Trawden Forest Primary School

Trawden Forest Primary School Inspection report

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119180 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 313210 Inspection number 12 °13 February 2008 Inspection dates Geoffrey Yates 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 155 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Peter Smith Chair Mr Frank Royle Headteacher 1 May 2004 Date of previous school inspection Dean Street School address Trawden Colne Lancashire BB8 8RN 01282 865242 Telephone number 07092 315941 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 12 °13 February 2008 Inspection dates 313210 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

This is a below average size school situated in a close knit rural village community, a few miles from Colne. The school draws pupils from areas of average socio-economic conditions. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. Almost all pupils are from White British families. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. The school has many links with external agencies including the mid Pennine Arts association.

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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: Trawden Forest Primary School, 12 °13 February 2008

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Grade: 2

Trawden Forest Primary is a good school. The schools above average attendance figures are a true testimony that pupils thoroughly enjoy their learning. Parents are appreciative of the support their children receive and the progress they make in their personal and academic development. One parent commented, ‘when the bell goes in the morning my child runs into school he enjoys it so much.’ Pupils achieve well because of good teaching and also because of the wide range of enrichment activities they experience that are over and above those found in many schools. Good arrangements are in place to ensure that pupils are safe and that their social and emotional needs are met. Pupils’ achievement is good. The work seen during the inspection and the school’s own assessment information shows that pupils make good progress from starting school to Year 6 and reach above average standards. The standards of pupils currently in the school are higher

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Grade: 2

than the most recent test results for Year 6 pupils, which were average overall. Standards have risen because of the recent introduction of an improved system to track pupils’ progress which is providing teachers with more knowledge about the progress pupils are making. This information is used well in some classes and has helped raise teachers’ expectations of pupils and pupils’ own aspirations. Occasionally, teachers make less use of the available information and tasks set are not always sufficiently challenging. This is especially the case in writing and the more able pupils could make better progress throughout the school. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are well supported and make good progress. Pupils show very positive attitudes to learning and respond very well to the good teaching they receive. Teachers organise lessons thoroughly, give clear instructions and make good use of teaching assistants

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Grade: 2

to aid pupils' understanding. Praise is used regularly to acknowledge a good contribution to the lesson. Most lessons have a good pace and engage pupils effectively. Pupils' personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils are responsible youngsters who are well prepared for secondary school and for their future lives. They contribute to the school community well, with older pupils enjoying looking after the younger ones. Pupils say they feel safe in school and are confident that they could turn to a member of staff if they have any concerns. The school provides a stimulating learning environment in which pupils get on really well with each other and with the adults they come into contact with. Pupils have a good understanding of how to live a healthy lifestyle and are very aware of the importance of taking regular exercise. The curriculum is good. The emphasis on ensuring good breadth in pupils’ education adds

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Grade: 2

greatly to pupils' achievements. The school is rightly proud of its outstanding range of creative art activities, its sporting provision and strong musical traditions. The overall quality of care, guidance and support is satisfactory. Good attention is given to pupils’ welfare and this is a very caring school. Academic guidance is satisfactory because the new system to track pupils’ progress are not yet fully established. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher is an experienced and strong leader who is well supported by able colleagues. While the school’s self- evaluation is accurate the school’s improvement plan lacks clarity with regard to the actions to be taken to achieve targets and the way progress towards targets will be measured. Nevertheless, in practice the school responds well to any identified concerns. Governance is good because governors are 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Trawden Forest Primary School, 12 °13 February 2008

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Grade: 2

knowledgeable and supportive. Improvements made, particularly in relation to assessment and tracking systems are leading to rising standards and demonstrate a good capacity to improve.

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Grade: 2

Children start school with a variety of skills and abilities but overall most children are below what is typical for their age. Good teaching enables children to make good progress and most children reach the level expected for their age by the end of the Reception class. The exciting displays in the classroom alert visitors to the richness of the experiences that awaits children. Warm, caring relationships help children to enjoy school. They make excellent progress in their personal skills because of the many activities which encourage collaboration and sharing. They respect each other. This was shown by one youngster when, weaving with an amazing collection of resources, he turned to his friend and said, ‘let me see the pattern, yes we could put it in if you want’. The Foundation Stage is led and managed well. Staff work well as a team with a good understanding that children learn successfully through practical activity. The curriculum

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Grade: 2

is good although the lack of a suitable outdoor area that is accessible to the children is a barrier to the extension of learning in the outdoors.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the progress of the more able pupils in writing.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Use the information about pupils’ progress to check that all pupils are fully challenged in lessons.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ achievement is good. The good start pupils make in the Foundation Stage is built on well and pupils make good progress from Year 1 to Year 6. Inspection evidence shows that overall standards by end of Year 2 are average and in Year 6 are above average. Standards are rising because of teachers’ increased expectations of pupils based on the better information now available on their capabilities. Year 6 pupils in particular have higher aspirations of themselves because they have a clear understanding of what they are aiming to achieve and how they will get there. This has led to an improvement on the 2007 national test results for Year 6 pupils which were average overall. Good improvements have been made in mathematics since the previous inspection when standards were below average. Test results were above average in English, although not enough pupils gained the higher levels for writing. Standards

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Grade: 2

are not rising as swiftly in writing which remains close to average because the more able pupils are not being sufficiently challenged throughout the school and they could make more progress. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities benefit from effective support which ensures their good achievement.

