Hoyle Court Primary School

Hoyle Court Primary School Inspection report

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107283 Unique Reference Number Bradford Local Authority 309365 Inspection number 6 °7 November 2007 Inspection dates Philip Cole 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 194 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Michael Heaton Chair Mrs Ann Wilson-Smith Headteacher 1 December 2003 Date of previous school inspection Fyfe Grove School address Baildon Shipley West Yorkshire BD17 6DN 01274 581898 Telephone number 01274 595941 Fax number

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5-11 Age group 6 °7 November 2007 Inspection dates 309365 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This smaller than average sized school serves Baildon, which is a suburb of Bradford with mainly owner occupied housing. Virtually all of the pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is below the national average, as is the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school has been awarded the Artsmark.

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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: Hoyle Court Primary School, 6 °7 November 2007

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school with some good features. It enjoys a good reputation locally and is very well supported by parents, whose fund-raising efforts have provided many enhancements to the facilities available to pupils. Children come into school with skills broadly in line with those expected for their age. They make steady progress and currently reach average standards by the time they leave the school. However, standards have declined recently and attainment in English in 2007 was particularly low in comparison to past performance. Pupils enjoy school, their behaviour is good and they get on well together. They talk enthusiastically about the many opportunities they have to be involved in sports, musical events and the school pantomime. They have a good understanding of what they need to do to keep healthy and safe, and willingly take on responsibilities. They are proud of their contribution in developing the play equipment

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Grade: 3

that makes break times so much fun. Overall, teaching is satisfactory. Relationships are good but teachers do not always ensure that the needs of different groups, particularly those of the higher attaining pupils, are always effectively met. As a result, too few pupils achieve the higher levels by Year 2 and in the national tests in Year 6. There are inconsistencies in the way teachers explain to pupils what they will be learning in lessons, and in how they mark pupils' work and guide them to make it better. These factors contribute to progress overall being satisfactory rather than good. In contrast, pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress because their needs are clearly identified and they are given skilful support. The school's good curriculum promotes pupils' enjoyment. It provides interesting and effective links between subjects that help to make learning relevant. It is enriched by many visits, visitors,

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Grade: 3

French for all pupils in Key Stage 2 and a wide range of well attended clubs. There is a strong programme for personal, social and emotional education that effectively underpins pupils' successful personal development. Pastoral care is good and ensures that pupils feel safe and cared for. Although the school has had limited success in addressing issues raised at the last inspection, steps are in place to bring about improvement and the school has a satisfactory capacity to improve. The headteacher has successfully developed good teamwork and through her restructuring of the leadership structure, is enabling teachers to play a much more active part in developing the school. The governors are confident and have begun to hold the school to account over standards, but do not yet focus sufficiently on the achievement of pupils. Lack of rigour in the school's systems for self-evaluation means that school leaders are not always

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Grade: 3

aware of the weaknesses that have contributed to falling standards. This is now being addressed, although it is too early to judge the impact.

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Grade: 3

Recently, children have entered the Reception class with skills that are broadly typical for their age. In previous years it has sometimes been higher. Overall, they make satisfactory progress and reach the expected goals as they enter Year 1. However, good progress is now being made in their language skills, which is the weakest area of learning on entry. This is because effective strategies have been introduced. As a result of the good induction procedures that are in place, parents are pleased with how quickly their children settle into school routines. The classroom 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Hoyle Court Primary School, 6 °7 November 2007 is used to provide a good range of interesting activities but the outdoor area currently limits the opportunities to extend provision, particularly for the development of creative and physical skills. The children are well cared for and effectively supported both personally and emotionally.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory and are becoming increasingly effective as new initiatives are introduced to further improve the standards children reach.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards, particularly in English, and ensure that all pupils, especially the higher attainers, make the best progress they can. ■ Ensure that all teachers identify and meet the needs of the different groups in their classes and are consistently effective in helping pupils to understand what they need to do to make their work better. ■ Improve self-evaluation in order to effectively identify weaknesses in school performance more sharply and ensure that they are tackled rigorously. A small proportion of 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

Standards are broadly in line with national averages in both Year 2 and Year 6. They had been significantly above average in Year 6 until results fell sharply in 2007 to around the national average overall. The most significant drop was in English, mainly because of weaknesses in writing. For the last three years pupils have made sound progress and achieved satisfactorily overall, although in 2007, achievement in English was unsatisfactory. Few pupils achieved the higher levels in English. Currently in Year 6, too few pupils are working at the higher levels expected of them in both English and mathematics, and this is the case in other years groups in mathematics. The school has put a lot of effort into improving writing and this is bearing fruit lower down in the school with good improvements in standards evident in Year 5.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' enjoyment of school is evident in their positive attitude to learning and enthusiastic involvement in activities both in and out of school hours. They are polite and courteous to adults and enjoy helping each other in class or, for example, as 'buddies' in the playground. They are proud of their contributions to making the school and wider community better through their fund-raising activities and also involvement in events such as local galas and festivals and their sponsoring of a seal pup in Cornwall. Attendance is satisfactory. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is all good. Sound basic skills and good personal skills prepare them satisfactorily for future life.

