Salterforth Primary School

Salterforth Primary School Inspection report

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119267 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 313236 Inspection number 20 °21 June 2007 Inspection dates Shirley Herring 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 93 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Peter King Chair Mrs Gill Ackroyd Headteacher 1 March 2004 Date of previous school inspection Cross Lane School address Salterforth Barnoldswick Lancashire BB18 5UD

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01282 812223 Telephone number 01282 812223 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 20 °21 June 2007 Inspection dates 313236 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.

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Description of the school

This is a small school serving Salterforth and other rural villages. It has links with a Learning Network Community of other small schools. Pupils come from an exclusively White British background. Indicators of deprivation are average, though the proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is above average. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including those with a statement of special educational need, is above average. There is a breakfast and an after school club, which have been inspected separately.

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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: Salterforth Primary School, 20 °21 June 2007

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Grade: 2

Salterforth Primary is a good school where parents appreciate that their children mature into well mannered and level headed individuals who are well prepared for the secondary school. Personal development is good; pupils respond well to the school’s high expectations and behaviour is excellent. Pupils say they really enjoy school and the very good relationships between adults and pupils help them to feel safe. The good range of physical activities on offer contributes well to their appreciation of a healthy lifestyle. Pupils make a good contribution to the community through responsibilities in school and through raising money for charity; as in sponsoring a goat. Pupils make good progress during their time in school and achieve well. They enter the Reception class with skills that are generally below what is usual for their age. Good provision in the Foundation Stage enables most children to achieve the recommended learning goals by the

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Grade: 2

time they enter Year 1. Progress is good in Key Stage 1. After four years when standards were significantly below average, standards in the 2006 national assessments were average in Year 2. This is because of improvements in teaching, which is now consistently good. Pupils continue to make good progress in Key Stage 2 and standards were broadly average in the 2006 national tests for 11-year-olds. Standards were above average in mathematics and pupils achieved well. Standards were below average in English and some pupils did not achieve as well as they could. This is because there are not enough opportunities for pupils to write more extensively in English and in other subjects. Standards in science were well above average because of specialist teaching and strong leadership in the subject. Teaching is good overall and some outstanding teaching was observed in Key Stage 1, where learning moves on at a fast pace. The curriculum is broad and balanced and meets the needs

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Grade: 2

of pupils well. The school’s excellent links with other small schools in a learning network help to enhance aspects of provision; such as, in information and communication technology (ICT) and extended work for gifted and talented pupils. The quality of care, guidance and support is good and all the recommended procedures are in place to safeguard pupils. The ‘My Targets’ books that have been introduced in Key Stage 1 are helping individuals to focus clearly on what they need to do to improve in literacy and numeracy, and are helping to raise standards. The more general targets for pupils in Key Stage 2 are not so effective in guiding the progress of individuals. The school is led and managed well. The outstanding vision of the headteacher has had a strong impact on moving the school forward through improvements in teaching and facilities and in maximising the benefits of links with other small schools. The rigorous analysis and evaluation

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Grade: 2

of the school’s work is accurate in every respect and provides a firm basis for further improvements.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Give pupils more opportunities to write in English and in other subjects to improve standards and achievement in English in Key Stage 2. • Extend the use of individual targets so that all pupils are clearly focused on what they need to do to improve. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Salterforth Primary School, 20 °21 June 2007

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Grade: 2

Standards are average and pupils achieve well. Children enter school with a range of skills that, overall, are slightly below what is usual for their age, particularly in their communication, language and literacy skills. They make good progress in the Reception year because of good teaching and regular assessments of their learning. Most children achieve the recommended goals by the time they enter Year 1. Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 1 because of consistently good and sometimes outstanding teaching. After four years when standards were significantly below average, standards in the 2006 assessments were in line with national expectations by the end of Year 2. The school’s records and pupils’ work indicate that this improvement has been maintained. Pupils make good overall progress in Key Stage 2 and pupils currently attain at least average standards. In the 2006 national tests, standards were broadly average at the end of Year 6.

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Grade: 2

Pupils achieved well in mathematics and standards were above average. Standards were below average in English and some pupils did not achieve as well as they could. This is because pupils do not have enough opportunities to write more extensively. Standards were well above average in science because of specialist teaching and a very good emphasis on investigatory work. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive good support. This enables them to achieve well.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. Pupils say how much they enjoy school and many parents agree with them. This is clear in the way pupils join in enthusiastically in all activities. They say the school is a happy place and particularly like the way all age groups are together and have the same playtime. Pupils adopt safe practices and in a science lesson were clear about the dangers of electricity. Younger pupils make good strides in road safety awareness as they receive training in the Reception class from a group of parents. Pupils know about the requirements for a healthy lifestyle as they participate in the many physical activities, such as the weekly sessions with a keep fit coach. Pupils make a positive contribution to the community through the school council, as trained first-aiders and through their support for charities. The good opportunities for pupils to work together and take responsibility prepare them well for

