Accrington Peel Park Primary School

Accrington Peel Park Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 19–20 June 2012 Inspection number 379748 Unique Reference Number 119184 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 379748 Inspection dates 19–20 June 2012 Lead inspector Christine Birchall

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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 Foundation Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 583 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Lisa Hartley Headteacher Judith Williams Date of previous school inspection 26 February 2007 School address Alice Street Accrington BB5 6QR Telephone number 01254 231583 Fax number 01254 396900 Email address bursar@peelpark.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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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

Christine Birchall Additional inspector Carol Machell Additional inspector Keith Bardon Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors observed 27 lessons and all class teachers. They talked to groups of pupils about their learning, and scrutinised work in pupils’ books. Inspectors held discussions with members of the governing body and staff. Inspectors observed the school’s work and examined a range of documentation, including the school’s records of pupils’ progress and achievement, evidence relating to leadership and management, monitoring and evaluation, behaviour records and safeguarding processes. They also took into account the questionnaires returned by 147 parents and carers, as well as those from pupils and staff.

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Information about the school

Peel Park is a much larger than average primary school. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is lower than average, and few are at an early stage of speaking English as an additional language. The number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is broadly average. Since the previous inspection the school has become part of a trust, and is working closely with a range of partners, including four other schools. It has also gained a number of awards, including National School of Creativity status, flagship status for Healthy Schools, Arts Mark Gold, and Eco-school status. There is out-of- school provision on the school site which is not managed by the governing body. The school meets the current floor standards which set the minimum standards expected

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Information about the school

by the government. 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 an outstanding school. It has many significant strengths which enable pupils to thrive and reach their full potential, both academically and personally.

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Key Findings

 Pupils’ achievement is outstanding. Typically, most children join the school with skills and knowledge which are well below those expected for their age, and all pupils, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, make outstanding progress across each Key Stage. As a result, attainment for the current Year 6 is above average.

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Key Findings

 The overall quality of teaching is excellent. Teachers and teaching assistants work tirelessly to ensure that provision in the classroom matches the needs of pupils of all abilities, so that all are both challenged and supported. Marking is of consistently high quality and ensures that pupils have a very clear understanding of how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve. Very occasionally, teachers structure activities too tightly, and opportunities are missed for pupils to extend their learning still further by asking their own questions and following their own lines of enquiry.

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Key Findings

 The behaviour and safety of pupils is exemplary. Pupils say that Peel Park is a ‘fun’ and a ‘caring’ school. They enjoy their experiences and this is reflected in their above-average attendance. Adults have high expectations of pupils and lead by example, ensuring an ethos of courtesy and respect in which all pupils feel valued and are exceptionally supportive of each other. They have an excellent understanding of risk and know how to keep themselves safe.

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Key Findings

 Leadership and management are outstanding. Senior leaders and governors have created a clear vision which permeates the school and is summed up by the motto, ‘high expectations, all pupils, and no excuses’. Their drive for improvement has been systematic and robust, and they have an excellent understanding of the strengths and areas for development of the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that there are sufficient opportunities through class discussions for pupils to contribute their own ideas and formulate their own questions and lines of enquiry. 

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Achievement of pupils

School leaders’ unrelenting drive to improve standards has ensured rapid improvement over time. The achievement of pupils is outstanding. Parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire expressed complete confidence that the school enables their children to achieve, and typically comment, ‘We feel strongly that the school has equipped our child for her next step to high school with confidence and an enthusiasm for learning’.

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Achievement of pupils

Few pupils are working at age-related expectations when they join the school in Reception. However, the sharply-focused assessment procedures, coupled with wide- ranging opportunities to develop language, communication and social skills, ensure that they make rapid and sustained progress. By the end of Reception, they are well- prepared for learning in Key Stage 1, and continue to make exceptional progress. Attainment levels are broadly in line with the national average by the end of Year 2. The nurture group provides structured support for the most vulnerable pupils in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 to overcome barriers to learning, so that disabled children and those with special educational needs make equally rapid progress. The school’s systematic focus on reading has ensured that by the end of Year 2, attainment in reading is average. Pupils read with enjoyment and have the confidence and skills to decode challenging words. Teachers take particular care to

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Achievement of pupils

choose books which will foster a love of reading in boys as well as girls.

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Achievement of pupils

Throughout Key Stage 2 pupils continue to develop knowledge and understanding very quickly and securely as a result of teachers’ clear focus on the development of basic skills. Pupils are provided with ample opportunities to deepen an excellent range of learning skills across the curriculum. They demonstrate impressive resilience and focus on their learning when they are presented with challenging activities. Analysis of progress in lessons, work in books and the school’s detailed tracking systems indicate that the number of pupils working at age-related expectations by the end of Year 6 is higher than average, with several working well above. As a result of careful assessment and sharply-focused support, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs continue to make outstanding progress, so that a significant number of them are also working at age-related expectations by the time they leave school. Pupils’ attainment in reading at the end of Year 6 is higher than

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Quality of teaching

The consistency in the quality of teaching across the school is impressive. A large proportion of lessons observed during the inspection was outstanding. Parents and carers are rightly confident that their children are taught very well, typically commenting ‘We believe teaching staff work very hard to provide a stimulating, interesting teaching environment’. Teachers have excellent subject knowledge. Their high expectations, coupled with warm relationships ensure that pupils’ confidence and self-esteem are promoted extremely well, so that they are happy to share ideas and take risks. Teaching assistants are exceptionally skilled in their roles and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. All adults respond to pupils with patience and humour, and use creative approaches to hold pupils’ interest. In a Reception class the teacher responded to pupils’ comments that they had not tasted all the

