Rokeby Park Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 30 Apr 2009

Rokeby Park Primary School Inspection report

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117813 Unique Reference Number Kingston-upon-Hull Local Authority 326689 Inspection number 29–30 April 2009 Inspection dates Kathryn Dodd 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 157 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 Margaret Tate Chair Mrs Marie Fox Headteacher 2 February 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Gershwin Avenue School address Anlaby Park Road North Hull HU4 7NJ 01482 508915 Telephone number 01482 508915 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 29–30 April 2009 Inspection dates 326689 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: Rokeby Park Primary School, 29–30 April 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

Almost all of the pupils at this smaller than average-sized school are from White British family backgrounds. The school serves pupils in the immediate locality, which includes areas of significant social and economic disadvantage. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is above average and increasing. The proportion of pupils leaving or joining the school partway through their primary education is also above average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is similar to that found nationally. The school makes provision for the Early Years Foundation Stage in the Nursery and Reception classes. Most other pupils are taught in mixed-aged classes. The school has been accredited with the national Healthy Schools 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: Rokeby Park Primary School, 29–30 April 2009

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Grade: 2

This good school has an accurate view of its effectiveness and provides good value for money. Some aspects of the school are outstanding. For example, the quality of education in the Early Years Foundation Stage is excellent and is a strength of the school. In these classes, as a result of outstanding welfare for children and exceptional provision overall, children make a superb start to their education. Similarly, a strong commitment to ensuring that each and every pupil achieves well in an exceedingly inclusive, caring and nurturing setting is highly evident, across the school. As a result, pupils achieve well and their personal development and well-being is good. Pupils are polite, well-behaved, feel safe and happy and enjoy learning together within a harmonious and vibrant school community. Parents have very positive views of the school. They acknowledge that their children ‘thrive within a safe and supportive environment’ and

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Grade: 2

are very pleased with their choice of school for their children. As a result of good quality teaching and learning and a good curriculum, pupils make good progress from their very low starting points, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Standards at the end of Year 6 are broadly average. Standards in mathematics and science are higher than in English, however, where standards in writing lag behind those in reading, particularly the boys’. In the Year 6 class, teaching and learning are particularly good. As a result, pupils’ progress accelerates. Teachers’ very high expectations to move learning forward at a rapid pace and skilled questioning that challenges pupils’ thinking keeps pupils fully engaged throughout lessons, along with ongoing opportunities for pupils to discuss their learning targets. These practices are not embedded as well in Years 1 to 5. Sensible adaptations

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Grade: 2

to the curriculum boost learning for pupils where it is needed most., For example, there are early signs that pupils’ progress in writing has started to speed up, following a recent whole-school focus. Even so, progress in writing continues to be held back by a lack of opportunities for pupils to write fluently and accurately across the curriculum subjects. Pupils’ good academic achievement and personal development is the result of good quality leadership and management. The school’s commitment to providing a fully inclusive education is kept firmly in view at all times. Effective partnerships beyond school, including with other schools, churches, external support agencies and with parents, all contribute to the good quality of education on offer. Good improvement has been made since the previous inspection, despite recent challenges, such as the devastating flooding in 2007. Recent changes in the senior

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Grade: 2

leadership team structure have strengthened the quality of leadership and management. Senior leaders are making a strong contribution to the evaluation of the school’s performance. There is a strong sense of shared responsibility and accountability for bringing about improvement. Skilled evaluation of pupils’ performance information ensures improvement priorities are spotted quickly. There is a good capacity to continue to improve.

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Grade: 1

When children join the Nursery class, their skills are well below those found typically for their age and notably so in their communication skills. The extremely warm and caring relationships with adults, along with a bright and lively learning environment, capture children’s imaginations. Children learn quickly that coming to school is great fun. As a result of outstanding teaching and learning and a curriculum that is well-tailored to meet children’s varying needs, children make outstanding progress. By the time they start Year 1, many children have reached the 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Rokeby Park Primary School, 29–30 April 2009 expected levels in most aspects of learning. Children’s communication skills, however, remain below average. By using themes, such as ‘homes’, learning is brought alive. Teachers and support staff work together very effectively. They record carefully and accurately children’s small steps

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Grade: 1

in learning, including their achievements at home. They use this to plan future learning, so that it builds very effectively on what children can already do. Children’s personal, social and emotional development is excellent. Adults make the most of opportunities to help children to get along well together, to take turns, to share, to talk about learning and to develop independence. Children are very keen to contribute to their school community, for example by growing strawberries in the school garden. Leadership and management are outstanding, building successfully on the quality of provision reported at the previous inspection.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that the best teaching practices evident in the Year 6 class with Years 1 are used in Years 1 to 5 also. ■ Extend opportunities across the curriculum subjects for pupils to write fluently and accurately, so that progression in writing accelerates, particularly for the boys.

