Wilberlee Junior and Infant School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 18–19 November 2008 Inspection number 331429 Wilberlee Junior and Infant School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 107648 Local Authority Kirklees Inspection number 331429 Inspection dates 18–19 November 2008 Reporting inspector Angela Westington HMI

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This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 under pilot arrangements; it was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act .

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number on roll School (total) 67 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr A C Bowers Headteacher Mr R G Bottom Date of previous school inspection March 2006 School address Heys Lane Wilberlee Slaithwaite Huddersfield HD7 5UX Telephone number 01484 222588 Fax number 01484 222596 Email address office.wilberlee@kirklees-schools.org.uk Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk 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.

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Introduction

This pilot inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors. The inspector visited 13 part lessons, one assembly and one registration period and held meetings with the headteacher, teachers, the chair of governors and the school council. She observed the school’s work and looked at a wide range of documents, including analyses of examination results, internal data, such as attendance figures, records of monitoring, school development plans, external reviews of the school’s work, some policies, minutes of the governing body’s meetings, and examined case studies that illustrated how the school works in partnership with parents and other agencies to support vulnerable pupils. She also scrutinised questionnaires that were completed by 40 parents and by 11 staff.

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Introduction

The inspection reviewed many aspects of the school’s work. It looked in detail at the following.

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Introduction

 The progress made since the last inspection and the school’s capacity to improve.  The standards pupils attain in English and an explanation for the difference between test results in English and those for mathematics and science.  The outcomes for the most vulnerable pupils in the school.

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Information about the school

Wilberlee Junior and Infant School is a small school serving a mixed, rural village community. The number of pupils in the school is lower than at the time of the previous inspection and numbers in each year group vary significantly from year-to year. There are more girls than boys in the school. The school has three classes: one provides for the children in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Years 1 and 2; a second class caters for pupils in Years 3 and 4; and the third for Years 5 and 6. The headteacher has a teaching commitment each day. The school works in partnership with other small schools in the area and has strong links with the local high school. The overwhelming majority of children have had some form of pre- school experience prior to entering the school in Reception. Pupils’ skills on entry to the Reception year are typically those expected for their age.

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other schools

School size 67 Below average Free school meals 9% Below average Proportions of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities 14% Below average Proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups 5% Below average Proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language 0% Below average Proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs 0% Below average

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Inspection judgements

Grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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Main findings

Wilberlee School aims to be, ‘a small school with a big heart’ and it certainly achieves this. Wilberlee does well by its pupils, across a range of outcomes, and this represents improvement since the last inspection. By the age of eleven, pupils attain academic standards which are above average in mathematics and science and average in English: pupils’ writing, especially in Key Stage 2, remains a weakness. Most pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress overall, although the small numbers of pupils eligible for free school meals do not attain as well as their class mates. Teaching and learning have improved since the last inspection and are now good. Writing remains the least well taught subject. A major strength of the school’s provision is the high level of pupil enjoyment it fosters. Pupils are keen, interested and motivated. The provision in the EYFS is good

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Main findings

and the children achieve well there. The school’s relationship with parents is outstanding. The school has shown good capacity to improve.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Fine tune the current assessment and tracking system to identify more clearly the progress made by the most vulnerable pupils.  Raise standards in writing by: — clarifying the progression route for teaching handwriting, presentation and spelling throughout the school — increasing the volume and frequency of writing that pupils undertake across all subjects in Key Stage 2 — and improving teachers’ and pupils’ knowledge of National Curriculum levels for writing.

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2

By the age of 11, pupils attain above average results in national tests in mathematics and science, and average results in English. The relatively weaker performance in English is the result of poorer scores in writing: reading results are high. At age seven, the results in national tests are slightly above average, although there is some variation between subjects year-on-year due partly to the small numbers of pupils taking the tests. Pupils generally make good progress throughout the school. Those pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make the same progress as other pupils. The school has very small numbers of pupils eligible for free school meals, or pupils who are facing challenging circumstances. However, data suggest that some of these children are not reaching the same standards as their class mates. In other areas, pupils at Wilberlee attain highly too: for example, in instrumental violin tuition.

