Intake Primary School

106996 Unique Reference Number Sheffield Local Authority 309282 Inspection number 13 °14 December 2007 Inspection dates Peter Howard 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 5 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 354 School The governing body Appropriate authority Chair Mr Jim Fryer Headteacher 15 September 2003 Date of previous school inspection Mansfield Road School address Intake Sheffield South Yorkshire S12 2AR 0114 2399824 Telephone number 0114 2395019 Fax number

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5-11 Age group 13 °14 December 2007 Inspection dates 309282 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

Intake Primary School is larger than average. The school is located in an area with average economic and social characteristics. A significant minority of its pupils come from a wider area and, as a result, pupils have a diverse range of economic and social backgrounds. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below average. The great majority of pupils are White British and very few pupils are in the early stages of learning English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. The school holds the Activemark, Sportsmark, Artsmark Gold, FA Sheffield Charter Mark and Healthy School Awards. Following the long serving headteacher's illness and other changes to senior leadership, an acting headteacher and acting deputy headteacher were appointed in September 2006. The acting deputy headteacher was appointed to the permanent staff in

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Description of the school

September 2007. Upon the headteacher's retirement, governors appointed a new headteacher, who is due to take up his post in January 2008.

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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: Intake Primary School, 13 °14 December 2007

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory and improving school. The acting headteacher, with strong support from the deputy headteacher, came to a quick and accurate understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development. Building on pupils' positive attitudes to school and deep seated support from parents, they have put in place an effective programme of school improvement. Staff have confidence in their leadership and are working well together as a team to take the school forward. When pupils enter Reception, they have the skills and knowledge expected of children at that age and when they leave Year 6 they attain average standards in English, mathematics and science. Their achievement is satisfactory. Pupils' personal development and well-being are good and their moral and social skills are well developed. This is underpinned by the very positive relationships in school among pupils and between adults and pupils. Pupils enjoy school

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Grade: 3

and their behaviour in lessons and around school is good. They understand the benefits of making healthy choices in respect to exercise and diet. Pupils appreciate the varied opportunities to undertake responsibility, for example, through the school council, and they fulfil their roles effectively. Their preparation for the next stage of learning is sound. Teaching, learning and the curriculum are of satisfactory quality. Teachers are working in an increasingly collaborative way, for example, by planning together, and this is having a positive impact. However, the work given to pupils, particularly those who are more able, does not always match their needs accurately and as a result, they do not make as much progress as they might. While the school places a strong focus on English and mathematics as it seeks to raise standards in these subjects, it also works hard to ensure that pupils enjoy a wide experience

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Grade: 3

through the high priority given to sport and the arts. Pupils benefit from a good range of clubs and other activities, such as residential visits and the teaching of French. The care, guidance and support given to pupils are satisfactory. This is a caring school where pupils feel valued and safe. Much progress has been made towards setting up an effective system for assessing what pupils know and then using this information to set effective and challenging targets, particularly in English. However, teachers' marking does not consistently tell pupils what they need to do to improve their work so as to meet those targets. Senior leaders have worked hard to give more responsibility to post holders at all levels and, as a result, staff are making an increasingly effective contribution to raising standards. The checking on teaching and learning, and procedures to plan for improvement are becoming increasingly rigorous. Governors have a strong commitment to the school, but they do not have

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Grade: 3

a sufficiently deep understanding of data about pupils' academic performance to hold it to account. Recently implemented strategies to improve provision are already having an impact. They helped reduce underachievement in last year's performance in national tests at the end of Year 6 and are contributing to accelerated progress in lessons throughout school. This and the increased effectiveness of leaders at all levels indicate that the school has good capacity for further improvement.

