Barwic Parade Community Primary School, SelbyOfsted inspection, 10 May 2007

Selby, Barwic Parade Community Primary School Inspection report

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121444 Unique Reference Number North Yorkshire Local Authority 292116 Inspection number 10 May 2007 Inspection date Robert Robinson 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 257 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Andrew Smith Chair Mrs Pat Jarvis Headteacher 5 March 2003 Date of previous school inspection Barwic Parade School address Selby North Yorkshire YO8 8DJ

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01757 705591 Telephone number 01757 291769 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 10 May 2007 Inspection date 292116 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This is an average-sized primary school. Most pupils are of White British backgrounds. A few pupils are at an early stage of learning English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is about average. The socio-economic circumstances of the area are below average. During the past year major building work has been ongoing and this is now close to completion.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Selby, Barwic Parade Community Primary School, 10 May 2007

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Grade: 2

The school's overall effectiveness is good. It provides good value for money and has improved well since its last inspection. The leadership and management are good. The headteacher leads the school well. Staff at all levels are actively involved in the development of the school, resulting in a good team spirit and a commitment to further improvement. Governance is satisfactory. The school has an accurate view of its strengths and areas for development and this supports its good capacity to continue to improve. The quality of teaching and the curriculum are good resulting in pupils achieving well. By the time pupils leave Year 6, standards are average in English, mathematics and science. The school is constantly seeking to improve teaching through rigorous checks on pupils' learning and sharing good practice. Older pupils are increasingly becoming aware of how well they are doing because their work is marked effectively. Through discussion and written comments they know

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Grade: 2

what they must do to improve. However, this good practice is not consistent throughout the school because there is no whole-school policy for marking and day-to-day assessment. The personal development of pupils is good. Pupils are cared for and guided well. As a result, they enjoy school and appreciate all that the school provides. Their good relationships with staff ensure a harmonious learning environment. Behaviour is outstanding and this assists pupils' good progress. Pupils take on responsibilities enthusiastically, but they do not have a forum to express their views. They feel safe and trust all the adults they deal with. Pupils are well prepared for future learning because of their good acquisition of basic skills and their exemplary behaviour. Attendance rates are below average. This is despite the school's recent emphasis on working with parents to help them appreciate the effect that absence has on their

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Grade: 2

children's education. Parents are very appreciative of all aspects of the school's work. Typical parental comments are 'Staff are very friendly and easy to approach,' 'The school is worth recommending to anyone' and 'My child is always first up because he enjoys school.'

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What the school should do to improve further

• Work more successfully with parents to improve attendance. • Agree and implement a whole-school marking policy to ensure that all pupils are well informed about to improve their work. • Provide more formal opportunities for pupils to express their views about the school.

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Grade: 2

Pupils achieve well overall. On entry to the Foundation Stage, children's attainment is below average, with a high proportion having speech and language difficulties. From this starting point children make good progress and are, by the end of Foundation Stage, broadly typical in their personal, social and emotional development while remaining below expectations for their age in most areas. In communication, language and literacy and mathematical development few children achieve above average expectations. Pupils make steady progress in Years 1 and 2 and build well on these solid foundations through Years 3 to 6. Standards by the end of Year 6 have been consistently in line with the national average over the past three years in English, mathematics and science. In the 2006 national 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Selby, Barwic Parade Community Primary School, 10 May 2007 tests, standards in reading and writing were similar and there were no significant differences

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Grade: 2

in the achievement of boys compared to girls. Standards of the present group of pupils in Year 6 remain average and pupils are on course to reach their targets.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy coming to school and join in enthusiastically in the varied range of interesting activities provided for them. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary and they develop good self-confidence as they move through school. Bullying is rare and pupils say that it is dealt with quickly and effectively. Pupils understand the importance of keeping safe and healthy. They feel confident approaching any adults at the school, but they do not have formal opportunities to express their views through a school council. Older pupils are good role models for others. They take on responsibilities, such as caring for younger pupils at meal times. Pupils gain a good understanding of the needs of others and those less fortunate than themselves through fund-raising for worthy causes. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. However, pupils' understanding of the multicultural diversity of Britain today is only

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Grade: 2

satisfactory because they have limited opportunities to learn through first-hand experiences.

