Rowley Lane Junior Infant and Nursery School

Rowley Lane Junior Infant and Nursery School Inspection report

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107677 Unique Reference Number Kirklees Local Authority 309472 Inspection number 23 April 2008 Inspection date Joyce Taylor 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 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 455 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr David Whittle Chair Mrs C Martin Headteacher 7 June 2004 Date of previous school inspection Rowley Lane School address Lepton Huddersfield West Yorkshire HD8 0JD 01484 222745 Telephone number 01484 222747 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 23 April 2008 Inspection date 309472 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 investigated the following issues: the standards achieved and pupils' progress, especially the progress made across the school by boys in writing; multicultural aspects of the pupils' personal development; and the support provided for vulnerable pupils. Evidence was gathered from the school's self-evaluation; national published assessment data; the school's own assessment records; policies; observation of the school at work; interviews with senior members of staff, pupils and three governors; and the questionnaires returned by parents. 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

This large school serves a stable, socially mixed area. Fewer pupils than average are eligible for free school meals. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is lower than average. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is below average and these pupils speak English at home. The school has gained the Gold Status Healthy Schools Award and an Active Mark.

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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: Rowley Lane Junior Infant and Nursery School, 23 April 2008

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school with many aspects of its work of the highest quality. The pupils receive an extremely effective education and under the exceptional leadership of the headteacher, senior staff and governors, there are excellent opportunities for pupils to develop as confident and successful learners. This is evident, for example, through the continuing improvements to the pupils' rate of progress and in the outstanding teaching and care they receive. Within the school's peaceful, open-plan environment, pupils' enthusiasm and concentration result in sharply focused and enjoyable learning. It is no surprise that parents talk enthusiastically about how well their children learn and how pleased they are that their children attend Rowley Lane School. Children arrive in the Nursery with broadly expected skills and leave Year 6 with standards that are above average overall. The most able pupils reach extremely high standards and make

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Grade: 1

outstanding progress and other pupils, from a range of different ability groups, also progress at an exceptional rate. Achievement is outstanding overall. Recently introduced improvements to the school's assessment systems accurately indicate whether individual pupils' progress is fast enough. Teachers' rapid response to any pupil whose data indicates that their progress is slowing, is very effective. As a result, many pupils are already reaching or exceeding their end of year targets and are now progressing more quickly than in the past. For example, in English and mathematics, the current Year 6, which does not include as many more able pupils as in previous years, is already close to achieving the standards attained in the 2007 national tests. The school has responded very effectively to counteract the lower than expected standards demonstrated by some boys in writing. Teachers have adopted new approaches to using letters

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Grade: 1

and sounds, which are already receiving a very enthusiastic response from Foundation Stage children, particularly boys. Practical reasons for writing, for example, interviewing, and communicating with outside contacts such as the local Mayor, ensure boys as well as girls enjoy writing. Pupils' success in exceeding their challenging targets indicates that these strategies are working well. Teachers ensure pupils know how well they are doing and know what they need to learn next. All staff take their roles extremely seriously and work constantly to raise standards, not only in English, but in all subjects. The school provides strong support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Very detailed information, gathered by experienced classroom assistants, shows how effectively these pupils are encouraged and how closely their work is monitored. Their achievement is outstanding. Relationships are excellent in this happy and well organised school. A typical view, expressed

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Grade: 1

by younger pupils, is, 'Other children are there to look after us.' and older pupils say, 'The best thing in this school is our teachers.' Parents commented on how grown up their children become during their time at the school. They particularly applauded opportunities such as the 'sleepover', which takes place in the school hall each term, as helping their children to develop independence. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good with outstanding aspects of moral and social development. Currently, whilst pupils have good cultural awareness, this area is weaker than the others and pupils have limited opportunities to mix with people of different cultural groups. Well planned curricular activities provide good opportunities for pupils to reflect and express their thoughts and feelings. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary and they show a very mature response to any unkindness they may encounter. 'Our teachers sort things out.'