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Grade: 3

Teachers ensure that pupils' involvement in lessons is good through their effective management of behaviour and their positive relationships. Teachers and their assistants work well together 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Hoyle Court Primary School, 6 °7 November 2007 and this ensures that pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities have good access to learning and make good progress towards their targets. However, there are weaknesses in planning for and meeting the different needs of the other groups and also inconsistencies in the way lessons are delivered. There is also significant variation in the way that pupils' work is marked and the effectiveness with which targets are used to help pupils take the next steps in their learning. These weaknesses result in less rapid progress for many pupils. This is particularly the case for higher attainers. In the minority of lessons, where teachers do provide work

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Grade: 3

appropriately matched to pupils needs and clearly explain their expectations, pupils make good progress.

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Grade: 2

The school's basic curriculum is being modified appropriately to meet changes in national priorities. Pupils are successfully encouraged to use their literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects. There is good enrichment through the links within the local sports partnership. These enable pupils to benefit from specialist coaching and to be involved in many competitions and tournaments. A strong emphasis is placed on the arts and has led to the school achieving the Artsmark. Many pupils benefit from music tuition and many more are involved in musical activities and events.

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Grade: 3

Pupils are well cared for in a happy and secure learning environment and the vast majority of pupils and parents share this view wholeheartedly. Positive and supportive relationships ensure that pupils feel safe and secure and know there is always 'someone to help us if we have worries or when we feel low'. The school works well with parents and outside agencies to tackle problems that individual pupils may have. All the necessary checks to safeguard pupils' health, safety and well-being are fully in place. The effective support given to pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities ensures they are included in all that the school has to offer. The academic guidance given to pupils is satisfactory. Assessment and tracking is used to monitor progress and identify different needs but not enough is done to ensure that all pupils are successfully helped to understand what they need to do to take the next steps in their learning.

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Grade: 3

There is a shared view of what the school wants to achieve and teachers, in their roles as key stage and subject leaders, are increasingly playing an effective part in bringing about change. However, the effectiveness of leadership and management at all levels has been hampered by weaknesses in school self-evaluation. Not enough has been done to identify strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning. As a result, improvement planning, although basically sound, is not sufficiently focused on priorities for improvement. Senior leaders have started to address this weakness but it is too soon to judge the impact of their actions. Governors bring with them many professional skills. They are enthusiastic and committed. They have a growing confidence and knowledge necessary to ask searching questions of school leaders, but their understanding of school performance data is not yet sufficiently developed. Currently, the

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Grade: 3

school provides satisfactory value for money. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Hoyle Court Primary School, 6 °7 November 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. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Hoyle Court Primary School, 6 °7 November 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 3 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Hoyle Court Primary School, 6 °7 November 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Hoyle Court Primary School, 6 °7 November 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Hoyle Court Primary School, Baildon, BD17 6DN Thank you for making the inspectors feel so welcome when we visited your school. We enjoyed our two days with you, particularly the time we spent talking to you. We know from what you said that you enjoy school, especially taking part in activities such as the pantomime. Your school is satisfactory and has some real strengths. Your behaviour is good and you get on very well with each other. We were very impressed with the work you have done to make the playground better and that you have adopted an orphaned seal! You have a good understanding of what you need to do to keep safe and healthy. You have many interesting things to do including French, exciting visits and school clubs. The teachers and their helpers look after you well and do their best to make sure you are happy and safe in school. Although most of you make satisfactory progress in your learning, not all of you achieve as

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

well as you possibly could, particularly in English. We have asked your teachers to make sure that those of you who are quick learners are given work that really challenges you to learn and those of you who sometimes need more help receive it. Some of your teachers make helpful comments on your work and give you useful targets so you can make it better. We have asked the teachers to make sure that all of you get this valuable help. We know that all the adults in school, including the governors, work very hard to do their best for you. We have asked school leaders to make sure that they check carefully how well the school is doing so that all the hard work they put in will make a real difference to how well you learn. 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Hoyle Court Primary School, 6 °7 November 2007

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