Setting

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 1231231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566863 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: jbennett@cfbt.com

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Mrs M Denton Headteacher Pike Fold Primary School French Barn Lane Blackley Manchester M9 8ED

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Pike Fold Primary School

Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I inspected your school on 27 June 2012, and for the information which you provided during the inspection. Please extend my thanks to the local authority representative, Chair of the Governing Body, staff and pupils who met with me.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Pike Fold Primary School

Since the previous inspection all Reception children are now taught on the school’s main site. A new Early Years Foundation Stage leader has been appointed. Further staff changes are due to take place in September and the school intends to move into new premises on one site in January 2013.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Pike Fold Primary School

As a result of the inspection on 8 February 2012, the school was asked to address the most important areas for improvement which are set out in the annex to this letter.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Pike Fold Primary School

Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time the school is making good progress in addressing the issues for improvement and in raising the pupils’ achievement.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Pike Fold Primary School

The school took swift action to tackle the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. There was an immediate review of procedures for recording and reporting incidents that occurred with or between pupils, from those that were very minor to any that might be more serious, including any that were behavioural or racist in nature. Requirements, roles and timescales were clarified. Training in the use of the electronic system for recording incidents and on safeguarding more generally was provided. Incidents and related action are now recorded fully by teachers. The headteacher and deputy headteacher review this information weekly to check on follow up actions undertaken, to look for any patterns and to decide whether they need to intervene. A half-termly analysis is carried out and a report is written detailing both quantitative and qualitative information. This report is discussed at every full governing body meeting. Alongside this, strategies to

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Pike Fold Primary School

promote good behaviour and deter inappropriate behaviour have been adopted. For example, pupils misbehaving now have to undertake ‘community service’. This includes January 2012

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Pike Fold Primary School

Page2 activities such as picking up litter and tidying classrooms. The action being taken is having a positive impact. For example, after being spoken to by the headteacher, there has been a reduction in referrals for a group of pupils in one particular year group. Pupils say that ‘community service’ acts as a deterrent as they do not want to give up their free time. Knowing that incidents will be reported to their parents or carers is another incentive to behave well. Pupils spoken to said that behaviour has ‘improved tremendously’, there is ‘no bullying whatsoever’ and that they have a heightened sensitivity about the need to ensure that there is no racist or other offensive name-calling. This is confirmed by the school’s records that show most incidents are for minor issues. While there is scope for the analysis of information to be increasingly more comprehensive over time as greater detail is collected, procedures now are thorough and rigorous.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Pike Fold Primary School

Similarly thorough action has been taken in relation to procedures for recording and dealing with complaints. The policy has been updated and it has been made available to parents and carers, including via the school’s website. Every issue raised by a parent or carer with a class teacher, however minor or informal, is recorded on a common pro forma which logs the nature and details of the contact and the action to be taken as a result of the discussion. The headteacher receives the details of every contact and details are stored centrally. These are reviewed regularly to ensure that senior leaders have a complete overview and to check whether their involvement is required. Information is reported at every governing body meeting. While issues raised by parents and carers are wide-ranging, the majority are about relatively straightforward matters and records indicate that they have been resolved. In a

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Pike Fold Primary School

small number of cases there is appropriate, ongoing communication between the home and school. Currently, evaluation of the impact of arrangements is qualitative. The leadership now realises that as a larger body of evidence accumulates, quantitative analysis should be undertaken to check on patterns and the impact of actions taken. The school is also aware of the benefit of building on parents’ and carers’ support and continuing to engage them as actively as possible; the move to the new building is seen as an opportunity to capitalise upon this.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Pike Fold Primary School

Provision for the Early Years Foundation Stage is in a state of transition, with the planned move to the new building in January when Nursery and Reception children will be housed together with the rest of the school for the first time. Substantial changes to the staffing of the Early Years Foundation Stage are due to take place in September. Nevertheless, the school has taken action to improve current provision and to put in place the building blocks to escalate the rate of progress when the above changes are implemented. All Reception children are now taught on the same site in the main building which has helped to minimise inconsistencies of experience. A new Early Years Foundation Stage leader has been appointed and she has reviewed and is developing better systems for planning and assessment. Resources have been audited and plans are in place to rectify identified gaps. An external consultant is working with staff to provide training and other forms of support.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Pike Fold Primary School

Some weaknesses remain, especially in relation to aspects of teaching and resources. These are known about by the leadership and action is underway to tackle them. January 2012

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Pike Fold Primary School

Page3 The school has continued with its practice to build on its strengths and to develop its practice further. The school is anticipating considerably improved results in the Year 6 tests in 2012, and there are data to support this view.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Pike Fold Primary School

The local authority statement of action is fit for purpose and has been implemented to time. The local authority is playing a valuable role in both holding the school to account for its progress in relation to the areas for improvement and in providing a range of relevant support. The Chair of the Governing Body is aware of the need for the governing body to play a rigorous role in monitoring the school’s effectiveness and improvement and he is taking proactive steps to do so.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Pike Fold Primary School

I hope that you have found the visit helpful in promoting improvement in your school. This letter will be posted on the Ofsted website.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Pike Fold Primary School

Ms Joan McKenna Additional inspector January 2012

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February 2012

 In order to comply with the most up-to-date requirements for safeguarding pupils and to ensure leaders have an accurate overview of this area, leaders, including the governing body, must ensure that all staff are fully aware that any incidents that occur or concerns that are raised, including those of a behavioural or a racist nature, are documented in sufficient detail and acted upon.

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February 2012

 Update the school’s policy for complaints and ensure that: - all parents and carers know how to access it - it is adhered to, for example, in the logging of both formal and informal complaints and concerns - actions taken and any resolutions are clearly identified.

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February 2012

 Improve the overall quality of the Early Years Foundation Stage and the pace of the children’s learning by ensuring that: - adults make better use of the information from assessments to plan the next steps of learning - resources are of a similar good quality on both sites.

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