Caldershaw Primary School

Caldershaw Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 5–6 December 2011 Inspection number 377295 Unique Reference Number 105779 Local authority Rochdale Inspection number 377295 Inspection dates 5–6 December 2011 Reporting inspector Declan McCarthy

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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 204 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Douglas Grindrod Headteacher Ruth Corrigan Date of previous school inspection 23 April 2007 School address Edenfield Road Norden Rochdale OL12 7QL Telephone number 01706 658623 Fax number 01706 710269 Email address head@caldershaw.rochdale.sch.uk 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 rates council children's services, and inspects services for looked after

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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

This inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. They observed 12 lessons taught by seven teachers. Inspectors held meetings with nine parents and carers, pupils representing the school council, four members of the governing body, senior and middle leaders and a representative of the local authority. They observed the school's work, and looked at pupils’ books, the school development plan, policies and procedures to promote the welfare and safety of pupils, the school’s data for recording and tracking progress, and records of monitoring of the school’s work. Inspectors also scrutinised questionnaire returns from staff, pupils and 83 parents and carers.

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Introduction

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.

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Introduction

 How well pupils are achieving at Key Stage 1, particularly in writing and mathematics.  How consistent the use of assessment is to match learning tasks to the different aptitudes and abilities of pupils.  To what extent middle leaders and the governing body are involved in self- evaluation and school development.  What impact the newly developed outdoor area in the Early Years Foundation Stage is having on children’s learning and well-being.

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Information about the school

Caldershaw is an average-sized primary school serving the local community. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds and one fifth are from other minority ethnic backgrounds. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with a statement of special educational needs, is broadly average. There are very few pupils looked after by the local authority. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher were appointed shortly after the last inspection. The school has experienced turbulence in staffing at Key Stage 1, beyond its control, during the past three years and two teachers have recently been appointed. Most of the governing body are new in post. There has been significant refurbishment of the outside play area.

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Information about the school

The school has gained a number of recent awards, moving from the bronze and silver Eco Schools award at the time of the last inspection to highest standard of three green flags for Eco Schools now. The school has also recently achieved Effective School Council status.

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Information about the school

The additional early years provision on the school site is managed independently from the governing body and subject to a separate 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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Main findings

Caldershaw is an outstanding school. Pupils’ personal development, including their behaviour and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is outstanding. These outcomes are promoted exceptionally well through the excellent curriculum and outstanding care, guidance and support. These are considerably enhanced through strong partnerships with other schools and outside agencies. The school is exceptionally well led and managed by an outstanding headteacher and senior leadership team. They have been instrumental in raising achievement since the last inspection. Outstanding links with parents and carers were reflected in their extremely positive views during discussion and in their highly positive questionnaire returns. They praised the strong family ethos of the school where everyone is truly valued and where children’s learning, well-being and safety are given the highest priority. The vast majority of parents and carers feel that their children are given the

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Main findings

very best chances to succeed and reach their potential.

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Main findings

Children settle into their routines quickly in the Reception class and make rapid progress from their generally average starting points. By the time pupils leave school in Year 6, their attainment is typically above average and was well above average last year. Pupils’ learning and progress as seen in lessons, and accurately reflected in school data, are good. Teaching is at least good as is the use of assessment to support learning. These aspects are stronger and more consistent at Key Stage 2 than at Key Stage 1. Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to stay healthy. They take full of advantage of the outstanding opportunities to participate in sport and exercise in the curriculum. The excellent improvements in the outdoor learning environment contribute strongly to pupils’ learning and well-being.

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Main findings

Pupils’ contribution to the community is excellent, particularly through the active school and eco councils, which have been instrumental in developing the school as a harmonious and caring community. They meet with the governing body and other schools and eco councils within the local authority and are held in high esteem as models of best practice by other schools.

