Newton Hill Community School

Newton Hill Junior and Infant School Inspection report

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108164 Unique Reference Number Wakefield Local Authority 324715 Inspection number 9–10 February 2009 Inspection dates Derek Pattinson 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 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 163 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 Mr Mark Colley Chair Mrs K Briggs Headteacher 5 April 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Leeds Road School address Newton Hill Wakefield West Yorkshire WF1 2HR

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3–11 Age group 9–10 February 2009 Inspection dates 324715 Inspection number 01924 303680 Telephone number 01924 303680 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 9–10 February 2009 Inspection dates 324715 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. 3 of 12 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 9–10 February 2009

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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 smaller than average primary school. Most pupils are White British. About half live in the immediate area. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is much lower than found nationally. The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic groups and those who are learning to speak English as an additional language are below average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is rising, but is still below what is typical. The Early Years Foundation Stage consists of a Nursery with children who attend part-time and Reception children who are in a mixed-age class with Year 1 pupils. Awards achieved include the Healthy Schools Award and the Activemark. Pupil numbers have fallen, a new leadership team has been appointed and there have been some staffing changes since the previous inspection. Extended provision is available for pupils before and after school. That provision was inspected

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Description of the school

separately, at the same time as the school inspection, and receives a separately written report.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 12 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 9–10 February 2009

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school. It provides effective pastoral care for its pupils resulting in their good personal development. The satisfactory curriculum ensures they steadily develop knowledge and important skills. Pupils enjoy school, which helps to explain why attendance is above the national average. They have a good understanding of healthy lifestyles, are happy to shoulder responsibility, support good causes and are soundly equipped for the next stage of their education. Community cohesion is promoted satisfactorily within the school and local community. However, there are weaknesses in teaching and learning and in how regularly the school monitors aspects of its work to help drive up standards. Links with parents are not as good as they could be. Many pupils do not yet know their targets to help steer their learning, particularly in English and mathematics, although academic guidance is satisfactory and improving.

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Grade: 3

Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage because teaching is good. They make overall satisfactory progress as they move through Years 1 to 6. However, progress is uneven because teaching is too variable. Secure relationships, a brisk pace and work which is well matched to pupils' needs are features of good lessons. However, in less effective lessons, teachers allow too little time for pupils to work independently and at the right level, which slows progress. Current standards are average, but variability in teaching quality has resulted in fluctuations in end-of-key stage standards over recent years and some underachievement. However, with improving tracking of pupils' progress and careful analysis of data, the school now identifies pupils who are slipping behind, takes corrective action and can make accurate predictions about pupils' future performances. As a result, projections indicate that standards

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Grade: 3

in the national tests and assessments this year in English, mathematics and science are likely to be broadly average. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The experienced headteacher has done well to hold things together during a period of staffing upheaval and financial constraint due largely to declining pupil numbers. These restrictions have adversely affected the pace of school improvement. This has resulted in the school making satisfactory, rather than good, progress since the previous inspection. Nevertheless, the headteacher knows what to do to move the school on. Priorities are the right ones for the new leadership team to pursue. Subject leaders are starting to check regularly on how pupils are performing in English, mathematics and science to help them identify what works well and what needs doing. However, the monitoring of the work of teachers and pupils is not undertaken regularly enough to be of best possible use as

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Grade: 3

the school strives to raise achievement. Governance is good. The forward-looking governing body has a good grasp of the school's strengths and what it needs to do to improve. Given the satisfactory progress most pupils make, the sound leadership and the current rate of school improvement, the school provides satisfactory value for money and has a satisfactory capacity to improve further.

