Wooldale Junior SchoolOfsted inspection, 12 Jun 2008

Wooldale Junior School Inspection report - amended

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107676 Unique Reference Number Kirklees Local Authority 309471 Inspection number 11 °12 June 2008 Inspection dates Ken Valentine 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 7 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 208 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs S Palmer Chair Mrs Susan Horsley Headteacher 26 April 2004 Date of previous school inspection Royds Avenue School address New Mill Holmfirth West Yorkshire HD9 1LJ 01484 222490 Telephone number 01484 222490 Fax number

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7-11 Age group 11 °12 June 2008 Inspection dates 309471 Inspection number

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Amended Report Addendum

The school has gained Artsmark Gold, Activemark and Healthy Schools Gold Awards.

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Amended Report Addendum

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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Amended Report Addendum

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

This inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Wooldale Junior School is situated in a semi-rural community near Huddersfield. The school is of average size and most pupils are of White British heritage, none of whom speak English as their second language. Standards on entry are average. Pupils are from relatively advantaged socio-economic backgrounds and the proportion eligible for free school meals is lower than that found nationally. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is broadly average. The school has gained Artsmark Gold, Activemark and Healthy Schools Gold Awards.

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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: Wooldale Junior School, 11 °12 June 2008

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Grade: 2

Wooldale Junior School is a good school with outstanding features. It has maintained above average standards and pupils achieve well. The care, guidance and support of pupils are outstanding and this is reflected in their outstanding personal development. Pupils really like this school and respond with well above average levels of attendance and excellent attitudes and behaviour. Pupils show exceptional interest and enjoyment in their education as seen, for example, in the excitement of the Years 3 and 4 pupils preparing for an educational visit to Whitby. The well-being of pupils is a very high priority of the school. Governors are keen that Wooldale promotes pupils' good health and have encouraged the introduction of the school allotments. Pupils consequently develop well their knowledge of the environment and healthy eating. The teaching of the importance of good health and relationships is very successful and draws a sensible and mature response from pupils.

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Grade: 2

There are many strong features to the good curriculum. Music, modern foreign languages and physical education are of particular note. The school offers an extremely wide range of extra-curricular activities with many pupils showing a high level of interest in sporting and creative activities. Provision for a variety of interests extends to large play equipment, such as outdoor chess. Music is of interest to many pupils and their skills are greatly enhanced by the high quality of teaching provided in this subject. There are excellent links with other agencies in support of individual pupils. Arrangements to support pupils as they move to secondary school are very good. Many parents and pupils agree with inspectors and describe the care provided by the school as outstanding. The quality of teaching and learning is good, although there has been some variation in the progress made by pupils. Pupils' achievement has been most notably good in science. Efforts

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Grade: 2

by the school to improve pupils' writing and to attain high levels in English have been successful. However, in mathematics teachers do not always use their assessments of pupils' progress to provide them with challenging enough work, especially those who are more able. Consequently, they do not all achieve as well as they could. The good leadership and management have been highly successful in creating a caring school where pupils develop with confidence and with a wide range of experiences. All school leaders and governors work well together to evaluate how well the school is doing in most areas of the school's work. Nevertheless, the monitoring of teaching and learning is not sufficiently developed to ensure that pupils' especially the more able, are challenged sufficiently in their work. The school has clearly demonstrated improvement since the last inspection, especially in the development of the curriculum and maintenance of above average standards. The school gives

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Grade: 2

good value for money and has a good capacity for improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the use of assessment data by teachers in mathematics when planning to meet pupils' learning needs in order to raise standards and improve achievement. ■ Improve the monitoring of teaching and learning to ensure that pupils receive appropriately challenging work, especially those who are more able. 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Wooldale Junior School, 11 °12 June 2008

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Grade: 2

Pupils consistently reach above average standards by the end of Year 6. While the achievement made by pupils has been less consistent, overall it is good. There is no significant difference in the achievement of different groups of pupils and pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve at least as well as their peers. Pupils' achievement in mathematics is less good than that in English and science. This arises in part from the lack of higher levels attained by some pupils because they are not always given work that is effectively matched to their needs. Pupils currently in school show good progress in their lessons. This is clearly shown by the Year 6 pupils who have achieved their challenging targets. Pupils' progress is greatly enhanced by their good personal development and by generally high levels of speaking and listening skills.