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Grade: 3

Children enter Reception with skills and knowledge that are in line with expectations for their age. They make satisfactory progress and at the end of Reception attain average standards 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Intake Primary School, 13 °14 December 2007 overall, with particular strengths in their personal and social development. A high level of care helps children to settle in well. Good partnership with parents and carers helps children to make a good start in learning to read, write and understand mathematics. This is reinforced by the recent introduction of effective systems for assessing what children know and can do when they enter the class. Following the introduction of more systematic approaches to teaching children how sounds match to letters, their progress in reading is accelerating. The relationships between children and staff are good. Staff are very caring of children and, as a result, children

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Grade: 3

feel secure and there is a happy atmosphere in the unit. There is a growing recognition on the part of staff of the need to give children increased opportunities to exercise more independence, choice and responsibility for their own learning. Facilities for outdoor play have been recently upgraded and the need to improve access to the outside area from the classroom is recognised as a priority for further development. While leadership of the Foundation Stage is satisfactory, the experienced Reception teacher has a good view of how to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Make better use of information about what pupils know and can do to ensure that work set for them more closely matches their needs, particularly for more able pupils. ■ Ensure that teachers' marking helps pupils by telling them what they need to do to improve further. ■ Ensure governors develop a better understanding of pupils' achievement and standards.

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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.

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Grade: 3

When they enter Year 1, pupils' attainment is broadly in line with national expectations. At the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are average. The standards attained at the end of Year 6, particularly in English and mathematics, have varied in recent years between average and below average. To some extent, this has reflected the strengths of the different groups of pupils. However, it is also due to inconsistencies in the quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6 and the ineffective use of information about pupils' attainment to identify and address some underachievement. These issues are being tackled by much improved strategies to check on teaching and learning, and the introduction of a rigorous system of tracking pupils' progress. As a result, the standard of work in lessons is beginning to rise. Within this positive picture, more able pupils throughout school still do not achieve as well as they might and these pupils

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Grade: 3

are a continuing focus of school improvement. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive appropriate support and make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, with particular strengths in moral and social development. This is reflected in how they consider the needs of others, work cooperatively with each other in lessons and get on well in the playground. Pupils enjoy school, their behaviour is good and they are attentive in lessons. They can talk about school in a sensible and mature way. They understand what they need to do to keep safe and they feel secure in school. Pupils' enthusiastic participation in sport demonstrates their good knowledge of what 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Intake Primary School, 13 °14 December 2007 is important if they are to lead a healthy lifestyle. Pupils carry out a range of responsibilities, for example, older pupils value being prefects and are aware of how they act as role models for other pupils. Pupils make a good contribution to the school through their work on the

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Grade: 2

school council, which has played an effective role in improving playground equipment and the refurbishment of toilet provision. Reading buddies help less able readers to develop their skills in this area. Pupils are involved in activities such as carol singing in the community and fund raising for national charities. Pupils' preparation for the next steps in learning, reflected in their average attainment in literacy and numeracy, is sound. Their attendance is satisfactory.

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Grade: 3

Pupils feel cared for and valued by teachers and as a result, they are attentive and lessons have a positive atmosphere. Teachers' explanations to pupils at the beginning of lessons, of what they should learn during the lesson, are effective and well established. While an increasingly collaborative approach is raising the overall quality of planning, other features of teaching are less consistent. In the better lessons, teachers take advantage of every opportunity to help pupils learn. They maintain a brisk pace, have high expectations and use a good range of strategies to ensure that pupils make good progress. In other lessons, opportunities are sometimes missed to extend pupils' learning. Teachers do not make the best use of available information to give pupils, particularly those who are higher achieving, work that precisely meets their individual needs. As a result, their learning slows. While teaching assistants give

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Grade: 3

pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities sound support, they are not always effectively deployed, for example, during the introductory phase to lessons.

