Burnley Stoneyholme Community Primary School

Burnley Stoneyholme Community Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 12–13 July 2012 Inspection number 379763 Unique Reference Number 119257 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 379763 Inspection dates 12–13 July 2012 Lead inspector Brian Holmes

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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 Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 384 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rafique Malik Headteacher Lisa Davison Date of previous school inspection 28 April 2009 School address Oswald Street Burnley BB12 0BN Telephone number 01282 437190 Fax number 01282 459216 Email address bursar@stoneyholme-pri.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

Brian Holmes Sheila Loughlin Additional inspector Additional inspector Stefan Lord Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors visited 21 lessons or parts of lessons taught by 16 different teachers and looked at pupils’ work. They listened to pupils read and talked to them about their reading. Discussions took place with groups of pupils, members of the governing body and staff. Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at assessment data, evidence of activities and events, information about the curriculum, safeguarding arrangements, and monitoring and evaluation documents. Inspectors analysed questionnaires from pupils and staff as well as 178 questionnaires completed by parents and carers.

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Information about the school

This is a larger than average primary school serving an inner city community. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is above average. All pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, with the vast majority of Pakistani or Bangladeshi heritage. There is a higher than average proportion of boys compared to girls. Almost all pupils are at an early stage of learning English when they arrive at the school. Pupil mobility is higher than average. The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is broadly average. The school holds a number of awards, including the Leading Parent Partnership, Healthy Schools status, Arts Mark and Equality Mark. The school meets the current floor standard that sets the minimum standards of attainment and progress expected by the government. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequate

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Information about the school

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 outstanding because teaching, while good, is not strong enough to ensure that pupils make outstanding progress. The school has effectively maintained pupils’ good performance since the previous inspection. Stoneyholme is an inclusive school in which pupils learn harmoniously alongside each other.

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Key Findings

■ Children enter Reception with skills that are exceptionally low for their age. Pupils make consistently good progress across the school and, by the time they leave Year 6, attainment is in line with the average and rising, and strong in writing. In writing, pupils’ progress is outstanding and good in reading and mathematics. All groups of pupils make good progress from their different starting points.

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Key Findings

■ The quality of teaching is consistently good in promoting good progress for all pupils over time. Teachers use practical approaches astutely to engage and stimulate pupils well alongside an effective and interesting curriculum. The needs of all pupils are met well through effective use of assessment information to plan learning and measure progress.

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Key Findings

■ Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school is good. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour make a good contribution to their learning. Pupils are friendly and respectful towards one another and enjoy good relationships. Attendance is improving securely over time, is broadly average and improving.

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Key Findings

■ Leadership and management are effective and successful in creating a calm and stimulating environment where pupils develop positive attitudes towards learning. Self- evaluation is accurate. The management of performance and leadership of teaching are both good. The wide range of activities provided makes a positive contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

■ Improve pupils’ progress in reading and mathematics so that it is as rapid as in writing by:  improving pupils’ higher order comprehension skills  providing pupils with more opportunities to solve problems and apply their mathematical skills across subjects.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils make good progress from their starting points across all key stages. Children get off to a very good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They make rapid and secure progress, especially in developing their ability to speak English. They develop confidence and independence in abundance. This is especially evident when Reception children work independently at the writing table to write their own stories. In Key Stage 1, good progress narrows the gap between pupils’ attainment and that expected for their age. By the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics have improved significantly but remain below average. In Key Stage 2, all pupils make accelerated progress to attain in line with the average by the end of Year 6 but more strongly in writing. Pupils write extended pieces of work and have excellent opportunities to apply their writing skills across a range of subjects, such as writing in the character of a slave as part of work about the abolition of

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Achievement of pupils

slavery. Attainment in reading is rising because the teaching of phonics (links between letters and sounds) is effective. Pupils have good strategies for decoding unfamiliar words but the number of pupils attaining above the expected level for their age is restricted because pupils’ skills of inference and deduction are less well developed. In mathematics, progress is good but is not as strong as in writing because pupils do not have the same opportunities to apply their skills in other subjects and to solve problems. Pupils achieve well in different subjects, especially in art and physical education, because of the specialist provision that the school makes.

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Achievement of pupils

Learning and progress are good in most lessons. Pupils are actively and enthusiastically engaged in their learning. For example, in a Year 6 literacy lesson, pupils worked collaboratively in pairs to plan and conduct a television news bulletin. Different groups of pupils, including more-able pupils, disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and pupils at an early stage of learning English, make consistently good progress from their different starting points. The overwhelming majority of parents and carers feel that the school meets their children’s needs extremely well and that they make good progress. Inspection findings agree with the views expressed by parents and carers.

