Acre Heads Primary School

Anlaby Acre Heads Primary School Inspection report

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117888 Unique Reference Number East Riding of Yorkshire Local Authority 312739 Inspection number 13 °14 March 2008 Inspection dates Kathryn Dodd 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 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 323 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Sheila Slater Chair Dr John Bennett Headteacher 1 November 2003 Date of previous school inspection Welbourn Walk School address Norland Avenue Hull East Riding of Yorkshire HU4 7ST 01482 562250 Telephone number 01482 308381 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 13 °14 March 2008 Inspection dates 312739 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

Almost all the pupils at this larger than average sized school are from White British family backgrounds. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is well below average. The school holds the Basic Skills Quality Mark, Investors in People and Healthy Schools accreditations. The school premises and local area were affected by substantial flooding in June 2007.

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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: Anlaby Acre Heads Primary School, 13 °14 March 2008

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Grade: 3

This satisfactory school has an accurate view of its overall effectiveness and provides satisfactory value for money. It is a happy, friendly and welcoming place. Pupils behave well, have good attitudes to learning and can talk knowledgeably about what they have to do to keep healthy. Pupils feel a strong sense of belonging to their school community and are keen to contribute positively towards it. Their good personal development provides a positive platform upon which to improve their academic achievement and prepares them to become responsible citizens of the future. Parents say that they are pleased with the quality of education that their children receive. They particularly appreciate all that the school does to ensure that their children are safe and enjoy school. Good provision in the Foundation Stage enables children’s learning to get off to a successful start. As a result of satisfactory teaching and learning in Years 1 to 6 and a satisfactory

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Grade: 3

curriculum, pupils make steady progress. Standards by Year 6 are broadly average. Although teachers regularly assess pupils to find out what they can already do, they do not always use this information robustly to plan further work that matches pupils’ varying learning needs. Consequently, the progress of some pupils, especially the more able ones, is often too slow. Similarly, staff do not always use the information they have about pupils’ attainment to check that they are on track to meet their learning targets, or to highlight if learning is moving on at a good enough rate. Nevertheless, a good level of care for pupils’ welfare is clearly evident and pupils feel safe. Leadership, management and governance are satisfactory. The headteacher has led the school successfully through a period of considerable challenge, following the floods in June 2007. As a result of the commitment and dedication of staff, any negative impact on pupils’ learning

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Grade: 3

has been minimised. In recent years, however, the rate of school improvement has been steady, rather than rapid. Pupils’ progress remains satisfactory. A number of sound initiatives, aimed at improving the quality of teaching and learning and adapting the curriculum to better reflect pupils’ needs, have been introduced. Their impact has been limited, however, because they have not always been adopted consistently well across all classes. Furthermore, there is not clear enough accountability by senior staff and governors for monitoring the success of initiatives. Nevertheless, there is a realistic and sensible view of the way forward, with a clear priority to speed up pupils’ progress. Improvement since the previous inspection is satisfactory and there is a satisfactory capacity to improve further.

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Grade: 2

When children start Reception, their skills are typical of four-year-olds. A warm, caring, bright and stimulating learning environment, along with good teaching and a well adapted curriculum, all contribute to children’s good progress. Their personal, social and emotional skills develop at a good pace because adults make the most of opportunities to help children to get along well together, grow in confidence and become independent learners. Good links with parents and carefully planned arrangements for starting school ensure that children settle quickly into their new setting. Staff are starting to keep a much closer eye on the small steps in children’s achievement. Although they use this information well to make sure the curriculum and activities meet varying learning needs, there remains scope to ensure that the more able children consistently have the chance to show what they are capable of. Nevertheless, as a result of

