Willerby Carr Lane Primary School

Willerby Carr Lane Primary School Inspection report

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135115 Unique Reference Number East Riding of Yorkshire Local Authority 329028 Inspection number 9–10 March 2009 Inspection dates Andrew Saunders 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 4–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 497 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 Ron Dickinson Chair Mr Sean Smith Headteacher Not previously inspected Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Carr Lane School address Willerby Hull HU10 6JT 01482 653388 Telephone number 01482 659345 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 9–10 March 2009 Inspection dates 329028 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: Willerby Carr Lane Primary School, 9–10 March 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Willerby Carr Lane Primary School came into being through the combining of the infant and junior schools on the site, in September 2007. It is larger than average, although the roll is set to be reduced over the next few years. There are a few pupils from a range of minority ethnic groups, although most are from a White British background. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including moderate learning difficulties is small; there are a few pupils with additional behavioural needs. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is low, as is the percentage of pupils with English as an additional language. The school provides a breakfast club and after school club. The school will move into the new, combined building in September 2009. The school has gained the Basic Skills Quality Mark and has achieved the Healthy Schools award. There is no previous inspection report as this is a new school.

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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: Willerby Carr Lane Primary School, 9–10 March 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. The turbulence of recent changes has been successfully managed to ensure that pupils develop confidence and reach high standards. This is because the headteacher provides strong leadership with a clear vision for a learning, caring community. Along with his senior leadership team, he has ensured that there is a compelling sense of teamwork towards this goal. Pupils are happy and enjoy coming to school, as shown through their good attendance. As a parent observed, the school provides ‘an ideal environment for learning, with a home from home atmosphere’. Pupils get along cheerfully and most behave well and are keen to learn. There can be low level disruption in some lessons, when a few pupils let themselves down because they are not always willing to focus on the tasks set for them or to listen to what others are saying. This happens more often where work provided is not as challenging as in the best

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Grade: 2

lessons. The curriculum has very recently been updated to reflect a creative approach, more closely matched to the interests of pupils. This means that, while the curriculum is currently satisfactory, it is improving. Parents and pupils appreciate the well organised before and after school clubs provided by the school. The pastoral care pupils receive is good because staff know the pupils well; as a result pupils feel well cared for and safe. Parents appreciate the availability of teachers to talk about concerns or their child’s progress, and the amount of information they receive on how to help learning happen at home. The academic guidance pupils receive is good, such as the targets pupils are working towards. However, in some lessons marking does not provide specific advice on how to improve, and there are too few opportunities to respond to such advice. Good subject knowledge and a willingness to try out, and evaluate, new ways of learning mean that teaching

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Grade: 2

is good and improving. Learning is also good, although pupils are too reliant on the teachers to provide them with the ‘right’ answers at times and are not sufficiently independent in their learning. Pupils gain a good knowledge of how to stay healthy and keenly participate in the many physical activities available. Pupils who are vulnerable, either socially or academically, receive help that is carefully tailored to their needs. Systems to safeguard pupils are secure. Through a range of opportunities to develop responsibility, pupils have an increasing impact on what happens in the school. For example, the eco-council is very active and they enthusiastically help all stakeholders in the school community to minimise the ecological impact of the school on the wider environment. Pupils also develop good relationships by helping others, for example, as reading buddies and through activities developed by Year 3 pupils to make the transition from

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Grade: 2

Year 2 easier. They go further, to help those in their community through a range of fund-raising opportunities and their own giving.

