Greenmount Primary School

PROTECT - INSPECTION

Greenmount Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 13–14 March 2012 Inspection number 377220 Unique Reference Number 105301 Local authority Bury Inspection number 377220 Inspection dates 13–14 March 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 Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 240 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair R Findlow Headteacher J Howard Date of previous school inspection 29 November 2006 School address Holhouse Lane Greenmount Bury BL8 4HD Telephone number 01204 884031 Fax number 01204 882168 Email address greenmount@bury.gov.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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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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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

Derek Watts Julie Webster Additional inspector Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 16 lessons or part lessons, taught by 10 different teachers. They held discussions with the headteacher, the staff, members of the governing body, parents and carers and pupils. Pupils in Year 2 were heard to read. The inspectors took account of the responses to the online 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 inspector analysed 81 questionnaires completed by parents and carers, 92 from Key Stage 2 pupils and a few from staff.

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Information about the school

Greenmount is an average-sized primary school. The vast majority of the pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is below average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is much lower than is normally found. The school meets the government’s current floor standard, the minimum standards set for attainment and progress. Breakfast club and after-school provision are organised and managed by the school and the governing body. These were 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

 Greenmount Primary is a good school. There are outstanding elements to its work. Attainment is consistently high but there is not enough excellent teaching for the school’s overall effectiveness to be outstanding.

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Key Findings

 Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress from their above expected starting points. Good progress continues through Key Stages 1 and 2 and by the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment is consistently high in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils’ musical and sporting achievements are impressive. The application of their well-advanced literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects are not consistent across the school.

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Key Findings

 Teaching is good with outstanding elements. Teachers convey clear expectations of learning and establish high quality relationships with pupils. Teachers’ explanations, instructions and questioning promote learning and engage pupils well. Tasks are not always sharply matched to pupils’ different needs. Opportunities are sometimes missed for pupils to plan and organise their own work. Teachers’ marking provides praise for good work but does not always clearly guide improvement.

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Key Findings

 Pupils’ behaviour and safety are outstanding. Pupils are enthusiastic and display extremely positive attitudes to learning. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is usually exemplary. Pupils are extremely courteous, hospitable and show consideration and respect for others. They know how to keep themselves safe. Attendance levels are much higher than average.

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Key Findings

 The headteacher and staff are successfully promoting high attainment and high standards of safely and behaviour. The leadership of teaching is effective as is the management of performance. However, opportunities for teachers to visit other schools and to observe and share outstanding practice are lacking. There are many strengths to the curriculum but there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to be creative. Opportunities to extend pupils’ investigative and independent study skills are not fully utilised.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching and learning by providing opportunities for teachers to observe outstanding practice in other schools and ensure that in all classes:  tasks are very closely matched to pupils’ needs  marking provides clear guidance on how pupils can improve  pupils have good opportunities to plan and organise their own work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Extend opportunities within the school’s curriculum for pupils to be creative and increase opportunities for pupils to apply their literacy, numeracy, investigative and independent study skills in a range of subjects. 

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Achievement of pupils

Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage and pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 make good progress and this is the view of the vast majority of parents and carers who returned the questionnaire. As they commented, ‘My child is learning well’, and, ‘Happy with my child’s progress’. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, attainment is consistently high in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion of pupils who attain the higher Level 5 by the end of Year 6 is well-above average in all three areas. Boys and girls attain much higher standards than boys and girls nationally and there is very little variation between boy/girl attainment at Greenmount. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because they usually receive effective guidance and support. Children enter Reception with knowledge and skills above those expected for their age. They make good progress in lessons because of good teaching and interesting

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Achievement of pupils

learning activities. Children talk with confidence about their learning. They enjoy books and show a clear understanding of letter sounds. Children make good gains in practising writing skills. They are beginning to write simple sentences. For example, they described their toy car moving down a slope. Pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 make good progress in speaking and listening because of the frequent opportunities for them to discuss their work in pairs or groups in lessons. Pupils are articulate and confident speakers. They possess and use a wide range of vocabulary. For example, in a successful Year 4 lesson, pupils had good opportunities to question their fellow pupils who were in role and in costume. They posed well-considered questions to a monk and a Viking warrior about the invasion of the monastery on Lindisfarne.

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Achievement of pupils

Good progress is made in reading because of the school’s regular and discrete teaching programme. Pupils in Year 2 showed enthusiasm for reading. They possess a very secure knowledge of letter sounds and quickly recognise ‘tricky words’.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils enjoy writing and write for a range of purposes and in different styles. Grammar, punctuation and spelling are accurate. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 wrote interesting and imaginative pieces about their fantasy planets. They applied skills of instructional writing well when explaining ‘How to build an alien spacecraft’. They used word processing effectively to draft and edit their work and to enhance presentation. Most pupils make good progress in mathematics lessons. For example, Year 6 pupils made rapid gains in investigating polygons. They successfully explored triangles within the shape and calculated the total sum of angles. Pupils used mathematical vocabulary accurately in explaining their learning. They displayed high levels of understanding but opportunities were missed for them to decide how best to present their findings. Pupils do not always apply their highly developed literacy and numeracy skills fully in

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Achievement of pupils

a wide range of areas. There are some good examples of investigative and problem- solving work but this is not consistent across all year groups.