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Grade: 2

Classrooms are stimulating places to learn. The Foundation Stage is particularly exciting with wonderful opportunities for children to choose to learn both indoors and outdoors. Throughout the school, lesson plans give clear guidance to teachers and teaching assistants and are linked well to pupils' prior attainment. Teaching assistants are deployed extremely well to work with small groups of pupils to accelerate their learning. This is particularly effective for those pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those learning English as an additional language. Occasionally, teaching assistants are not used well enough in whole-class discussions. Lively presentations on interactive whiteboards help pupils to grasp new learning. Teachers question pupils well to ensure that they understand what they have been taught. The pace of learning in most lessons is brisk. Pupils' work is marked satisfactorily overall. However, the quality is

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Grade: 2

not consistent between classes because there is insufficient guidance provided for teachers through a whole-school marking policy. Best practice is seen in the marking of older pupils' work. This is linked to pupils' curricular targets and details what they must do to improve.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum matches the interests of all pupils well and fully meets requirements. Particularly strong emphasis is placed on developing pupils' skills within English and mathematics. Teachers plan well to develop pupils' skills in literacy in other subjects. Information and communication technology is used effectively to assist learning. Visitors and visits, including a residential experience for older pupils, provide an extra dimension to learning and add considerable value to pupils' personal, social and cultural development. Provision in the Foundation Stage is good and outdoor education opportunities have improved following the recent opening of the Foundation Stage unit. Personal, social, health and citizenship education is well established. Plans are well advanced to provide opportunities for pupils to learn a modern foreign language. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Selby, Barwic Parade Community Primary School, 10 May 2007

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Grade: 2

Child safeguarding procedures and systems to identify and support vulnerable pupils are in place. Health and safety and risk assessment procedures promote a safe environment. Parents and pupils agree that pupils are looked after well. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those learning English as an additional language are supported well, which helps them to make good progress. Links with parents through the home-school liaison officer are being developed. For example, procedures have been put in place recently to improve attendance, which is below average. It is too soon to see the impact of these. The tracking of pupils' progress is thorough and is used well to assist pupils to make good progress in their learning.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher and deputy headteacher lead and manage the school well. They are ably assisted by other senior staff. The high quality and rigour of self-evaluation is used as a basis to further enhance provision. Necessary improvements identified at the last inspection have been addressed well. For example, through rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning there is now a greater consistency of good and better teaching throughout the school. Overall strengths in teaching have been celebrated and areas for improvement have been identified and used to steer the school development plan. Through a well thought out and flexible management structure the expertise of all staff is used well. This collegiate approach has empowered all staff and led to a shared vision for the future of the school. The governing body, which has many new members, is eager to support the school, to fulfil their statutory roles and

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Grade: 2

to take a more active part in overseeing the running of the school. The difficulties associated with major building works have been dealt with well and the school is beginning to benefit from the enhanced accommodation, for example in the new Foundation Stage unit. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Selby, Barwic Parade Community Primary School, 10 May 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. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Selby, Barwic Parade Community Primary School, 10 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? 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 1 The behaviour of learners 4 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Selby, Barwic Parade Community Primary School, 10 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Selby, Barwic Parade Community Primary School, 10 May 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Barwic Parade Community Primary, Selby YO8 8DJ Thank you for welcoming me to your school. I enjoyed the day I spent with you and our discussions. As I promised the pupils representing Year 6, I want to tell you what I thought about your school. Well, I judged that your school is good because the headteacher and other staff lead and manage it well. You make good progress in your learning because the teaching is good. You enjoy school and work hard in lessons and all get on very well together. Your behaviour is excellent both in the classroom and around the school. Keep this up because it helps your learning. Members of staff look after you well. Your parents and carers are very pleased that you come to this school. As you do not have a school council, I have asked the school to provide more opportunities for you to express your views. I also noticed that your attendance was below average so I want

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you all to attend school whenever possible except when you are ill. This will provide you with more learning opportunities. The marking of older pupils' work is good. However, not all teachers do this throughout the school. So that marking and day-to-day assessment of your work is consistent, I have asked the school to agree and use a whole-school policy for marking. This will help you to understand how well you are doing and what you must do to improve. I wish you well for the future. 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Selby, Barwic Parade Community Primary School, 10 May 2007

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