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Grade: 2

Children do well in the Early Years Foundation Stage because their needs are effectively met. Adults welcome them warmly and help them to settle in quickly by getting to know them well, listening to them carefully and ensuring they feel safe and secure. As a result, they grow in confidence and independence so that they are ready to learn. Staff care effectively for children’s physical, social and emotional needs, for example, by encouraging them to co-operate with 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Willerby Carr Lane Primary School, 9–10 March 2009 others. As a result children’s personal development is good. Children experience an appropriate balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities. Staff carefully assess children’s needs and check the progress they are making. There is a rich range of opportunities across all areas of learning. Consequently, children make good progress in all aspects of their learning, even

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Grade: 2

though they may not always realise it because they are having fun ‘playing’. Adults work well as a team and make sure there is a seamless transition from one activity to the next. At present, the setting is restricted, because of building work, to what it can offer outdoors, but plans are in place to ensure that children receive the appropriate balance of the curriculum outside to encompass all areas of learning to the same high quality as that found inside. Leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage are good. Important improvements have put children at the centre of their own learning and there is a clear vision for further development.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Give pupils opportunities to respond to clear feedback on their work so that they know how to move to the next level of their learning. ■ Increase the level of challenge for all pupils so that it matches that seen in the best lessons.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that pupils know what they can do to help themselves learn well, so that they develop skills to become are more independent in their learning.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good. By the end of their time at the school, pupils reach standards that are above average overall, and in English, well above average. When they join the school in Reception, pupils have capabilities and skills which are broadly in line with those typical of their age. They make a good start on their learning journey and most reach the goals set for them; some exceed these goals. During Key Stage 1, they continue to build on these skills, although recent disruptions to learning, through flooding, mean that standards in the teacher assessments for 2008 were broadly average. Current work and more recent assessments show that the present cohort will reach standards that are higher, and more in line with previous standards. Good progress during Key Stage 2 enables pupils to reach high standards. Pupils with moderate learning difficulties make good progress because of the support they receive. Those with

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Grade: 2

emotional and behavioural concerns also achieve well. Boys and girls achieve similar standards.

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Grade: 2

In lessons most pupils are well behaved and like school because, ‘when you are in school you get to learn a lot in one day.’ However, a few pupils find it difficult to restrain their responses or are offhand about completing tasks. As a result they do not take enough responsibility for their own learning. Pupils are very aware of the system of tracking incidents through the bully log and they feel these are resolved quickly. Pupils make a good contribution to the school and their local community. The school’s family ethos means that the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is good. For example, the school’s link to a school in Uganda has raised pupils’ appreciation of different cultures, and of the opportunities available to them. Pupils are enthusiastic fund raisers, collecting stamps for a heart charity, organising fun activities for Comic Relief or donating their spare change for gifts for local elderly residents. They develop

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Grade: 2

their enterprise skills well and are confident users of information and communication technology 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Willerby Carr Lane Primary School, 9–10 March 2009 to research and cost out projects. Their high standards and sound basic skills ensure that pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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Grade: 2

Pupils make good progress in most lessons and most show positive attitudes to their work because of the good teaching. Teaching engages pupils well with interesting opportunities and this is increasing as the school develops creativity through the curriculum. While there are some opportunities for pupils to work independently, these are not frequent enough to enable them to develop their own ideas and initiative as much as they might. Work is planned for different levels of ability, including those with learning difficulties. Where teaching gives pupils opportunities for hands-on experiences and asks them to solve challenging problems, their levels of enjoyment are particularly good. In the best lessons pupils are guided to assess their work themselves and this helps them to understand the next steps for their learning. Teaching assistants are well deployed to support learning. Teachers have good knowledge of their subjects

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Grade: 2

and this enables lessons to move at a brisk, purposeful pace. Homework is well used to extend learning beyond the classroom, although a few parents feel that this can overwhelm some pupils.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is currently satisfactory and is improving. There is an appropriate emphasis on English and mathematics that promotes pupils’ progress, particularly towards the end of Key Stage 2. In mathematics older pupils are taught in groups of similar abilities so that they receive work that is more closely tailored to their needs. Opportunities for art and music are also well developed. The increase in practical activities adds to pupils’ enjoyment. The recent changes to curriculum planning, and improving links across subjects is helping to put the development of skills into context. However, this is very new and is not yet embedded. Throughout the school the significantly more able pupils are increasingly identified and supported to achieve their potential, although work in normal lessons does not always provide as much challenge as some pupils need. The personal, social and health education programme promotes a healthy lifestyle,

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Grade: 3

which influences the choices pupils make. The curriculum is enriched with a range of clubs, visits and visitors although these opportunities are not always used effectively to stimulate further work. The school provides pupils with opportunities to contribute to and take on responsibilities in the school, with increasing impact.

