Steeton Primary School

Steeton Primary School Inspection report

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107275 Unique Reference Number Bradford Local Authority 309363 Inspection number 20 May 2008 Inspection date Ann Sharpe 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 295 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Julie Barnaby Chair Mrs Christine Newson Headteacher 19 January 2004 Date of previous school inspection Market Street School address Steeton Keighley West Yorkshire BD20 6NN 01535 653315 Telephone number 01535 653315 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 20 May 2008 Inspection date 309363 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. The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: the standards reached by pupils; the quality of the curriculum and other activities, and the leadership and management of the school. Evidence was gathered from the school's self-evaluation, plans for further improvement, nationally published assessment data and the school's own records of pupils' progress over time. Brief observations of most pupils at work and during breaks were undertaken. Discussions were held with staff, pupils and governors. Questionnaires returned by parents were considered. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspector found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

The majority of the pupils attending this larger than average sized school are White British, although about a third are from an increasingly wide range of minority ethnic heritages, particularly Pakistani. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average, and a growing proportion of children starting in Reception are at an early stage of learning to speak English. The proportion of pupils entitled to a free school meal is below average, as is the proportion with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school holds the Healthy Schools, Artsmark and Activemark awards. The school is a National Support School and works in partnership with the National College to support leaders of schools in Bradford who are working in challenging circumstances. Since the previous inspection, major building works to improve and extend the indoor and outdoor premises have been completed.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: Steeton Primary School, 20 May 2008

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Grade: 2

Steeton Primary is a good school with outstanding features. It provides good value for money. It is a very happy, friendly and purposeful school, where pupils of all ethnic and social heritages enjoy immensely their education and work and play together in harmony. This is because of the determination of staff and governors to ensure that pupils' differing learning needs are met, whatever they might be. Parents think very highly of the school. They say that they are confident that their children are safe and well looked after. Pupils, too, say that, 'Teachers look out for everyone.' Standards by the end of Years 2 and 6 are above average and have risen over the last few years. Results in 2007 for Year 6 pupils were, untypically, very high indeed, especially in English, where many pupils attained above average levels. By contrast, in mathematics, far fewer pupils went beyond an average level. Despite generally good progress, pupils have a limited understanding

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Grade: 2

of mathematical vocabulary and ideas, which limits standards a little and prevents some from exceeding average levels to the extent that they do in English and science. Current standards represent good achievement for all groups of pupils. Good teaching and learning ensure that pupils achieve well. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, pupils who speak English as an additional language and pupils who are at an early stage of learning to speak English make good progress because teachers and support staff work hard together to help them to overcome any barriers to learning. Pupils' excellent personal development and well-being, including their well above average attendance, is one of the main reasons why they achieve well at school. They say that they enjoy many subjects and activities, and like working cooperatively with other pupils and taking responsibilities. Pupils' outstanding knowledge of how to be healthy and safe stems from a

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Grade: 2

curriculum that gives high priority to their personal, social, health and citizenship education. Older pupils talk with considerable maturity, for example when explaining that, 'All medicines are drugs, but not all drugs are medicines.' School council members talk proudly and extremely sensibly about their involvement in improving the outdoor facilities and their contribution to the parish plan for improving the local environment. Social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is outstanding. As a result of a deep understanding of the differences between right and wrong, pupils' excellent behaviour ensures that they are free from bullying and that no pupils feel left out or unhappy at school. The good quality curriculum helps pupils to make good progress in basic literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology (ICT) skills. This prepares them very well for going to secondary schools. Outstanding enrichment, especially the wide range of exciting

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Grade: 2

extra-curricular activities, residential visits and opportunities to study in the school's wild area, contributes greatly to pupils' thorough enjoyment of their learning. Pupils often attend several clubs every week, and say how much they like working with interesting visitors, such as artists and craftspeople. The school's outstanding care, guidance and support for pupils is seen in the extraordinary lengths that staff go to in order to ensure that pupils can have just the right kind of support when they most need it. It is also seen in efforts to prevent unauthorised absence and to seek out helpful contacts to support pupils and parents who do not speak English. As well as being involved with the National College of School Leadership, other such outstanding partnerships help staff and governors to respond to pupils' varying needs. Links with a local secondary school, for example, help to raise standards in science and ICT.

