Kearsley West Primary School

Kearsley West Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 26–27 April 2012 Inspection number 377192 Unique Reference Number 105186 Local authority Bolton Inspection number 377192 Inspection dates 26–27 April 2012 Lead inspector Liz Godman

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 245 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter Flitcroft Headteacher Bernard Wright Date of previous school inspection 4 October 2007 School address Primrose Street Kearsley Bolton BL4 9BZ Telephone number 01204 332600 Fax number 01204 332601 Email address 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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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

Liz Godman Barbara Flitcroft Additional inspector Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors observed 19 lessons taught by 11 teachers and teaching assistants. Inspectors met parents, groups of pupils, staff and the Chair of the Governing Body. Inspectors observed the school's work, and looked at the school’s self-evaluation statement, its records of the monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning, the school improvement plan and minutes of governing body meetings. Inspectors looked at responses to the on-line Parent View survey, questionnaires completed by pupils and staff and 76 questionnaires completed by parents and carers.

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Information about the school

This is an average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average. Most pupils are of White British heritage, with a small number coming from a variety of minority-ethnic backgrounds. The school meets the current floor standards; these are the minimum standards expected by the government for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about the school

The school holds the Basic Skills Quality Mark Ten Year Award and the Uniservity On-line Learning Award. 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

 This is a good school. It is not yet outstanding because pupils’ attainment in reading by the end of Year 6 is not quite as good as in writing and marking and feedback are sometimes inconsistent. Pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching are good overall although achievement in mathematics is outstanding.

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Key Findings

 From starting points well below average on entry to the Nursery class, pupils make consistently good progress through the school and leave Year 6 with skills which are above average in both English and mathematics. Key Stage 2 pupils do not always have opportunities to read aloud or to hear texts read aloud. They also have limited opportunities to discuss their reading with other pupils.

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Key Findings

 The quality of teaching is consistently good, and a small amount is outstanding. Where teaching is good or outstanding, work is closely matched to pupils’ needs and they are challenged effectively. Although there are examples of good practice, pupils are sometimes unclear as to how to improve their work or how to reach the next level. Occasionally, pupils have no time to correct their work or are unclear as to their most important targets or what they are going to learn.

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Key Findings

 Pupils' attitudes to learning are good. They are keen to learn and behave well in lessons and around the school. Pupils say bullying is rare and that they feel safe. Parents and carers agree that their children are safe in school.

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Key Findings

 Leadership and management are good. This has secured an effective curriculum and the promotion of pupils’ good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Leaders and managers know the school well and take effective steps to develop the quality of teaching and to make sure that all pupils are making at least good progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

  Enhance pupils’ skills in reading, particularly at Key Stage 2, by: - ensuring pupils have regular and frequent opportunities to read aloud - giving pupils opportunities to discuss their understanding and responses to different texts, both with one another and with adults, before producing a written response - providing pupils with fluent models of texts read aloud.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

  Ensure a consistent approach to marking and feedback in all classes by:  - indicating clearly to pupils how they can improve their work - ensuring pupils are clear about what they have to do to reach the next level - ensuring pupils are given time to respond to marking and to make corrections  - ensuring learning objectives and targets are clear to pupils and provide them with the steps they need to develop their skills.  

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ learning in lessons is good. They are enthusiastic and show a keen interest in the activities provided. For example, children in the Nursery class were excited during the making of ‘magic potions’, while pupils in Year 6 responded keenly to the high level of challenge set for them in using figurative language in their writing.

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Achievement of pupils

This enjoyment of learning, along with consistently good teaching, ensures that pupils in all year groups make good progress. Children join the Nursery class with skills well below those typical for their age. Good progress across the areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage means that pupils join Key Stage 1 at levels just below expectations for their age. Pupils continue to make good progress in Key Stage 1 and start Year 3 with broadly average skills in reading, writing and mathematics. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment is above average in both English and mathematics. Almost all parents and carers agree that their children are making good progress.