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Grade: 3

The school offers a broad curriculum, with a strong emphasis on sport and the arts. It provides a good range of opportunities to promote pupils' personal development and well-being. Much attention is given to English and mathematics, which reflects the drive to raise standards in these subjects as well as the positive action being taken to meet changes in statutory requirements. The school recognises that it does not make sufficient use of links between subjects to provide a range of exciting situations in which pupils can practise their basic skills in English, particularly writing, and mathematics. There has been recent investment in information and communication technology (ICT), but the ratio of computers to pupils is still below average. While the use of ICT is improving, teachers' use of interactive whiteboards to enrich pupils' learning is at an early stage of development. A wide range of extra- curricular

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Grade: 3

activities, visitors into school and visits off-site, including residential visits in Years 3 and 6 enhances the curriculum.

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Grade: 3

The school judges care, guidance and support to be good. However, inspectors judge it to be satisfactory because the recent developments in academic guidance have not yet had the time to have sufficient impact. Marking is not yet consistently informative, so pupils are not always clear about what they need to do to improve their work. This is a caring school, which gives a 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Intake Primary School, 13 °14 December 2007 high priority to the welfare of its pupils. Procedures are in place to promote pupils' security, health and safety. Pupils feel safe in school and say that there are adults to turn to if they have a problem. They value the 'worry boxes' where they can post their concerns, because they know that a teacher will deal with them quickly and sensitively. Well considered procedures are now in place to help pupils achieve as well as they can. These include improved procedures for

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Grade: 3

assessing what pupils know, and systems to record their progress and to set them individual targets for improvement. While there is evidence that pupils' achievement is beginning to rise, these procedures are in the early stages of development.

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Grade: 3

The acting headteacher and deputy headteacher have led the school in a clear direction since their appointment. They have sought to build on the school's well established focus on pupils' personal development and increase the emphasis on raising their achievement. They have recognised that assessment information has not been used well enough to plan work for pupils, particularly the more able, or to identify accurately some underachievement in pupils' performance. They have identified a need to give leaders at all levels a greater role in the leadership of the school. Subject leaders are increasingly involved in taking responsibility in their subject and developing a fuller understanding of how well pupils are achieving. While rigorous procedures for checking on teaching and learning have been initiated, they do not yet sufficiently involve all those responsible for curriculum leadership. Although these changes

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Grade: 3

are in the early stages of development, they have begun to have an impact on teaching and the curriculum, and progress in lessons is beginning to accelerate. Governors are very supportive of the school and are participating in a number of initiatives to develop their role further. However, their understanding of data about pupils' academic performance is insufficiently strong to ensure they have a proper understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. The school has very strong support from parents and it gives satisfactory value for money. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Intake Primary School, 13 °14 December 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: Intake Primary School, 13 °14 December 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? Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 3 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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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 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 extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 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: Intake Primary School, 13 °14 December 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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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: Intake Primary School, 13 °14 December 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Intake Primary School, Sheffield, S12 2AR On behalf of the inspectors who visited your school recently, I would like to thank you for your polite and friendly welcome. We really enjoyed meeting you and listening to what you had to say about your school. We have found that yours is a satisfactory school. Most of you are doing reasonably well in your learning, but we think many of you could do even better, particularly those of you who find learning easy. When we visited your classrooms, we were impressed by how well you behaved and listened to your teachers, who try hard to give you interesting work to do. Your teachers, quite rightly, give you lots of work to do in literacy and numeracy, and they also make sure that there are plenty of opportunities to do art, music and join in with sport. Many of you say you enjoy lessons, as well as the clubs and other activities. The adults in school look after

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you well and you told us that you feel safe in school. You have a good understanding of the importance of eating a healthy diet and taking exercise. You are learning to take responsibility, for example, in the school council or as a reading buddy, and you get on well with each other. The adults in school know the school well and are already working hard to make improvements. We have suggested some things for them to do that will help them, and you, to do this.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure that teachers are even more careful to plan work that is not too hard or too easy for you. ■ Make sure that when teachers mark your work they regularly tell or show you what you need to do to make it better. ■ Help the school's governors to have a better understanding of how well you are doing in your work. You can help, too, by telling your teachers when you think your work is too easy or too hard, and by asking them how you can make your work even better. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Intake Primary School, 13 °14 December 2007

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