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Grade: 2

later life. Pupils are developing independence as they use the school’s ‘Traffic Light’ system to review how much they have learned in the lesson. Pupils in Key Stage 1 are becoming more involved in developing their own individual targets for improvement, though this is not so far advanced in Key Stage 2. There are very good relationships between all members of the school community. Pupils respond well to the clear system of sanctions and rewards, which are well understood, and behaviour is excellent. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The regular links with a school with pupils from a different ethnic background prepare Salterforth pupils well for life in a culturally diverse society. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Salterforth Primary School, 20 °21 June 2007

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good and pupils learn well. Some outstanding teaching was observed in Key Stage 1 where activities are brisk and challenging and learning moves on at a fast pace. This has resulted in a sustained improvement in standards at the end of Year 2 over the last two years. Lessons are generally interesting and well planned so pupils thoroughly enjoy school and are keen to learn. Clear objectives are shared with the pupils so they know what to expect. There are good opportunities for pupils to assess how well they have achieved these objectives at the end of the lesson and this provides a clear focus for their learning. The very good relationships between all adults and pupils give them the confidence to answer and to ask if they need help. There are some good examples of helpful marking through the school but this is inconsistent. Pupils respond well to teachers’ high expectations and skilled class management

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Grade: 2

and behaviour is exemplary. Specialist teaching in science has contributed well to the high standards achieved. Skilled support from teaching assistants makes a good contribution to pupils’ learning, particularly for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. It is broad, balanced and meets the needs of pupils well. There is appropriate emphasis on developing basic literacy and numeracy skills but there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to develop and extend their writing skills in English and other subjects. Consequently, standards are not as high as they could be in Key Stage 2. The strong emphasis on exploration and investigation in science contributes to the high standards achieved. The school makes good provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and has received a Learning Excellence Award for innovative practice. This is in recognition of the intervention phonics programme, enabling these pupils to make good progress. The strong links with the Small Schools’ Network enhance provision for gifted and talented pupils. The school has recently purchased a set of laptop computers to enable pupils to develop their

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Grade: 2

computing skills in other subjects. Although this is at an early stage, initial signs are that it is improving standards. The well-established programme for personal, social and health education (PSHE) contributes well to pupils’ good personal development. The wide range of visits, visitors and additional activities enrich the curriculum and increase pupils’ enjoyment. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage is good. It is firmly based on purposeful and practical activities, which show a good understanding of how young children learn.

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Grade: 2

The quality of care, guidance and support is good. One parent spoke of how teachers make time to talk and listen to children individually. Systems for safeguarding pupils are firmly in place. The early identification and skilled support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities help them to make good progress. The constructive system of sanctions and rewards provides clear guidance for pupils’ personal development. There are good methods in place to assess and track pupils’ progress across the school. The system of individual targets for literacy 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Salterforth Primary School, 20 °21 June 2007 and numeracy, which has been introduced in Key Stage 1, is proving effective in helping pupils concentrate on what they need to do to improve. This is less well developed in Key Stage 2. There are good arrangements to introduce young children into school and this helps them settle

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Grade: 2

quickly into the Reception class. Pupils who joined school at a later stage said they were made to feel very welcome from the start.

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Grade: 2

The school is led and managed well. The excellent vision of the headteacher is leading improvements and has been recognised by the local authority. She is sharing her expertise in supporting other schools. Subject leaders analyse and evaluate their subjects thoroughly to identify and address areas of weakness. This was seen in mathematics where a comparative weakness in subtraction has been identified and rectified. Strategies to improve reading are taking effect but those to improve writing are taking longer to impact. Strong leadership in science has helped to promote high standards. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well organised and so pupils make good progress. Governance is good. The governors have supported the headteacher well in bringing about significant improvements to the buildings and facilities, which have been much appreciated by the pupils. The school’s rigorous evaluation of its work is accurate in every respect and provides

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Grade: 2

a good basis for further improvement. There has been good overall improvement since the last inspection, though a weakness still remains in English in Key Stage 2. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Salterforth Primary School, 20 °21 June 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: Salterforth Primary School, 20 °21 June 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? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 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 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 1 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 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?

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: Salterforth Primary School, 20 °21 June 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 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets 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: Salterforth Primary School, 20 °21 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

22 June 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Salterforth Primary School, Salterforth, Lancashire, BB18 5UD Thank you for making me so welcome when I visited your school. I agree with you that Salterforth is a good school and it was very clear just how much you enjoy being in such a happy place. I was impressed by your excellent behaviour and the way you help and look after each other. You take your responsibilities as school council members and first-aiders very seriously and this prepares you well for when you get older. You make good progress during your time in school because lessons are interesting and you are taught well. The ‘My Targets’ booklets for those in Key Stage 1 are very useful and are helping each person to realise just what they need to do to improve in literacy and numeracy. I think it might help older pupils too if they had a similar booklet for themselves. By the time you leave Year 6, standards are above average in mathematics. You do much better

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

than expected for your age in science because of the many practical investigations that you all do which help you understand. At the moment, you do not do quite so well in English. To help this to improve, I have asked the school to give you more chances to write not only in English lessons but in other subjects; such as, history. Good luck for the future. Yours sincerely Mrs Shirley Herring Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Salterforth Primary School, 20 °21 June 2007

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