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Grade: 1

Pupils speak very highly of the school. They are thrilled by many of the additional activities that make them feel confident and proud. For example, drumming groups, orchestra and rock school sessions give older pupils, in particular, enormous poise and self-discipline. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding partly because pupils are so kind to each other and are keen to learn about local, national and international issues. For example, outstanding links with two other local schools offer superb opportunities for pupils to learn about life from a disabled perspective or different cultural background. The benefit of helping others through the school council or links with the nearby infant school demonstrates clearly the outstanding contribution to the community made by pupils. Pupils have an exceptional understanding of how to live healthily and keep safe. They are proud to say that bullying does

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Grade: 1

not take place at Wooldale. Overall, pupils are well prepared academically for their next stage in education and especially so in terms of the very valuable life skills they need.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers demonstrate a good level of subject knowledge and relate this well to pupils. Consequently, pupils progress well and enjoy their learning. Relationships between pupils and with adults are strong. Teachers are well organised and generally plan their lessons well, giving pupils a clear sense of purpose in their learning. However, while the marking and feedback pupils get on their work help them to improve; assessment data is not always used well enough by some teachers when planning to meet pupils' learning needs in mathematics. This leads to a lack of challenge at times, particularly for the more able. Good use is made of questioning to ensure that pupils understand their learning and pupils are very willing to respond with well thought through answers. Pupils are attentive and willing learners and contribute well in class, staying on task and working at a good pace.

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Grade: 2

5 of 10 Inspection Report: Wooldale Junior School, 11 °12 June 2008

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Grade: 2

The good curriculum contributes greatly to pupils' performance in English, mathematics and science, as well as to their outstanding personal development. Programmes of work help to create socially adept, healthy and safety-minded pupils. The valuable residential visit gives older pupils good opportunities for social development. The school has recently revised its plans for literacy and numeracy, which has created greater flexibility in teaching methods. Pupils' learning has benefited from this approach. At the heart of the curriculum are frequent opportunities for pupils to excel in physical and creative subjects. Working with artists and specialist staff for music and sports is a powerful aspect of provision. Among others, talented pupils benefit greatly from this approach. The school has recently begun a programme of improving provision for the more able and academically gifted pupils. However, this development

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Grade: 2

is too new to have had major benefits to date.

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Grade: 1

Outstanding care and support provides pupils with a strong foundation for their personal development. The school is particularly successful at supporting pupils who need extra encouragement to join in and flourish as well as the rest. The partnership created with educational and medical support services is excellent in this respect. Furthermore, the very strong links forged with the local infant and secondary schools are most beneficial in settling pupils in and preparing them for their next steps. For example, master classes in information and communication technology and various sporting activities at the high school are a distinct advantage. Child protection arrangements are very effective and meet legal requirements. The school's routines for assessing risks and keeping pupils safe are meticulous. Academic guidance is good. Older pupils can almost recite, in conversation, their targets and the next steps needed

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Grade: 1

in their learning because they are clearly communicated.

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Grade: 2

The leadership of the school sets a good clear direction for improvement. This has resulted in the good quality of education pupils receive and the outstanding personal development they make. School governors are closely involved in the work of the school and are effective in offering good strategic direction and challenge. Consequently, governance is good. There is a good level of teamwork by all leaders in effectively implementing strategies for improvement. This is clearly demonstrated in their recent efforts to improve pupils' standards in literacy. The current priority to improve standards in mathematics results from clear, accurate self-evaluation. However, there remains insufficient rigour in the quality of lesson observations to ensure that all pupils, especially the more able, are being challenged appropriately, particularly in mathematics. School leaders are aware of the need to raise standards and the setting of

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Grade: 2

challenging targets. The leadership is particularly impressive in the care for the well-being of individuals and the use of partnerships to secure this. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Wooldale Junior School, 11 °12 June 2008 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Wooldale Junior School, 11 °12 June 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 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Wooldale Junior School, 11 °12 June 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Wooldale Junior School, 11 °12 June 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Wooldale Junior School, Holmfirth, HD9 1LJ On behalf of the inspection team I would like to thank you for making us so welcome in your school. We really enjoyed meeting many of you when we visited your lessons. We were very impressed with your excellent behaviour and your enthusiasm for the work you were doing. It was good to see how much you enjoy using the play equipment you have in the school grounds and I enjoyed joining in a chess game some of you were playing at the time. We found that the personal development you all make at Wooldale is outstanding. This is because of the excellent care and support you receive at the school. You and your teachers have every reason to be proud of yourselves! You certainly enjoy the work you are doing and we thought the displays around the school showed the good range of things you have studied. Some of you were speaking very enthusiastically in French and we know you really enjoy your music and sports. Although you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

are making good progress in your other subjects we think that you could do better in mathematics. We have asked that your teachers make more use of the assessment information they have when planning your mathematics lessons, to better meet your learning needs and so help you improve. We have also asked that the monitoring of your teaching and learning is improved to make sure you all get challenging work; especially those of you who can do harder tasks. We think your headteacher runs the school well and we know you appreciate the efforts your teachers make to provide you with interesting work to do. You are lucky to be in such a caring school and I know you and your parents appreciate this. Enjoy the rest of your time in school and continue to make your teachers proud of you by working hard. We wish you all the best of luck. 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Wooldale Junior School, 11 °12 June 2008

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