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Grade: 2

Pastoral support is good, reflecting the hard work of the caring staff in supporting the academic and personal development of the pupils. Good assessment and tracking systems enable staff to identify pupils who are not reaching their potential as well as keep other pupils on track to reach their challenging targets. However, the marking of pupils’ work is variable with some pupils receiving clear guidance about how to improve their work, while others receive mainly congratulatory remarks that do not help them to improve. Safeguarding and child protection procedures are robust and updated to meet statutory requirements. Risk assessments address 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Willerby Carr Lane Primary School, 9–10 March 2009 any concerns identified. Pupil attendance is closely monitored and holidays in term time discouraged; this contributes to the good and rising levels of attendance. Any vulnerable or

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Grade: 2

anxious pupils can find refuge with well trained and specialist support staff. ‘I had a worry for two days,’ a pupil said, ‘but I told my teacher about it and it got sorted out right away.’ The school enjoys well established links to outside agencies for additional support and expertise when pupils need it.

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Grade: 2

The good leadership of the headteacher, along with his senior leadership team, has enabled them to effectively steer the school through a period of considerable change, including the amalgamation and the building work. They have also kept up their positive role in their local community, and the school helps promote community cohesion well. Through careful analysis of available data, they have a clear picture of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They lead the team of staff effectively and have developed a shared responsibility for improving teaching and learning for the pupils. Monitoring of lessons and work results in clear feedback to colleagues, which helps them improve their practice. Any shortfalls in pupils’ progress are addressed with similar rigour. For example, to help pupils reach similar high standards in mathematics as in English, staff provide popular booster opportunities. Subject leaders are well

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Grade: 2

informed and effective in leading improvements in their areas of responsibility. Along with the data analysis, information is regularly shared with governors. Combined with their involvement in a range of school activities, this helps the governing body to have a clear idea of how the school is doing, and they provide good challenge and support. Together with the vision of the headteacher, this gives the school good capacity to improve further. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Willerby Carr Lane Primary School, 9–10 March 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: Willerby Carr Lane Primary School, 9–10 March 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?

NA 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: Willerby Carr Lane Primary School, 9–10 March 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 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 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: Willerby Carr Lane Primary School, 9–10 March 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Dear Pupils Inspection of Willerby Carr Lane Primary School, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU10 6JT Thank you very much for welcoming us to your school. We enjoyed chatting to so many of you and finding out what you think about your school. Many of you told us that it is a good school, and we agree with you. We were impressed with the way your teachers take care of you, and the way you have managed the changes that have happened recently. The younger pupils get a very good start because the Early Years Foundation Stage is so well organised and makes sure learning is fun. You older pupils help to make the school a welcoming place for younger pupils. We could see in the lessons we saw that you enjoy learning, and you told us that the teachers make lessons interesting. As a result, most of you behave well and enjoy coming to school. A few of you need to make sure you also behave as well, so that everyone can make the most of the opportunities

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you have. The school also helps your families to know how they can help you with your learning. The adults are very good at looking after you and keeping an eye on how you are getting on. They make sure that anyone who needs extra help gets it, so those who start off struggling with their work make a lot of progress. Even though you are doing well, there are some things your school can do to make sure things get even better:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Give you more advice and opportunities to improve your work, so that you know how to reach the next level of your learning. Make sure you use these chances to do better. ■ Make sure that all of you have work that is hard enough so that you are challenged. I think many of you will enjoy work that is a bit harder. ■ Help you to know what you can do to learn more for yourselves, rather than relying on your teachers to give you the answers too quickly. I’m sure you will enjoy moving into your fantastic new building next year. Most of all, you should continue to enjoy learning and help each other to make your school a great place to be part of. Yours sincerely Andrew Saunders Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Willerby Carr Lane Primary School, 9–10 March 2009

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