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Quality of teaching

Almost all of the parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire thought that their children were well taught. Pupils told inspectors, ‘Teachers make lessons interesting’. Teaching effectively promotes good learning for pupils. There are examples of outstanding practice. Where teaching is outstanding, expectations of learning are high and clear steps to success guide pupils’ learning. Lively questioning challenges the pupils’ thinking. Exciting tasks and support are very well matched to pupils’ different needs. Learning and the lesson move along at a brisk pace ensuring that pupils make exceptional progress. All teachers effectively promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They successfully create a positive classroom atmosphere for learning and establish strong relationships. They encourage pupils to be cooperative, considerate and supportive of others. Teachers ensure lessons have a clear purpose, so pupils know what they are to

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Quality of teaching

learn. Clear expectations of learning and behaviour are conveyed. The teaching of basic skills such as letters and their sounds is effective. Teachers’ explanations and instructions are clear and informative and successfully engage the pupils. They provide good opportunities for pupils to discuss their learning in pairs and to work collaboratively. Interactive whiteboards are used well to illustrate key teaching and learning points. The planned curriculum successfully promotes high attainment in reading, writing and mathematics. Opportunities for pupils to be creative and apply a range of skills are not fully realised. Lesson planning and teaching are not always fully effective in meeting the needs of pupils’ different abilities and needs. At times, pupils’ learning is over-directed by the teacher or by an overuse of prescriptive worksheets. When this happens, opportunities are missed for pupils to plan and organise their own learning. In the

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Quality of teaching

main, teaching assistants are effectively deployed and make good contributions to pupils’ learning, particularly for those who need additional help. Teachers’ marking provides encouragement and praise for correct and good work. Comments to guide the next steps of pupils’ learning are less consistent.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Children feel safe, secure and are very well behaved in the Early Years Foundation Stage. In Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils’ behaviour is usually outstanding in lessons and around the school. Adults establish positive relationships with pupils and convey high expectations of conduct to which pupils readily respond. All parents and carers who completed the questionnaire believe that their children feel safe at school. Their comments included, ‘The school provides a happy and safe environment’. Pupils confidently told the inspectors that they feel safe and well looked after at Greenmount. All parents and carers believe that the school sets high standards and concerns about disruption in lessons or how bullying is dealt with were very few. Inspection findings show that pupils are highly responsible, extremely well behaved and incidents of bullying are very rare. Pupils show a clear awareness of different forms of bullying and know that there are clear procedures for dealing with bullying

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

should it occur. There have been no exclusions in recent years. Attendance levels are much higher than the national average.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher, senior leaders and staff have created a positive and safe environment for pupils to learn and develop. The school has been particularly successful in promoting high attainment in English and mathematics and outstanding behaviour and safety for pupils. There are clear procedures for the monitoring and development of teaching. Teaching is consistently good but much of it is solid rather than creative or inspirational. Extending the range of teaching styles and skills was an improvement point from the previous inspection and this has been partially accomplished. The sharing of exceptional practice through visiting and working with colleagues from other schools is an underused strategy. There are appropriate arrangements for staff development and training. There are numerous strengths to the school’s curriculum. Provision for reading, writing and mathematics successfully promotes high attainment in these areas.

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Leadership and management

Musical and sporting opportunities are strengths of the curriculum. As parents remarked, ‘Excellent sports opportunities’, and, ‘Sport has been fantastic’. The choir, orchestra and recorder group performed very well at a recent local festival. Much success has been experienced in sporting tournaments including, athletics, cricket, football, lacrosse, netball and tag rugby. Opportunities in areas such as art and design, and design and technology are less strong. Areas of the school’s accommodation are tired and displays, particularly artwork, do not always reflect pupils’ abilities and talents. A few parents and carers expressed concern about the lack of educational visits.Visits to enrich pupils’ learning are currently limited but leaders have plans to extend these. About 45 pupils take advantage of the well- organised breakfast and after-school clubs. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. The school

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Leadership and management

and staff successfully promote qualities such as cooperation, consideration, responsibility and respect for others. Members of the governing body have a clear understanding of the school’s performance. There is a strong ambition to establish a more creative and dynamic curriculum to enhance the school’s high attainment in English and mathematics. Safeguarding arrangements meet all statutory requirements. There are effective policies and procedures to protect pupils. Safe practices for pupils are promoted through the school’s teaching. Equality of opportunity is promoted well. Pupils have equal access to good teaching and school activities. No groups of pupils are falling behind, but on occasions, learning and tasks are not sharply tailored to pupils’ needs. Discrimination is tackled very effectively. Since the previous inspection, the school has consistently maintained high attainment and outstanding behaviour and safety. There is a clear capacity to further 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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Inspection of Greenmount Primary School, Bury, BL8 4HD

 Thank you so much for welcoming us into your school, giving us your views and showing us your work. We enjoyed our visit. Greenmount is a good school. There are some outstanding features. These are the main strengths:

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Inspection of Greenmount Primary School, Bury, BL8 4HD

 You enjoy school and have very positive attitudes to learning.  Your attendance is much higher than we normally find.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress.  You are making good progress in Key Stage 1 and 2 because of good teaching.  Standards are high in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  You get on extremely well with others and your behaviour is outstanding.  You feel safe at school because teachers and other adults take care of you.  The school is well led by the headteacher and she receives good support from the other leaders.  Parents and carers are pleased with the school.

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Inspection of Greenmount Primary School, Bury, BL8 4HD

We have given your school a few points for improvement.

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Inspection of Greenmount Primary School, Bury, BL8 4HD

 We have asked teachers to ensure that tasks are always well matched to your needs, particularly for those who find learning easy or difficult. Marking should provide comments on how to improve your work. At times, you could be given more opportunities to plan and organise your own work.

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Inspection of Greenmount Primary School, Bury, BL8 4HD

 The school should give you more opportunities to explore your creative talents and more opportunities to use your literacy, numeracy, investigative and independent study skills in different subjects.

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Inspection of Greenmount Primary School, Bury, BL8 4HD

You can all help by continuing to work hard. We wish you continuing success. 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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