Shadsworth Infant School

Shadsworth Infant School Inspection report

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119220 Unique Reference Number Blackburn with Darwen Local Authority 326973 Inspection number 11–12 September 2008 Inspection dates Joseph Clark 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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Infant Type of school Community School category 3–7 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 177 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 Christiana Barnes Chair Mrs Barbara Booth MBE Headteacher 1 September 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Rothesay Road School address Blackburn Lancashire BB1 2EL 01254 698002 Telephone number 01254 279294 Fax number

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3–7 Age group 11–12 September 2008 Inspection dates 326973 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: Shadsworth Infant School, 11–12 September 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This medium size infant school has Early Years Foundation Stage provision. Most of its children come from areas of high social and economic deprivation. The proportion of children entitled to free school meals is well above average. Most children who attend the Nursery continue into the Reception year of the main school. The vast majority of children are from White British backgrounds and have English as their first language. The proportion of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well above average.

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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: Shadsworth Infant School, 11–12 September 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school which gives good value for money. Some of its work is exceptionally good. The care the school takes of its pupils is outstanding, not only in the school setting but in the way the school reaches out into the community to engage parents and carers and a wide range of supporting agencies. Relationships throughout the school are very supportive and help raise pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. Pupils’ personal development is good. They enjoy school, behave well and have positive attitudes to learning. Their attendance, which is average, has improved markedly since the previous inspection. They know about how important it is to watch what they eat and are enthusiastic about physical activity. They feel safe in school and say there is no bullying. The school is working hard to improve pupils’ weak basic skills, particularly in English. As a result, there have been significant improvements in pupils’ reading and

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Grade: 2

mathematical skills. In their academic work pupils make good progress and achieve well. They enter school with levels of attainment which are well below those normally seen, particularly in speaking and listening and in personal and social skills. They make good progress and, although standards fluctuate, they usually leave Year 2 with standards that are close to average. Current standards are just short of the levels expected for this age group. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and children entitled to free school meals make the same good progress as other pupils. The Nursery provides an excellent start to children’s schooling, both academically and in personal development. In Reception, children’s personal development continues to be outstanding. Pupils make good progress because teaching and learning are good and the curriculum is well matched to their needs. Systems of assessment are in place but need simplification and greater

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Grade: 2

coherence to be fully effective. The school is effectively led and managed. The headteacher gives clear direction and has successfully managed recent wide ranging changes in staffing and in teacher roles. Governors are supportive and encouraging and, despite having four vacancies on the governing body, they manage their responsibilities effectively. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school and very happy with what the school provides. As one parent wrote, ‘My children have come on so much since they have been at this school. The school is brilliant and the teachers are really good with the children and the parents.’

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Grade: 2

Children start Nursery with levels of development which are significantly below those expected for their ages and abilities, especially in literacy and personal development. Most children make good progress in the Foundation Stage and the number of children reaching the expected goals for their ages is increasing. The provision for the youngest children in this very caring and supportive Nursery is outstanding. They make rapid progress and become eager learners and happy individuals. Every child receives a home visit to ensure that their first day in school is as happy as it can be for both parents and children. Once children settle into the daily routines of Nursery life they are helped to make the right choices, become independent, share toys, take turns, control their temper and develop good learning attitudes such as ‘good listening and sitting’. This is not left to chance as photographs and adult role models show them what

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Grade: 2

4 of 11 Inspection Report: Shadsworth Infant School, 11–12 September 2008 this means and of course every child and parent knows that ‘Flip the Bear’ is also on hand to help them! By the time children move into the Reception class they have made considerable gains in their learning. Higher attaining children can confidently count beyond twenty and are able to recognise letters, sounds and simple words. The excellent emphasis on promoting children’s personal development continues and relationships are warm, caring and sensitive. As a result, after only a few days in school, children adapt easily to new routines, happily engage in choosing their own activities, and confidently make new friends. Some teacher led tasks and some tasks children choose for themselves lack sufficient challenge for those children who learn at a faster rate.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Develop a coherent system of assessment that will track children’s progress as they move through the school. ■ Ensure that the learning activities provided for the higher attaining children in the Reception class are consistently challenging at all times.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enter Year 1 with standards that fluctuate from year-to-year but are generally below average. In 2007, assessments at the end of Year 2 indicated that standards were below average and pupils’ achievement, given their starting points, was satisfactory. Provisional results for 2008 support inspection evidence that standards are now just short of expected levels and achievement is good. There has been good improvement in reading and in mathematics. In 2008, boys did much better than girls. When compared with similar schools, pupils achieved higher than average results. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those entitled to free school meals achieve as well as other pupils. The school provides a strong creative arts curriculum and standards in art are above average.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development is good. Attendance is satisfactory. Pupils like coming to school because not only do they enjoy their lessons and the many other activities the school provides, but they feel secure and happy in their relationships with both adults and each other. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They behave well, responding positively to the Shadsworth Bear and other visual toys. They have good attitudes to learning. Pupils are well aware, through good curriculum provision and especially in sport, of the benefits of safe practices and adopting a healthy lifestyle. The school has the Activemark award. Through involvement in events such as the Shadsworth Festival, pupils make an outstanding contribution to the local community. In school, they love to exercise responsibility, for example as line leaders or water monitors. Pupils have the personal qualities and skills to make the most of the next