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Grade: 2

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides children with a good start to their school life. It successfully lays down secure foundations for learning. Children's skills and understanding are overall at the expected level for their age when they start school, although often lower in reading and calculation. Children achieve well, especially in personal development and in communication, language and literacy from their variable starting points. This is because 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 9–10 February 2009 teaching is good. Teachers and other adults forge good relationships with children and give them much encouragement and praise. The good leadership ensures that all have high expectations of children. An appropriate balance of well-planned activities are provided, some organised by adults and others chosen by children themselves. The imaginative use of the interesting and bright indoor areas encourages children to make choices, to learn, to share and

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Grade: 2

to become independent. The school is aware that outdoor areas are not yet used to their full extent to promote learning. Children enjoy their learning because teachers organise many interesting, well-planned and enjoyable activities. Committed staff provide good quality care. As a result, children are happy, safe and feel secure.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the quality and consistency of teaching so that pupils have enough time to work independently and complete work which is at the right level for their abilities. ■ Check the work of the school more systematically to help pupils make the best possible progress. ■ Ensure that all pupils know their targets in English and mathematics and what they need to do to achieve them. ■ Improve the links with parents.

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What the school should do to improve further

A small proportion of 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

Achievement is satisfactory and standards close to what is typical nationally for pupils by the end of Year 6. Standards dipped between 2005 and 2007 in Key Stage 1 to below average, but recovered in 2008. Provisional test results at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2008 indicate that standards were below average in English, mathematics and science. However, data provided by the school and inspection evidence from lessons indicate that current standards are close to average in both key stages. This is largely because more rigorous procedures are now established to measure the progress of all pupils to help drive up standards and stop the see-sawing of results which has been a feature in Key Stage 2. It is a similar picture in Key Stage 1, where standards are now close to those expected nationally. The school can now demonstrate that the rate of progress in most years is improving. Pupils with learning difficulties

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Grade: 3

and/or disabilities achieve satisfactorily. The school sets realistic targets to raise attainment, but these are not yet always as ambitious as they should be.

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Grade: 2

Most pupils behave well, have positive attitudes to learning and enjoy school. This helps to explain the above average attendance. Pupils are welcoming to visitors and are predominantly kind and supportive of each other. They have a good understanding of how to keep safe and a good sense of the importance of healthy living, recognised through the Healthy Schools and Activemark Awards. Pupils say that misbehaviour does sometimes occur, but that few pupils are involved and that it is always dealt with. As a result, pupils' mostly good behaviour has a positive impact on their learning. Pupils know right from wrong and most happily follow agreed school rules. Thoughtful and well-led assemblies, in which pupils share spiritual experiences 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 9–10 February 2009 during reflective moments, help ensure good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities. They support a range of charities, both locally, nationally and internationally. The school council makes a positive contribution to the school's work. For example, it has organised a rota for football, allocated rugby spaces for playtime and arranged a quiet area in the playground. Pupils develop satisfactory basic skills which support their future education and later lives.

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Grade: 3

Most parents rightly believe that teachers are approachable and supportive of their children. Secure relationships and effective management of pupils underpin learning in most lessons. In good lessons, teachers give their pupils lots of encouragement and use questions effectively to challenge their thinking. As a result pupils try hard to get things right. Pupils are clear about what they have to do to make good progress. In the best lessons, information and communication technology (ICT) and other resources are often used well to support pupils' learning, often through practical tasks which increase their interest and involvement. However, the pace of some lessons is not brisk enough and work is not always matched to pupils' abilities. As a result work is sometimes too easy or hard. Pupils sometimes have too little opportunity to work at their own rate to practise new learning. This is because teachers often talk for too long at the

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Grade: 3

start of lessons. Teaching assistants are not always used to best effect to help support pupils. As a result of these inconsistencies, progress is uneven, especially as pupils move through Key Stage 2.

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Grade: 3

The school's satisfactory curriculum meets the needs of most pupils. It provides enjoyment through a sound variety of learning opportunities. It meets statutory requirements and, as a result, pupils steadily develop knowledge and skills. The school is starting to strengthen basic skills by linking subjects together to help bring learning to life and promote wider understanding. As a result, opportunities are increasing for pupils to learn through 'first hand' experiences to help make learning fun. ICT is used increasingly to support learning. Older pupils learn French, which adds relevance to the curriculum. Themes, such as an Eid week held last term, engage pupils' interests, promote cultural diversity, develop important skills and enable pupils to work together. Good use is made of local resources and pupils enjoy visits to museums and parks and enjoy residential breaks. The curriculum actively promotes the importance of healthy

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Grade: 3

lifestyles. For example, a good range of school clubs and links with a local college help promote activity through sport and dancing.