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Grade: 2

4 of 11 Inspection Report: Anlaby Acre Heads Primary School, 13 °14 March 2008 effective leadership, recent good adaptations of the curriculum, closer tracking of children’s achievements and well chosen priorities for further development, progress overall has started to accelerate. Consequently, the skills of children transferring to Year 1 are now above expectations for their age.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Accelerate pupils’ progress between Years 1 and 6.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Use information about pupils’ attainment to plan work that meets their varying learning needs and in particular to challenge more able pupils. ■ Keep a closer check on whether or not pupils are on track to reach their challenging learning targets. ■ Make clear precisely how leaders, managers and governors will measure the successes of initiatives, particularly to bring about consistency in the quality of provision. A small proportion of the 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

Pupils generally enter Year 1 with skill levels that are typical for their age. Between Years 1 and 6, pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, make satisfactory progress and standards by the end of Year 6 are broadly average. Over recent years, standards by the end of Years 2 and 6 have been consistently in line with the national average. Although the proportion of pupils reaching the nationally expected levels by Year 6 has been rising steadily, particularly in writing, the proportion exceeding these levels has remained below average and significantly so in mathematics and science. The progress of some pupils, especially the more able, has been too slow. School data and inspection evidence show that pupils currently in Year 6 are on track to reach their learning targets and this represents satisfactory progress from their starting points. The school has accurately identified that pupils’ progress, especially

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Grade: 3

for the more able pupils, needs to speed up if standards are to improve further. In order to achieve this, staff are focusing on raising expectations of how much pupils can achieve, including setting them more challenging learning targets. Although in past years staff have not made certain that pupils have kept on track to meet their targets, they have now made this matter a main priority for improvement in their work. However, it is too early to judge the full impact of this.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are good. Pupils’ enjoyment of school is reflected in their consistently good attendance. Good social development shows in the mature and confident way that pupils discuss their learning together and in the enthusiastic way that they undertake duties around school, such as being ‘playground pals’. Pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory and their understanding of the diverse nature of British society is growing. Pupils’ attitudes to learning and their behaviour are good. They say that they do their best because their achievements are valued and celebrated. As a result, pupils learn and play together happily in a peaceful setting and say that they feel safe. Pupils’ good understanding of healthy lifestyles is seen in their 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Anlaby Acre Heads Primary School, 13 °14 March 2008

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Grade: 2

enjoyment of taking part in physical activities, such as the `Sport Relief Mile’. Pupils feel a strong sense of belonging to their school community. They are keen to help to organise special events, such as the popular Easter Fayre, in order to raise funds. Pupils’ growing personal and social skills, along with satisfactory progress in literacy and numeracy skills, prepare them satisfactorily for secondary school and for becoming responsible young adults.

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Grade: 3

Pupils make satisfactory progress as a result of satisfactory teaching and learning. Good organisation, positive relationships, caring support for pupils and effective management of behaviour are strong features of most lessons. Pupils are attentive and behave well. Teachers are becoming increasingly adept at using the interactive whiteboards and this promotes pupils’ enjoyment of their lessons. Teachers regularly assess pupils in order to find out what they can already do. When teachers do not use this assessment information effectively enough to plan new work, the progress of some pupils, particularly the more able ones, slows down. There are, nevertheless, examples of good teaching and learning. In such lessons, teachers have higher expectations of their pupils, share lesson objectives and learning targets with them and provide ample opportunities for pupils to engage actively and work independently. However, these

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Grade: 3

good practices are not seen consistently in all classes.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum enables pupils to make satisfactory progress. Pupils enjoy a good range of trips, visitors and clubs. A particularly strong focus on pupils’ social and emotional well-being ensures that pupils make good gains in their personal development. Since the previous inspection, provision for information and communication technology (ICT) has improved and pupils now have a growing range of opportunities across the curriculum to develop their ICT skills. A suitable range of support programmes boosts the progress of pupils working below the level expected for their age, particularly between Years 3 and 6. However, opportunities for the more able pupils to respond to new challenges in everyday lessons or beyond normal school hours are limited. Careful adaptations to the curriculum, for example increased opportunities for pupils to write creatively and at length across various subjects, are helping to raise standards

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Grade: 3

in writing by Year 6. The frequent use of worksheets, especially in Years 1 and 2, however, restricts pupils’ progress in literacy skills and does not always allow pupils, especially the more able ones, to show what they are really capable of.

