Padiham Green Church of England Primary School

Padiham Green Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 08–09 February 2012 Inspection number 379787 Unique Reference Number 119366 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 379787 Inspection dates 8–9 February 2012 Lead inspector Derek Watts

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

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Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 186 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Andrew Duncan Headteacher Mark Dixon Date of previous school inspection 6 May 2009 School address St Anne's Street Padiham Burnley BB12 7AX Telephone number 01282 776855 Fax number 01282 687 010 Email address head@padihamgreen.lancs.sch.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Introduction

Derek Watts Vanessa MacDonald Additional inspector Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 12 lessons or part lessons, taught by eight different teachers. They held discussions with the headteacher, the staff, members of the governing body, parents and carers and pupils. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 were heard reading. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, and looked at the school’s policies, assessment information, pupils’ work, teachers’ plans and school improvement planning. The inspectors analysed 113 questionnaires completed by parents and carers, 74 from Key Stage 2 pupils and 15 from staff.

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Information about the school

Padiham Green Church of England Primary School is a smaller-than-average-sized primary school. Virtually all pupils are of a White British heritage. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is broadly average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is much higher than average. The school meets the government’s current floor standards. Before- and after-school provision is organised and managed by the school and governing body and was part of the inspection. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key Findings

 Padiham Green Church of England Primary is a satisfactory school. With a more settled and an enthusiastic staff, teaching and learning are improving quickly. There are some good aspects to the school’s work and it has the confidence of its parents and carers.  Pupils’ progress is satisfactory and improving but it has been inconsistent in the past. Attainment by the end of Year 6 is below average. Effective action is being taken to raise achievement. There are some good examples of pupils’ writing in subjects other than English but this approach is not consistent across the school. Opportunities for pupils to apply numeracy skills across the curriculum are limited. There are inconsistencies in pupils’ handwriting and presentation.  Teaching has improved recently. Most of the teaching seen by the inspectors was good but over time it has been satisfactory, reflecting pupils’ satisfactory progress. Lessons are now clearly focused and tasks are well matched to pupils’

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Key Findings

different needs. Explanations, demonstration and questioning promote learning and engage pupils well. Occasionally, teachers’ introductions are too long and insufficient time is given for pupils to complete the main task. Pupils’ independent study skills are underdeveloped. Marking does not always help pupils to improve. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children do not always have sufficient opportunities to solve problems independently and to record their learning.  The behaviour and safety of pupils are strengths. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They are courteous, friendly and show consideration and respect for others. They know how to keep themselves safe. Attendance levels have improved and are now above average.  The headteacher and staff have created a positive ethos for pupils to learn. Effective action has been taken to improve teaching but the changes are too recent to have had a full impact on pupils’ achievement over time.

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Key Findings

Schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate pupils’ progress and raise attainment in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6 to at least average levels by:  extending opportunities for pupils to write extended pieces in other subjects  increasing opportunities for pupils to apply numeracy skills across the curriculum  improving pupils’ handwriting and presentation of work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen elements of teaching and learning by:  ensuring that in all lessons, learning proceeds at a good pace and that pupils have time to complete the main tasks well  extending opportunities for pupils to learn independently  ensuring that the marking of pupils’ work provides clear comments on how they can improve.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Extend opportunities for children in Early Years Foundation Stage to solve problems independently and to record their learning so that they make consistently good progress in all areas.

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Achievement of pupils

Most year groups enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with knowledge and skills below those typical for their age. Children in Reception are making satisfactory progress in their learning. They benefit from well-focused adult instruction but their independent problem-solving skills are less well developed. Most parents and carers who responded to questionnaires think their children make good progress. Inspectors found that progress is satisfactory but improving rapidly. Attainment is below average in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6. School assessments, national test results and lessons seen indicate that there is no significant variation between boys’ and girls’ achievement. In many of the lessons seen, pupils made good progress in applying speaking and listening skills because of the well-planned opportunities for them to discuss their work in pairs. A discrete, regular and effective approach to the teaching of letter

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Achievement of pupils

sounds and reading skills has been recently introduced. A parent wrote, ‘The new reading scheme is fantastic and has improved my child’s reading dramatically’. Year 2 reading attainment dipped to low levels last year. Staffing changes contributed to this decline. During the inspection, pupils in Years 1 and 2 made good progress in consolidating their knowledge of letter sounds and applying these to spelling tasks. Attainment in reading in the current Year 2 and 6 is closer to average. Pupils are now writing for a wider range of purposes and in different styles and their progress is improving. Grammar, punctuation and spelling are not always accurate but these are improving. The quality of pupils’ handwriting is inconsistent and many pupils in upper Key Stage 2 do not have a fluent and joined hand. This is hindering their ability to write extended pieces. In Year 6, pupils made progress in planning and writing a biased account of whether the Vikings were good or bad for Britain.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils in Year 5, in the role of a Second World War evacuee, wrote interesting letters home describing their experiences in their new home. However, pupils are not always applying and developing their writing skills enough across the curriculum. Pupils’ progress in mathematics is improving. In a successful Year 4 lesson, pupils used different strategies to double and halve given numbers. They made good progress because challenging tasks were well matched to their different abilities. Pupils do not always have sufficient opportunities to use and apply their numeracy skills to new situations and in different subjects. Most pupils with special educational needs make expected progress. They usually receive suitably tailored guidance and support. Those pupils who are eligible for free school meals make similar progress to others in the school and their achievement is also satisfactory.

