Greenacres Primary School

Greenacres Junior Infant and Nursery School Dunkerley Street, Oldham, Lancashire, OL4 2AX

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Overall effectiveness

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

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

■ Teaching, although improving, is not yet consistently good enough to ensure good achievement throughout the school. For example, sometimes pupils are given tasks that are too hard or too easy, and the pace of learning is too slow in some lessons. ■ Leadership and management have a number of weaknesses, including a lack of rigour in the monitoring of teaching and learning by a few leaders, and this hampers the school’s overall improvement. ■ Members of the governing body lack sufficient knowledge to fulfil their role of challenging and supporting the school.

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The school has the following strengths

■ Pupils’ behaviour is good. They get along well together and enjoy learning. They are safe and happy in school. ■ Much more teaching is now good and pupils make good progress in many lessons. ■ Strong leadership from the headteacher has driven many improvements since the last inspection. She is increasingly supported well by other staff. Together they have improved teaching, achievement and behaviour, and continue to do so. ■ Last year, standards went up significantly by the end of Year 6. ■ Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted effectively. ■ The Nursery gives children an excellent start to their school life. ■ Procedures to assess pupils’ progress have improved substantially since the last inspection. ■ Pupils’ attendance is above average.

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Information about this inspection

■ Inspectors observed substantial parts of 12 lessons, and made shorter visits to several other lessons, to see particular aspects of learning or the curriculum. ■ Discussions were held with staff, pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative of the local authority. ■ There were no responses available to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View). Inspectors examined the replies to the school’s own parental questionnaire from last year. ■ A range of documentation was examined, particularly that which concerns monitoring pupils’ progress, or ensuring their safety. ■ Work in a sample of pupils’ books was scrutinised. ■ Several younger pupils read to inspectors.

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Inspection team

Steven Hill, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Lyn Field Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

■ This is an average-sized primary school, with a Nursery that provides part-time education for up to 40 younger children in the Early Years Foundation Stage. ■ Just over half the pupils are of Pakistani heritage, and about a quarter are White British. The others come from a variety of different minority ethnic groups. Over half the pupils speak English as an additional language, a much larger proportion than in most schools. ■ The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, at around 40%, is double the national average. ■ The proportion of pupils who are supported at school action, is well-above average. The proportion supported at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is average. ■ The school meets the government’s current floor targets, which set minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. ■ There have been a number of changes to staffing as well as disruption through long-term staff

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Information about this school

absences since the last inspection. ■ The school runs a daily breakfast club for pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

■ Raise achievement by making teaching and learning more consistent, particularly through:  using assessment data more effectively so that expectations of pupils’ progress are suitably high, and the tasks they are given are neither too easy nor too difficult for them  ensuring a good pace of learning is maintained throughout lessons  checking more consistently on pupils’ progress during lessons, so that adults can intervene to correct misconceptions and to challenge pupils to improve their work  marking written work so that pupils are more frequently given advice on how to improve, and checking that this advice is followed.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

■ Raise the quality of leadership and management by:  ensuring all leaders take a full part in monitoring and supporting progress in their areas of responsibility, especially by using assessment data to identify issues and improve practice  establishing a systematic programme of training for the governing body, so that it can provide more informed support and challenge to the headteacher and her colleagues  linking performance-management targets for staff more tightly to an individual programme of training  ensuring all staff are working as a more coherent team to implement the priorities in the school’s development plans  making the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage more consistent by appointing a key-stage leader to oversee improvements and draw more fully on the individual expertise of staff.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

■ Children start in Nursery with skills that are generally much lower than those expected for their age, and make rapid progress because of the skilled teaching they receive from the many adults who work with them. This is built on well in the Reception class, where they make good progress, so pupils now start Year 1 with attainment that is much closer to average. This has not always been the case in previous years, and some groups left Reception in the past with very low attainment. ■ Attainment at the end of Year 6 went up considerably last year, so that it was slightly above average in English and mathematics. This group of pupils made good progress across Key Stage 2 from low starting points, largely due to consistently good teaching and rapid progress in Years 5 and 6, as well as intensive support last year for individuals, funded by the pupil premium. This helped pupils who had previously fallen behind to make up a lot of lost ground. This good

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

achievement was not replicated in all other classes, where too many pupils still lag behind the standards expected for their age. ■ Despite this example of good progress overall, progress requires improvement because in other classes it was inconsistent last year and continues to be so, because of variations in teaching. Achievement differs between classes and between subjects and, despite rising over the last year, still needs improvement. Progress is good in many lessons but is not yet good overall because too many other lessons have weaknesses. ■ Reading skills are developing well in classes for younger pupils because pupils are taught successfully how letters in words represent sounds. Older pupils read widely and often, and are very positive about their enjoyment of books, and have clear preferences. ■ Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make similar progress to their classmates. There are no significant differences between the achievements of boys and girls, or

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

between those of pupils from different ethnic backgrounds. Similarly, pupils who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium make similar progress to those who are not. ■ Pupils who speak English as an additional language quickly become fluent in English because of the good support given when they start school, often in their home language. Pupils who join the school later are also supported well, and the school draws effectively on the specialist skills of staff from the local authority to help them. As a result the progress of these pupils is in line with that of pupils whose first language is English.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