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Main findings

Outstanding leadership and management by senior leaders, ably supported by middle leaders, have led to excellent improvements since the last inspection. Good monitoring of teaching and learning has resulted in significant improvements in the quality of teaching since the last inspection, with recent good improvements at Key Stage 1. Good governance has ensured that the promotion of safeguarding throughout the school is outstanding. All staff, including middle leaders and members of the governing body, are fully involved in self-evaluation and the accurate identification of priorities for improvement. This is having an excellent impact on raising pupils' achievement across the school, demonstrating an outstanding capacity for further improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Build on recent improvements in Key Stage 1 to ensure that the quality of teaching and the use of assessment are as consistently high as they are in Key Stage 2.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Pupils’ achievement is good. Children's attainment on entry to the school varies from year to year. Sometimes it is low and at other times it is broadly average depending on the nature of the group. The attainment of the current Year 6 pupils on entry to school was low. These pupils are on course to reach broadly average attainment in English and mathematics by the end of the year, representing at least good and in some cases outstanding progress. Attainment has been steadily rising over the last three years from broadly average to above average and well above average by the end of Year 6. Because of frequent staff changes in Key Stage 1, attainment dipped in this key stage, but with more settled staff it is now rising. Pupils in Key Stage 1 are now achieving well, as seen in lessons and in the school’s own data. They are doing better in reading, writing and mathematics and are on course to reach above

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

average attainment in all three subjects. In lessons, pupils remained highly focused on learning, listening intently to their teachers, following instructions and completing their tasks. For example, pupils in Year 1 displayed great enjoyment and enthusiasm when they read the letter from the ‘Martian,’ explaining how his rocket had broken and asking pupils to help make a new one, which they did. Year 5 pupils wrote enthusiastically and imaginatively about dinosaurs, with boys enjoying writing as much as girls. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with a statement of special educational needs, make equally good progress toward their targets and in lessons because of the good and often outstanding support they receive for their learning. The very few children who are looked after, and those whose circumstances make them potentially vulnerable, make exceptional progress from lower starting points, attaining as highly as their peers. The gap

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

between boys’ and girls’ attainment is narrowing and there are no significant differences in the achievement of different groups.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Pupils’ outstanding behaviour, excellent relationships and great respect for others impact positively on learning and reflect their outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils say they feel very safe in school and are confident that they can talk to any adult if they are worried. They show an excellent understanding of staying safe both in school and beyond. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education through their above-average attendance, their excellent development of work place skills and their competent use of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT). Their excellent enjoyment of school is most evident in their eager participation in all school activities. Pupils’ show great respect for others and have high levels of confidence as they move through the school.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning Taking into account: Pupils' attainment 1 The quality of pupils' learning and their progress The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress The extent to which pupils feel safe 1 Pupils' behaviour 1 The extent to which pupils adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community 1 The extent to which pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being Taking into account: Pupils' attendance 1 The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1

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How effective is the provision?

In Key Stage 1, teaching has improved significantly this term, as a result of greater stability in staffing. Lessons observed in Years 1 and 2 confirm the school’s accurate evaluation that teaching in Key Stage 1 is now only occasionally satisfactory, mainly good and sometimes outstanding. Equally, in Key Stage 2, the school’s own analysis and the lessons observed during the inspection demonstrate at least good teaching with a higher proportion of outstanding teaching. All teachers have good subject knowledge, excellent relationships with pupils and manage behaviour well. Very occasionally, assessment is not used effectively enough to match learning tasks to pupils' different aptitudes or abilities or there are missed opportunities to engage pupils in reviewing what they have learnt at the end of the lesson. Although the quality of marking is generally good throughout the school, in Key Stage 2, pupils are

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How effective is the provision?

given a very clear idea of how well they are doing against their targets, but this is not always the case in Key Stage 1.

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How effective is the provision?

