Idle CofE Primary School

Idle CofE Primary School Inspection report

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107320 Unique Reference Number Bradford Local Authority 324561 Inspection number 22–23 June 2009 Inspection dates Keith Bardon 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 Voluntary aided School category 5–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 201 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 E Walsh Chair Mr John Bowers Headteacher 21 June 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Boothroyd Drive School address Bradford West Yorkshire BD10 8LU 01274 410111 Telephone number 01274 410984 Fax number

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5–11 Age group 22–23 June 2009 Inspection dates 324561 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: Idle CofE Primary School, 22–23 June 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

This medium-sized primary school serves an area with positive social and economic characteristics on the outskirts of the city. Relatively few pupils are eligible for free school meals. Most pupils are White British and all pupils, including the very small number from minority ethnic heritages, speak English fluently. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including those with a statement for their special educational needs is broadly average. A Reception class provides for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage. The school has achieved the Healthy School, Activemark and Investors in Pupils awards. A drop-in service for parent support is available weekly.

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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: Idle CofE Primary School, 22–23 June 2009

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Grade: 2

Idle Church of England Primary is a good school with a number of outstanding features. Thoughtful and determined leadership ensure a good pace of development and the school has made good improvement since it was last inspected. The headteacher and senior staff are constantly looking for ways to enrich pupils' learning and they employ creative strategies to provide a wide range of stimulating experiences which pupil of all ages thoroughly enjoy. This, combined with the good teaching they receive and their very positive attitudes to school ensures that pupils of all ages and abilities achieve well. Parents are very supportive of the school, describing it as having a 'very caring and supportive philosophy' and being 'friendly and welcoming to parents and pupils alike'. Pupils are equally positive and consider their school 'a fun place to be' because they are all 'one big happy family'. Standards have risen since the last inspection, particularly in Key Stage 1, and are above average

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Grade: 2

overall. Although attainment in Year 6 varies year-to-year, this is as a consequence of differing starting points on entry for individual year groups, not as a consequence of provision. Pupils acquire a good range of literacy and numeracy skills but there is an emerging trend of boys making better progress than girls in mathematics. Based on a good understanding of what pupils need to learn next, teachers provide lively and interesting lessons which move pupils' knowledge, understanding and skills forward at a good pace. Teachers use a wide range of strategies to engage and involve the pupils. Pupils respond well, readily joining in all activities, discussing their work and putting forward ideas sensibly and cooperating well when working in pairs or small groups. In response to the excellent provision the school makes, pupils' personal development is outstanding. Their behaviour is exemplary and they mature into sensible, confident and

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Grade: 2

thoughtful young people with a very strong sense of social responsibility. They readily help adults and each other around school and show care and consideration towards those less fortunate. Pupils are fully aware of the importance of healthy living and exercise regularly to keep themselves fit. Levels of attendance are good and the wide range of personal and academic skills pupils acquire puts them in a very strong position to succeed in the future. The curriculum is extensive and promotes pupils' learning well. A broad range of subjects with plenty of creative activities is combined with a rich and varied programme of clubs, visits and visitors. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, the outdoor area is resourced well but generally under-used. Staff take extremely good care of the pupils and provide them with highly effective support and guidance. Pupils feel safe and well looked after, confident in the knowledge that

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Grade: 2

if they have a problem staff will readily and willingly provide the help they need. Pupils' progress is tracked rigorously and effective measures quickly put in place if any show signs of falling behind. Information about the school's performance is examined closely and the impact of the school's work on pupils' achievement carefully determined. The headteacher and deputy headteacher use this information strategically to build on what has gone well and address any less successful areas. Teachers newer to management duties carry out their work responsibly but are still learning how to evaluate incisively and plan for development with precision. Governors play a full and active part in the life of the school and ensure that all statutory requirements are met. Finances are managed well and the school provides good value for money. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Idle CofE Primary School, 22–23 June 2009

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Grade: 2

Many children start Reception with typical knowledge and skills for their age. The leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage is effective in ensuring all children are taught well and make good progress in their learning and development. By the end of Reception most children are working securely within the expectations for children of this age and a significant minority have moved beyond. Using thorough tracking procedures together with daily informal assessments, staff compile a comprehensive and accurate progress file for each child. The information these contain is used well to plan the next steps in the children's learning. Children needing additional support are identified early and appropriate programmes are set up. Children work and play well on their own and with each other and are well motivated. They demonstrate high levels of independence when selecting their own activities and take pleasure in using their