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Achievement of pupils

Throughout the school, pupils’ progress in mathematics is exceptionally good, due to consistently effective teaching. There are frequent opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical skills, such as adding prices in the Year 1 class garden centre or searching for the toy rat missing from the Reception pet shop. In addition, at Key Stage 2, pupils memorise the multiplication tables and enjoy working towards the bronze, silver and gold awards given for their success. An emphasis on the development of writing has improved both the content and accuracy of pupils’ written work. Work is consistently well-presented in subjects across the curriculum.

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Achievement of pupils

By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment in reading is broadly average and they are able to work out unfamiliar words using their knowledge of letters and the sounds they make. Attainment in reading by the end of Year 6 is above average overall, although the proportion of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 dips to slightly below the national average. In Key Stage 2, pupils read silently before writing answers to comprehension tasks. This results in them missing opportunities to develop fluency by reading aloud, by hearing texts read aloud by adults and by discussing their understanding of the text with other pupils and adults.

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Achievement of pupils

Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. In lessons, work is matched closely to their needs and sensitive support from teaching assistants enables their full participation. Careful checks on the progress of these pupils prevent anyone from falling behind.

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Quality of teaching

Almost all parents and carers returning the questionnaire say their children are taught well. The inspection confirms the quality of teaching as consistently good and, occasionally, outstanding. The good teaching secures pupils’ good progress in English and very good progress in mathematics. While strategies to improve the teaching of English are proving effective, particularly in relation to writing, those for the teaching of reading are slightly less successful, especially at Key Stage 2.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers and support staff know the pupils well and use this knowledge to plan lessons which match pupils’ needs closely. In a mathematics lesson in Year 3, outstanding teaching ensured all pupils were challenged and enabled to draw accurate bar charts, based on the different information they were given. As a result the more-able pupils were challenged to achieve highly and those with special educational needs also experienced success. Classrooms are organised well and teaching assistants are deployed effectively. This enables all pupils, including those with special educational needs, to make good progress. Information and communication technology is used well. In a Year 1 mathematics lesson, pupils counted coins individually on the computer. This repeated a game introduced on the interactive whiteboard at the start of the lesson. While teaching enables pupils to develop good basic skills, it also fosters their wider cultural development. For example, pupils at Key

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Quality of teaching

Stage 2 learn to play a brass instrument through the skilled teaching of a visiting specialist music teacher.

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Quality of teaching

Staff manage behaviour well and provide good models. This secures pupils’ good moral and social development. In most lessons, pupils show good levels of engagement because learning proceeds at a good pace and teachers’ questioning involves everyone. Just occasionally, where teaching is slightly less effective, pupils become restless because the teacher talks to the whole class for too long. Sometimes, when teachers at Key Stage 2 talk to individuals about their reading, this process lasts rather too long and other pupils stop working independently.

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Quality of teaching

The school has taken concerted steps to improve the quality of marking and assessment since the previous inspection. There are now examples of effective practice, but this is not consistent. Consequently, pupils do not always know how they can improve their work or what they have to do to reach the next level. Sometimes pupils do not respond to marking or make corrections because they are not given time to do so. Occasionally, learning objectives are too complex for the pupils or they have too many targets, which are too broad and not given as fine-tuned steps.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils’ behaviour is good. A few pupils and their parents and carers, who responded to the questionnaire, were concerned that lessons are disrupted by bad behaviour. While inspectors found no evidence of this, they did find that very occasionally in lessons pupils become restless or stop working, because the pace of the lesson slows and attention wanders. More commonly, pupils are eager to learn and behave well in lessons, responding swiftly to requests and praise from adults.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils understand the different forms that bullying may take and say that it is rare. This is confirmed by the school’s records. Pupils new to the school feel included and all are very respectful of differences. Pupils support one another and are friendly and polite when speaking with visitors. They say that they feel safe and all their parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire agree. Pupils understand and respond sensibly to risks. For example, they know how to use the internet safely and take great care on the playground, keeping away from the areas where new playground equipment is being installed. Older pupils look after the younger ones well, for example at wet playtimes, and show great care and concern for the younger children’s well-being. Prefects take their responsibilities seriously and other pupils respect them and respond to their requests quickly. This ensures the school is safe and orderly.