The school provides very memorable experiences and rich learning opportunities that are tailored to meet the needs and interests of pupils. These include: research projects for homework; projects on topics, such as ‘Wolves in the Walls’; and special days and weeks, such as puzzle days, science and technology day and international week. The enterprise week involving pupils in all classes making and selling products, and organising café sessions for parents and carers, promotes work place skills exceptionally well. The very strong emphasis on promoting literacy, numeracy and ICT has had a very positive impact on pupils’ achievement, especially in writing and mathematics in Key Stage 1 and in ICT across the school. The rich variety of lunchtime and after-school clubs, such as the fossil club, a wide range of sports clubs, including lacrosse and street dance, recorders and choir are very popular and

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How effective is the provision?

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low considerably enhance pupils’ enjoyment, personal development and learning. There is a wide range of visitors, such as a practising poet, a theatre company and a Chinese visitor, who worked with children on origami and calligraphy. Outstanding partnerships with other schools and the community enable pupils to visit others as ambassadors for their school, as high-quality eco and school councillors. The success of this is reflected in the rapid rise from bronze and silver eco school award to the receipt of three green flags, and the award for an effective school council. Diverse cultural experiences within the curriculum, for example the celebration of world religious festivals such as Eid and Diwali, promote pupils’ cultural development well.

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How effective is the provision?

Excellent promotion and monitoring of attendance have led to sustained above- average attendance since the last inspection. The warm and family-orientated ethos of the school, with excellent relationships between staff and pupils, impacts positively on pupils’ happiness and feeling secure. Outstanding links with outside professionals ensure that pupils from the most vulnerable circumstances and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities make outstanding progress in their personal development, particularly in their behaviour. The school provides a wide range of booster classes and intervention programmes, which are most successful in ensuring that pupils who have fallen behind in their learning catch up quickly. Parents and carers benefit greatly from, and appreciate, the wide range of guidance and training opportunities available to them to support their children’s learning at home.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision The quality of teaching Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships The effectiveness of care, guidance and support 1

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How effective are leadership and management?

Leaders at all levels are very ambitious for the school and share a strong drive for improvement which has led to excellent improvements since the last inspection. The rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning has had an impact in raising attainment significantly at Key stage 2, but has not had the same impact in Years 1 and 2 until quite recently. Members of the governing body are frequent visitors to the school and strongly support its work. They ensure statutory requirements are met and, when they consider it necessary, they hold the school to account. The governing body seeks parents’ and carers' and pupils’ views and acts on these accordingly, for example, in improving the access to the school’s car park.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The school promotes equality of opportunity well and there is zero tolerance for any form of discrimination. The school gives the highest priority to safeguarding in all areas of its work. Excellent vetting procedures for staff and visitors are rigorously implemented. The grounds are very secure and the promotion of safeguarding permeates throughout the curriculum. Pupils are fully engaged in promoting safeguarding by contributing to the assessment of potential risks in the new outside play area and developing rules for the use of play equipment. Outstanding partnerships, such as the environmental action sessions at Queen’s Park and attendance at Rochdale football club study support, make an exceptional impact on pupils’ personal development and achievement. Outstanding links with parents and carers are reflected in their active participation and engagement in all the school offers, such as their very high attendance at the recent consultation evening for

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How effective are leadership and management?

parents and carers. The school’s good promotion of community cohesion is particularly strong at the local level and the topic-based curriculum promotes pupils’ understanding of national and global dimensions well. For example, there are good opportunities for pupils to link with a school in North America and to provide support for a child through Haiti Action Aid. The school makes excellent use of its resources to ensure outstanding outcomes for pupils. As a result, it provides outstanding value for money.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for the leadership and management The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambitio n and driving improvement Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and supporting the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities met The effectiveness of the school's engagement with parents and carers 1 The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being 1 The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures 1 The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion 2 The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children make at least good and sometimes outstanding progress from their broadly average starting points. They all reach, and most exceed, the expectations for their age in all areas of learning by the end of the Reception Year. This is as a result of consistently good and sometimes outstanding teaching and the excellent use of assessment. Children’s progress is continuously and systematically tracked and recorded in small stages of their development. This information is then used consistently in planning to meet a range of individual needs. Children thoroughly enjoy their learning and are totally absorbed in their activities. This is because their learning opportunities are very well planned, rich, varied, imaginative and stimulating. The newly refurbished outdoor learning is having a considerable impact on their learning and enjoyment. All staff maintain excellent relationships and are role models for children. Outstanding leadership ensures that all children stay