■ In most lessons, teachers have good relationships with pupils and set clear and high expectations for behaviour, so lessons are calm and orderly. Teachers usually explain things well and their lively presentation, enthusiasm and the good use of interactive whiteboards often engage pupils’ interest. ■ Teachers routinely prepare different work for pupils of different abilities. In most lessons, good use is made of the previous assessments of pupils’ attainment to provide tasks that are challenging but manageable. In too many other lessons, however, this is not done accurately enough. Sometimes, expectations are too low, so pupils are given work that is too easy for them and do not make enough progress. Occasionally, work is too difficult for pupils and they struggle to cope. ■ In better lessons, teachers and other adults keep a close eye on how everyone is doing, so they are able to challenge them to refine their work, address misconceptions that arise and modify

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

their teaching to maximise progress. In less-effective lessons, adults spend too long working with particular groups, so that sometimes pupils working independently waste time because they have misunderstood something, or are not challenged to refine and improve what they are doing. ■ Pupils’ work is marked regularly and teachers’ written comments frequently praise pupils’ success and make it clear what elements of the work are good. However, not enough marking gives pupils clear and specific advice about how to improve, and sometimes advice that is given is not acted upon by pupils in subsequent tasks. ■ In many lessons, learning has a good pace, so a good deal is accomplished in the time available. In other lessons, the pace slackens as some pupils wait for others, who work more slowly, to complete tasks, too much time is spent changing from one activity to another, or too long is spent waiting for adult support if pupils are confused.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

■ Good use is made of skilled extra adults to provide help to pupils who need it, and to ensure all are involved in tasks. This is a particular strength in the Nursery class, and greatly helps children who are at an early stage of speaking English as an additional language to make rapid progress in learning the language.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

■ Pupils enjoy school and are keen to succeed. This is reflected in their above-average attendance. They have good relationships with each other, regardless of background, and show good collaborative skills when working in groups or pairs. They work conscientiously and take a pride in their success. ■ Pupils behave well in class and this contributes positively to the good learning seen in the majority of lessons. They usually concentrate well and, even when not actively involved in activities, wait patiently without making a fuss. Their behaviour is good around the school, and boys and girls from different backgrounds play together happily at break-times. ■ Pupils themselves are positive about behaviour and Year 6 pupils say it has improved in the last two years because of the clearly-understood system of rewards and sanctions put in place. They understand the nature of different kinds of bullying and say it is rare. They have great

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

confidence that the adults will deal with any unacceptable behaviour quickly. ■ Pupils feel safe in school and contribute to this well through their own sensible conduct and their care and consideration for each other. Older pupils take a pride in helping younger ones, particularly in their formal role as ‘green hats’ at break-times. Pupils generally have a good understanding of safety issues, but some are rather vague about aspects of internet safety. ■ Pupils show proper respect and reflect thoughtfully on issues in assemblies. They have a good understanding of moral and social issues. ■ Pupils who initially struggle to conform to expected behavioural standards are given high quality support that helps them behave better, raises their self-esteem and helps them to go on to succeed academically.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

■ The headteacher has implemented changes to bring about improvements in behaviour which have enabled the school to work in a more harmonious community where pupils are ready to learn. The quality of teaching has improved and consequently pupils’ achievement has risen, and both continue to do so. Increasingly, staff at all levels share a common vision and work as an effective team to raise achievement. This team approach is not fully supported by all staff, with a few reluctant to change; this limits the pace of change. ■ Improved assessment is used with increasing effectiveness to analyse how well pupils are doing and why. Most leaders make good use of this information, and of other forms of monitoring, to identify issues and work with colleagues to address them. However, a minority of leaders lack clarity about their role and lack expertise in analysing assessment. They fail to use monitoring information sufficiently well to bring about change and raise attainment in their areas of

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The leadership and management requires improvement

responsibility. ■ The local authority has provided good support to the school in its drive to raise achievement and establish a more united staff team, as well as in supporting pupils who are new to learning English as an additional language. ■ The pupil premium has been used well to target extra help for pupils who have fallen behind in their learning. This was a major factor in the much-improved results in national assessments for Year 6 in 2012. This typifies the work done by the school to ensure all pupils have equal opportunities to succeed academically, as well as to be fully involved in all aspects of school life. ■ Performance management is used well to give teachers feedback on their effectiveness and to set targets for their future work. This has contributed to the improved quality of teaching, although some work remains to be done. However, the records kept of this process lack detail and, in particular, do not set out clearly enough what extra training and support will be put in

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The leadership and management requires improvement

place to help individual teachers to meet their targets. ■ Although the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage is a strength of the school, the lack of an overall leader for the key stage slows development, and means the different aspects of expertise possessed by staff in the Reception and Nursery classes are not shared as well as they might be. ■ Links with parents are good and parents are very positive about the school and what it provides for their children. In particular, education courses held in the school for parents, provided by local partner organisations, are very popular. ■ The governance of the school:  tries hard to support and challenge the school  lacks a systematic programme of training, so members of the governing body lack the knowledge and expertise to support and challenge senior leaders as well as they should  has ensured that safeguarding procedures meet requirements, although some adjustments

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The leadership and management requires improvement

had to be made by office staff during the inspection to bring the relevant paperwork up to date.

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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 is

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Grade Judgement Description

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.

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School details

Unique reference number 105631 Local authority Oldham Inspection number 405004

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School details

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

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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 240 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Howard Douglas Headteacher Lynne Mullen Date of previous school inspection 15 September 2012 Telephone number 0161 7705350 Fax number 0161 6285914 Email address info@greenacres.oldham.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 .

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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.

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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

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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, please

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School details

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School details

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

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