St Peter's CofE Primary School

St Peter's CofE Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 5–6 July 2012 Inspection number 377332 Unique Reference Number 105948 Local authority Salford Inspection number 377332 Inspection dates 5–6 July 2012 Lead inspector Judith Tolley

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 240 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jeremy Sheehy Headteacher Peter Wright Date of previous school inspection 18 January 2007 School address Vicarage Road Swinton Manchester M27 0WA Telephone number 0161 7942616 Fax number 0161 7283119 Email address peter.wright@salford.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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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

Judith Tolley Prydwen Elfed-Owens Additional Inspector Additional Inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. The inspectors observed 21 lessons, taught by 10 different teachers, including joint observations with the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team. Inspectors also made short visits to phonics (letters and their sounds) lessons and guided reading sessions across the school, led by teachers and trained assistants. Meetings were held with a group of pupils, members of the governing body and school staff, including senior and middle managers. The inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work, observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school development plan and the school’s analysis of pupils' progress. They also analysed 62 parents’ and carers’ questionnaires and others completed by pupils and staff.

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Information about the school

St Peter’s C of E Primary School is an average-sized primary school. Pupils are predominantly of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for a free school meal is higher than average. The proportion from minority ethnic backgrounds is lower than average, as is the proportion who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average but varies from year to year. There have been significant changes of staff since the last inspection. The school has a number of awards including Healthy Schools status and Activemark. The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. 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 there remain some minor inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and achievement in writing and mathematics is not as strong as in reading.

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Key Findings

■ By the end of Year 6, attainment in reading is above average and in writing and in mathematics it is broadly average. Pupils’ achievement from their starting points is good. Pupils make outstanding progress in reading. They say they thoroughly enjoy reading and most read with fluency and understanding.

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Key Findings

■ Teaching is good. The school provides very effectively for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. Teachers plan lessons so that pupils are engaged and excited by activities. Assessment information is used effectively to provide appropriate support in lessons but is not always used as effectively as it might be to challenge higher-attaining pupils. Pupils make the best progress when they work collaboratively to solve problems but opportunities are sometimes missed for them to do this.

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Key Findings

■ Behaviour is good. Attendance is above average. Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning, are keen to take responsibility and are courteous and polite. They say that school is fun and that they feel safe.

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Key Findings

■ The school’s work is monitored closely to provide very clear direction. Action to tackle weaknesses, raise attainment and accelerate progress has proved successful and indicates the school’s good capacity to improve further. Arrangements for performance management and the leadership of teaching are well-organised and successful. The systematic teaching of phonics is very effective and enables pupils to make outstanding progress in reading. The curriculum has been adapted to better meet pupils’ interests and promote enjoyment but there are not yet enough opportunities for pupils to learn and practise writing and mathematical skills in other subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

■ Raise attainment and accelerate progress in writing and mathematics further by ensuring that every opportunity is taken to promote these skills across the wider curriculum.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

■ Improve the quality and consistency of teaching to that of the best by:  using assessment information more effectively in lesson planning to ensure that higher-attaining pupils are always given sufficient challenge to reach their potential  increasing the opportunities pupils have to work collaboratively and to solve problems in lessons.

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Achievement of pupils

Many pupils join the school with attainment which is below average in relation to that expected for their age. They make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage, particularly in developing their reading, communication and social skills. Pupils continue to make good progress as they move through the school. By the end of Year 6 all pupils achieve equally well and there is no significant difference in the achievement of different groups. As a result of very well-planned individual support for pupils who are disabled and those who have special educational needs, these pupils also make good progress and are able to participate fully in activities alongside their classmates.

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Achievement of pupils

Attainment has risen year-on-year and differences in the performance of different groups have narrowed. By the end of Year 2 pupils’ attainment in reading is now above average and in writing and mathematics it is average. By the end of Year 6 attainment in mathematics and writing is broadly average and in reading it is above average. This represents good progress overall in relation to pupils’ starting points and outstanding progress in reading. Most Year 6 pupils read a variety of texts fluently and with understanding. They skim and scan for information and write successfully for a variety of purposes. Pupils are confident and articulate in expressing their ideas and explaining their views. Most pupils apply their mathematical skills confidently to solve problems.

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Achievement of pupils

In lessons learning is good and pupils participate enthusiastically in activities, especially when working with a partner or a small group to explore ideas and solve problems. In a Year 6 mathematics lesson, for instance, pupils displayed great enthusiasm and independence in working collaboratively to calculate the costs of setting up an Olympic theme park. Pupils respond positively to opportunities they are given to work in this way or with a partner but opportunities are sometimes missed to enable them to do this.

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Quality of teaching

Although there remain some inconsistencies across the school, the quality of teaching is good. Teachers give clear demonstrations and explanations so that pupils rapidly understand new ideas. Teachers and teaching assistants work very effectively as a team and are skilful in their use of questioning to support and extend pupils’ thinking in group work and when they monitor pupils’ progress during tasks. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are taught well. Teachers and teaching assistants work very effectively as a team to plan small-group work so that these pupils receive the support they need to make good progress in lessons. Opportunities for pupils to explore ideas with a partner develop their speaking and listening skills effectively and promote their respect for the views of others, as well as their confidence and independence as learners. In a Year 5 lesson, for example, pupils worked enthusiastically with a partner to plan a piece of

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Quality of teaching

descriptive writing and were keen to share their ideas with the rest of the class. However, opportunities for them to do this are sometimes missed.

