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JSI

Fagley Primary School Partnership Review


2015-2016
1. Visit information
School
Head teacher/Principal
Lead External Reviewer
Peer Head teacher Reviewer
Date of review visit

Fagley Primary
Chris Parfitt
Colleen Jackson
Duncan Grant, Georgina Graham, Angela McHale, Keira
Burnsall
28th and 29th September 2015

2. Summary of review visit programme

A scrutiny of achievement data (including the RAISE 2014) on the performance of all pupils at
the end of each Key Stage as well as current profile throughout the school.
An evaluation as to the quality of teaching and learning and its impact on the outcomes for
pupils of all abilities and backgrounds, particularly in the teaching of reading and higher ability
pupils.
The standards of pupils behaviour and how well the school ensures their safety and
wellbeing.
The accuracy of self-evaluation and impact of leadership and management on all aspects of
teaching and learning and securing the future of the school.
The effectiveness of Governance

Context
This is a good school with some elements reflecting outstanding provision. Fagley is a happy and
caring school. Pupils thrive in the purposeful learning environment. Attainment is below national
averages (NA) in the Early Years (EY) and Key stage (KS) 1 but progress is good from the low
starting points. Progress for Year 6 (2015) is an indicator showing outstanding performance in SATs
2015, however, this was not the case in attainment. Pupils progress in reading, writing and
mathematics are above those of most schools nationally. Almost all pupils, including disadvantaged
groups, make good and often exceptional progress from their starting points. The majority of teaching
over time is good and with some outstanding. The majority of teachers have high expectations for
learning. Children make an excellent start to their education in the two year old offer and show good
progress in the Early Years. The caring, supportive approach from adults ensures that children settle
into learning quickly. This continues into Key stage 1 and Key stage 2.
The Head teacher and other senior leaders, including governors, are passionate about their school
and recognise the need for some changes to be made to reach an outstanding judgement.
The Head teacher asserts that governors are good and are well equipped to ask the right sort of
informed questions on data, however, at the time of the review only one representative attended the
meeting; she was very well equipped to answer all the questions asked.

Overall Effectiveness: Grade 2


Capacity to improve: Grade 2

3. Self-Evaluation

SEF Grades
Overall effectiveness
Leadership and Management
Pupil development, Behaviour and
Wellbeing
Quality of teaching, learning and
assessment
Outcomes for pupils

School selfevaluation
2
2

Review outcome
2
2

2
2

2
2

Leadership and Management: Review Grade 2


The schools good capacity for further improvement is built on the Head teachers high expectations of
everyone and a relentless drive to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Accurate selfevaluation has enabled incisive planning to tackle key priorities. As a result, significant and sustained
improvements have taken place in the pupils achievement, behaviour, attendance and punctuality
over the last five years The Head teacher and senior team have also successfully driven forward
improvements in the pupils writing and reading and the school current focus is learning in maths.
Everyone is given a voice in decision making. The governors, and school leaders, have also ensured
that all safeguarding arrangements are in place, checked, regularly reviewed and reflect the impact of
changing new technology. The safeguarding arrangements include regular training in procedures for
all staff.
By using a wide variety of mechanisms to check the impact of teaching on pupils progress, the senior
leadership team is able to pinpoint where further individual training is needed. This is productive in
improving the performance of individual teachers and support staff. The careful attention to checking
the progress of all pupils reflects the schools strong commitment to promoting equality and has
resulted in no significant variations in the performance of different groups.
The curriculum promotes the pupils spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very effectively.
The sharp focus on basic skills is enhanced by careful planning to develop skills of English and maths
within cross-curricular topic themes. Topics such as the Explorers and many aspects of British Values
provide pupils with rich and extensive insights into other cultures and British history. The schools
harmonious atmosphere is a testament to the success in tackling discrimination, and promoting an
understanding and respect of other customs and cultures.
Specific Main Points:

The Head teacher is providing very strong leadership for the school. Together with the Senior
Leaders she has appointed good members of staff and has raised expectations throughout
the vast majority of the school. The leadership team are working to ensure all staff share their
ambition to be outstanding and are driving improvement in achievement for all groups of
pupils.

The Head teachers understanding of its strengths and weaknesses is accurate and the
senior leaders are beginning to check on the progress of its plans for improvement thoroughly
and systematically. As a result, senior leaders are bringing about improvement.
The checking of the quality of teaching and learning and pupils progress by the senior
leaders is rigorous and well planned.
The school uses the extra pupil premium funding wisely and this is ensuring that those pupils
are making good progress in all year groups
Performance management is rigorously managed with tightly focused targets which are linked
to pupil progress. This is helping to improve the quality of teaching and raising achievement.
The curriculum focuses effectively on developing pupils knowledge and skills in reading and
writing; reading is a strength in school. The basic skills curriculum is having a positive impact
on pupils achievement and their health and well- being.
Opportunities for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are very well promoted in
the school. The school ensures that there is no discrimination and promotes equality of
opportunity well.
The school uses the additional funding for sport effectively to improve the quality of teaching
in physical education and providing a wide range of activities.
The schools liaison with Bradford East One Partnership (BEOP) partnership schools is
working effectively to ensure that the school and those partners continue to improve. The
schools communicate and work well together through a range of channels, including head
teacher meetings, shared Head teacher school reviews, Early Years Leader meetings, SLT
meetings, curriculum meetings, shared moderation meetings and identified CPD for all
schools.

