Pendle View Primary School

Inspection Report Pendle View Primary School

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135012 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 294250 Inspection number 30 °31 January 2007 Inspection dates Noreen Buckingham 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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Town House Road School address Special Type of school Nelson, Lancashire Community special School category BB9 8DG 2 °11 Age range of pupils 01282 614013 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01282 691970 Fax number 55 Number on roll (school) Mrs Yvonne Foster Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Debbie Morris Headteacher Not previously inspected Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 294250 30 °31 January 2007 2°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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Pendle View Primary School opened in September 2005 and has not been inspected before. It admits pupils aged between 2 and 11 who have learning difficulties and disabilities. Following re-organisation of provision for pupils with special educational needs within the local authority, the range of pupils’ learning needs broadened. It caters for pupils with severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties and disabilities. Some pupils also have additional autistic spectrum disorders, challenging behaviours, sensory impairment and physical/medical needs. Currently the school is situated on two sites, but a new school is planned for 2009. All pupils have a statement of special educational needs. Attainment on entry is well below national expectations due to the learning difficulties of the pupils. Around a quarter of pupils come from families who speak English as a second language: Six are looked after children and

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Description of the school

about a third is eligible for free school meals.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Pendle View Primary School, 30 °31 January 2007

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Grade: 2

The inspection agrees with the school that its overall effectiveness is good and it gives good value for money. The work of this relatively new school is based on a clear vision for the future, which is shared by all staff and governors alike. The good leadership team, well led by the headteacher, is committed to ensure that all pupils receive the best education. This determination means that the capacity to improve is good. The layers of management are clear and responsibilities are well defined. However, subject leaders have not yet had enough opportunities to fully develop their role and make a positive impact on pupils’ achievement. Strong teamwork at all levels contributes not only to the good teaching, but also to pupils’ personal development. All staff know pupils very well and so they are able to provide very good individual care and support. Relationships between adults and pupils are good; pupils know they can talk to an

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Grade: 2

adult if they have a problem. The effective partnerships that the school has with health professionals contribute significantly to this support. Pupils enjoy school and parents are confident that their children are safe and happy whilst in the schools’ care. Arrangements for safeguarding pupils are securely in place. From the minute they step inside the school, children are welcomed and their learning adventure starts. The youngest children in the Foundation Stage enjoy all the activities, play happily, improve their communication skills through singing and action games and so make good progress. Throughout the school, teaching is good. As pupils move through the school, more is expected of them and they respond well. Planning is detailed and most lessons are made interesting by the use of good resources and a range of activities. Teamwork in classes is very good and is a significant factor that supports pupils’ learning. Systems for monitoring and assessing pupils’ progress are

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Grade: 2

established and information analysed. The resulting individual education plans (IEPs) and whole school targets are also regularly reviewed so that any areas for improvement are identified and action taken to remedy them. As a result, relative to their low starting points, all pupils, irrespective of the nature of their difficulty, achieve well. However, school leaders have correctly recognised that, due to the broader range of learning difficulties and disabilities now entering the school, further training for staff is required to ensure that pupils of all abilities continue to do well. This is in hand. The curriculum is good and is enriched by a range of visits and theme days, which also support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. However, pupils do not have enough planned opportunities to develop and practise their information and communication technology (ICT) skills. The school has established good inclusion links

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Grade: 2

with a number of local primary schools and has very strong links with the secondary special school. Most pupils in Years 5 and 6 are located in the secondary special school and are very well prepared for the next stage of their education. Governors are active and visible in the school and complement the school management team well. They carry out focused visits giving them a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. 2 Inspection Report: Pendle View Primary School, 30 °31 January 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve pupils’ progress in ICT and provide them with more opportunities within the curriculum to develop their ICT skills and understanding. • Ensure that subject leaders are fully involved in monitoring the impact of their subjects on pupils’ achievement.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils join the school with attainment well below what would normally be expected for their age, but the good teaching and care they receive means that they make good progress. There is no evidence to suggest that age, gender, disability or ethnicity makes a difference to the rate of progress, although some higher attaining pupils could make better progress if they were more effectively challenged. Children in the Foundation Stage are given a good start to their education. They achieve well and make good progress because of an effective package of care and teaching, which helps them flourish. This good progress is maintained in Key Stages 1 and 2. Pupils make the best progress in their basic literacy, numeracy and personal and social skills because of the importance the school places on these aspects of their education. However, pupils’ progress in developing their ICT skills is limited. The

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Grade: 2

detailed analysis of Performance Indicators for Value Added Target Setting (PIVATS) enables the school to set whole school targets to raise achievement. Any anomalies are identified and appropriate action taken. However, having only one years’ results means that current analysis is limited but comparing with past assessments the school has an accurate view of pupils’ progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good. This aspect of their learning are seen by the school as very important to pupils’ future well-being. They respond positively to all the care and support they are given, growing in confidence as they move through the school. Pupils enjoy coming to school and this is demonstrated by their good attendance. Most pupils are very sociable and their behaviour is good. When there are any minor disruptions, these are handled quickly and quietly. Pupils support others in their local community and beyond, which gives them an increased awareness of the world outside of school. Healthy school meals and snacks develop an understanding of a healthy lifestyle. Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe because arrival at and departure from school is carefully managed and this is further emphasised during activities within