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Quality of teaching

The school provides good opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and the approach that teachers take with these areas of learning is effective. For instance, pupils, even the youngest, confidently take the lead in whole-school assemblies and in organising playground games. Teachers use assessment information effectively to place pupils in groups in lessons and to plan pupils’ next steps in learning. However, on occasions, some pupils find work too difficult or too easy; resources provided sometimes lack the guidance some lower-attaining pupils need to complete tasks independently so that their progress is slowed. Similarly, opportunities are sometimes missed to provide further challenge for higher-attaining pupils. Marking is regular and usually gives pupils good guidance about how to improve, although this is not always reinforced in the marking of their topic work.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils say lessons are fun and are enthusiastic about their learning, particularly their reading and mathematics. They enjoy school and attendance is above average. They appreciate extra-curricular activities and they value the opportunities they have, for instance, to learn the violin. Pupils have very good relationships with each other and are courteous and polite. They display good levels of concentration and, when working in pairs or groups, organise themselves swiftly and without fuss. Behaviour is good. Parents, carers and pupils are confident that any poor behaviour is dealt with effectively and promptly. Pupils know how to stay safe and healthy and have a good understanding of the risks to which they may be exposed, both within and outside of school. Pupils have a good understanding of the different forms that bullying can take, including the dangers posed by the internet. Instances of bullying are rare and parents, carers and pupils express confidence in the

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

school’s systems for dealing with such occurrences. Pupils are proud of their school and their achievements. They take responsibilities seriously, for instance as school councillors, playground leaders and helping younger children to read.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher provides excellent leadership and very clear educational direction, based on a rigorous analysis of pupils’ progress, close monitoring and an accurate evaluation of the school’s work. He is strongly supported by the senior leadership team and the governing body, which plays an active part in the school’s self-evaluation and improvement-planning processes. Governors are very well informed and are therefore able to act very effectively as critical friends. As a result of swift and decisive action, issues from the previous inspection have been tackled successfully, attainment has risen and gaps in the performance of different groups have closed. The school has been successful in forging a strong partnership with parents and carers as well as improving attendance and punctuality. Its track record provides clear evidence of the school’s ability to sustain improvement. Strategies to improve

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Leadership and management

the quality of teaching, such as mentoring and the opportunities for continued professional development within the cluster of local schools, have proved successful in developing good practice. The new topic-based curriculum has provided opportunities for teachers to work together, exchange ideas and share good practice. However this is, as yet, at the early stages of development. As a result, minor inconsistencies in teaching remain. Safeguarding procedures meet requirements: policies are regularly reviewed by the governing body and staff are kept up to date through regular training.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum is suitably broad and ensures a balance of activities. Although in lessons there are some inconsistencies in matching work to ability, overall the curriculum meets the needs of pupils well. As a result, the promotion of equality of opportunity for success is good. The adoption of a topic-based curriculum is having a positive impact upon pupils’ progress and enjoyment. However, pupils do not yet have enough opportunities to practise their writing and mathematics skills in a variety of contexts. The systematic teaching of phonics and the focus on writing and mathematics have proved successful in raising attainment. However, more work is needed to raise writing and mathematics to the same above-average levels as reading. Visitors and visits, as well as after-school clubs, are all greatly valued by pupils and enrich the taught curriculum. Older pupils also benefit from specialist teaching in music. Opportunities to try new activities and work together in mixed-

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Leadership and management

age groups on a regular basis further enrich pupils’ experience and are very effective in developing pupils’ personal and social skills. The school takes a firm stand on any suggestion of discrimination and pupils learn to reflect and appreciate their own skills and the skills of others. This is very successful in increasing pupils’ confidence and promotes their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively.

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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 St Peter's CofE Primary School, Manchester, M27 0WA

I would like to thank you for making us so welcome when we inspected your school recently. We really enjoyed talking to you all and hearing your views. We agree with you, you go to a good school. Your behaviour in lessons is good and we were impressed by how courteous and polite you were and how well you got on with each other and adults in your school. You do a lot to help improve the school, for instance, through the school council, as playground leaders and through helping younger children with their reading. We also saw how much some of you enjoyed taking part in assembly and we enjoyed hearing some of you play the violin.

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Inspection of St Peter's CofE Primary School, Manchester, M27 0WA

You make good progress and you reach the same standards as other pupils nationally. Your reading is even better than this. You all told us how much you enjoy your lessons. We did notice that some of you sometimes found tasks too easy, so we have asked the teachers to make sure you always get the right amount of challenge to make sure you can all do your best. You work really well with a partner and in small groups to solve problems so we have asked your teachers to make sure you have more opportunities to work in this way.

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Inspection of St Peter's CofE Primary School, Manchester, M27 0WA

The headteacher and staff are working to make your school even better. You can all help by continuing to work hard. I wish you every success for the future and hope that you continue to enjoy your learning.

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Inspection of St Peter's CofE Primary School, Manchester, M27 0WA

Judith Tolley 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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