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Grade: 1

4 of 10 Inspection Report: Rowley Lane Junior Infant and Nursery School, 23 April 2008 they said and, 'There's nothing to worry about.' Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to stay healthy and how to act safely, for example, when moving around school or out on visits. Their outstanding personal development and their outstanding achievement contribute very strongly to supporting their future economic well-being. The curriculum is very stimulating and is a credit to the thoughtful and hardworking teachers. Excellent use of information and communication technology, for example, to use illustrations or photographs to support writing, ensures work becomes personalised and focused. For example, Year 2, writing a report on the headteacher, started with ideas prompted by her photograph printed in the centre of their page and progressed to devising questions which could not be answered by reference to the photo. Interesting tasks link subjects well, for

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Grade: 1

example, Year 4 pupils drew conclusions from data they had collected on noise levels around school. Their confident use of terms such as 'decibels' and 'interrogating data' shows their high levels of understanding in both science and mathematics. Their ability to listen to each other and take account of what others thought, supported their excellent learning. Good developments to provide wider opportunities for sport, for example, through using visiting specialists, after-school clubs and involvement in competitions, ensure this aspect of the curriculum is developing well. This is reflected in the school's Active Mark. Outstanding leadership and management are provided by the headteacher, senior teachers and the school bursar, who form an excellent team. They have an extremely accurate view of the school's performance and provide very effective support for all staff. The pace of development is fast, but teachers speak highly of the encouragement they receive to help them handle the

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Grade: 1

new initiatives. Procedures are in place to promote health and safety and child protection. Parents have confidence in the school and the views expressed by many of them reflect their respect for the headteacher and the staff. Governors are extremely effective. They are challenging and persistent in their support of the school and know how well it is doing. They willingly contribute their professional skills and time to help the staff and school. Together with teaching and support staff, including administration, care-taking, cleaning and lunch-time staff, governors contribute to the feeling of enthusiasm and friendship that permeates the school. The school gives excellent value for money and has an outstanding capacity to improve.

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Grade: 1

Most children join the Foundation Stage with skills that are broadly in line with those expected in mathematics, communication, language and literacy and some aspects of personal development. In other areas of their learning, children have well developed skills when they start in the Nursery. For example, many are confident and have a good knowledge of the world. Many Nursery children settle quickly and thoroughly enjoy themselves. Parents commented on how quickly their children are learning and that they love school. Reception children show a high level of independence. In a typical example, a boy gently placed his hand over an adult's lips when reminded to leave finger spaces in his writing, 'I know.' he said. By the time they move into Year 1, children are working within and often beyond the expected goals in all areas of their learning. Activities in the Foundation Stage are stimulating and challenging and the

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Grade: 1

children have many opportunities to choose and discuss what they do. These thoughtful opportunities and the excellent teaching ensure that children's achievement is outstanding. Their progress is tracked extremely closely and lessons are planned to support identified areas of weakness. There is a good range of resources, inside and outside the classrooms. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Rowley Lane Junior Infant and Nursery School, 23 April 2008

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Provide more opportunities for pupils to develop a stronger understanding of cultural diversity. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Rowley Lane Junior Infant and Nursery School, 23 April 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. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Rowley Lane Junior Infant and Nursery School, 23 April 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? 1 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

1 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 1 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 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 2 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: Rowley Lane Junior Infant and Nursery School, 23 April 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 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 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: Rowley Lane Junior Infant and Nursery School, 23 April 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Rowley Lane Junior, Infant and Nursery School, Huddersfield, HD8 0JD Thank you for your help when I visited your school recently. I very much enjoyed watching you work and talking with you in your classes and around school. Special thanks should go to the school council, who gave up some of their lunch-break to talk with me. They told me that your school is excellent and I agree with them. It gives you wonderful opportunities for learning, helps you all get along together and provides you with lots of interesting and lively activities. One of the really good things about your school is the way your teachers think of such exciting lessons. I was also impressed that you know exactly how well you are doing and know what you need to learn next in order to get even better. You try hard in lessons and concentrate extremely well, even though your work is difficult. Your headteacher is brilliant, she knows how

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

well the school is doing and she knows exactly what to do to make things even better. Your teachers and classroom assistants are really keen for you to do well. They work hard and constantly try out new ideas to make your lessons interesting. Your parents say they are very pleased you come to this school because it takes such good care of you and helps you learn. You told me you like looking after each other and I could see that you enjoy your lessons, you behave well, are very polite and extremely kind to each other. I know you like to take part in helping the school to get better, so I have suggested something that you can help with. You do not have many chances to meet with and talk to people from different backgrounds, or to understand about the ways in which different people live in this country. This needs to be better and I have asked your school to think of ways to help you meet a wider range of people.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You are enthusiastic about your school and I hope you carry on making Rowley Lane School a happy place to learn. 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Rowley Lane Junior Infant and Nursery School, 23 April 2008

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