Abingdon Primary School

Abingdon Primary School Abingdon Road, Reddish, Stockport, Cheshire. SK7 7ET

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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

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This is a good school because

 There has been good school improvement since the previous inspection particularly in reading and writing, which have been school priorities.  Pupils achieve well and reach average attainment in English and mathematics.  School leaders and managers, including the governing body, are very well focused on school priorities and are driving improvement well. As a result the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement continue to improve.  Pupils, throughout the school, make good progress from their starting points.  Teaching has improved considerably since the previous inspection and is now mostly good with some that is outstanding.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are provided for well and make good progress.  Pupils behave well. They enjoy school, are very well cared for and feel safe.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils’ progress in mathematics is not quite as strong as that in reading and writing.  Pupils’ attendance is below the national average.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspector observed 27 lessons.  Meetings were held with pupils, staff members and members of the governing body.  In addition, inspectors took account of the views of parents and carers who responded via the on-line questionnaire Parent View.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a wide range of documentation including national assessment data and the school’s assessments, the schools self- evaluation, local authority reports, curriculum information, samples of pupils’ work and safeguarding documents.

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Inspection team

Kevin Johnson, Lead inspector Additional inspector John Shutt Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized primary school in which almost all of the pupils are White British.  The school works closely with an adjacent local authority nursery school and a local high school forming an informal federation.  A breakfast club is provided by the school and after-school care, which is not managed by the governing body, is also available.  The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above the national average.  A similarly high proportion of pupils is supported by school action.  The proportion of pupils supported by funding through the pupil premium (looked after children and those known to be eligible for free school meals) is above average.  The school meets the current floor standards, which are the minimum government expectation for attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment further and improve the rate of progress in mathematics by:  ensuring that the outstanding teaching seen in some mathematics lessons is modelled and shared fully throughout the school  maintaining high expectations and setting appropriately high targets, especially for the more able pupils, in mathematics  providing good opportunities for pupils to apply and develop their mathematics skills across the whole curriculum.  Take steps to monitor, build on and maintain the improved level of pupils’ attendance seen during the inspection so that it consistently matches or exceeds the national average.

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Inspection judgements

The achievement of pupils is good  Children’s abilities on entry to Reception are generally below, and for some well below, typical expectations for their age. They are taught well, provided with a good range of activities that help their learning and development and make good progress. When they enter Year 1 most are working close to the levels expected for their age in all areas of learning.  Good progress continues in Key Stage 1 due to consistently good teaching. Levels of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics show significant improvement since the previous inspection. An increased number of pupils attained the higher Level 3 in 2012 in all subjects. Attainment overall is broadly average.  There is also good improvement in Key stage 2. Again, due to good teaching, pupils achieve well. Average attainment overall in 2012 in English and mathematics represent good progress from earlier starting points. This was a commendable performance given the

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Inspection judgements

unusually high proportion of pupils with special educational needs. Nevertheless, progress in mathematics was not quite as strong as that seen in reading and writing, which have been the main school focus for improvement.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress. There is a good, well planned range of additional help through small group and one-to-one teaching. As a result the proportion of pupils who make expected and more than expected progress, given their starting points, compares favourably with national figures. Pupils supported by the pupil premium also benefit well from the additional teaching support which the school provides. For example, those who access the Numbers Count initiative gain from high quality teaching that gives a considerable boost to their mathematical skills.  Pupils make good progress in reading. They get off to a good start in Reception by learning

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Inspection judgements

letters and sounds. This has a good impact on their confidence as they move through the school. Pupils in Year 2 are keen readers. They read accurately, make sense of what they read and the more able readers are increasingly reading with expression, which indicates good understanding of the text. By the end of Year 6 standards in reading fully match expectations. Pupils read fluently. They are clear about preferred authors and story types which include classics such as Jane Eyre.