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2

In whole class violin lessons for Key Stage 2, pupils were observed reading musical notation, accurately arcing their bows and keeping time. In swimming, most Key Stage 2 pupils achieve beyond the 25 metre requirement and gain distance swimming awards.

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2

Pupils enjoy school very much, mainly as a result of the range of practical activities that are part of most lessons. Attendance is high, above the national average figure, although the school is aware of the very low attendance of a handful of vulnerable pupils. Behaviour is good: pupils are caring and supportive of each other. They report feeling safe, that bullying is not tolerated and say that should they be upset, they know who to turn to for help and support. They talk about being a ‘team’ and are aware of the need to work together and to get on. Pupils enjoy eating well too. At 80%, the school has a high take up of its school meals, which are cooked on the premises. Increasingly, pupils are able to make a positive contribution to school life, for example, by offering and leading dance and exercise classes at break-times and by training to be play-leaders at lunch-times, although their links with others beyond

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2

the immediate community are somewhat limited. The pupils at the school are, nonetheless, heavily involved in the life of the local community. This is an aspect of school life commented upon, and appreciated, by a large number of parents.

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2

These are the grades for pupils’ outcomes

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2

How well do pupils achieve and enjoy their learning? 2

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2

The quality of pupils’ learning and their progress 2 The quality of learning for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and their progress Pupils’ attainment 1 2 To what extent do pupils feel safe? 2 How well do pupils behave? 2 To what extent do pupils adopt healthy lifestyles? 2 To what extent do pupils contribute to the school and wider community? 3 How well do pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being? Pupils’ attendance and punctuality 2 What is the extent of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development? 3

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2

1 Grades for attainment are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; 4 is low

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The quality of the school’s work

The quality of teaching and learning are generally good. Pupils make most progress in those lessons where the teaching is more confident and sharper: in this instance, in mathematics, science, instrumental music, Spanish and IT lessons. In contrast, the teaching of English, more specifically the teaching of writing, is characterised by weaker subject knowledge, especially about the levelling of pupils’ writing. As a result of this, teachers are not confident about how to guide pupils to the next level of competence, nor how to help pupils assess the quality of their own writing. In addition, there are too few opportunities for pupils to write across a range of subjects and there is considerable scope for a systematic approach to teaching and establishing good, basic skills from Year 1 upwards. There is some time slippage within the timetable and there is the potential to use some of the teaching sessions,

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The quality of the school’s work

especially those which allow teachers to work with small groups of pupils, to much better effect to drive forward improvements in writing. At the time of the previous inspection, the school was charged with improving the monitoring of pupils’ progress, and the school now has a tracking system in place. The headteacher has recognised that the next step is to consider a more sophisticated use of the data available and to monitor the progress of vulnerable pupils more acutely, especially in relation to mapping the range of provision that they may be receiving and identifying possible barriers to them achieving well.

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The quality of the school’s work

The school offers a wide range of activities and extra-curricular opportunities to engage and motivate pupils. Currently, work is being undertaken by pupils on: the woodland area; the musical performance being prepared in conjunction with the local high school; and the recent collaboration with other local schools. These events are widely praised by parents who clearly value the chance for their children to meet and work with others.

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The quality of the school’s work

The school knows its pupils and families well and, overwhelmingly, parents commented favourably upon the care and support provided by the school for their children. At the time of the inspection safeguarding procedures were in place.

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The quality of the school’s work

These are the grades for the quality of provision High quality teaching and purposeful learning 2 Effective assessment and academic guidance 3 An appropriate curriculum which meets pupils’ needs, including, where relevant, provision through partnership with other organisations Support, guidance and care 2

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How effective are leadership and management?