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Grade: 2

developing literacy and numeracy skills. Good provision indoors covers all areas of learning and a balance of child led and adult initiated activities promote children's learning well. Activities out of doors are not as well structured. Children have access to a secure and extremely well resourced outside area but opportunities for planned purposeful play and for undertaking informal observations are missed and children learn less as a result. The school promotes an open-door policy with parents, who know they are able to discuss any concerns they may have at any time.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Review provision and learning in mathematics and take steps to ensure that both girls and boys make equally good progress. ■ Increase opportunities for learning in Early Years Foundation Stage by making more effective use of the well resourced outdoor area for planned and purposeful play. ■ Ensure that at all levels leaders and managers evaluate the work of the school incisively and plan for development with precision.

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Grade: 2

Irrespective of their starting points, pupils achieve well and attain standards by Year 6 that are above average. Occasionally children enter school with high levels of knowledge and skills and the attainment of these cohorts can be well above average at the end of Year 6. The steps the school has taken to close the gap between boys and girls in writing and increase the number of pupils attaining at the higher level in science are having the desired effect and improvements in attainment are clearly evident. Although the quality of boys' writing still lags a little behind that of the girls in Key Stage 1, by Year 6 there is very little difference. The progress pupils make in mathematics is showing less consistency, with boys often making better progress than girls. The high standards pupils attain in information and communication technology (ICT) can be seen in many areas of their work. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities benefit

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Grade: 2

from well-structured support and guidance and make similar good progress to other pupils. All pupils are given equal opportunities to learn and those from minority ethnic heritages achieve well. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Idle CofE Primary School, 22–23 June 2009

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Grade: 1

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are outstanding. The sense of community, where respect for each other is paramount and everyone helps everyone else, is extremely strong. Positive celebration of the different cultures represented in the school helps pupils develop a very strong appreciation of faiths, cultures and traditions that may be different to their own. Pupils enjoy all their lessons and have extremely mature attitudes towards learning. Their behaviour is excellent and the school is an orderly environment. With very few exceptions pupils attend school regularly and arrive punctually at the start of the day. Pupils regard school as a very safe place to be. They speak highly of all the adults in the school and see them as their friends and 'protectors'. Many pupils take regular exercise and eat healthily because they are in no doubt how important these things are to their well-being. They love being outside

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Grade: 1

and the recently constructed activity 'Trim Trail' is highly popular. Pupils' sense of responsibility towards others, both within school and beyond, is very strong. For example they get great pleasure from supporting pupils in Africa. Year 6 pupils are moving to high school well equipped for future learning and life.

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Grade: 2

There has been good improvement in Key Stage 1 since the last inspection and throughout the school teaching and learning are now of a consistently good quality. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and teach with confidence. Relationships are excellent and the atmosphere in classrooms is friendly but business like. Lessons are well planned and teachers' accurate understanding of pupils' achievement means work is well matched to their needs. While teachers ask challenging questions they have a tendency to give a little too much information, reducing opportunities for pupils to think and reason for themselves. Teaching assistants play an important and effective role in lessons during group work and when withdrawing pupils for additional support. However, their responsibilities during whole class activities are not always clearly defined and opportunities to aid pupils' understanding are missed. Some higher-level teaching

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Grade: 2

assistants take groups of pupils for particular subjects such as religious education, art and ICT, effectively promoting their understanding and skills. These arrangements work well, as pupils' good achievement shows, and at times it frees up class teachers to work closely with individual pupils who need additional help to achieve their full potential. Teachers mark pupils' work conscientiously and provide constructive guidance on how it can be improved.