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Grade: 2

stage of their education. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Shadsworth Infant School, 11–12 September 2008

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. There are some common strengths in the teaching. Relationships are very supportive and encourage pupils to want to learn. Teachers have good support from a strong team of classroom assistants who help them cope successfully with the different range of abilities in the class. Planning is good and activities are interesting, often exciting and generally well matched to pupils’ ability, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. There are examples of the effective use of assessments to tell pupils how to improve work but such good practice needs to be used with consistency and rigour in every curriculum area.

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Grade: 2

A good curriculum prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education. A good programme of social and health education provides the pupils with the necessary tools to develop personal safety, care and healthy living. The emphasis on promoting pupils’ thinking and problem-solving skills, collaborative working and independence are contributing to their success as learners and to their future success as young citizens. Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs and other activities, including ‘Active Kids’ and ‘Pyramid’ club, which contribute to their enjoyment and build self-confidence. Through very well planned visits and visitors, pupils develop a very good understanding of the many different cultures and faiths in their town. Links with a school in China extend pupils’ horizons. An excellent curriculum link with a school whose pupils are almost entirely from minority ethnic backgrounds helps pupils at Shadsworth recognise and appreciate

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Grade: 2

the diversity of cultures in the wider society.

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Grade: 2

The school takes excellent care of its pupils. Required safeguarding and health and safety procedures are in place. Relationships are caring and supportive. Teachers and other adults know their pupils extremely well. They provide effective support not only to the pupils but to their families in the wider community. Pupils are happy in school and say they feel safe and secure. Parents acknowledge that the school takes very good care of their children and appreciate that the school’s motto of ‘Sharing and Caring’ is exemplified in everything their children are taught. Links with outside support agencies are excellent, not only with regard to supporting the pupils, but also in providing support to the other adults in their lives.

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Grade: 2

The school is well led and managed. The headteacher provides clear direction for what needs to be done to bring about further improvement. The contribution made by middle managers, many of whom are new to their roles, is satisfactory. There are good systems in place for monitoring the work of the school and accurately evaluating how well it is doing. More streamlined systems for tracking pupils’ progress as they move through the school has already 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Shadsworth Infant School, 11–12 September 2008 been identified as an area for development. There are excellent links with parents. Almost half the total number of parents and carers returned the Ofsted questionnaire, the overwhelming majority of whom expressed strong support and appreciation for the school’s values and ethos, and for initiatives such as ‘Share’. The school’s promotion of community cohesion is outstanding. Governors work hard and support the school enthusiastically. Improvement since the previous

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Grade: 2

inspection has been good and there is good capacity to improve further. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Shadsworth Infant School, 11–12 September 2008 .

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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: Shadsworth Infant School, 11–12 September 2008

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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needs of learners?

Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well being? 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 1 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? 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: Shadsworth Infant School, 11–12 September 2008

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 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? 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 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 1 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: Shadsworth Infant School, 11–12 September 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Dear Pupils Inspection of Shadsworth Infant School, Blackburn with Darwen, BB1 2EL Thank you so much for your warm welcome when we inspected your school recently. We really appreciated the help you gave us in sharing your work and your ideas. Yours is a good school where everyone is rightly proud of all that you achieve. These are some of the things we thought about your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ ■ Your teachers and all the adults in the school take excellent care of you.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your behaviour is good and everybody in the school gets on well together.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your attendance is improving all the time – keep it up!

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ In lessons you try really hard and are making good progress in your learning.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Everybody in the area thinks your school is wonderful.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We have asked the school to do two simple things to help you do even better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make up a better system for keeping track on how well you are doing in your work and what you need to do next to get even better. ■ Give you more interesting and harder things to do when you start in the Reception class.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you once again for being so friendly and helpful and good luck for the future! Yours sincerely Joe Clark Carole Cressey Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Shadsworth Infant School, 11–12 September 2008

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