Pupil Well Being, Behaviour & Welfare: Review Grade 1


Conduct in lessons and around the school is respectful, very orderly and safe. The pupils have
exceptionally positive attitudes to learning, their refined teamwork skills and their perseverance when
working on tasks make a major contribution to their learning. The schools behaviour policy is applied
by the vast majority of members of staff, so pupils feel very safe and say they are treated fairly.
Attendance and punctuality are improving strongly since expectations have been made clear to
parents and carers. Attendance, however, is still below national average.
Pupils show great respect for each other and take considerable care to help newcomers settle in
quickly. They understand very well the consequences of their actions. Where pupils have identified
behavioural and emotional difficulties, the schools action helps them to learn how to modify their
behaviour so that they can participate fully in school life.
Pupils have a very sharp insight into how to keep themselves and others safe at school, in the
community and when using the internet. Break and lunchtimes are calm and pupils of all backgrounds
play harmoniously together. Pupils say there is no bullying or harassment. Records show that racist
behaviour and bullying incidents are very rare.
Specific Main Points
Children all behave well in their classrooms and around the school, including during playtime
and in the dining hall. There is a strong emphasis on good manners and pupils are
enthusiastic about the ethos of the school. Pupils demonstrate a high level of engagement in
lessons.
The schools work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils know about e safety, fire
and health and safety.
Pupils are adamant that if bullying takes place, it is quickly dealt with by adults in school. They
are aware of different forms of bullying, including cyber bullying.
Pupils know the school rules and are keen to be rewarded for good behaviour, hard work and
regular attendance. Attendance levels have made good progress The reward systems are
very popular with pupils and work with parents and carers continues to improve their

understanding of attendance for learning. The importance of good attendance is displayed in


many parts of school and celebrated in assemblies.
Pupils have a good sense of right and wrong, promoted well through teaching and personal,
social and health education.
They know the effect of their actions on others. Diversity is valued and celebrated. Pupils from
all backgrounds get on well with each other.
Pupils say they have a voice in the school and they are listened to.

Quality of Teaching, Learning and Assessment: Review Grade 2


Teachers have high expectations, and in the most effective classes they challenge the pupils thinking
through skilled questioning and the judicious use of carefully chosen resources. As one Year 6 pupil
put it, In literacy, we have to work hard and reach our targets. The characteristics of the best teaching
were seen in a Year 6 lesson as pupils identified features in their writing. The teacher used her voice
skilfully to add additional suspense. Lessons such as this move forward at pace when teachers seek
to engage pupils fully, although opportunities to engage them further are missed in a small number of
lessons when teachers do not question to probe their understanding.
Teachers extract every opportunity to promote the pupils spiritual, moral, social and cultural
development. They stimulate their imaginations through carefully chosen texts and resources, and
encourage them to consider different viewpoints. Pair and group work make a major contribution to
learning and developing collaborative skills.
Teachers adapt the new curriculum well to support the learning of those with special educational
needs, and those at an early stage of acquiring English. Well-deployed, carefully briefed and highly
skilled support staff move learning forward effectively through their well-timed interventions, while not
creating dependence.
Many pupils know precisely how well they are doing in writing and what they need to do to improve
their work. In the best lessons there are clear targets, and opportunities to assess their work and the
work of others. In these lessons marking sets up a dialogue between teacher and pupil enabling work
to be improved.
Maths books show progress over time but the maths learning environment needs to reflect childrens
current understanding through displaying their work and not simply the method that they may choose
from the working walls.
School is in the transitional process to assessing using Life without Levels
Specific main points:
The vast majority of teachers have high expectations, both in terms of pupils learning and
progress and are using questioning well to check pupils understanding and prior knowledge.
These teachers use resources effectively and appropriately in order to extend and impact
upon pupils learning. The Head teacher plans to use these good models to support the
development to outstanding of all teachers within school.
Additional adults are mostly deployed well. They have a good understanding of pupils needs
and therefore support and challenge pupils very effectively.
Teachers generally mark pupils work regularly and feedback usually helps pupils to extend
their learning. Where the marking is good teachers make sure that pupils act upon the advice
given in the feedback, to improve their work, but as stated above this is not always the case.
When given the opportunity, pupils actively respond to the feedback they are given and make
improvements to their work.
There is a strength in the quality of relationships between pupils and adults.
In the best lessons, there is a seamless organisation of resources and learning with pupils
moving straight to their allotted tasks and working collaboratively.

