Drighlington Primary School

Inspection Report Drighlington Primary School

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134407 Unique Reference Number Leeds Local Authority 294130 Inspection number 4 °5 December 2006 Inspection dates Terry McDermott 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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Moorland Road School address Primary Type of school Drighlington, Bradford Community School category West Yorkshire BD11 1JY 3 °11 Age range of pupils 0113 3862390 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0113 2854784 Fax number 440 Number on roll (school) Mr A Stocks Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Sue Jackson Headteacher Not previously inspected Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 294130 4 °5 December 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This much larger than average size school serves a mixed area close to the boundaries of Leeds and Kirklees. It is a recent amalgamation of a junior school and an infant school. It had a significant rebuild and refurbishment in 2005 and operated on a split site until October 2005. The large majority of pupils are from a White British background. Very few pupils speak other languages at home. The number of pupils with statements of special educational need is average, as is the number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Drighlington Primary School, 4 °5 December 2006

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Grade: 3

Drighlington Primary School is a satisfactory school with some good features. It has overcome the significant difficulties it faced around the extended time of its reorganisation and its rebuilding. As one Year 6 pupil said, 'After the building it was all a bit of a mix up, then it became organised and a lot better.' It is now well placed to move forward. It gives satisfactory value for money. Standards and progress in the Foundation Stage are satisfactory but provision is weakened by the lack of a suitable outdoor play area. Children enter the Nursery with skills normally expected for their age and they reach average standards by the end of the Reception year, though their general literacy skills are below average. At the end of Year 6 in 2005, pupils left the school with broadly average standards in the national tests, having made satisfactory progress in their time in school. In 2006, pupils reached higher standards in the tests but their progress was also satisfactory,

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Grade: 3

because this group of pupils started from a higher point after Key Stage 1 assessments. All pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, make satisfactory progress overall. The quality of pupils' writing remains a continuing issue through the school, where few pupils, particularly boys, reach the higher levels. Pupils' personal development is good because the school takes good care of them, taking its responsibility for their safeguarding role very seriously. Pupils enjoy being at school and they behave well. Relationships between teachers and pupils are good. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and say that they feel safe and valued as individuals. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teachers seek to make lessons interesting to but too many lessons do not challenge pupils enough for them to make sufficiently rapid progress. Assessment procedures gather reliable information on the progress

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Grade: 3

pupils are making and this information is now being used to good effect in some lessons, particularly in Year 6. The curriculum is satisfactory. The school is modifying the curriculum to ensure that it meets the individual needs of all pupils better and helps them to make faster progress. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The headteacher has taken strong action to bring about changes and improvements. She has built a good leadership team. Well founded and recently implemented initiatives to raise achievement show clear promise, but have not yet shown a measurable impact on standards. The headteacher receives good support from the knowledgeable and clear sighted governing body. The large majority of parents hold the school in high regard and are happy with what it offers. The decisive leadership of the headteacher, the growing teamwork and good morale of the teaching staff, combined with the continuing challenge and support

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Grade: 3

offered by governors, indicate that the school has good capacity to improve. 2 Inspection Report: Drighlington Primary School, 4 °5 December 2006

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the quality and consistency of teaching so that learning becomes challenging for all pupils. • Raise standards of writing throughout the school.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' achievement is satisfactory and the standards they reach are average. Children enter the Foundation Stage at about the national expectation. They make good progress in personal and social education and satisfactory progress in mathematics but progress in literacy is slower than normally expected because the school is not yet focusing fully on the early stages of writing. Overall progress in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils reach standards that are in line with the national average. Attainment in mathematics is higher than in reading and writing. Girls reach higher standards than boys. Pupils make satisfactory progress. Throughout Key Stage 2, progress is satisfactory overall but uneven. By the end of Year 6 in 2005, pupils reached standards that were broadly average. In 2006, standards had risen but progress remained satisfactory. The school's realistic targets in English and mathematics

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Grade: 3

for 2006 were all reached. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and other specific needs make satisfactory progress in line with their classmates.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. This is reflected in their above average attendance, their enjoyment of school, their positive attitudes and their good behaviour. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes make good progress in taking turns, sharing fairly and becoming independent. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils understand that there are a number of different faiths in the world. They understand too the need for the behaviour codes which they helped to create and the need for making decisions about health and well-being. 'We understand that it's good that we can only bring healthy snacks for break,' they say. Pupils enjoy taking exercise through the good opportunities for physical and sporting activities. They willingly take responsibility for many jobs such as register monitors and refereeing playground games. Through the school council, pupils have a say in the running of the school. This helps them to understand their