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Grade: 2

The pupils’ caring personal qualities reflect good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They thoroughly enjoy school and attendance is above average. Pupils have a good knowledge of their own culture and the links with a school in Kenya give them an insight into other lifestyles. The pupils are polite and show respect for each other and the environment. They are hard working and very proud of their school. Older pupils sum up their views as, ‘a school where 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Trawden Forest Primary School, 12 °13 February 2008 pupils care for each other and every day is interesting because there are lots of opportunities to try out new ideas’. They are happy pupils who show a genuine concern for the needs of the others. Friendships are well established and pupils show a willingness to share their games with others. Pupils are well aware of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. They enjoy physical activity

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Grade: 2

but also look forward to their weekly yoga sessions recognising the importance of relaxation. Pupils are keen to emphasise that bullying is not a problem and that they feel safe in school. Behaviour is good. Pupils know how to deal with strangers and recognise the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Older pupils are eager to ‘play with their little friends’ and escort them on their visits to the library. They would appreciate more opportunities to represent the views of pupils in a formal setting. Pupils’ good basic skills and their growing maturity means they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Grade: 2

Teachers manage pupils well and relationships are very good, creating a purposeful and happy learning environment. In the best lessons, teachers use their subject knowledge and questioning strategies effectively to extend pupils' learning, challenge their thinking and assess their progress. The school makes very good use of visiting subject specialist teachers to ensure pupils’ learning is at least good. All members of staff ensure that lessons are interesting and teaching assistants provide good support. A major teaching strength is the way pupils are involved in practical activities and talking about their findings. For example, pupils take a tremendous pride in talking about the excellent witches’ spell books they have produced. Information on pupils’ progress is not used well enough to ensure that higher attaining pupils are regularly and consistently challenged, particularly in using their writing skills. The older pupils are clear

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Grade: 2

about the level at which they are working and they say their teachers’ helpful marking, and the feedback they get in lessons, show them how to improve.

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Grade: 2

Good curriculum provision ensures pupils achieve well and their personal development is of a good quality. An outstanding range of enrichment activities are well attended, broadening pupils’ understanding of the work done in class and adding to their enjoyment of school. The very many opportunities pupils are given to work with professional artists, to take part in sporting activities and to learn to play both brass and woodwind instruments ensure that there is a tremendous curriculum breadth. A very good range of school trips are planned and used effectively to enhance pupils' enjoyment and to focus learning in a particular area. The school acknowledges that it needs to strengthen curriculum planning with regard to improving standards in writing to ensure that pupils' skills, knowledge and understanding are progressively developed, especially those of more able pupils.

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Grade: 3

The pastoral care of pupils is good. Each pupil is valued as a young person with differing needs and interests. The richness of the curriculum means all can achieve success and this helps to raise their self-esteem. The school has all the required safeguarding procedures in place. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Trawden Forest Primary School, 12 °13 February 2008 Additional activities, such as the initiative known as Kia Khan, encourage positive thinking and give pupils the skills to look after themselves. The school works well with other agencies and parents to check that pupils receive the support they need and that any special medical needs are met. Systems to track pupils’ academic progress are at an early stage of development and use. The school is starting to identify pupils who are falling behind and provide appropriate support for them. In Year 6, pupils have a detailed individual profile which includes targets for

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Grade: 3

learning they have set for themselves. These targets alongside teachers’ guidance help pupils to have a good understanding of how to improve.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The school evaluates its own provision and performance accurately, identifying and prioritising areas for improvement. The school’s improvement plan does not, however, make it clear how these priorities are to be tackled and how success is to be measured. However, in practice the school is quick to respond to any concerns. This can be seen in the improvements made to the procedures to track pupils’ progress that are leading to rising standards. The headteacher is a good leader showing great determination to keep ‘enjoyment’ at the heart of the school. His enthusiasm is shared by all who show a willingness to try out new ideas. For example, the adoption of the Reggio Emilia philosophy which leads to high quality art experiences for pupils. Management decisions are shared with staff and governors and are firmly based on discussion and debate. Most parents are very happy about

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Grade: 2

all aspects of school life but a small number feel that communications between home and school could be better. Monitoring of teaching and learning, although often informal, is nevertheless effective and good use is made of the staff’s many individual strengths. The governors give good support to the school. Improvement since the previous inspection has been good. The school provides good value for money. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Trawden Forest Primary School, 12 °13 February 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: Trawden Forest Primary School, 12 °13 February 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?

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 1 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: Trawden Forest Primary School, 12 °13 February 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: Trawden Forest Primary School, 12 °13 February 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

14 February 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Trawden Forest Primary School, Lancashire, BB8 8RN We are writing to thank you for your help during our visit to your school and to share with you our opinions about it. We were impressed by how very friendly you are, not just with us, but most importantly with each other. You behave well and you work hard and try your best in lessons. It was lovely to see and hear all the Year 5 pupils enjoy playing their ocarinas. You must feel very proud of the high quality of art and design you create. Trawden Forest is a good school. We agree with you that your headteacher and teachers are very caring and help you very much if you have a problem or personal issue. The younger children in the Reception class settle well into school life and make good progress. In Years 1 to 6 you do well in English, mathematics and science but the work those of you do who are really good at writing could sometimes be a bit more challenging. We have asked your school

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

to try and make sure that all the writing you do is consistently good. The way many of you help each other is certainly helping you to become good citizens of the future. It is good to see that many of you know what you need to do to be safe and keep healthy and fit. We have asked your school to check on how well you are doing so that teachers can make sure you are all working at tasks that match your ability in English, mathematics and science. We hope you continue to enjoy school and wish you the very best for your future. Yours sincerely Geoffrey Yates and Jennifer Platt Inspectors 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Trawden Forest Primary School, 12 °13 February 2008

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