In effective learning where progress is good or better, pupils are aware of the success criteria
and of how to improve their work. In these lessons planning is thorough and provides work at
the right level for different groups of pupils, including the more able. For example, in an
effective English lesson in Year 2, the teacher made good use of personalised learning to
provide a correct level of challenge for the pupils in the cohort. This prompted some reflective
thought from pupils and good responses to the teachers open ended questioning.
The vast majority of teachers know their pupils well. Pupils engage, show enthusiasm,
enjoyment and maturity as learners. This is particularly evident in their eagerness to learn, as
shown in a Year 6 Phonics session where pupils were making good progress.
Work Scrutiny
Marking policy is followed by the vast majority of teachers and responded to by pupils to bring
about good progress
The issues which arise from work scrutiny are: in the majority of books there is clear
differentiation for learning, writing is frequently differentiated by outcome and writing books
need to display the learning intentions to enable leaders to monitor and evaluate their work.
Equally, the pupil does not have a clear view as to the intended outcome and the success
criteria by which to gauge their progress in achieving success
The sequence of learning in some classes needs to be planned for so that children
understand why they are learning and how to apply this to everyday life
In EY classes mathematics activities are not challenging the pupils of higher ability, with little
evidence that pupils are using any new knowledge to develop their learning in this area of the
curriculum.

Teaching of Reading
Reading is a strength of the school. All children heard reading and involved in discussion with the
reviewers were confident, fluent readers and able to talk about genres and authors. This was also true
for the disadvantaged pupils in the group. Pupils can talk knowledgeably about favourite authors,
read with expression, decoding unknown words effectively. The relentless work done by staff in home
and school liaison is beginning to impacting positively on the outstanding progress of reading in
school. This remains a focus area.
The youngest pupils heard reading were confident and had well-honed predictive and phonic skills.
All indications are that there is good teaching of reading at a high level. Pupils are also directed to
read more challenging texts.
Outcomes: Review Grade 2
Review evidence confirms the rapid progress made by the children in school. Year 6 progress from
test results 2015 were above national average in all subjects, giving pupils a very firm platform for
success in secondary school and beyond. The only significant variation in attainment was in the
outcomes for the more able. The progress of different groups of pupils, including those at an early
stage of acquiring English and the pupils eligible for free school meals shows that all achieve equally
well. Individually tailored programmes pupils with special educational needs are carefully targeted,
based on early assessment of their specific learning difficulties and support outstanding learning.
Children enter Reception from a wide range of pre-school settings, as well as schools own Nursery
and some come straight from home. Their skills on entry are below those expected for their age,
particularly in literacy, and a significant number have very limited English language skills. They quickly
settle and form strong friendships with other children in a well-equipped environment. They respond
enthusiastically in sessions led by adults and become highly engaged when initiating learning and
working with others. They make good progress. Attainment in GLD is below average by the time they
leave Reception in all areas of their learning but progress is good from the low starting points.

Pupils, from Reception upwards, become immersed in language and benefit considerably from
excellent modelling by adults and in Talk for Writing. This underpins the good progress of pupils
speaking English as an additional language. Once confident and fluent, their progress accelerates
and are among the schools highest-attaining pupils by the end of Year 6.
Typically, learning is fast paced and ensures the rapid development of the pupils key skills. They
acquire new knowledge quickly, and the frequent application of literacy and numeracy across a wide
range of subjects helps to deepen the pupils understanding. The focus on improving reading and
writing has reaped considerable benefits, particularly in engaging more reluctant boy writers.
Extended pieces of writing are planned carefully, and include refined and ambitious vocabulary. The
basic skills books used must link into this sequence of learning producing even better extended
writing. Productivity of quality work can be seen in the vast majority of lessons and gives clear
evidence of good to outstanding progress over time.
5.

Areas of strength

The Head teacher, senior leaders and their capacity to improve


Performance management is rigorously managed with tightly focused targets which are linked
to pupil progress.
The teaching of writing, reading and phonics
The deployment and impact of TAs
Behaviour and conduct of children
Progress for the disadvantaged pupils and Inclusion within school
Care for the community and involving parents in school
Two Year Old offer
Year 6
KS1
Transition from Year 2 to Year 3 with no dip.

6. Suggested areas for development or requiring support

.
Ensure that EY classes plan together and cover the EY Curriculum, focusing on the
Characteristics of Learning
Ensure practitioners identify Learning Objectives which are contextualised and linked to basic
skills across the curriculum, exemplified in writing books
Ensure maths learning environment is current using childrens work as exemplars
Ensure that Spelling Grammar and Punctuation focus continues to improve spelling in school
Ensure all governors are aware of school improvement issues and the current Ofsted
handbook
Ensure that all teachers follow the schools marking and feedback policy, so that guidance
given is developmental and ensures that all pupils respond to the points raised appropriately.

7. Suggested focus for next steps

Action plan for school to school support with Holybrook and Parkland Primary Schools
regarding the above areas for development.
Full Governing Body training on Ofsted Common Inspection Framework

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