The strength of the leadership of Wilberlee school is in the quality of relationships amongst and between staff, governors and with parents. All are committed to the school: staff surveys reported extremely high levels of pride in the school and in the relationships within the school. Morale is high. Teachers are keen to improve their skills and raise standards further wherever possible. The improvements in tests results, in the fabric of the building and in the range of extra-curricular activities on offer, indicate clearly that this is a school that has the capacity to improve even further. The school’s partnerships with others contribute strongly to the good outcomes for pupils. Governors are committed to the school, are visible and have a clear understanding of the school’s priorities. They recognise that they have some work to do to ensure that the school’s contribution to promoting community cohesion

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How effective are leadership and management?

is as good as it could be and this is one of its current priorities.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for leadership and management Monitoring, evaluating and planning for improvement to outcomes for pupils 2 Promoting equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination 3 Ensuring that safeguarding procedures are effective 2 Ensuring that the governing body provides effective challenge and support so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities are met Promoting the school’s relationship with parents and carers, including their involvement in decision-making about matters relating to learning and well-being Developing partnerships with other providers, organisations and services 2 Ensuring the school contributes to community cohesion 3 Deploying resources to achieve value for money 2

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Despite the difficulties faced in providing for three age groups in one room, the provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good and they achieve well. On entry to the school the children have skills and abilities which are generally typical for their age. As a result of the effective practice, the teacher’s skill, and that of her assistant, the children make good progress and attain well, particularly in early reading and writing and in the development of their social skills. Children settle quickly and are watched over carefully. The recent refurbishment to the classroom has enabled the school to provide the full curriculum for this age group, including access to outdoor provision. The outdoor area provides an exciting and safe environment for children to play and explore. There is an appropriate balance between adult- and child-led activities and the planning for the EYFS curriculum is appropriate. Together, the teacher and her assistant manage the EYFS well and

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Early Years Foundation Stage

ensure that the children are secure and make good progress.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

How effective is the provision in meeting the needs of children in the EYFS?* 2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? 2 How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop?* 2 How effectively is the welfare of the children in the EYFS promoted?* 2 How effectively is the provision in the EYFS led and managed?* 2 * Common judgements made across all inspections of the EYFS

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Views of parents and carers

Forty parental questionnaires were received, which is a very high return rate. Of these, 17 had written comments, all but two of which were wholly supportive. These two were about the balance of sport and music within the school’s curriculum and the supervision of pupils before school. The other 38 returns were overwhelmingly positive in their views of the school and, indeed, some parents had written fulsomely of their appreciation of the school’s work. A typical comment was, ‘We very much value the all round education Wilberlee gives to our daughter… Wilberlee gives children a broad range of skills and prepares them for life as members of the community.’

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. In 2006-7, 14% of schools were judged to be outstanding. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. In 2006-7, 46% of schools were judged good. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing for its pupils suitably. In 2006-7, 34% of schools were judged satisfactory. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves. In 2006-7, 6% of schools were judged inadequate.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: an overall measure of the pupils’ success in their academic learning. The term combines attainment and progress. Pupils might make good progress, for example, but if their attainment remains low, inspectors may judge that their achievement is only satisfactory.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school. 20 November 2008

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Inspection of Wilberlee School, Huddersfield, HD7 5UX

As you know, I visited your school recently and I would like to thank you for talking to me and making me feel so welcome.

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Inspection of Wilberlee School, Huddersfield, HD7 5UX

I looked at many of the things you do in school and talked with your teachers and some of the people who help you, as well as the children on the school council. I could tell that you and your families are very proud of your school. Your school is a good school and these are some of the things that are good about it.

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Inspection of Wilberlee School, Huddersfield, HD7 5UX

 The headteacher and your teachers work very hard to ensure that you and your parents feel part of a community. This is very important because it means that all the adults linked to your school want it, and you, to do well.  There are lots of interesting things for you to do including take part in the school clubs, your violin lessons, your Spanish lessons and work on the new woodland area. I thought the children playing the violins were excellent. Well done to you all and keep it up!  You enjoy being with each other and get on well with each other and with the adults in school. Very many of you eat the healthy school meals at lunch-times.  You get good results in the mathematics and science tests for 11-year-olds. Well done!

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Inspection of Wilberlee School, Huddersfield, HD7 5UX

I have asked Mr Bottom and the teachers to look again at how they teach English, especially how they teach writing, so that you can get the same high level of results in English as you do in mathematics and science. Also, I have asked the teachers to make sure that they check that all children in the school do as well as they possibly can and that none get left behind. I am sure that you will play your part by working hard when the teachers start making the relevant changes.

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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