Duke Street Primary School

Duke Street Primary School Inspection report

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119352 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 291393 Inspection number 10 °11 July 2007 Inspection dates Jennifer Taylor 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 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 275 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Mohammed Naeem Chair Mr Andrew Kidd Headteacher 1 January 2003 Date of previous school inspection Duke Street School address Chorley Lancashire PR7 3DU

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01257 419191 Telephone number 01257 419198 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 10 °11 July 2007 Inspection dates 291393 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 larger than most primary schools although since the previous inspection, the number of pupils on roll has declined as a result of population changes in the area. The school is situated in a socially mixed urban area close to the town centre. Almost all pupils come from White British backgrounds. There are very few looked after children or children who are learning English as an additional language. The proportion of children entitled to free school meals is above the national average, as is the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. There are four mixed age classes out of 10 in school. At the time of this inspection, an extensive rebuilding and modernisation programme was nearing completion.

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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: Duke Street Primary School, 10 °11 July 2007

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Grade: 2

Duke Street Primary is a good school. Many children enter the Reception year with limited skills and experiences. However, most pupils make good progress throughout the school so that by the end of Year 6, most reach the standards expected in English and mathematics nationally. Some pupils, but not enough, reach higher than expected levels in all subjects. The more able pupils do less well in mathematics than in English and science but pupils’ overall achievement is good and standards broadly average. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Some teaching is outstanding. Lessons are lively and capture the interest and imagination of the pupils. In some lessons, however, teachers do not match the work set for the more able pupils well enough to their abilities, particularly in mathematics; consequently not enough reach the higher levels. The current support of the local authority with teaching and learning in English

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Grade: 2

and mathematics is raising standards, but this has not yet been extended to include science. Provision in the Foundation Stage is good. Children make good progress as they work towards the standards expected for their age, but many do not achieve them by the time they enter Year 1. Opportunities to extend their speaking and listening skills as well as their personal and social development are one of the school’s priorities and lead most children to meet the expectations for their social development. Pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and those who are vulnerable or have English as an additional language, receive good support. This ensures that they make good progress towards their identified targets. All necessary child protection and safeguarding procedures are in place. Although attendance is below average, because some parents take their children on holiday during term time, pupils enjoy coming to school and behave well. They participate in a range

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Grade: 2

of sporting activities and are encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle. They know how to stay safe and look after one another. Many accept responsibilities as playground buddies and contribute to the wider community through fundraising activities for charities; for example, the local children’s hospice. In addition to learning basic skills, the pupils use information and communication technology (ICT) very well, which helps prepare them effectively for the next phase of their education. Since the previous inspection, the headteacher has introduced a very good system for monitoring and assessing pupils’ progress in English and mathematics, which is beginning to show positive results in raising standards. The curriculum is rich and provides many interesting activities to broaden pupils’ experiences. Leadership and management are good. The strong leadership of the headteacher and deputy headteacher supported by the governing body has guided the school through difficult

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Grade: 2

circumstances. The staff are dedicated, skilful and hardworking and are managed well by a dynamic team of senior teachers. Highly effective monitoring of the work of the school provides an accurate picture of its strengths and areas for development. As a result, the school has made a good improvement since the last inspection and has a good capacity to improve further. The school provides good value for money. Following a period of extensive rebuilding and refurbishment, which is almost complete, teaching areas together with specialist and outside provision will be dramatically improved. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Duke Street Primary School, 10 °11 July 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure teachers match work more accurately for the more able pupils in all lessons and subjects, particularly in mathematics. ■ Ensure that all pupils attend school regularly in order to make consistently good progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils achieve well and standards are broadly average. Pupils make good progress throughout the school. Children start school with skills that are well below average for their age particularly in speaking, listening and personal and social skills. Throughout the Foundation Stage, they make good progress towards achieving the Early Learning Goals but many do not reach expected standards by the end of the Reception year. At the end of Year 2, standards are below average, but steadily improving. The results of national tests in Year 6 were below average in 2006. The most recent results of national tests are higher. This represents good progress given their starting points in Year 3. However, even though many more pupils than previous gained the nationally expected Level 4 in all subjects, fewer pupils exceeded the expected level for their age in mathematics. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those with English

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Grade: 2

as an additional language make good progress. There is no significant difference between the attainment of boys and girls.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good. Pupils are polite and their behaviour is good. They are eager, demonstrate good attitudes to learning and enjoy their lessons. The school’s welcoming atmosphere and good level of concern for individuals, means that pupils feel safe and valued. Staff ensure that all safety and safeguarding procedures are in place. Pupils state that bullying is not a problem. Attendance is below average because some children have their learning disrupted by taking holidays in term time. Pupils know how to keep safe and healthy. They make contributions to the community by taking on responsibilities; for example, by becoming prefects or members of the school council. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education through reaching the nationally expected level in their basic skills in English, mathematics and ICT and their ability

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good. There are some examples of outstanding teaching in the Foundation Stage. There are also examples of outstanding teaching in Years 5 and 6 in the teaching of literacy and personal, social and health education lessons (PSHE). The school’s recent support from the local authority has brought great strength to learning English, already a well established area, and to mathematics, where standards have been variable. Strengths in teaching include good quality planning, matching work to pupils’ abilities and well resourced lessons. Pupils use technology skilfully and confidently to enhance their learning in English and mathematics. Good pace and challenge are usual in lessons, together with effective use of 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Duke Street Primary School, 10 °11 July 2007 the interactive whiteboard. The marking and feedback to help pupils improve their work are

