Woodlea Junior School

119208 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 326971 Inspection number 4–5 December 2008 Inspection dates Kathleen McArthur Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Junior Type of school Community School category 7–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 243 School (total) The governing body Appropriate authority Cllr Fred Heyworth Chair Mrs Julie Ault Headteacher 1 November 2005 Date of previous school inspection Woodlea Road School address Leyland Lancashire PR25 1JL 01772 421992 Telephone number 01772 454364 Fax number

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7–11 Age group 4–5 December 2008 Inspection dates 326971 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: Woodlea Junior School, 4–5 December 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This average sized school stands in extensive grounds in the town centre. Almost all the pupils are of White British heritage and all speak English as their home language. A below average proportion of pupils is entitled to a free school meal. The proportion with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is similar to that found nationally. Social and economic circumstances are broadly average overall, but a significant number of pupils live in a disadvantaged area of the town. There have been a number of staffing changes and the headteacher and deputy have been in post for just over two years. The school holds the Activemark and the 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: Woodlea Junior School, 4–5 December 2008

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school with good features in the way it promotes pupils’ personal and social development and their care and well-being. Inspection findings matched the school’s evaluation of how effective it is. The school’s five shared core values of honesty, speaking and listening carefully, showing respect, perseverance and being trustworthy result in a happy, harmonious school. This was illustrated by one pupil’s comment, ‘Everyone treats you with respect’. Good leadership by the headteacher with a firm focus on school improvement is successfully promoting better quality learning and teaching in a bright, welcoming environment. Parents are pleased with the school and commented favourably on the open door policy and approachable staff. Achievement is satisfactory. Standards in English, mathematics and science are broadly average and pupils make satisfactory progress. They progress well in Years 5 and 6. However, there

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Grade: 3

remains a legacy of some underachievement. Actions to tackle this, including better use of tracking and assessment information, improving behaviour and raising the quality of teaching are having a positive impact. The school is well aware there is more work to be done before actions are fully effective. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress because they are well supported and fully included in all activities. Teaching is satisfactory and improving as the features of good teaching are developing through the reorganisation of teachers. Pupils know what they will be learning; most lessons challenge them and include opportunities for them to ‘self-assess’ how well they are doing, but this good practice is not yet fully consistent across the school. The satisfactory curriculum is enriched well and pupils enjoy a broad choice of after-school clubs. Personal development is good. The school places great importance on this aspect so pupils are

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Grade: 3

happy and cooperative, enjoy school, behave well and are eager to learn. They feel safe, attend regularly and are caring and considerate towards each other. ‘Chat time’ in the playground at the end of lunchtime gives pupils time to resolve any issues calmly and be ready for learning when they go back into class. Parents value the high quality care shown to their children in school. Warm, supportive relationships result in friendly, smiling pupils who feel very secure and ready for learning. Good assessment systems track and monitor pupils’ progress closely. These systems are increasingly effective as staff gain more confidence in using the information when planning lessons. Satisfactory improvement has been made since the last inspection, notably in pupils’ behaviour and the rapidly improving quality of teaching. Leadership and management is satisfactory overall. The leadership team and governors successfully ensure that every child really does

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Grade: 3

matter. They have the full support of all staff in the drive for school improvement. This team gives the school a firm foundation for the future and good capacity for further improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in English, mathematics and science.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Accelerate pupils’ progress throughout the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the overall quality of teaching to that of the best in the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

A small proportion of the 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. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Woodlea Junior School, 4–5 December 2008

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Grade: 3

Attainment is broadly average when pupils enter the school. It does vary and is below average in some years. Progress is inconsistent across the school. Unvalidated results for Year 6 in 2008 were below average, and well below average in mathematics. Targets were missed, despite a slight improvement in English, where most pupils reached the expected level in reading. School records show clearly that the attainment of these pupils was below average when they entered the school. To begin with their progress was slow and they had a long way to go to ‘catch up’ when in upper Key Stage 2. This adversely affected their overall achievement. Leadership swiftly implemented actions that have resulted in improved provision and more effective learning. Better tracking systems and a good level of individual support have boosted progress for pupils currently in Year 6. The most recent teacher assessments show pupils are working in line with

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Grade: 3

national expectations and are on track to reach their challenging targets. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are well supported so they achieve well.

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Grade: 2

Pupils know how to look after their health, saying it is important to eat healthily, exercise and get plenty of fresh air. They feel safe in school, say bullying is not a problem and are sure they can turn to all staff if they need help. Year 6 pupils are proud to act as ‘buddies’ to Year 3 pupils. Behaviour is good and sometimes exemplary, for example in assembly where pupils listen with keen interest. Serving on the school council or eco committee gives pupils good opportunities to help the school community and care for the environment. They gain experience of citizenship by helping the wider community, discussing traffic problems with the local police and fundraising to help George, a boy in Africa. Pupils know they are expected to work hard and are suitably prepared for their future lives in society. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, stemming from the five core school values. Pupils have many good

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Grade: 2

opportunities to reflect on and consider issues that affect their lives. They have a strong moral sense of right and wrong, think the behaviour code is fair and are very proud to receive rewards. Attendance is good overall.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching is improving but is not yet strong enough throughout the school to overcome fully the legacy of inconsistent progress. However, there are an increasing number of good lessons due to better use of assessment information to plan lessons based on pupils’ individual needs. The emphasis in planning has switched from what the teachers do to what pupils will learn and this has had a significant positive impact. Pupils report that ‘learning is fun’. In most lessons, pupils are excited by interesting activities. They stay fully engaged throughout and know they are expected to work hard. One pupil summed this up, ‘We know what we have to do and how to do it.’ Well deployed support assistants make skilled contributions to learning. Occasionally, lessons lack pace or assessment information is not used effectively so pupils are not always challenged and lose concentration which slows their progress.