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory. Staff know their pupils well and ensure a good quality of day-to-day care. Parents particularly appreciate this. Pupils feel well cared for and say that, if they are worried, there is someone on hand to help. The adequate procedures for protecting and safeguarding pupils are currently being reviewed and strengthened. As a result of the total commitment, dedication and hard work of staff, disruption to pupils’ learning following the recent floods has been minimised successfully. Teachers regularly assess all their pupils and are clear about the standards they have reached. They sometimes overlook peaks 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Anlaby Acre Heads Primary School, 13 °14 March 2008 and troughs in pupils’ learning, however, because systems for tracking pupils’ progress over time are still developing. Some pupils are increasingly involved in understanding what their

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Grade: 3

next learning steps are and in assessing their own progress, particularly in writing. These developments, however, are not a consistent feature of practice in all classes and good opportunities to suggest how pupils might improve their work further, through marking, are sometimes missed.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management, including governance, are satisfactory. The headteacher’s determination that pupils enjoy school and make good progress in their personal development pays dividends. In recent months, the school has rightly given highest priority to minimising disruption to pupils’ education caused by flooding. Although this has slowed progress with other plans for improvement, leaders are now ready to refocus their efforts. The school’s self-evaluation is satisfactory. Staff and governors know that pupils’ progress, particularly the progress of the more able pupils, is too slow. Consequently, they have set more challenging targets than in past years. However, procedures for checking the school’s performance and tracking progress towards targets are still developing. Senior leadership team members and subject leaders are very keen to make a greater contribution to this work, but accountability

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Grade: 3

for doing so is not clear enough. As a result, some of the school’s good intentions and efforts do not lead quickly to successful outcomes, such as accelerating pupils’ progress. Nevertheless, the strengthening of ICT, recent improvements in the Foundation Stage and steadily rising standards in writing are examples of improvement since the previous inspection. These, along with a strong sense of determination to do better, demonstrate satisfactory capacity to improve in the future. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Anlaby Acre Heads Primary School, 13 °14 March 2008 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Anlaby Acre Heads Primary School, 13 °14 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 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 3 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 2 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Anlaby Acre Heads Primary School, 13 °14 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 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Anlaby Acre Heads Primary School, 13 °14 March 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

17 March 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Anlaby Acre Heads Primary School, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU4 7ST Thank you so much for the warm welcome you gave us when we visited your school. You were polite, keen to talk to us and answered our questions thoughtfully. Your school is a satisfactory school. Your learning gets off to a good start in the Reception class. Between Years 1 and 6, you do as well as children in most other schools. Your behaviour is good. All the adults care about you and I was pleased to hear that you know that there is always someone to help you if you have a problem. I particularly enjoyed joining in your assembly and seeing just how proud you are of the certificates and rewards you receive when you have done something well. You showed me how grown up you can be when doing your special jobs around the school, such as the ‘Playground Pals’ and helping to prepare for the Easter Fayre. I also enjoyed watching you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

take part in the `Sport Relief Mile’. It is because you get such chances that you understand how important it is to keep yourselves healthy. You get lots of chances to take part in fun and exciting activities, go on trips and take part in clubs. It is little wonder that you enjoy school and that your parents are pleased with the school, too. There are a few things about your school that could be even better. To help you further, we have asked the school to make sure that:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You learn at an even faster rate between Years 1 and 6.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You always have work that is just right for you and never too easy.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Adults keep a closer check on how quickly you are learning and whether you are on track to reach your learning targets. ■ Adults do more to check that things are getting better for pupils in every class.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You can help your school by making sure that you tell your teachers if your work is too easy and by asking them how you are doing with reaching your learning targets. Of course, you should continue to try your best in everything that you do. I wish you all the very best for the future. Yours sincerely Kathryn Dodd Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Anlaby Acre Heads Primary School, 13 °14 March 2008

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