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Quality of teaching

Parents and carers are unanimous in their satisfaction with the quality of teaching their children receive. Inspection findings confirm their view. Pupils also say that the teaching they receive is good.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good with some that is outstanding. Excellent knowledge of how young children learn is applied to provide a stimulating and well-resourced learning environment. Adults work very effectively with children to develop their basic skills, as seen when malleable materials were used to develop mark-making skills and to give children confidence to engage in early writing activities. Lessons are well planned and assessment information is used effectively to plan challenging activities that meet the needs of all pupils. Assessment is used well within lessons to address any pupil misconceptions. A good range of strategies is used to engage and interest pupils in their learning. For example, in a Year 2 literacy group, pupils engaged enthusiastically in role play, working with a teaching assistant, to retell the story of Cinderella. Good teaching is supported by an effective curriculum that provides pupils with practical activities linked to

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Quality of teaching

real-life situations that engage pupils. In a physical education lesson, Year 2 pupils worked extremely well in teams to explore how different ways of running make them feel. Year 4 and 5 pupils talked enthusiastically about using a wide range of techniques and skills in their art work. Pupils have good opportunities to apply their skills in all subjects, particularly in their writing and through information and communication technology (ICT). Teaching encourages pupils to work independently, although, occasionally, teachers spend too long explaining tasks, which gives pupils less time to develop their skills. Marking and feedback have improved and provide pupils with good guidance on what to do to improve their work and good opportunities to respond to teachers’ comments. Teaching assistants are used well to provide support for pupils who are disabled or with special educational needs and those at an early stage of learning English.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching and the curriculum make an effective contribution to pupils’ good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Teachers are good role models for pupils’ learning. Pupils are encouraged to develop a love of learning and an appreciation of the world in which they live because teaching is exciting and relevant.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils’ behaviour is good in lessons and around school. Pupils are respectful of each other and of the adults around them. This creates a calm atmosphere and a positive learning environment. Pupils’ attitudes and engagement make a good contribution to their learning. Pupils cooperate well with each other and are receptive and willing learners. A Year 6 pupil commented, typically, ‘We respect each other and work together. We never leave anyone out’. Pupils were well-mannered and played well together, sharing equipment and resources, indicating that the standards of behaviour seen during the inspection are those normally seen over time. There have been no exclusions and the school’s records show that instances of poor behaviour and bullying are extremely rare. Attendance has improved rapidly and securely because of the effective measures put in place by the school to emphasise to parents and carers the importance of attendance. As a result, the number of requests for

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

extended leave has significantly reduced. The vast majority of pupils are punctual to school.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils are clear that they feel very safe in school and know that they can use the ‘Sparkle Box’ to tell adults about their worries. They are clear that any instances of poor behaviour and bullying are extremely rare and are confident that any problems that might arise will be dealt with quickly. Pupils demonstrate a clear understanding of different forms of bullying, including how to stay safe when using ICT and bullying based on prejudice. They consider that bullying is very rare and that there is no racism of any form in the school. Parents and carers are unanimous that the school keeps their children safe; a very large majority agree that behaviour is good and that the school deals with bullying effectively.

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Leadership and management

Senior leaders have high expectations for the school. The headteacher has demonstrated a clear lead in driving improvement, forging an effective team approach with all staff. Self- evaluation is accurate and there are rigorous systems for checking pupils’ progress. Assessment systems, in a range of subjects, are robust and identify when pupils are underachieving. This relentless focus has been instrumental in improving pupils’ attainment in writing, which demonstrates the school’s capacity to improve further, and is beginning to have a similar impact in improving pupils’ attendance. The leadership of teaching is effective. Regular monitoring and evaluation have led to improvements in the performance of staff. Marking and feedback have improved significantly because of the introduction and consistent use of the ‘block and bubble’ system. The school tackles discrimination and promotes equality well, with all groups of pupils making good progress from their different

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Leadership and management

The governing body has an accurate knowledge and understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Governors fully hold senior leaders to account for the school’s performance and ensure that pupils and staff are safe through safeguarding arrangements that fully meet requirements. The school has worked hard to improve its partnership with parents and carers, for example through the ‘stay and play’ scheme in Reception. Parents and carers express extremely positive views about how the school responds to their concerns and keeps them informed.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum is good and is managed well in order to provide pupils with a wide range of activities, both in lessons and through additional activities. The wide range of organised activities on offer at lunchtimes and through Golden Time are very popular with pupils and make a significant contribution to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The Forest School, for example, gives pupils opportunities to develop their social skills in practical activities outdoors and also time for peaceful and quiet reflection. There is a strong moral code between pupils based on respect and trust. Pupils develop into confident and reflective learners.

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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 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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BB12 0BN

Thank you for being so polite, welcoming and friendly when the inspectors visited your school recently. We enjoyed our time at Stoneyholme, particularly that spent talking to you about your learning and the activities you like to do. We know that you are proud of your school and enjoy being there.

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BB12 0BN

Stoneyholme is a good school with many strengths. We were impressed by your good behaviour and the good relationships you enjoy with each other and with the adults around you. You told us that pupils are fair with each other and that everyone gets on well together. You enjoy the wide variety of activities that are provided for you, particularly those that you do during lunchtimes and in Golden Time on a Friday. You told us that bullying is rare and that any incidents that do occur are dealt with very quickly. Teaching is good and you told us that your teachers are kind and make your learning fun. You make good progress in your learning, particularly in your writing, to reach standards that are similar to those seen in most other schools. The school is well led by senior leaders and by the governing body and all staff do a good job in looking after you and ensuring that all of you do as well as you can.

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BB12 0BN

We are asking the school to improve your progress in reading and mathematics, so that it matches the progress you make in writing. We ask your teachers to give you more opportunities to develop your understanding of what you read and more opportunities to use your skills in mathematics in all your subjects and to solve maths problems.

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BB12 0BN

All of you can help to make your school even better by continuing to work hard, behaving well and doing your best to help the school improve further.

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BB12 0BN

Brian Holmes 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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