Hendal Primary School

Wakefield Hendal Primary Jin School Inspection report

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108218 Unique Reference Number Wakefield Local Authority 309625 Inspection number 17 °18 September 2007 Inspection dates Andrew Clark 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 238 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Julia Cranston Chair Mrs Christine Platts Headteacher 9 June 2003 Date of previous school inspection Hendal Lane School address Kettlethorpe Wakefield West Yorkshire WF2 7QW 01924 303295 Telephone number 01924 303295 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 17 °18 September 2007 Inspection dates 309625 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

Hendal Primary School is an average sized school. It serves an area of mixed privately owned and rental properties. The percentage of pupils eligible for a free school meal is higher than average. The majority of pupils are from White British families with a very small percentage from Asian and Black Caribbean families. Few pupils speak English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils identified as having a learning difficulty and/or disability is average. The school houses a resource for pupils with behavioural problems which is led and managed by the local authority.

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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: Wakefield Hendal Primary Jin School, 17 °18 September 2007

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Grade: 2

This good school provides rich and exciting opportunities for all learners, successfully promoting pupils' excellent personal development. Pupils of all abilities achieve well in English and mathematics, reaching standards which are often above average. Despite recent staff changes, including a new headteacher, the school has sustained a clear sense of direction and its strong caring and happy ethos which was evident at the last inspection. The school knows its strengths and areas for development well and has a good capacity for further improvement. The school is very well supported by its parents. The children make an outstanding start in the Foundation Stage and progress through the whole school is good. A high proportion of the current Year 6 pupils are working at levels above those nationally expected in English and mathematics. This marks a return to an upward trend since the last inspection, despite a slight dip in 2007. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or

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Grade: 2

disabilities progress at least as well as their peers and there is no significant difference in the achievement of boys and girls or pupils who speak English as an additional language. Pupils are also successful in many other areas, especially art, music, and information and communication technology (ICT) because of the rich curriculum. Pupils' personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is outstanding. The pupils enjoy their time in school because they feel safe, secure and valued by everyone. They behave well and are polite and considerate towards others. They have an excellent understanding of how to live a healthy life and take full advantage of sporting and other activities. The pupils relish the many opportunities to take responsibility, such as through the school council, and make a significant contribution to community life. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Lessons are often imaginative and creative with

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Grade: 2

very good use of high quality resources, including ICT. Teaching assistants provide good support. Staff have high expectations for the care pupils show in their work and for good behaviour. This results in a calm, hard working atmosphere. However, teachers do not involve pupils in measuring their own progress enough or involve them in planning their own learning. This slows their progress. The good curriculum ensures pupils develop literacy and numeracy skills systematically and thoroughly. An exciting range of visits, visitors, clubs and community activities contribute to the rich personal development. Teaching and specialist support staff play a strong role in providing high levels of emotional and pastoral support to pupils at the school and there are good and positive links with pupils in the adjacent behavioural unit. Pastoral care is very effective and systems to track and guide pupils' progress ensure that support is matched to

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Grade: 2

pupils needs, although pupils are not consistently involved in the process. The headteacher and senior staff provide clear leadership. There is a very strong and effective sense of teamwork and morale is very high. Self-evaluation processes are effective and the school plans well for future improvement. The good governing body provides challenge and support to the school. However, the processes to monitor teaching and learning are not consistently robust enough to iron out the few inconsistencies in teaching and learning. Parental support for the school is a key strength, built on good information and mutual respect. A high proportion of parents expressed their strong support for the school and has no significant concerns. The school gives good value for money. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Wakefield Hendal Primary Jin School, 17 °18 September 2007

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Grade: 1

This is outstanding. Excellent use is made of national guidance to plan exciting learning opportunities for Nursery and Reception children. Frequent observations of children's achievements in all areas of learning, which are clearly recorded, ensure that all children make very good progress. Children start Nursery with average skills in most areas and below average in personal, social and emotional development. By the time they leave Reception standards are above local authority averages and many children exceed the nationally expected levels. Activities are bright, vibrant and well resourced so that children are keen to learn and quickly become independent and confident. Excellent outdoor provision creates an exciting setting for children to develop their physical abilities and curiosity about the world. Staff promote early reading, writing and number skills well through tightly planned schemes of work and excellent questioning

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Grade: 1

and role-play. Very good relationships with parents are quickly established through sensitive induction procedures and good information is provided. This ensures the children get off to the best start.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Involve the pupils' more in measuring their own achievement and planning their future learning. ■ Improve procedures for monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good. The results of national tests for Year 2 and Year 6 pupils show a good trend of improvement since the last inspection and have been largely above average. Pupils make good progress in English and mathematics. They make equally good progress in both subjects because of the well planned curriculum and good teaching. The pupils achieve targets in national tests which are challenging and realistic. Reading standards are good and, by Year 6, pupils quickly skim read for information and make sensible inferences. Standards of handwriting are high and the content of pupils' written work is frequently imaginative and well constructed, especially that of the more able. Numeracy skills are good.