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Inspection judgements

The quality of teaching is good  Teachers create a positive climate for good learning. They provide a high level of care within stimulating classroom environments and maintain good quality relationships.  Visual aids such as electronic whiteboards and practical learning resources are used well to make lessons interesting and help pupils to learn.  Learning objectives are made clear so that pupils are focused and know what is expected of them. Lessons are planned well and build effectively on what pupils already know and can do.  Teachers usually provide appropriately for the varying levels of ability. Teaching assistants are deployed effectively. Their good skills and sensitive management of pupils contributes significantly to good progress. However, there is sometimes scope for more challenge in lessons, especially for the more able pupils in mathematics  The outstanding teaching seen was underpinned by careful planning that focused on what

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Inspection judgements

pupils will learn and how they will learn it. In a science lesson, for example, excellent resources enabled pupils to explore differences in materials by using all of their senses. The lesson was filled with practical activity that absorbed all of the pupils’ interest and curiosity. The pace of learning was rapid as was the progress they made.  There was equally rapid learning by Reception children in a ‘letters and sounds’ lesson where the teacher very skilfully and energetically used a variety of strategies to introduce new sounds and link them to letter shapes. The children were delighted by their new knowledge and the due praise they received from their teacher.  Reading and writing are taught well throughout the school. This has been a focus for development since the previous inspection. Teachers have successfully embedded new teaching strategies for writing and improved their skills. The positive impact of this is seen

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Inspection judgements

in pupils’ improved achievement.  While there has been some improvement in the teaching of mathematics, such as in the teaching of calculation skills, progress in other aspects has not been so marked. The school recognises this and, in order to raise achievement further, is beginning to address shortcomings through further professional training and the sharing of best practice in the school. It also recognises the need to provide more opportunities for pupils to apply and develop their mathematics skills across the curriculum.

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Inspection judgements

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good  Pupils enjoy school. They have a positive attitude to learning and are keen to do well in their lessons and when taught in small groups.  Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils get on well with one another and respect cultural and other differences. Pupils share very trusting relationships with teachers and other school staff. One pupil described the school as, ‘a massive big family’.  Behaviour is consistently good in lessons and around the school. Pupils are polite and mindful of each other. They say that they feel safe and strongly affirm that there is no bullying or incidents of racist behaviour. Writing about ‘friendship’ in their topic work and writing reflectively in ‘learning journals’ are good examples of how the curriculum supports pupils’ spiritual development.  Pupils understand potentially harmful situations, including misuse of the internet and mobile

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Inspection judgements

phones. They know how they should act when dangerous situations occur.  Parents and carers are very appreciative of the care that the school provides before and during the school day.  Most pupils arrive on time for school. The school is tackling the issue over some pupils’ attendance vigorously and it is beginning to show improvement

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Inspection judgements

The leadership and management are good  The headteacher has built effectively on the emerging strengths identified in the previous inspection. The roles of senior leaders are now clearly established. The common purpose and clear vision of staff and the governing body have successfully carried the school from satisfactory to good.  High expectations with regard to teaching quality are clearly shared with all staff and underpinned effectively by the ‘Teachers’ Standards’. Rigorous systems for monitoring teaching quality, along with astute appointments to the teaching staff have improved its quality and the school’s capacity for continued improvement.  School self-evaluation drives future planning effectively. Leaders’ accurate overview of the school’s work enables them to identify clear priorities and tackle them vigorously.  This has led recently, for example, to the school working closely with local authority

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Inspection judgements

advisers to review teaching and learning, confirm improvements and seek further success. As a result of this positive action, attention is to focus on mathematics in order to raise achievement further in that subject.  The success of actions taken since the previous inspection regarding teaching, attainment, Early Years Foundation Stage provision and pupils’ progress overall amply demonstrates leaders good capacity to improve the school further.  The school works well with partner establishments to share professional expertise and to improve pupils’ learning. There are good opportunities for staff and pupils to work with other schools in the informal federation. This widens the engaging curriculum planned by the school and provides further enriching opportunities for pupils’ learning and personal development.  The governance of the school:  The governing body challenges and supports the school well and holds the school

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Inspection judgements

strongly to account for standards and achievement. It clearly understands where the school’s priorities lie and what further action needs to be taken to maintain the school’s good progress.  Statutory duties are fulflled efficiently by the governing body including financial management. The use of the pupil premium, for example, is carefully planned and monitored for its effectiveness.  Safeguarding requrements are fully met and policies and procedures are regularly reviewed.  The governing body acknowledges that attendance is an on-going issue and supports all of the schools efforts to raise it further.

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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

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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.

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School details

Unique reference number 106074 Local authority Stockport Inspection number 405019

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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 4-11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 165 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Steve Revill Headteacher Ms Alison Naismith Date of previous school inspection 15 February 2011 Telephone number 0161 4804531 Fax number 0161 4775753 Email address headteacher@abingdon.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 .

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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,

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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’.

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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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