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Early Years Foundation Stage

exceptionally safe and that relationships with parents and carers are excellent. In discussion, parents and carers praised the outstanding arrangements for the very smooth transition for their children into the Reception class, facilitated by strong leadership and exceptional team-work amongst all staff. These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation stage Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage The effectiveness of leadership and management in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

Parents and carers who returned their completed questionnaires expressed strongly positive views about the school. Nearly all are happy with their child’s experience at school, believe their children feel safe, and say that their child enjoys school and that the school is well led and managed. Most parents and carers, but not all, are happy with their child’s progress, they believe that teaching is good and feel their children are encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle. A few concerns were raised, mainly about the progress their children are making, how the school informs them of their children’s progress, how the school deals with unacceptable behaviour and takes account of suggestions and complaints. These were shared with the headteacher. Inspectors looked carefully at these concerns and their views are explained in the report.

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questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Caldershaw Primary School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school. The inspection team received 83 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 204 pupils registered at the school.

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questionnaire

Statements Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Total % Total % Total % Total % My child enjoys school 55 66 26 31 1 1 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 71 86 11 13 0 0 1 1 The school informs me about my child's progress 59 71 19 23 5 6 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 59 71 23 28 0 0 1 1 The teaching is good at this school 59 71 23 28 0 0 1 1 The school helps me to support my child's learning 56 67 22 27 2 2 3 4 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 60 72 19 23 3 4 0 0 The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 51 61 25 30 3 4 1 1

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questionnaire

The school meets my child's particular needs 59 71 20 24 3 4 1 1 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 56 67 21 25 4 5 1 1

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questionnaire

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 48 58 28 34 6 7 0 0

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questionnaire

The school is led and managed effectively 59 71 20 24 2 2 2 2 Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 63 76 18 22 1 1 0 0

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questionnaire

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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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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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 43 47 10 0 Primary schools 6 46 42 6 Secondary schools 14 36 41 9 Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5 All schools 10 44 39 6

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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously.

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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above is for the period 1 September 2010 to 08 April 2011 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

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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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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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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

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.

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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. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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

findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Caldershaw Primary School, Rochdale OL12 7QL

Thank you for making the team so welcome when we inspected your school recently and for sharing your views with us. We were very impressed with your excellent behaviour, which helps greatly with your learning, and we could see how you really enjoyed being in school. We agree with you that yours is an outstanding school. You make good progress because teaching is good. Here are other things we found out during our visit.

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Inspection of Caldershaw Primary School, Rochdale OL12 7QL

You are exceptionally well cared for by all staff, who help you to stay very safe as you told us. You have many exciting and excellent learning opportunities, which promote your personal development, including your spiritual, moral, social and cultural development exceptionally well. We were impressed with the healthy foods that you were eating at break and lunch times. You also participate in a great number of sporting events, showing your excellent understanding of staying healthy. You also make an excellent contribution to the community, especially through your eco and school councils and the café you run for your parents and carers. The school has outstanding partnerships with other schools and the community. Its links with your parents and carers are also outstanding. I have made one suggestion to help your school to stay outstanding and improve even more.

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Inspection of Caldershaw Primary School, Rochdale OL12 7QL

 To make sure that the quality of teaching, and the knowledge that the adults have about how well you are doing in Years 1 and 2, are at least good in all your lessons so that you all learn as well as you can. You can help by continuing to do your best.

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Inspection of Caldershaw Primary School, Rochdale OL12 7QL

Thank you once again for telling us about your outstanding school.

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Inspection of Caldershaw Primary School, Rochdale OL12 7QL

Declan McCarthy 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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