Clayton Village Primary School

Clayton Village Primary School Inspection report

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107199 Unique Reference Number Bradford Local Authority 324547 Inspection number 24–25 September 2008 Inspection dates Kath Halifax Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 4–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 278 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Sharon Allan Chair Mrs A Jeffery Headteacher 9 November 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection John Street School address Clayton Bradford West Yorkshire BD14 6AD 01274 414115 Telephone number 01274 414116 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 24–25 September 2008 Inspection dates 324547 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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: Clayton Village Primary School, 24–25 September 2008

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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 serves a diverse and changing village community that has a mixture of rented and owner-occupied houses. An increasing number of pupils come from beyond the village. The majority of pupils are White British, though the number of Indian, Pakistani and mixed heritage pupils is increasing, especially in the younger age range. The proportion of these pupils who speak English as an additional language or who are new to English is above average. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average but no pupils have a statement of special educational need. Thirty one children are educated in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The school has achieved the Healthy Schools Award and the Drugs Charter Award.

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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: Clayton Village Primary School, 24–25 September 2008

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school that has gone through considerable difficulties since the last inspection. There has been a very high turnover of staff for various reasons and currently, one quarter of teachers are employed on temporary contracts. Standards have been erratic during this time, and at one point plummeted in mathematics. While leadership and management are satisfactory overall, it is the very good leadership of the headteacher and senior leadership team, and the effective management systems they have put in place that have been pivotal in school improvement. It has now turned the corner and is making good headway in raising standards and achievement. This is particularly so in reading and mathematics in all age groups. Standards are now broadly average and achievement is satisfactory. Pupils are making increased progress, with challenging targets set to make up for some previous underachievement.

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Grade: 3

Standards in writing and the achievement of higher attaining pupils are weaknesses in all age groups. On entry to the school, children's attainment is below that expected for their age, especially in communication, language and literacy, in numeracy, and in their social development. Children make good progress in the EYFS because of the good provision, so by the end of their year in Reception, the majority are working comfortably within the early learning goals. Teaching and learning are satisfactory in other age groups. Pupils' achievements vary because, while teachers assess pupils' work conscientiously, not all use the information to plan tasks that are matched to pupils' abilities to promote effective learning. Consequently, higher attaining pupils are not stretched and so do not achieve the standards of which they are capable. As a result of the annually renewed behaviour policy and good provision for care, support and guidance,

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Grade: 3

pupils have blossomed and make good gains in their personal development. Attendance is satisfactory, being significantly affected by the winter vomiting bug. Behaviour is good. Pupils are courteous and respectful of each other and towards adults. They take a genuine interest in the beliefs and traditions of the rich cultural mix represented in the school. Pupils have a good understanding of keeping safe and healthy and are keen to contribute to the school and local community by, for example, 'spotting the grot' and designing non-plastic bags. A good, imaginative curriculum contributes to pupils' increased enjoyment of school. Very good links with schools in the cluster and with York University provide excellent facilities, for example, for practical science, and add to skills for life after school. The increased confidence and maturity is seen especially in Year 6 as pupils give independently chosen presentations on subjects such

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Grade: 3

as 'an Alien World'. Adequate progress has been made since the last inspection but changes in staffing have led to considerable changes at middle management level. This has necessitated a restructuring of leadership responsibilities. As some key members of staff have only been in post for a few weeks they have yet to develop their management skills and put their ambitious plans to raise standards into practice. Despite numerous setbacks, staff are positive and determined to succeed, and under the strong leadership of the headteacher have good capacity to do so. Leaders are clear about what the school does well and what needs to be improved. Value for money is satisfactory.

