 3

challenging enough in some lessons. This mixture of satisfactory, good and very occasional outstanding teaching begins in the Foundation Stage and continues throughout school to some degree. The headteacher has built a climate in which everyone feels able to play their part. Governors, for example, are beginning to be closely involved in the quest to improve standards. Children are also made to feel part of the process of improvement. They have been shown how to improve their work and reach higher levels. This initiative is working better in some classes than others. Children's work is not marked with helpful advice in all cases and although many know their targets they have not discussed them enough to be fully clear about what to do with them. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Five Lanes Primary School, 16 °17 May 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection. • Raise standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6 to at least the national average. • Improve the teaching to make sure that all children, particularly boys and higher attainers, are making consistently good progress. • Make sure that all children benefit from marking which provides praise and advice and are fully involved in discussing their progress in relation to academic targets.

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Grade: 3

Children start in Nursery with attainment which is well below that expected for their age. They are on course to improve by the end of Reception, but progress differs between classes. In some classes children, in the Foundation Stage, achieve exceptionally well, while in others progress is satisfactory. Attainment is in line with the national average by the end of Year 2. This is a result of consistently good progress across Years 1 and 2. This progress becomes irregular between Years 3 and 6 resulting in below average standards. Senior leaders are tackling this. Rapid recovery in reading is as a result of a concerted effort this year. There have also been attempts to quicken progress in writing and mathematics. These have had the greatest bearing in Year 2 and Year 6 because advice about improvement is more influential there. Children do well in music and physical education owing to the extensive provision in these

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Grade: 3

subjects which includes a large orchestra and opportunities to learn kayaking.

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Grade: 2

Children greet visitors with a warm welcome and a desire to show off their school. As many say, 'We enjoy ourselves a lot because there is so much to do.' Older children show pride in talking about the progress they have made academically this year. The school is a calm place to be in and bullying is at a minimum, which children claim is the result of measures, such as the establishment of a Gateway Group, taken to reduce bad behaviour and emotional outbursts. These positive aspects are reflected by regular and improving attendance. A wide understanding about healthy lifestyles is recognised by the national award: emotional and physical health are valued equally. Spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is good, but an appreciation of multicultural diversity is only satisfactory. Children's confidence in working together equips them well for their next school and the world of work, although these strengths are tempered

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Grade: 2

by satisfactory rather than good academic achievement.

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Grade: 3

In the improved quality of teaching and learning, teachers and their well trained assistants display confidence in planning relevant and well pitched work for lower attainers. This is because accurate assessment points to what needs to be done next. As a result lessons are designed 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Five Lanes Primary School, 16 °17 May 2007 with a clear purpose, which is communicated well to the class. However, planning for higher attainers is not yet consistent. Outstanding teaching exists alongside much that is satisfactory because improvements are taking hold at different rates. In the first-rate lessons a blend of lively banter, the captivating use of electronic whiteboards, quick fire practical tasks and urgency for success make learning very productive. Satisfactory lessons aspire to these attributes, but teaching has a more limited effect. Often introductions last too long or more emphasis is placed

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Grade: 3

on children's well-being than on practical tasks and discussions about the success of learning. In many cases children are not given enough advice about how to improve their work because marking lacks precision.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum promotes satisfactory achievement. Programmes for English, mathematics and science have been modified to provide regular exposure to the relevant topics for each age group. It is too soon to see the full effect of these revisions. Moreover, planning to extend higher attainers is not included in all lessons and opportunities are missed to broaden multicultural understanding. Nevertheless, the shortcomings in the curriculum are counterbalanced by some distinct successes. Good aspects stimulate children's personal development. The provision of themed weeks, such as Food Week, and the opportunity for Year 4 children to learn a stringed instrument enriches learning a great deal. Sports coaching from professionals helps to keep children active and able to work in teams. Residential trips for older children widen horizons through outdoor pursuits such as fencing and archery. After-school clubs, for example, for cricket are popular, but nothing exists for younger children

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Grade: 3

The good care and support children receive helps children to control their emotions, learn satisfactorily and relate well to adults in school. Children provide good support themselves, for others, through the school council and mediator scheme. Adults give strong advice about keeping fit, healthy and safe. Protection procedures for children, adult vetting and risk assessments are in place and working. Parents are pleased with the help that their children receive. Those who have children with a disability speak glowingly about how inclusive the school is. Others cannot speak too highly of the new arrangements for homework and the focused teaching for children who have fallen behind or who find work difficult. Relative weaknesses in academic guidance prevent this aspect from being good entirely. Children have been given targets, but many cannot remember them quickly enough because they do not discuss them regularly or they are not mentioned in marking.

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Grade: 3

The insight and drive provided by the headteacher, ably supported by the deputy headteacher, mean that standards and achievement are rising. The governing body understands what needs to be done, but their involvement is limited currently because many of them are new in post. The school has conquered many of its barriers to progress. There is a climate for success, which is bolstered well by many valuable links within the community and beyond. More learning and 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Five Lanes Primary School, 16 °17 May 2007 social opportunities are needed for all children in the playground, but there are good plans in place to achieve this. The school knows what to do to enhance academic achievement, but it has not been able to prioritise everything in one year. The monitoring of teaching by the headteacher, deputy headteacher and senior leaders is quick to spot what needs to be improved, but not all subject leaders possess such useful first-hand knowledge.

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Grade: 3

7 of 11 Inspection Report: Five Lanes Primary School, 16 °17 May 2007 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Five Lanes Primary School, 16 °17 May 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? 3 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?

3 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: Five Lanes Primary School, 16 °17 May 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: Five Lanes Primary School, 16 °17 May 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Five Lanes Primary School, Whortley, Leeds, LS12 4NB Thank you for your help when we inspected your school. We thoroughly enjoyed our two days with you all. You go to a satisfactory school which is improving fast. You told us that behaviour and lessons have improved a lot this year. We agree. Even those of you who need to improve your behaviour think highly of the Gateway Group in which you learn how to try harder. It is very positive the way that this club includes other children as 'role models'. It allows some of you to copy their way of doing things. As a team of inspectors, we had lunch with you, observed you in lessons and chatted in groups. This allowed us to find out that the good care and support you receive is making you into thoughtful and caring young people. As learners, in lessons, we can see that your reading has come on tremendously this year. Some of you have even doubled your rate of progress since

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

last September. Even though you are now getting on soundly in class, there is still more to do to bring your English, mathematics and science up to standard by the end of Year 6. In some lessons you race ahead and in others things jog along satisfactorily, particularly for boys and those of you who can tackle harder work. We think that your learning could be more practical, lively and full of extra challenges in some cases. We know that your headteacher, staff and governors want to keep going with the improvements they have begun. You can play your part in helping the school to become a very good one. When marking in your books gives you more advice about how to improve your work, you will need to try very hard to follow its guidance. Also take every opportunity to discuss with teachers and other children how well you are doing and how you can get nearer to your targets. We believe that you will be very good at helping the school to improve.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

11 of 11 Inspection Report: Five Lanes Primary School, 16 °17 May 2007

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