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Quality of teaching

food in ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’, and used a tasting session to encourage pupils to describe the foods. One child commented that ‘the plum was soft, juicy and sweet’. In a Year 6 lesson, pupils were able to analyse a piece of writing to identify words and phrases which built up suspense and interest. They were then challenged to use the same techniques in their own writing. They did this with evident enjoyment, self-checking and rewriting their work to produce increasingly sophisticated sentences.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers use very secure assessment procedures to check pupils’ progress and to provide additional support where necessary. The impact of this additional support is very closely monitored to ensure that it is effective, and helps pupils accelerate their pace of learning. All pupils have very clear and specific targets in their books, and can talk precisely about how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve. They have opportunities to assess their own and each other’s work, and pupils are involved in setting their own success criteria for their learning as early as Year 1. Teachers use a wide range of strategies in lessons to check pupils’ understanding, and they respond very quickly to their findings so that very little time is lost through misconceptions.

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Quality of teaching

In a very small number of lessons teachers keep too tight a control over the lines of questioning and enquiry that are followed. This approach very occasionally depresses pupils’ rates of progress a little, as it limits opportunities for pupils to formulate their own questions and take part in stimulating whole-class discussions.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire are unanimous in their view that the school keeps their children safe and are confident that there is a good standard of behaviour in the school. Pupils agree that teachers ‘always look after us’ and that behaviour in their lessons is good. Behaviour observed throughout the inspection was outstanding and pupils’ exemplary conduct makes a significant contribution to their learning. Analysis of the school’s behaviour records confirms that this is typical of behaviour over time. Pupils demonstrate a very good understanding of potentially risky situations and are able to explain how to keep themselves safe. Pupils are aware of the different forms which bullying can take, but insist that it rarely happens and is always dealt with very quickly. Pupils’ commitment to their education is demonstrated by their enthusiastic participation in the range of extra-curricular opportunities available to them. The

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

school’s emphasis on the ‘rights respecting schools’ initiative has had significant impact on pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development as well as on their academic learning. Pupils are very proud of their school and say they would recommend it to their friends. They talk about respect and demonstrate it constantly in their attitudes towards each other and to adults. They work collaboratively extremely well, and are very supportive of each other’s achievements. For example, very young pupils have been taught to assess their friends’ work using ‘a compliment sandwich’; a positive comment first, followed by a small area for development, and then another positive comment. They make many significant contributions to the school community and have high levels of care for each other. Older pupils were observed in a session where they were listening to younger pupils read. The supportive nature of the discussions demonstrated exceptional levels of

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

maturity. The older pupils very effectively asked challenging questions to check the younger pupils’ level of understanding. For example, they asked the younger pupils to predict what might happen next and gave praise and encouragement both verbally and in reading records.

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Leadership and management

The excellent leadership and management of the headteacher and senior leaders have ensured an impressive consistency of quality and practice in all aspects of the school’s work. This has been instrumental in driving up standards and demonstrates the school’s outstanding capacity to sustain this rate of improvement. Based on thorough self-evaluation, action planning across the school is detailed, well- prioritised, and rigorously monitored and evaluated to ensure that it is having an impact. Senior leaders and governors recognise the value of investing in high-quality staff. An extremely well-designed professional development programme has enabled staff at all levels in the school to have a clear understanding of their roles, and equipped them with the skills and confidence to fulfil their responsibilities to great effect. Middle leaders are directly involved in evaluating teaching and learning and support the development of colleagues. This helps ensure high levels of consistency

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Leadership and management

in the classroom. Leaders are committed to promoting equal opportunity, and very thorough pupil tracking systems ensure that no groups of pupils underachieve. The curriculum has been carefully devised to ensure that the needs of all pupils are met and that it promotes excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Parents and carers speak very positively of the range of opportunities open to their children, and welcome the regular curriculum newsletters which offer guidance on supporting their children. The Trust partnership has had a significant impact on developments by providing creative ways for staff from different schools to share good practice, and to quality-assure their work. Governors are very knowledgeable about the school, and can talk from first-hand experience about its strengths and areas for development. As a result they hold leaders to account very well. Statutory responsibilities are fulfilled, and processes for safeguarding meet all requirements.

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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 up 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 Accrington Peel Park Primary School, Accrington, BB5 6QR

 I am writing to thank you for the warm and friendly welcome you gave to inspectors when we visited your school recently to see how well you are learning. We very much enjoyed talking with you, and it was a pleasure to see how proud you are of your school and how much effort you put into doing your best work at all times.

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Inspection of Accrington Peel Park Primary School, Accrington, BB5 6QR

We judged Peel Park Primary to be an outstanding school. You help to make it outstanding because of your excellent attitudes and behaviour, which help you to make very good progress in your learning. We were very impressed with the mature way in which you work together, and were delighted to see how much you like to help other pupils in the school. Your teachers look after you extremely well and you all told us that you feel very safe in school.

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Inspection of Accrington Peel Park Primary School, Accrington, BB5 6QR

The teaching in your school is excellent, and teachers and teaching assistants work hard to make sure that you have interesting activities in lessons to make learning fun. We know that you appreciate this because you told us that school is fun. Your headteacher and the rest of the staff are constantly working to make the school even better, and they have already made many improvements. We have asked them to give you more opportunities to ask questions and to have class discussions, and you can help them with this by continuing to work hard and joining in as much as possible.

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Inspection of Accrington Peel Park Primary School, Accrington, BB5 6QR

I wish you all the very best for the future.

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Inspection of Accrington Peel Park Primary School, Accrington, BB5 6QR

Christine Birchall 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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