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Grade: 2

An air of excitement and expectation as the teacher opened a huge, brightly wrapped parcel as part of a language lesson is a good example of how the imaginative teaching in the EYFS 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Clayton Village Primary School, 24–25 September 2008 encourages children to enjoy learning. As a consequence of adults' clear explanations and high expectations, children settle quickly into school routine and make good progress in all areas of learning. A good balance between adult-led and child-centred activities caters well for children's academic and personal growth. Of particular note is how the focus on learning sounds and letters has seen a good spurt in this area of learning. In addition to giving children a good foundation for learning to read, it has improved boys' confidence in writing, but standards in writing are not on a par with other areas of learning. Similarly, higher attaining children do not

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Grade: 2

achieve as well as they should. The wide range of activities in all areas of learning allows children to develop physically and emotionally, but the outdoor area is not used as well as it should be. Children of differing capabilities and from different backgrounds play well together and are curious about each others' customs. Written signs contribute well to children's language development, but none of these are in community languages. Good links between Reception and Year 1 provide well for children who are not quite ready for the formal National Curriculum. Leadership and management are good. Currently, however, one teacher is the named key worker for all children. This is an extremely heavy load. Children receive good care, and all the legal welfare requirements are in place. Excellent links with parents, including courses with the parental involvement worker, have enabled them to help their child at home. In addition, the

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Grade: 2

creation of a mural by parents has given them a sense of belonging to the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in writing in all age groups.n

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the achievement of higher attaining pupils in all age groups.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the use of assessment to promote effective learning for all groups of pupils.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Provide opportunities for staff who are new to leading subjects to improve their management skills to raise standards. A small proportion of the schools where overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Since the last inspection, achievement has been inconsistent but all pupils now achieve satisfactorily. Leaders now check the progress of different groups of pupils and individuals carefully. This has been used well to resolve the variation in the achievement of pupils from different ethnic groups. While, for example, pupils of Indian background have attained high standards, Pakistani pupils of Mirpuri background have underachieved. Through good support, this has been remedied with Mirpuri pupils now making similar progress to their peers. Similarly, pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities also make satisfactory progress. Standards in reading and mathematics have improved and are now broadly average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Training for all adults in teaching reading, more time allocation, and activities such as 'buddy reading' have resulted in improved achievement. Standards in mathematics have

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Grade: 3

been driven by a dynamic leader. Training has increased the confidence of parents and staff in helping pupils step up their rate of progress. Teachers now expect pupils to produce a much wider range of writing, but standards are below the national average because spelling, punctuation, grammar and handwriting are weaknesses in all age groups. Similarly, higher attaining pupils across the school are capable of achieving higher standards. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Clayton Village Primary School, 24–25 September 2008

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Grade: 2

Pupils are confident and enjoy coming to school. They say they really like 'doing things' and being actively involved in their own learning. Good gains are made in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through daily routines, the school ethos, assemblies and 'circle time'. Pupils appreciate the family atmosphere commenting, 'Teachers really help you.' Pupils are cheerful and happy, and their behaviour is good, both in lessons and around the school. They know who to turn to if they have a problem, and they say that bullying is rare and quickly dealt with. All pupils know about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle, many choose healthy lunch options, and participation in the wide variety of sporting activities on offer is good. Pupils undertake responsibilities such as playground 'buddies' conscientiously, and groups such as 'the Green Team' are proud of their work around the school and in the locality. In

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Grade: 2

addition to suggesting improvements to the school, school councillors monitor school meals and are responsible for budgeting and ordering playground equipment. Links with other schools and visits to places of worship give pupils a better understanding of other cultures, and assemblies provide good opportunities for quiet reflection.

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Grade: 3

From the outset of each lesson, pupils are clear about the knowledge and skills their teachers want them to acquire. Well organised classrooms, high quality displays and the good management of pupils' behaviour create a atmosphere conducive to learning. Following the last inspection, strategies to enable pupils to assess their own learning were introduced. These are working well in many classes, but are less effective with some teachers who are more recent appointments. In addition, useful systems have been introduced to enable leaders to check the progress of groups and individuals and to identify gaps in learning. However, the information is not always used to best effect by teachers when planning the next steps in learning. While they plan well for pupils of different ages in their class, too often, pupils of all abilities are given the same task. As a result, those who learn more slowly become frustrated while higher

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Grade: 3

attaining pupils are not extended so their rate of learning slows. Equally, while the school provides a number of activities to stimulate and challenge those who are gifted, opportunities to challenge them in lessons are inconsistent.