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Grade: 2

the school day. Teachers celebrate good work in class and in assemblies; all pupils are included in special festivals, which gives them an understanding of a range of different faiths and cultures. Most pupils in Years 5 and 6 are taught on the secondary school site and mixing with older peers helps them to mature. As a result, they are well prepared for moving on to the next phase of their education 3 Inspection Report: Pendle View Primary School, 30 °31 January 2007

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Lessons are well planned, showing a relevant match of work to individual needs. Good teamwork and knowledge of pupils’ individual needs make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. Positive relationships also contribute towards a happy learning environment in which pupils are encouraged to work hard and do their best. This increases their good concentration skills and attitudes towards work. A good range of resources are used well to engage pupils in learning activities, especially in the Foundation Stage where children’s enthusiasm for learning is positively fostered. Occasionally, learning for higher attaining pupils is limited when lessons lack challenge and some pupils are not fully engaged. Since the merging of two different schools, the range of learning difficulties has increased and the school correctly recognises the need to develop teaching skills to ensure that all individual needs are

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Grade: 2

effectively met. Recording and assessment procedures are detailed and used well to monitor progress and to set targets in pupils’ IEPs. Teachers use these plans well and are reviewed regularly.

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Grade: 2

The school has given a great deal of thought to successfully adapting the curriculum to meet the needs of the full range of pupils. Literacy, numeracy and personal, social and health education (PHSE) are given high priority, but ICT is not available on a regular basis for all pupils within the current curriculum. The school has good plans to develop this area of the curriculum in the near future. However, the multi-sensory room and communication aids support pupils with the most complex LDD effectively. Residential visits, holiday club, themed days and visits within the community enrich the curriculum well, so making it varied and interesting. The school places a high priority on providing opportunities for pupils to work with pupils in mainstream schools and already a number of pupils attend local primary schools on a part-time basis. The school has gone out of its way to forge very strong links with the secondary special

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Grade: 2

school and this means that arrangements for transferring pupils to the next stage of their education are very good.

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Grade: 2

This aspect of the school’s work is good. Staff know their pupils very well and the high priority the school gives to the care of its pupils means that they are very well supported. Parents are generous in their praise of how well the school cares for their children. Arrangements for the safeguarding of pupils are secure, including procedures for child protection and risk assessment. Very good links with health care professionals add substantially to pupils’ well-being. Relationships between all staff and pupils are 4 Inspection Report: Pendle View Primary School, 30 °31 January 2007 extremely positive and pupils know to talk to an adult if they have a problem. All staff know the pupils very well and the combination of all these significantly contribute to the positive ethos of the school. Pupils’ progress is tracked by regularly monitoring IEPs, looking at workbooks and annual assessments. This enables the school to adapt

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Grade: 2

or change practice for individual pupils.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. Since the school opened eighteen months ago, the headteacher has shown great determination to ensure its success. Her enthusiasm and commitment, which is shared by the rest of the staff and governors, has resulted in a happy school in which everyone pulls together for the benefit of the pupils. The clear vision for the future provides the impetus for all the hard work. Teamwork, from the leadership team to the class team, is a strength of the school. Subject leaders have been active in developing new schemes of work. However, they have yet to develop their role in checking the quality of teaching and learning to assess the impact on raising pupils’ achievement. As a result, they do not all have a secure understanding of standards and achievement in their own subjects. Staff are offered good training and their performance is effectively monitored. Because of regular monitoring by the

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Grade: 2

senior leaders, self-evaluation is largely accurate and targets identify priority training areas. Governors are actively involved in all aspects of the work of the school. Focused visits, attending special events and joining pupils on outings mean they have an informed insight into what the school does. 5 Inspection Report: Pendle View Primary School, 30 °31 January 2007 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Pendle View Primary School, 30 °31 January 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 NA 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? 4 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 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 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. 7 Inspection Report: Pendle View Primary School, 30 °31 January 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? 8 Inspection Report: Pendle View Primary School, 30 °31 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Pendle View Primary School Town House Road Nelson Lancashire BB9 8DG 30 January 2007 Dear Pupils I did enjoy my time with you last week. Thank you for making me welcome and for talking to me. I think you are a happy friendly bunch! You all seem to enjoy coming to school and your behaviour is good and you work hard most of the time. Your parents also think school is a good place to be and that you are well looked after while you are there. You get on well with all the adults who teach you and look after you. Pendle View is a new school and everyone has worked really hard to make it a nice place to be. All staff make sure that you are safe in school, from the minute you get off your transport to the time you go home. Teachers want you to do well and provide interesting activities in lessons so that you can learn well. This helps you to make good progress. To make your school even better I have firstly asked that a look is taken at how the time you spend in school is used, so that you have

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

more opportunities to use computers and develop your information and communication technology skills quicker. Secondly, I have asked teachers to check their subjects more closely to make sure you are all doing as well as you can. Best wishes for the future. Yours sincerely Noreen Buckingham Lead inspector 9 Inspection Report: Pendle View Primary School, 30 °31 January 2007

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