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Grade: 1

Pupil's personal development and well-being are outstanding. They benefit from many opportunities to take responsibility, for example, helping to run the healthy food tuck shop and in acting as playground buddies. Members of the school council have a significant influence on the school community by, for example, interviewing the new headteacher and improving the building. Pupils are exceptionally happy in school and they feel highly valued by all the teaching and support staff. Pupils' attendance has improved dramatically since the last inspection and their punctuality is good, demonstrating a keenness and enthusiasm to learn. Their attitudes and behaviour, in lessons and around the school, are consistently good and their relationships with the teaching and support staff are excellent. They are actively involved in many school sports and lead active and creative lifestyles by, for example, taking part in the daily 'wake up, shake up' and in playing

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Grade: 1

music and singing. Pupils' singing of a complicated 'round' in a whole school assembly was 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Wakefield Hendal Primary Jin School, 17 °18 September 2007 outstanding and they demonstrated sheer enjoyment as they 'raised the roof' of the school hall. They are well prepared for their future lives and to contribute to their economic well-being.

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Grade: 2

Teachers manage pupils' behaviour well establishing clear structures for learning and creating calm and quiet classrooms. Teachers make good use of humour to generate a sense of fun in learning and a positive atmosphere. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught well because of a good concentration on systematically developing basic skills in all subjects. Teachers' questioning skills are good, but they do not always probe the pupils' understanding of their own achievement enough or involve them in planning their own learning. Very occasionally, teachers are not consistent enough in ensuring the highest standards of behaviour and work. Teachers set high expectations for neatness and careful presentation which helps pupils feel secure in their work. There is excellent use of interactive whiteboards and other technology to involve and motivate pupils. Good use is made of exciting strategies such as drama, singing, games and competitions

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Grade: 2

The school provides a wide range of exciting opportunities for pupils to learn and build on their personal development. Strategies for developing reading, writing, numeracy and ICT skills are planned well and run through all subjects. Despite staff changes the curriculum is consistently being improved, taking full advantage of national guidance. The strengths in music and art are evident throughout and make a significant contribution to personal development. A wide range of after school clubs and educational visits, including several residential visits, contribute to the many enriching opportunities that meet the needs of all learners well.

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Grade: 2

The school's early identification of individual pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is effective and good levels of support are provided. Child protection systems and procedures, including statutory checks on new and existing staff, are in place. Teaching and specialist support staff play a strong role in providing high levels of emotional and pastoral support to pupils at the school and there are good and positive links with pupils in the adjacent behavioural resource. Parents are kept very well informed about any issues affecting their child's progress. The vast majority of parents are exceptionally happy and complimentary about the levels of support and guidance provided. Although pupils appreciate and are aware of some of their targets for improvement, they are not yet fully encouraged or taught how to take increased responsibility for their own learning. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Wakefield Hendal Primary Jin School, 17 °18 September 2007

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Grade: 2

The school's aims and values are very evident in the calm and creative ethos which is present throughout the school. The headteacher and senior staff provide a clear direction, through a robust review of current practice, taking in the views of staff, pupils, parents and governors fully. Whilst there are good examples of evaluative monitoring of teaching, this is not systematic and robust enough to bring the quality of teaching consistently to that of the best. The governing body is effective because it is well informed through a wide range of interesting activities such as holding meetings in different classrooms and receiving presentations from teachers and pupils. Procedures for the setting of targets are suitably robust involving staff, governors and the local authority. Links with parents and the wider community make a good contribution to learning. The school's self-evaluation is largely accurate because it incorporates

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Grade: 2

the views of all involved in the school and is analytical and pertinent. The school has, understandably because of recent staff changes, taken over-modest judgements on personal development and the effectiveness of the Foundation Stage. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Wakefield Hendal Primary Jin School, 17 °18 September 2007 .

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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: Wakefield Hendal Primary Jin School, 17 °18 September 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? 1 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 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 2 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: Wakefield Hendal Primary Jin School, 17 °18 September 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 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: Wakefield Hendal Primary Jin School, 17 °18 September 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Hendal Primary School, Wakefield, WF2 7QW Thank you for the opportunity to visit your school this week. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there. You were all very polite and helpful to us. You go to a good school where lots of exciting things happen. You behave well and told us that you enjoy your work. You are right to feel proud of the many things you do through the school council and the difference you have made to the school building. You do well in all your work including English and mathematics. The youngest children make an excellent start in the Nursery and Reception classes. Your work with computers and in art and music are especially good and help to make the school a bright and cheerful place to be. Your parents are very pleased with the things you learn at school. We agree with them and think your headteacher and all her staff lead the school well and take good care of you. We feel the school could be even better if the teachers involve you more in knowing how well

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you are doing and showing you how to improve your own work. The school also needs to make sure that teachers know how to make all lessons the best they can be. You can help by continuing to work hard, be happy and following the guidance that the teachers give you in lessons and in the work they mark. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Wakefield Hendal Primary Jin School, 17 °18 September 2007

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