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Grade: 2

The redesigned curriculum is good. The impact of the increased focus on promoting numeracy and literacy, with specific groups organised to boost the performance of pupils who learn more slowly, is seen in the accelerated progress in mathematics and reading. Pupils say the topic approach is fun, that it gives them a greater understanding and 'makes sense'. They especially enjoy the extensive range of clubs, visits and visitors, commenting that the residential visit to Malham was 'cool'. Pupils in all age groups benefit from the good programme for their personal, social, health and citizenship development. Physically talented pupils are helped to develop their skills in sport through links with the local sports college and other sporting partnerships. In addition, work with the local professional rugby team has resulted in a better understanding 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Clayton Village Primary School, 24–25 September 2008

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Grade: 2

of business and management. Leaders have recognised that the skills of those talented in music and drama are not developed so successfully.

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Grade: 2

Robust systems that meet legal requirements are in place to ensure the health, safety, protection and well-being of pupils. The learning mentor and parental involvement worker play a crucial role in ensuring the welfare of all pupils, drawing on the expertise of a wide range of other professionals to help them. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are identified early and are given good additional support to enable them to make steady progress. Equally good assistance is in place for pupils who speak English as a second language, though leaders recognise more needs to be done to promote community languages. Pupils receive suitable academic guidance, though their targets are not always sufficiently challenging. Marking is now of a high quality and has improved considerably in writing so pupils are clear about what to do next to improve their work. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the efforts to look

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Grade: 2

after their children. Many make good use of a range of family learning programmes to help them play a greater part in their child's education.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher's quiet, reflective manner has engendered calm and a strong sense of purpose during a predominantly turbulent time. In addition to overseeing staffing issues, leaders are managing the complex process of reducing from 45 pupils to 30 pupils in each year group with the resulting financial and personnel implications. Staff changes have affected subject leadership, with a number of temporary posts and some teachers taking on several responsibilities. As a result, the pace of change has slowed in some areas. Even so, all subject leaders have compiled a plan designed to raise standards. A notable exception to the overall picture is the leadership of mathematics where skilled, determined management have raised standards remarkably in just one year. Governance is satisfactory. While governors provide admirable moral support, they recognise they are not active enough in holding the school fully to account. Of necessity,

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Grade: 3

much of their time has been taken up discussing staffing difficulties and planning for the reduced school numbers. Discussions on community cohesion have led to a realisation that much of the work in this aspect is informal. However, a suitable action plan has been drawn up and initiatives are planned to tackle this. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Clayton Village Primary School, 24–25 September 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: Clayton Village Primary School, 24–25 September 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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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 capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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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/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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: Clayton Village Primary School, 24–25 September 2008

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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 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 3 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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: Clayton Village Primary School, 24–25 September 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Clayton Village Primary School, Bradford, BD14 6ADAs you are aware, a little while ago three inspectors spent time looking at your school. Thank you for taking time to talk to us about your work, the colourful displays, and for giving us your views of school. It was very clear from our chats with you and the questionnaire replies we received from your parents that you enjoy school and think that you are safe and well cared for. Your school is providing you with a satisfactory education. Children in Reception settle quickly and make good progress. In other classes, there have been a lot of staff changes and the standards you have reached have been a bit mixed. Just recently though, because of the hard work done by the school leaders, teachers and yourselves, standards are rising. The improvement in your achievements in mathematics over the past year has been remarkable. As well as working hard, you have fun

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

in lessons, in sport, in clubs, and on the numerous visits out of school. The work of the learning mentor and parental involvement worker is especially valuable in giving you confidence and in helping your parents understand what you are learning.We believe some aspects of the school could be better and we have asked leaders to improve the areas outlined below.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You make good progress in reading, now you need to match that in your writing.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Give those of you who learn more quickly more taxing work so you can make better progress and achieve higher standards. ■ Teachers need to use the information they collect on your achievements more to help meet all of your needs in lessons to help you to learn better. ■ Many teachers have taken on new responsibilities and need opportunities to build up their management skills so they can help improve standards. We know you will do all you can to help your teachers and wish you every success in your future. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Clayton Village Primary School, 24–25 September 2008

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