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Quality of teaching

Nearly all of the parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire thought that their children were well taught. The inspection findings are that teaching has improved because of the action taken by leaders. Pupils commented, ‘Teachers are very friendly’, and, ‘Teachers make lessons fun’. Most of the teaching is now good but this has not been the case over time. The recent improvements have not been embedded long enough to ensure that pupils achieve well over time. Teachers promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. They successfully create a positive classroom climate for learning and promote strong relationships. Pupils are encouraged to be cooperative, considerate and to work collaboratively with others. A well-planned curriculum helps teachers to ensure lessons have a clear purpose, and so pupils know what they are expected to learn. Interactive whiteboards are used skilfully to illustrate key teaching and learning points. Steps to success or

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Quality of teaching

specific indicators are provided to help guide pupils’ learning. The teaching of basic literacy and numeracy skills, including letter sounds is effective. However, the promotion of pupils’ handwriting and their independent study skills are less strong. Teachers use questioning skilfully to challenge pupils’ thinking and to check their understanding of new learning. Assessment has improved and teachers use this information well to plan their teaching. Teaching assistants are usually effectively deployed and make valuable contributions to pupils’ learning, particularly for those who need additional help. In a few lessons seen by inspectors, the pace of learning slowed with overlong introductions while pupils were eager to tackle the main task. Expectations of pupils’ presentation and work output have not been high enough in the past and so pupils’ productivity in the upper years is not as good as it could be.

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Quality of teaching

In the best practice, teachers’ marking provides praise for good work and there are constructive comments on how pupils can improve. In some cases, marking is brief and comments to help pupils improve their work are lacking. In an imaginative Year 5 lesson, pupils responded to the Second World War air raid siren and filed outside with their gas masks to a makeshift air raid shelter. After effective explanations and skilful questioning by the teacher, pupils had very good opportunities to imagine being in the shelter with bombers overhead. They described clearly the sounds, smells, the actions of others and how they would have felt. Pupils thoroughly enjoyed their learning and demonstrated a good knowledge and understanding of life in the Second World War.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils’ behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. In a number of lessons, their attitudes to learning and their behaviour were exemplary. All adults in the school establish very positive relationships with pupils and consistently convey high expectations of conduct to which pupils readily respond. Adults have been very effective in encouraging good manners among the pupils. As a result, pupils are courteous, friendly and very hospitable to visitors. All parents and carers who completed the questionnaire believe that their children feel safe at school and that they are well looked after. Pupils say that they are well cared for and safe at school. The vast majority of parents and carers believe that the school sets high standards of behaviour and that lessons are rarely disrupted by poor conduct. Just a few parents expressed concern about how well bullying was dealt with. Incidents of bullying and inappropriate behaviour are rare but when these do

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

occur, the school has clear strategies for dealing with them. Positive action has been taken to raise attendance from below average to above average levels.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher is well regarded by pupils, parents, carers and staff. With staff, he has successfully created a very positive environment for pupils to learn and develop. As a parent remarked, ‘The school has an amazing ethos’. The staff are enthusiastic, work well as a team and there is a positive ‘can do’ approach to change and improvement. Pupils’ behaviour and safety have been promoted consistently well by leaders and managers. With support from the local authority, leaders have been successful in improving teaching during the past year. Learning objectives, steps to guide pupils’ learning, matching tasks to pupils’ needs and the quality of questioning have been strengthened through support and training. The improvements to teaching are having a positive impact on pupils’ achievement. Leaders and staff are also working hard to provide an interesting curriculum which promotes good academic achievement and positive personal outcomes for pupils.

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Leadership and management

Improvements to provision for reading, writing and mathematics are having a positive impact on pupils’ learning and achievement. Links between subjects which add enjoyment, meaning and relevance to pupils’ learning are developing well. The school’s accommodation and outdoor learning facilities have improved considerably since the previous inspection. Natural areas, mathematical trails and raised gardening beds contribute well to pupils’ learning experiences. About 15 pupils take advantage of the well-organised breakfast and after-school provision. The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and a strength. Within the school’s very positive ethos, pupils show considerable care, respect and support for others. During the inspection, an assembly led by the local reverend typified how well pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted. Members of the governing body show a clear understanding of the school’s strengths

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Leadership and management

and development areas. They are supportive, acknowledge the improvements made and know that attainment needs to be higher. Safeguarding meets requirements. There are effective policies and procedures to protect pupils. Safe practices for pupils are successfully promoted through the school’s teaching and curriculum. Equality of opportunity is promoted satisfactorily and discrimination is tackled very well. The school successfully engages with its parents and carers. For example, parents appreciate their participation in achievement assemblies and the workshops provided such as reading and phonics (how letters and sounds are linked) to help them support their children’s learning.

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Leadership and management

The school has a clear overview of its strengths and areas for improvement. Improvements to attendance and the recent improvements to teaching and learning demonstrate the school’s sound capacity to improve.

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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. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. 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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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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

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and 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 governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school's overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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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

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's main

findings from the inspection of their school.

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BB12 7AX

 Thank you so much for welcoming us into your school, giving us your views and showing us your work. We enjoyed our visit. Padiham Green is a satisfactory school.

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BB12 7AX

It is improving and there are some good features. The school’s main strengths are:  you enjoy school and have positive attitudes to learning  attendance is now above average  teaching and learning are satisfactory and improving  you get on well with others and your behaviour is good  you feel safe at school because teachers and other adults take care of you  the school is a pleasant and positive place to learn in  parents and carers are pleased with the school, particularly your care and safety. We have given your school a few points for improvement.

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BB12 7AX

 We want you to reach higher standards in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6. We have asked that you are given more chances to practise your literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects. Steps need to be taken to improve your handwriting and presentation.  We would like all your lessons to move along more quickly and that you are given sufficient time to complete tasks. Your teachers could provide more opportunities for you to learn and study independently. Teachers’ marking should provide comments to help you improve.  In Reception, you could be given more opportunities to solve problems independently and to record your learning.

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BB12 7AX

You can all help by continuing to work hard and attending regularly. Yours sincerely Derek Watts Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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