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Grade: 3

There is effective pastoral care for all pupils. Staff have a high concern for their welfare. As a result most pupils feel safe and have someone to turn to. Safeguarding arrangements meet current government requirements. Most parents support the school, although a minority hold negative views. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are soundly supported by the school's few teaching assistants, although the quality of support is variable. Nevertheless, 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 9–10 February 2009 they make similar progress to their class-mates. Appropriate links with various agencies ensure that vulnerable pupils and pupils in the early stages of learning to speak English as an additional language get the help they need. Academic guidance is satisfactory. Data is rigorously analysed to help identify pupils falling behind so that they receive targeted support. There are regular

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Grade: 3

checks of how pupils are doing to make sure they are 'on track'. Pupils are starting to evaluate their own work and the work of others. However, the setting of targets to help steer pupils' learning is at an early stage. They do not have targets in mathematics and many pupils do not yet know them well enough in English. Marking does not always help pupils to improve as well as acknowledge what they have achieved. As a result pupils are not yet involved enough in understanding what they have learnt and what they need to do to improve.

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Grade: 3

The experienced headteacher and new deputy headteacher promote a shared vision and a caring and supportive ethos in which all are valued. However, financial constraints due to declining pupil numbers and recent staffing upheaval have restricted achievements. Nevertheless, the headteacher is successfully leading the school forward and there is clear direction to the school's work. Her knowledge of the school is reflected in the school's mostly accurate self-evaluation that takes the views of staff, governors and parents into account. As a result improvement planning focuses largely on the right priorities to help raise standards. Shared responsibility and accountability are slowly developing. For example, subject leaders of core subjects are gradually becoming more skilled at checking on the school's work and performance. However, the monitoring of teaching and learning is not yet regular enough to help raise achievement

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Grade: 3

quickly. The promotion of community cohesion through national and global contexts is not given enough emphasis. The school has not yet established sufficiently strong links with parents in order for them to better support the work of the school. Governance is good. Governors have a clear view of what needs doing to drive up quality and standards. Their skills, interests and expertise are harnessed to enable them to support the school well. As a result the governing body now plays a full part in holding the leaders and managers to account. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 9–10 February 2009 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 9–10 February 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? 3 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. 10 of 12 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 9–10 February 2009

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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 2 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 3 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? 3 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? 11 of 12 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 9–10 February 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for being so friendly and talking to the inspectors when we visited your school recently to find out how well you are learning. We enjoyed being in your school, visiting your lessons and listening to what you had to say. We judged that the school gives you a satisfactory education. You told us that you liked your school and there are many things that we liked about your school too.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Most of you are friendly, kind and polite towards each other and the teachers and other adults who work with you. ■ Staff take good care of you.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We saw that almost all of you try hard and behave well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You know about the importance of staying healthy and keeping safe.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We are especially pleased that so many of you come to school regularly and arrive on time.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ During your time in school most of you make similar progress in English, mathematics and science that pupils in most other schools do. This is what we have asked your school to do next.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We have asked your teachers to give you work that always helps you learn as well as you can and that you have plenty of time to complete it. ■ We have asked your headteacher and teachers to look carefully and regularly at how well you and they are doing so that you make quicker progress. ■ Your teachers should make sure that you all know your targets in English and mathematics and what you need to do to achieve them. ■ We have also asked the school to ensure that parents know about everything that is happening so that they can all support the school as well as they can. Thank you again for your help with the inspection of your school. I hope that you will continue to work hard and help your teachers so that your school becomes an even better place to learn. 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Newton Hill Junior and Infant School, 9–10 February 2009

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