Carlton Primary School

Carlton Primary School Inspection report

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107830 Unique Reference Number Leeds Local Authority 309512 Inspection number 5 °6 March 2008 Inspection dates Carmen Markham 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 283 School The governing body Appropriate authority Chair Mrs Julie Cooper Headteacher 4 May 2004 Date of previous school inspection New Road School address Carlton Wakefield West Yorkshire WF3 3RE 0113 2146316 Telephone number 0 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 5 °6 March 2008 Inspection dates 309512 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

This average sized primary school draws pupils from an area of varied social and economic advantage, although the proportion of pupils eligible for a free school meal is lower than the national average. Significant numbers of pupils live in relatively isolated rural areas. The majority of pupils are of White British heritage. There is a very small number from minority ethnic backgrounds and all pupils speak English as their first language. The proportion of pupils with additional learning difficulties and/or disabilities is a little below the national average.

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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: Carlton Primary School, 5 °6 March 2008

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Grade: 2

Carlton Primary School is a good school with some outstanding features. The behaviour and personal development of pupils are outstanding. Pupils are supported by outstanding partnerships with the community and other schools. The considerable progress the school has made since its last inspection is identified by parents who are delighted with the quality of care and education their children receive. Typically, parents write, 'The school has improved over the last three years. It feels better organised and has more activities, good pastoral care, a strong promotion of positive behaviour and confidence building.' This sustained improvement brought about by good leadership demonstrates the school's good capacity to improve. Leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher and senior leaders continually monitor and review the progress of all initiatives and actions to bring about improvement and meet challenging school targets. As a result there is accelerating improvement

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Grade: 2

and rate of pupils' achievement. Although modesty and caution caused the leadership team to judge the school's effectiveness in several key areas too harshly, it identifies strengths and areas for development accurately, enabling the school to provide good value for money. All staff are part of a team providing good quality teaching and learning. Their work is monitored to ensure school policies are delivered consistently. The governors and the headteacher ensure that the vision for the school is delivered by making very astute and successful staff appointments. The achievement of pupils is good. From below expected skills on entry to lower Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception), they make good progress so that by the end of Year 2 their skills are broadly average. By Year 6, pupils achieve well and they are currently attaining standards above the national average in English, mathematics and science. The effective tracking

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Grade: 2

of pupil progress enables all pupils, including those with additional learning needs, to make good progress because their needs are quickly identified and they receive well targeted support. However, pupils and their parents often do not know how to accelerate achievement because marking does not consistently help pupils to improve and there is limited use of individual pupil targets in English, mathematics and science. Pupil progress is also sometimes limited by poor understanding of specialist language in mathematics and science. Provision for the care, guidance and support of pupils is good. The school works hard to involve parents in their children's learning through specific workshops and very good communication with home. Pupils grow quickly in maturity as staff make demands of them to promote their independence from the Foundation Stage onwards. By Year 6, they are highly effective members of the school community and the wider world beyond school because their spiritual, moral,

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Grade: 2

social and cultural development is outstanding. Relationships are of the highest order and cement the harmonious atmosphere that percolates through school. Pupils enjoy school and their attendance is above average. The good curriculum motivates and interests them because it is relevant to their experience and interests. Pupils have a strong voice and feel that they are involved in ideas and decisions that affect them so they can help to improve the school. Their work on the development of the playground is impressive. Pupils are well prepared for their move to secondary school. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Carlton Primary School, 5 °6 March 2008

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Grade: 2

Children's knowledge, skills and understanding in personal and social development and communication, language and literacy are lower than other aspects when they enter the Foundation Stage. All children make good progress in the Foundation Stage. The majority are working securely within and towards the expected levels of attainment at the end of the Foundation Stage. Children develop good personal and social skills because relationships are strong and staff have high expectations that children will become independent learners who know how to help and support each other. The older Foundation Stage children look after the younger Foundation Stage children and are developing caring skills and a sense of responsibility. Children work and play happily together. They all follow school routines sensibly and enjoy the opportunity to participate in joint activities. The new Foundation Stage leader is working very effectively to ensure that children have access

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Grade: 2

to quality learning experiences. Assessment is regular and thorough and children who need extra support are quickly identified and helped. Parents are kept very well informed of their child's progress and they are encouraged to support learning. Good planning for the development of knowledge and skills ensures the needs of all children are met. Effective classroom organisation provides a safe and happy learning environment that works efficiently and is well resourced despite the limitations of the building. This marks a significant improvement since the previous inspection. There is well planned provision to enable children to transfer successfully into Key Stage 1.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that rigorous and consistent marking and the individual setting of targets shared with pupils and parents, are used to raise standards and accelerate progress in English, mathematics and science. ■ Improve pupils' understanding of mathematics and science through the teaching of specialist vocabulary.

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Grade: 2

In 2007 standards, as shown by national tests, were in line with national average in English, mathematics and science at the end of Year 6 although too few pupils attained the higher Level 5. Standards in national assessments for reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 were also in line with the national average. Inspection evidence demonstrates that standards are rising throughout the school and are now above average in Year 6 with the more able pupils achieving Level 5. As these pupils entered the school with skills and knowledge below national expectations their success in meeting and exceeding the national average in their termly and end of year assessments indicates good progress overall. There is currently evidence that progress is accelerating because the performance of all pupils is carefully monitored and additional help and support in English and mathematics is given to pupils who need it. Pupils

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Grade: 2

are also well supported by the development of basic skills across the curriculum. Overall boys and girls make similar progress despite some annual variation. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Carlton Primary School, 5 °6 March 2008

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Grade: 1

The school's supportive environment enables all groups of pupils to develop the skills and attitudes necessary to work and play together harmoniously. All pupils, including the most vulnerable, are confident and responsible members of the school community. Pupils feel safe and understand that someone will listen to them should they be worried. As a result they engage in their learning extremely well. Attendance has improved, demonstrating a desire to learn. Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. They are enthusiastic, extremely well behaved and willing to persevere. As a result they develop into confident, sensible and mature young people. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on issues of working together in school and they accept responsibilities throughout the school, including the development of close links with younger children. Through the school

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Grade: 1

council pupils play an integral part in the development of the school with representatives taking pride in their roles as they acquire a very good understanding of working together to improve their community. By the time they leave, pupils are well prepared to work independently, take responsibility and interact with others.