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Grade: 3

5 of 11 Inspection Report: Woodlea Junior School, 4–5 December 2008

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory and meets all requirements. Appropriate priority is given to literacy, numeracy, science and information and communication technology (ICT) but other subjects are not forgotten. Imaginative links between subjects and interesting homework projects make learning meaningful. For example, history and literacy were linked effectively when pupils wrote a newspaper report about Howard Carter’s discoveries in Egypt. However, this new practice is still being developed. Pupils say they enjoy the weekly focused writing sessions which are helping raise standards. Suitable adaptations enable pupils with learning difficulties and/or difficulties to participate fully and make good progress. The good programme for personal development enables pupils to become increasingly responsible, develop confidence and consider the effect of their actions on others. There is good enrichment through visitors

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Grade: 3

and visits, including musicians, a science show and themed weeks. Year 6 pupils have recently visited the Second World War bunkers in Stockport as part of their history studies. Pupils and parents speak highly of the varied range of popular after-school clubs.

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Grade: 2

Parents really appreciate the support and care the school provides for their children. This is rooted in the school’s strong emphasis on the core values that are regularly shared and discussed with all pupils. Academic, arts, sports and community successes and contributions are celebrated and pupils show great pride when awarded a badge or a ‘hexagon’ or have their name recorded in the ‘Golden Book’. Pupils think they receive clear and fair guidance about behaviour and relationships, resulting in their good conduct. Procedures for safeguarding pupils meet current requirements. Staff do all they can to accommodate vulnerable pupils and those who are admitted during the school year. Learning support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is a strong feature of the school’s provision. Good systems for assessing and tracking are now in place, enabling staff to monitor their pupils’ progress closely and direct extra help

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Grade: 2

swiftly where needed. However, these systems are relatively new and are not yet completely established throughout the school to impact fully and eradicate earlier underachievement.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher’s good leadership sets out a clear vision for raising achievement and standards, using challenging targets. Consequently, the quality and use of assessment systems, teaching and learning and pupils’ behaviour have all improved since the last inspection. Pupils’ progress is beginning to accelerate but there is still some legacy of slow and inadequate progress to overcome. Clear roles and responsibilities for senior leaders are enabling them to make an increasingly strong, supportive contribution to improvement planning. Performance management and staff training support improvement priorities. Governance is satisfactory; well informed governors hold the school to account and carefully monitor the budget. Good arrangements promote community cohesion; pupils are well aware of different ways of life and cultures locally and in the wider world. There is good provision for equal opportunities. Value for money is

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Grade: 3

satisfactory. The school invests carefully in resources for learning; the new ICT equipment that enables pupils to view each others’ work on the whiteboard is proving very useful. The school 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Woodlea Junior School, 4–5 December 2008 works well with other schools, the local authority and support agencies to reinforce learning and pupils’ welfare. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Woodlea Junior School, 4–5 December 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: Woodlea Junior School, 4–5 December 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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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 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: Woodlea Junior School, 4–5 December 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 2 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 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: Woodlea Junior School, 4–5 December 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

7 December 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Woodlea Junior School, Lancashire, PR25 1JL I would like to thank you for making the inspectors welcome during our visit last week. We enjoyed talking to you and everyone was very polite, friendly and helpful. I enjoyed hearing you sing in assembly and seeing you listening so carefully to the story of Samuel. I could tell you were very proud to get a Hexagon or your name in the Golden Book, and everyone in school was very pleased for you too. Your parents are happy with the school and told us that you enjoy school. I thought you would like to know what the inspectors found. Woodlea is a satisfactory school that makes sure your personal development is good and looks after and guides you well. Year 6 look after their Year 3 ‘buddies’ well and the inspectors were impressed by your good, kind behaviour and by how well you use ‘chat time’ to sort out any problems and make friends. You know how to be healthy, feel safe and are keen to help your

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

school and the local community, and to raise funds for other children like George in Africa. Your progress is satisfactory, you work hard and usually reach the standards expected for your age. Teaching is sound and you cover every subject, including ICT, and enjoy the lessons, especially ‘Big Writing’. You get plenty of visits and visitors and I saw many of you enjoying the choir and the drama club. The inspectors have asked the school to help you make faster progress and reach higher standards in English, mathematics and science. We have also suggested that the staff aim to make sure that all lessons are as good as the very best ones. So look out for more challenges in your work and keep doing your best in everything! The inspectors send you our best wishes for a very happy Christmas. Kathleen McArthur Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Woodlea Junior School, 4–5 December 2008

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