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Grade: 2

Between Years 1 and 6, pupils achieve well. Standards by the end of Year 6 are broadly average. The small size of each year group can lead to annual variations in performance in national tests and teacher assessments, along with a high proportion of pupils who leave or join the school partway through their primary education,. These factors contributed to the below average published assessments for Year 2 pupils in 2008. Inspection evidence shows that current standards in Year 2 are average, representing good progress. Standards in writing, however, are below average, and pupils’ progress is satisfactory. Whilst pupils make good progress between Years 3 and 6, learning accelerates in the Year 6 class, reflecting particularly good teaching. As a result, pupils currently in Year 6 are on track to exceed their challenging learning targets. Standards in English at Year 6, however, remain broadly average. Standards in writing

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Grade: 2

across the school continue to lag behind those in reading, particularly for the boys. The school has already identified raising standards in writing and boys’ achievement as key priorities for improvement, and there are early signs that efforts are starting to bring improvements.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils learn together harmoniously. They behave well and demonstrate sensible and mature attitudes towards their learning. Pupils say confidently that incidents of bullying are rare and that they feel safe and secure. They are proud to belong to their school community. Older pupils enjoy opportunities for taking on responsibilities, such as being ‘playtime buddies’. However, pupils’ participation in activities that will enable them to influence school decision making, including through the school council are not yet fully developed. Pupils’ good understanding of healthy lifestyles shows in their eagerness to participate in the many after-school sporting activities on offer. Attendance is satisfactory and the school works hard to promote better attendance with both parents and pupils. Pupils show sensitivity and respect

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Grade: 2

for the similarities and differences of individuals within their school and of the cultural and faith differences of others nearby and around the world. Activities help to promote pupils’ 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Rokeby Park Primary School, 29–30 April 2009 entrepreneurial skills and business sense, such as making a profitable return on a small initial investment. These good personal qualities, along with good progress in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills, prepare them well for the next stage of their education.

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Grade: 2

Good teaching and learning enable pupils to achieve well. Good organisation, very positive relationships, adept use of computerised teaching boards, effective use of praise and careful and sensitive deployment of highly-skilled teaching assistants all make a strong contribution to pupils’ good progress. Effective use is made of assessment information, showing what pupils can already do, to plan the next steps in learning and to provide work that meets the different ages and abilities within classes. In Year 6, pupils’ progress accelerates. Here, a combination of extremely lively, fast-moving teaching that excites, engages and challenges pupils, skilled questioning that keeps pupils ‘on their toes’, along with regular opportunities for pupils to discuss their next learning steps, ensure that pupils rise to the very high expectations made of them. However, the very best teaching practices are not consistently well-embedded in other

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Grade: 2

classes. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve well because they have good support within the classroom to complete work that is matched carefully to their individual learning needs.

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Grade: 2

A good quality curriculum enables pupils to make good progress. There is a good balance between the subjects of the curriculum. A strong emphasis on promoting pupils’ personal development and well-being ensures that they achieve well, both academically and in their personal development. Pupils’ good enjoyment of school is supported by a strong commitment from the school to broadening and enriching the curriculum and everyday experiences. Effective partnerships in the locality extend the range of sporting activities on offer. There are regular opportunities for pupils to learn to extend ICT skills across the subjects. This represents an improvement since the previous inspection. Recent adaptations have been made to the curriculum in writing, providing learning experiences that motivate pupils, particularly boys, to want to write. These adaptations are helping to address pupils’ weaknesses in this writing. Even