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Grade: 2

good. Pupils enjoy these lessons and make good progress. There is some inconsistency in the challenge given to more able pupils in mathematics. When pupils are not fully challenged in mathematics, they do not make better than satisfactory progress. Teaching assistants and other adults, including volunteers, provide good support. In one PSHE lesson, pupils convinced a friend of the dangers of smoking. They acted this out in front of the class and followed it with a presentation of videos made by each of them at the local secondary school. The class evaluated the videos for their persuasiveness and established learning points on healthy living and the use of ICT. This made an outstanding contribution to the personal development and well-being of pupils. Behaviour is good in lessons and relations between pupils and the adults who support them are very good. Teachers generally use assessment in English and mathematics well to identify learners’ needs and provide targets for

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Grade: 2

improvement, but this is less well developed in science.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. It provides opportunities for learners, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, to make good progress. All statutory requirements are met. Children start school with low communication and social skills and limited experience of the world around them. The school rightly focuses upon these areas in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2 with a wide range of visits, use of multicultural music and art and good social and emotional work to support the extensive literacy and numeracy programmes. In Years 3 to 6, curriculum planning is a strength, with imaginative, interesting and appropriate provision for these mixed-age classes. The curriculum features French studies, joint teaching with a local secondary school for specialist science, intervention support for English and mathematics, and the creative use of ICT. The personal, social and health education programme is effective in

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Grade: 2

supporting the care and guidance of pupils and developing good values and expectations. A large number of pupils join in a wide range of extra-curricular activities based round the arts and sport. Together, these contribute well to the pupils’ health and give them good preparation for their future education.

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Grade: 2

The quality of care, guidance and support in the school is good. It is given a high priority by all staff and contributes well to pupils’ good personal development and well-being and ensures that they are safe and well cared for. Child protection arrangements are in place; all staff, whether teaching or not, receive appropriate training, and safeguarding and recruiting requirements are met. The school undertakes and complies with the necessary health and safety and risk assessment procedures for both the building and visits. A wide range of external agencies support pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities effectively. This, along with support from the school, ensures that these pupils receive good quality care, support and guidance. Parents play an active part in many classrooms and in celebrating the successes of their children in sport, drama and music. The school is having some success in convincing parents

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Grade: 2

that taking holidays during term-time does not help children to make good progress. Staff work hard to create vibrant classrooms and learning areas to interest and engage the pupils within ageing buildings. This is a real strength of the school. Tracking of pupils’ progress is effective. Monitoring of the progress of the more able pupils is not as well developed in some 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Duke Street Primary School, 10 °11 July 2007 subjects, such as mathematics, to ensure that they can reach the higher levels in the national tests.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The caring and strong leadership of the headteacher, supported by a well informed governing body and dedicated staff, has created a purposeful, industrious and lively environment to promote pupils’ well-being and learning. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are good. All staff share the vision and commitment of the headteacher and take a positive lead in providing high quality care and education for all pupils. Teachers and support staff work closely as a team to ensure that all pupils have the same opportunities to learn. Managers and staff have worked hard to keep pupils safe and ensure minimum disruption to learning during the recent rebuilding and modernisation programme. At the instigation of the headteacher, an assessment and monitoring programme has been introduced and managers have worked hard to ensure it is used consistently throughout the

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Grade: 2

school. This has proved to be an effective instrument for raising standards in literacy and numeracy. As a result of rigorous monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning, all staff are aware of the need to raise standards of the most able pupils and accelerate their progress. Staff are provided with opportunities to extend their skills and expertise through appropriate training and development. The recommendations of the previous inspection have been implemented. The majority of parents are supportive of the school. Governors ensure that all statutory requirements are met and they have a clear understanding of the strengths of the school. They contribution to the life of the school is good and they are aware of their role in raising standards and achievement. There are strong links with local high schools and special schools and the interchange of expertise and resources is valuable. Resources, especially the

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Grade: 2

use of specialist services are used well. The school provides good value for money. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Duke Street Primary School, 10 °11 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: Duke Street Primary School, 10 °11 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 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? 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: Duke Street Primary School, 10 °11 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: Duke Street Primary School, 10 °11 July 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

12 July 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Duke Street Primary School, Chorley, PR7 3DU Thank you very much for talking to us about your work and how much you enjoy school when we visited your school recently. You go to a good school. You all work hard and are polite and well behaved. The standards you reach by the end of Year 6 are quite good, but we think you can do better. This is particularly so for those of you who are capable of harder work in mathematics. To help, I have asked your teachers to make sure that your work is neither too hard or too easy. We liked the way many of you use the computers and interactive whiteboards to help you learn. It would help if some of you were able to come to school every day because when you are away you sometimes miss the chance to learn important information. The other inspectors and I particularly liked sharing your assemblies and listening to how well you sing and play instruments. Congratulations on winning the basketball cup. It is an exciting

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

time for your school now that the buildings are changing so much. When it is all finished you will have a lovely school building and grounds that will help you learn even better than you do now. I hope you will have a good summer holiday and come back to school in September ready to work hard for even better results. Yours sincerely Jennifer Taylor Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Duke Street Primary School, 10 °11 July 2007

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