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Grade: 2

The carefully structured curriculum has some excellent features. Detailed planning and the innovative use of staff expertise provide pupils with a wide range of opportunities to learn, which they find interesting and stimulating. ICT features prominently and computers are used well to support pupils' learning in different subjects. Activities link subjects together cohesively, and pupils receive frequent opportunities to extend and develop their literacy skills. The curriculum for mathematics has some good features, such as frequent opportunities for pupils to solve problems in everyday contexts. However, it is some time since it was reviewed thoroughly and it is not promoting girls' progress as positively as it does the boys. A comprehensive and 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Idle CofE Primary School, 22–23 June 2009 well-constructed programme supports pupils' personal development extremely well, and an

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Grade: 2

excellent range of additional features, including a wide variety of after-school clubs enrich and broaden pupils' experiences. At the request of the pupils, the number of educational visits has increased of late. These include annual residential visits for all pupils in Key Stage 2 that do much for their confidence and social well-being.

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Grade: 1

Standards of pastoral care are very high. Staff know and understand the pupils extremely well and keep a close watch on all aspects of their personal and academic development. They provide excellent role models and pupils have complete confidence that any concerns they may have will be dealt with fully and sensitively. The high level of commitment shown is shared by all staff. Extremely thorough and effective tracking arrangements enable all pupils to reach challenging targets. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are identified very early and well-structured support programmes quickly deployed. All safeguarding procedures are in place and meet current government requirements. Transfer to and within school and to the next stage of education is organised very effectively and ensures smooth transition. Links with parents are maintained well, particularly through the very informative school website which is

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Grade: 1

managed well by the efficient administrative staff. The school recognises the importance of good attendance and punctuality and has effective systems in place to address any issues.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher and deputy headteacher have complementary skills and, working cohesively as a team, give the school clear direction and a strong sense of purpose. Planning for development is thorough and accurate with creative approaches used to ensure the best use is made of staff expertise. The school's capacity to improve in the future is good. While other members of staff carry out their management responsibilities conscientiously, many are quite new to their posts. They are still learning how to make the best use of the information available to them and, on occasions, some of the intricacies of what is happening in school and why are not fully appreciated. Community cohesion is promoted well. The school has strong links with the local community and regularly participates in community projects and events. The school's contribution to the wider community is good and pupils regularly raise funds to help those less

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Grade: 2

fortunate in the United Kingdom and beyond. By carefully monitoring the progress of each individual and matching provision closely to their needs the school ensures that all pupils have equal opportunities to learn. The manner in which all pupils are made welcome and valued eliminates any possibility of discrimination. Governors support the school well and by monitoring its work for themselves provide the challenge needed to promote further development. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Idle CofE Primary School, 22–23 June 2009 .

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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: Idle CofE Primary School, 22–23 June 2009

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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

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/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: Idle CofE Primary School, 22–23 June 2009

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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 1 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 1 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 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: Idle CofE Primary School, 22–23 June 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for the very friendly greeting you gave the inspectors when we visited your school recently. Lots of you smiled and chatted to us which made us feel comfortable and welcome. We thoroughly enjoyed finding out about the work you do, and special thanks go to those who talked with us about the school. Yours is a good school with some outstanding features and I understand fully why you enjoy it so much. There is a lovely family atmosphere and I was very encouraged by how well you all get along. I was very impressed by the way you work together and help each other and how confidently you set about the challenging problems teachers set. This shows an excellent attitude to learning and does you a great deal of credit. Your behaviour is excellent and you can be very proud of the way you grow into sensible and caring young people. All in all I think your personal development is outstanding.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

The progress you make is good because you are taught well and work hard. I thoroughly enjoyed reading what you had written in your books and was pleased to see that the boys' writing is of a similar quality to that of the girls. There are just a few signs that girls do not do quite as well as boys in mathematics and this is something the school will be looking into. If any of the girls do find mathematics more difficult than reading and writing, try and think why that might be and share it with your teachers. While children get a good start in Reception and enjoy a wide range of interesting activities in the classroom, the outside area could be better used and this is something we have asked the school to look into. Staff take extremely good care of you and I know you appreciate all the help, support and guidance they provide. I am very envious of the many extra activities you get to take part in and the many visits you are taken on. Teachers who manage the school make regular and careful

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

checks of how well it is working. I have suggested that some of the information they collect could at times be used a little better to help you make even more progress. Thank you once again for a very enjoyable two days and best wishes for the future. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Idle CofE Primary School, 22–23 June 2009

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