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Grade: 2

so, opportunities for pupils to improve the fluency and accuracy of their writing skills are too limited to accelerate their progress. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and those whose learning needs additional support are able to learn effectively alongside their peers and have equal access to the full curriculum, because of the careful, high quality support from teaching assistants and the careful consideration given to adapting the curriculum to meeting their needs.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ care and welfare are at the heart of the school. High-quality pastoral support is evident in daily practices. Arrangements for safeguarding pupils are in place. Pupils are confident that someone, adult or peer, is always on hand to help. Good partnerships with support agencies 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Rokeby Park Primary School, 29–30 April 2009 reflect the school’s commitment to helping the increasing proportion of pupils with social and emotional needs. The ‘learning links worker’ has played a significant role in helping to raise the aspirations of pupils and parents and in promoting greater involvement of parents in the life of the school. There are effective procedures for highlighting peaks and troughs in pupils’ learning, such as the achievement of boys and in writing. Pupils in Year 6 have a particularly good understanding of how well they are getting on and their next learning steps are firmly in

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Grade: 2

view, including in teachers’ marking, which guides further improvement.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. Making sure that each child can achieve well, within a very caring, safe, nurturing and exceptionally inclusive setting, is a key factor in the school’s success. This stems from the effective leadership of the headteacher, who works tirelessly to promote school improvement. She values highly the contribution of everyone. As a result, there is a strong team spirit amongst the staff. Leaders play a very effective role in reviewing the school’s performance, monitoring and evaluating the quality of education on offer and in shaping the school’s direction. Although governors are very committed and give their time generously to the school, their skills in these aspects are not yet fully developed. , Despite the challenges faced by serving an area of increasing social and economic disadvantage and the additional difficulties arising from recent flooding, the school has continued to improve at a

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Grade: 2

good rate. Successes are evident, for example, in the improvements in ICT, the quality of education in the Early Years Foundation Stage, and in the careful analysis of the school’s performance that pinpoints improvement priorities swiftly and precisely. The school promotes cohesion successfully within the community, both nearby and further a field. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Rokeby Park Primary School, 29–30 April 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: Rokeby Park Primary School, 29–30 April 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?

1 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 1 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 1 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 1 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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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/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: Rokeby Park Primary School, 29–30 April 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 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 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: Rokeby Park Primary School, 29–30 April 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Dear Pupils Inspection of Rokeby Park Primary School, Kingston-upon-Hull, HU4 7NJ Thank you so much for the warm welcome you gave me and my colleague when we inspected your school. We really enjoyed being part of your school community. You were eager to talk to us and answered our questions thoughtfully, politely and maturely. Your behaviour was good and you showed good attitudes to your learning. It was good to hear that you feel safe and happy. All the adults give you lots of encouragement to grow in confidence and to learn the skills you will need as adults in the future. I particularly enjoyed hearing about how older pupils have managed to make a profit from an initial £5 investment and watching children in the Reception class getting the ground ready for planting their strawberry seeds. You get lots of chances to take part in exciting activities like these, which help you to enjoy school. You were

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

all clearly enjoying learning in assembly, when Year 6 pupils, along with your visitors, acted out a story about the importance of building our lives on good and firm foundations. You all listened so respectfully. It was easy for us to see why you enjoy coming to school. Your parents told us they are pleased with your school. We agree with them that you go to a good school. Although, by Year 6, the standards that you reach are similar to those expected for that age, the rate at which you learn is faster than expected. It is very fast indeed in the Nursery and Reception classes. It is also faster in Year 6 than it is in Years 1 to 5. Your good progress and attitudes to learning are the reasons why you are well prepared for going to secondary school. Even though the adults who work at your school know that you do well in your learning, they still search for ways to improve your school so that it continues to get better

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

all the time. This is why we have asked the school to make sure that:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ pupils in Years 1 to 5, learn as quickly as those in Year 6

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you have more chances and particularly for boys to practise writing fluently and accurately when you do work in all the curriculum subjects, so that do you as well in writing as you do in reading and mathematics. You can help by making sure that you always check what you still have to do to reach your learning targets, and by continuing to try your best in everything you do. I wish you all the best for a successful future and good luck with the strawberries - I hope they are delicious! Yours faithfully Kathryn Dodd Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Rokeby Park Primary School, 29–30 April 2009

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