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Leadership and management

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ achievement and have ensured the good quality of teaching. This ambition is reflected in the commitment of all staff to pupils’ learning and well-being. Staff work as an effective team to develop provision, for example, the consistent and highly effective approach to the teaching of mathematics. Partnerships with other schools and cultural organisations are productive and are used well to enhance pupils’ learning. Consequently, the curriculum is broad and balanced, promoting basic skills and extending pupils’ wider knowledge and understanding. This ensures at least good progress across the subjects of the curriculum. The curriculum is enriched by a variety of initiatives, including music. This makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development. Pupils are proud of the opportunities they have had to develop the playground. This includes using their social skills to negotiate with the contractors and their mathematical skills to work out

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Leadership and management

the financial costs. As a result the curriculum promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well and ensures they are well-prepared for the next stage in their education.

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Leadership and management

Leaders’ evaluations of the school’s work are highly accurate. Detailed monitoring and evaluation of the quality of teaching is used well to manage performance and to identify priorities for professional development. This has secured the current effective focus on developing pupils’ skills in writing. Rigorous use of data to track pupils’ progress has ensured that pupils identified as needing additional support or further challenge are identified swiftly and actions taken are effective in meeting their needs.

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Leadership and management

Effective leadership and a track record of improvement, coupled with accurate self- evaluation, give the school good capacity to make further sustained improvements. The school promotes equality of opportunity well. All pupils, including those who have special educational needs and the more able make good progress. The school is a harmonious community where all groups of pupils feel included and say that there is no discrimination. Safeguarding meets requirements and is of high priority for the school. The governing body fulfils its legal duties and is well-informed about the school’s work.

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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 54 42 2 2 Primary schools 14 49 32 6 Secondary schools 20 39 34 7 Special schools 33 45 20 3 Pupil referral units 9 55 28 8 All schools 16 47 31 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 to 31 December 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

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school's efforts to encourage good attendance.

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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

Floor standards the national minimum expectation of attainment and progression measures

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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 Kearsley West Primary School, Bolton BL4 9BZ

 Thank you for your welcome and your help with the inspection.

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Inspection of Kearsley West Primary School, Bolton BL4 9BZ

Yours is a good school. You make good progress from when you join the Nursery to when you leave Year 6. By the end of Year 6, your English and mathematics are above average. Your progress in reading is not quite as good as it is in writing. This is because in Years 3 to 6 you do not always have opportunities to read aloud or to discuss your reading with other children.

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Inspection of Kearsley West Primary School, Bolton BL4 9BZ

You are taught well. The work you are given is just right and challenges you effectively. Sometimes it is marked well, but occasionally you are not told your most important targets, how to improve your work or how to reach the next level. You do not always have time to correct your work.

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Inspection of Kearsley West Primary School, Bolton BL4 9BZ

You work hard, are keen to learn and behave well in lessons and around the school. You told us that bullying is rare and that you feel safe in school. Your parents and carers agree that you are safe in school.

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Inspection of Kearsley West Primary School, Bolton BL4 9BZ

The staff provide you with interesting activities. We saw you enjoying your brass lessons and playing some difficult instruments. Everyone gets on well together on your new playground. I know you enjoyed working with the builders on it.

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Inspection of Kearsley West Primary School, Bolton BL4 9BZ

Your headteacher and staff know the school well and are keen to make it even better for you. To help them with this we have asked them to:  help those of you in Key Stage 2 to read aloud and talk about your reading  make sure you are clear about how to improve your work.

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Inspection of Kearsley West Primary School, Bolton BL4 9BZ

I wish you every success in the future. Good luck with your X-Factor competition!

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Inspection of Kearsley West Primary School, Bolton BL4 9BZ

Yours sincerely Liz Godman 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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