Torkington Primary School

Torkington Primary School Torkington Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire. SK7 6NR

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The overall quality of teaching is good.  Pupils achieve well and make good progress. Their attainment is above average.  Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  The school is led and managed well. As a result its overall performance, including teaching and pupils’ achievement, has improved.  The governing body contributes well to the school’s success.  Pupils behave well and feel safe in school. Their attendance is well above average.  Parents are very supportive of the school.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching.  In some lessons, some groups of pupils are not well enough supported to ensure their very best progress.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 16 lessons.  Meetings were held with pupils, members of staff and members of the governing body.  In addition, inspectors took account of the views of 40 parents who responded via the on-line questionnaire Parent View.  Inspectors observed the school’s work, looked at pupils’ books, and scrutinised a wide range of documentation which included national assessment information and the school’s assessments, the school’s self-evaluation, local authority reports, safeguarding documents and minutes from governing body meetings.

p.2

Inspection team

Kevin Johnson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sharon Lambert Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 This is an average-sized primary school in which almost all pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils supported by funding through the pupil premium is below average.  An average number of pupils are supported by school action.  The proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The school meets the current floor standards, which are the minimum government expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress.  A breakfast club is offered on site. This is not managed by the governing body.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching to outstanding by:  using the existing exemplary teaching to model outstanding lessons across the whole school  ensuring that in lessons, all pupils are always supported well and that their progress is regularly checked.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 When children enter Nursery their skills, generally, are typical for their age, some are more advanced in their development. They make good progress because they are taught well and have lots of well-planned activities that encourage their independence and curiosity for learning. By the end of the Reception Year most reach a good level of development and are very well prepared for their entry into Year 1.  Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has improved significantly at both key stages over the past two years, since the previous inspection. By the end of Year 6 attainment is above average. This shows good achievement from their starting points.  Throughout the school pupils make good progress. This is due to the challenging targets set for them, which in turn, raise expectations and have a positive impact on teaching.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs have their learning carefully mapped

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

out. Individual plans are based on well-focused assessment of their needs. There is a good range of early additional help to boost skills. As a result, pupils make at least good progress.  Pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium make good progress. There are no significant gaps between their achievement and that of other groups. This is because the school makes good use of the pupil premium funding to ensure they all get the quality of teaching, and other help, they need to achieve well.  Pupils make good progress in reading throughout the school. Standards in Year 2 currently are on track to be above average. By the end of Year 6 pupils read widely in school and at home. They read fluently and with good understanding. This has a good impact on pupils’ writing skills and their ability to speak confidently.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has improved significantly since the previous inspection. It is mostly good and some is outstanding. However, the highest quality is not yet used fully across the school to demonstrate skills and does not, therefore, have the impact on the overall quality that it might have.  Teachers manage pupils well and relationships in the classrooms are good. This creates a positive climate for good learning because pupils feel safe and confident and are more willing to share ideas with others.  Good use of resources, including technology such as electronic whiteboards and laptops, helps pupils to focus well on their learning. In one lesson, among the variety of resources used to teach pupils about shape were the shapes pupils could make with their own bodies.  Teachers generally promote pupils’ independence well. They encourage pupils to work in groups and make their own decisions. For example, Year 3 pupils had to work in teams,

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

negotiate choices about presentation and the roles they played when performing poems for the rest of their class. Pupils enjoyed that responsibility and gained a lot of enjoyment from the lesson.  Teaching assistants are a crucial part of the teaching team. They are very skilled and know the pupils well. They manage the groups they lead sensitively, share trusting relationships and provide well-focused teaching support that enables the good progress of pupils in their care.  All teachers have high expectations of pupils. They use assessment well to set and review targets and pupils know what those targets are. Questioning in lessons to probe pupils’ understanding is good. Marking generally provides pupils with useful guidance about how to improve.  Lessons are planned well and learning builds well on what has gone before. Teachers’ planning takes account of varying abilities in classes so that work provides suitable challenge.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

Nevertheless, there are some occasions when teachers focus for too long on a particular group without regular checking of others. This sometimes results in some pupils not making the progress they could in lessons.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ high attendance reflects their enjoyment of school. They say that they feel safe when they are there because there is no bullying in school or any incidents of name-calling. Older pupils take on caring roles in the playground to make sure younger ones feel safe also. Parents fully support the view that their children are cared for well.  Pupils are well aware of potential dangers such as cyber-bullying, or being pressurised by others in situations outside of school, and they understand how these can be dealt with.  In lessons, and around the school, behaviour is good and at times it is exemplary. Pupils respond well to the systems introduced that explore positive thinking and behaviour. Attitudes to learning are very good and pupils are genuinely eager to do well. They show respect for all adults in school.  They enjoy lessons, especially when there are practical things to do, and activities such as the

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

Forest School and running the allotment contribute well to pupils’ healthy lifestyles and personal development.  Pupils’ good manners and politeness, their mature attitudes towards what is, and what is not, acceptable and their friendliness make a strong contribution to the life and ethos of the school.  Parents who responded in Parent View unanimously agreed that they would recommend Torkington to others.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 Leaders have steered the school through good improvement since the previous inspection.  In the two years since his appointment, the headteacher has been a major driving force in the process. Leaders have made good use of local authority support in identifying priorities and implementing strategies to tackle them vigorously.  The vision for the school’s future has unified staff, governors and parents. Aspirations are high. Targets reflect those aspirations and all are fully committed to continued improvement. In taking the school from satisfactory to securely good, leaders amply demonstrate their capacity to bring about improvement.  Astute appointments to teaching staff and robust monitoring of teachers’ performance, underpinned by the high expectations of the Teachers’ Standards document, have strengthened teaching.  Performance management is vigorous and well focused on what the school needs to achieve.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

Consequently, ineffective teaching has been eliminated and staff are highly motivated by opportunities for professional development that are open to them.  The school’s evaluation of its work is fully accurate.  The curriculum is rich in opportunities for pupils to achieve well by applying their skills and interests in different ways and across subjects. It promotes pupils’ spiritual and cultural awareness well and provides clear guidance and support for their moral and social development.  Leaders have won the confidence and support of parents who have responded particularly well to the school’s push to raise attendance to its very commendable level.  The governance of the school:  The governing body adds considerable strength to the leadership and management of the school. It challenges the school rigorously over standards and progress and provides strong support for self-evaluation and future planning.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 Link governors work closely with school staff to monitor the progress of any actions taken. A notable example is how the link governor for special educational needs provision is currently working with the coordinator to monitor impact, including how effectively the pupil premium is used.  The governing body fulfils its statutory duties efficiently including the management and implementation of safeguarding procedures, which meet all requirements fully.

p.5

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 106081 Local authority Stockport Inspection number 400819

p.8

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.8

School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 231 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Alan Hirst Headteacher Mr Andy Buckler Date of previous school inspection 15−16 April 2010 Telephone number 0161 4832188 Fax number 0161 4832188 Email address headteacher@torkington.stockport.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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 .

p.8

School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

p.9

School details

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

p.9

School details

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. 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille,

p.9

School details

please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.9

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9