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Grade: 2

rights and responsibilities and those of others. They make a satisfactory contribution to the local community through carol singing, tree and bulb planting, fund raising and links with the local council. Their good social and personal skills, together with their improving basic skills, prepare them well for later life. 3 Inspection Report: Drighlington Primary School, 4 °5 December 2006

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. The best lessons use a range of resources, including electronic whiteboards and computers, to engage pupils' attention. When teachers challenge pupils' thinking through good question and answer sessions that require explanations and justification of ideas, achievement is good. This is particularly evident in Year 6 classes where teachers have high expectations that pupils will work independently. Pupils are well motivated and complete their tasks enthusiastically. The teachers have particularly good rapport with the pupils. However, in some lessons, teaching methods do not sufficiently engage learners. The level of challenge is insufficient and pupils undertake tasks that are too easy for them and which have no clear time for completion. In these lessons, expectations are too low and pupils are not active enough in finding things out for themselves. This causes the

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Grade: 3

pace of learning to slow. Assessment procedures are systematic and some teachers make good use of assessment information to plan work which closely meets the needs of all pupils. However, this use is not yet sufficiently embedded in the general practice of the school to ensure that all pupils make good progress.

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Grade: 3

Emphasis is placed on developing pupils' basic skills in English, particularly in writing, in mathematics and in information and communication technology. However, the skills gained in these subjects are not yet sufficiently applied and practised in other subjects. The school has begun to seek ways to make learning more consistently purposeful and enjoyable, although this is at an early stage of development. The curriculum is enhanced by suitable educational and residential visits and by a range of extra-curricular clubs such as breakfast and after-school clubs. Education for pupils' health and safety is good. A range of enriching activities, such as Roman and Egyptian days, contribute to pupils' knowledge, understanding and enjoyment. Growing links with the local secondary school help pupils prepare for the next stage of their education.

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Grade: 2

The good quality of care promotes the pupils' good personal development and well-being. Pupils feel valued and supported. 'We like all the teachers because they are kind and they look after you,' some pupils said. All the necessary checks are in place to ensure pupils' safety, protection and welfare. Pupils feel safe and understand and value the staff's 'zero tolerance' of bullying and dangerous behaviour. Pupils are very clear that they have an adult to turn to if they need help of any kind. The learning mentor is highly effective, playing a key role in providing personal support for individual 4 Inspection Report: Drighlington Primary School, 4 °5 December 2006 pupils and their families. Pupils' progress is checked in literacy and numeracy and those not making the expected progress are identified and supported. This information is now beginning to be used to set termly targets for individual pupils in literacy and

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Grade: 2

numeracy, which are shared with parents. These targets are helping pupils to become more involved in assessing and improving their own learning.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Many improvements have been put in place. However, standards are still not high enough, particularly in writing, because the quality of teaching lacks the consistency to ensure that pupils' progress is even throughout the school. The headteacher has led the school sensitively through the amalgamation. The school is now moving forward positively on all fronts. The main reason for this is the very good leadership of the headteacher who has built a strong, reflective senior management team. Staff are now beginning to function as a team. The school is evaluating its strengths and areas for development accurately and implementing its well-considered improvement plan. Money is used prudently to the benefit of the pupils. The school benefits from a very effective partnership with support agencies and with other schools. Governors are involved actively in supporting the school,

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Grade: 3

monitoring its work and asking challenging questions. Most parents show a high level of confidence in the school. The school has good capacity for improvement. 5 Inspection Report: Drighlington Primary School, 4 °5 December 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: Drighlington Primary School, 4 °5 December 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? 3 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 NA 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 2 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 3 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: Drighlington Primary School, 4 °5 December 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: Drighlington Primary School, 4 °5 December 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for being so friendly to us on our recent visit to your school. We really enjoyed our conversations with you, which helped us to get a good picture of your school. I am writing to let you know what we found out. We found that Drighlington Primary is a satisfactory school with some good features. It is ready to make good progress if everybody keeps pulling together. You told us that the adults care for you and look after you really well and we agree. We can see the results of this in your good behaviour in classes and around the school. We also think that the headteacher, and other leaders in the school, have made some really positive changes and have now got things well organised. However, we also found two things which the school could improve on and which would help you to learn more and make better progress. So we have asked that teachers make sure that all the work they set for you really makes all of you think and work to the best of your abilities

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and that they pay particular attention to helping you to improve your writing. Both of these mean that you can expect more work to do but you should find lessons more exciting and you will certainly benefit in the end! Thank you once again for being so polite and cooperative and may I wish all of you good luck for the future. 9 Inspection Report: Drighlington Primary School, 4 °5 December 2006

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