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Grade: 2

Teachers manage pupils' behaviour effectively by establishing clear structures for learning and creating calm working environments. Teachers plan interesting tasks. Pupils achieve particularly well where good opportunities are provided to develop specialist language. Where these opportunities are not provided in mathematics and science pupils have difficulty in understanding some aspects of the curriculum. Pupils have the best opportunity to progress when teachers' marking is linked directly to their targets. However, not all marking does this effectively and, as a result, pupils are not well enough informed as to how to improve their work. Pupils' progress is systematically tracked and this information is used well to identify pupils who need additional help. Teaching assistants provide good quality support enabling pupils to play a full part in lessons and activities. Good use is made of interactive whiteboards to engage and motivate

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Grade: 2

pupils. Exciting strategies such as drama, singing, games and competitions within lessons further engage pupils in learning. For example, a 'bomb shelter' was set up in one classroom studying the Second World War which, together with an audio tape of siren warnings and bombs dropping, enabled pupils to 'live' the experience.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good with some outstanding features. There is a very clear emphasis on the development of basic skills in English and mathematics, which starts in the Foundation Stage and broadens out exceptionally well through different subjects as pupils move through the school. However, the limited development of specialist language in mathematics and science makes it difficult for some pupils to understand some aspects of the curriculum. Lessons in personal, social, health and citizenship education and the recent citizenship week help to promote pupils enjoyment and safety. They relish the many opportunities provided to work on environmental projects. The strong partnerships with the local community and links with other schools enhance the provision in sport and creative arts. For example, provision for music and 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Carlton Primary School, 5 °6 March 2008 drama seen in the school's 2007 production of Mary Poppins. Many parents have commented

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Grade: 2

on the, 'standard of the school choir and the annual musical production'. The school further enriches the curriculum through educational visits. A wide range of extra-curricular activities including gymnastics, orchestra, art and football are very well attended.

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Grade: 2

The school's teaching and support staff, well supported by a range of external agencies, provide an outstanding quality of pastoral support and welfare. Every opportunity is taken to enhance the care provision by a very inclusive approach to all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. They Pupils are aware of class based targets for improvement and they are very much involved in the process through the WIGBATS (what I'm get better at) system that ultimately helps to support learning. However, the use of individual targets to promote academic improvement is not yet a consistent or frequent feature. The school's procedures for dealing with attendance are very effective. Child protection procedures are in place and meet with the latest national guidelines. Appropriate action is taken to audit health and safety systems and ensure pupils' security and well-being. Pupils are encouraged to report

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Grade: 2

any problems or hazards to appropriate staff or to pop a note in the 'thoughts box' if they have any worries or concerns.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher is dedicated and provides inspirational leadership working very hard to bring about improvement in the school. She has appointed an experienced team of senior and middle managers. Together with committed and well informed governors, they provide good leadership and management, firm direction and a very inclusive ethos that allows pupils to grow as healthy, caring and responsible individuals. The leadership team knows the school's strengths and weaknesses very well as monitoring is thorough and systematic. Therefore, appropriate priorities for improvement have been identified and a full range of strategies has been effectively implemented. They have successfully led to improvements in all aspects of the school's work. This includes the development of a rich and innovative curriculum that makes learning exciting and relevant. Staff are supported well and helped to improve their skills. Procedures to assess

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Grade: 2

and monitor pupils' progress are good, but processes to identify personal targets for pupils that they, and their parents, understand are not as well developed. A strength of the leadership team is its ability to bring about improvement and rising standards. It is a determined and resourceful team that has triumphed over the problems presented by the building. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Carlton Primary School, 5 °6 March 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. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Carlton Primary School, 5 °6 March 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 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?

2 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: Carlton Primary School, 5 °6 March 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Carlton Primary School, 5 °6 March 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Carlton Primary School, Wakefield, WF3 3RE On behalf of the inspection team I would like to thank you for making us so welcome in your school. You helped us to find our way around the school and we enjoyed looking at the beautiful displays of your work. We also enjoyed talking to you and finding out about your school council and the work you do in lessons. We think that your headteacher and the staff all work hard to make your school very special. We judge it to be a good school with some things that are excellent. The staff look after you well and most of you feel safe and happy in school. You do well in lessons and make good progress because your teachers plan your lessons carefully so you all have work that suits you. They also make sure that they involve you in a lot of interesting topics, activities and visits so that you can practise new skills and improve your understanding of the world.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You attend school regularly and arrive on time. As you all behave so well you are able to listen and learn. We noticed that you take very good care of each other so that you can all enjoy school. You also know how to stay healthy and safe and make the most of all the very exciting activities the school provides during and after school. Years 3 and 4 looked wonderful in their 1940s clothes when they were going off to Lotherton Hall! One of the reasons for our visit was to see how your school can improve. We have asked your school to make sure that each of you has your own special targets to improve your work in English, mathematics and science. We asked teachers to tell your parents about your targets. When teachers mark your work we have also asked that they make it clear to you how you can improve. We noticed that special mathematical and scientific words are not always well understood by all pupils so we have asked your teachers to give you more help in understanding

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and using these important words so that you can continue to make good progress. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Carlton Primary School, 5 °6 March 2008

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