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Grade: 2

4 of 9 Inspection Report: Steeton Primary School, 20 May 2008 The outstanding leadership of the headteacher has ensured good improvement since the previous inspection. This has been achieved against a backdrop of the considerable challenges faced as a result of a need to make urgent improvements to the premises. Also, the school has faced up to the new challenges that the changing intake has presented extremely thoughtfully and successfully. This is because a clear sense of teamwork permeates the work of the school, with senior leadership team members and governors providing strong and insightful support. Since the previous inspection, provision for learning in ICT has improved considerably. Teachers and their pupils now have a fearless approach to new technology, resources are good and standards have improved to above national expectation. Self-evaluation is good and decisions made by leaders and governors have a good impact on pupils' achievement; taking into account

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Grade: 2

the positive advances since 2004, capacity to continue to improve in the future is good.

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Grade: 2

Since the previous inspection, the skills of children starting in Reception have declined, and they are now often below what is typical for their age. This is particularly marked in children's ability to understand words and ideas, especially in mathematical development. Good leadership and management and good teaching and learning ensure that children, including those at an early stage of learning to speak English, make good progress from their varying starting points. Although many reach the goals set nationally by the end of Reception, their mathematical skills are often still weaker than skills in other areas. Children's good personal, social and emotional development is the result of working with caring staff in a happy and welcoming setting. They settle quickly to learning, get along well with other children and become more confident to try out new activities. Children make a good start with learning to read and write. This is because

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Grade: 2

adults make learning interesting and encourage children to practise and improve their powers of communication. They do this through careful questioning and by giving children lots of experiences to talk about, such as playing in the pretend shoe shop and discussing characters in storybooks. Since the previous inspection, the school has improved provision for children to learn outdoors, and the staff make the most of the limited space available.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve pupils' understanding of mathematical words and ideas, so that they always do as well in mathematics as they do in English and science. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Steeton Primary School, 20 May 2008 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: Steeton Primary School, 20 May 2008

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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? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 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?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 1 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?

1 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 of 9 Inspection Report: Steeton Primary School, 20 May 2008

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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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 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? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Steeton Primary School, 20 May 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Steeton Primary School, Keighley, BD20 6NN Thank you very much for making me feel so welcome when I visited your school and for answering all my questions so sensibly and thoughtfully. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the improvements to your buildings and outdoor play areas. I was particularly impressed with the wild area and would have loved to be able to explore it more. No wonder you are so proud of all that you have achieved. Your behaviour was excellent, and I was pleased to find out that your excellent attendance shows how much you enjoy coming to school. You have remembered so much of what you have learned in lessons about staying healthy and safe, and this is sure to help you a lot when you go on to secondary schools. I was also amazed to hear how many clubs some of you attend. You are very lucky to have such a lot of really exciting things to do. Your headteacher has made a big difference to the school. Other staff and governors work with

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

her as a team to make sure that you have all the help you need. They get a lot of other people involved, too, so that you can have many chances to do interesting and exciting things. I know that you really look forward to residential visits, visiting other places of interest, such as Saltaire, and having visitors in school. Your school is a good school, and your parents are right to be pleased that you attend Steeton Primary. Your teachers and other staff all work hard together to help you to do as well as you can. You do particularly well in reading, writing and science, and you have improved your ICT skills. You seemed to be really enjoying the mathematics lessons I visited but you sometimes find it difficult to solve problems. To help you get better at doing this I have asked the school to help you all to understand mathematical words and ideas. I hope that Year 6 enjoy getting ready to go to secondary school, and that adults take notice

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

of your excellent suggestions for the local community outdoor play area. 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Steeton Primary School, 20 May 2008

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