Little Hoole Primary School

Little Hoole Primary School Dob Lane, Walmer Bridge, Preston, Lancashire, PR4 5QL

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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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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The vast majority of pupils makes good progress,especially in reading. They get off to a good start in the Reception class.  Attanment at the end of both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 is above average.  Teaching is good with some examples of outstanding practice.  Pupils’ behaviour is good and attendance is above the national average. Inspection evidence supports pupils’ and parents’ views that pupils feel very safe in school and any incidents of bullying are dealt with promptly and effectvely.  Pupils’ learning is of a good quality because teachers ensure that lessons are matched to pupils’ prior learning and capture the pupils’ interests.  Pupils who sometimes find learning more difficult are well-supported and make good progress.  The headteacher leads and manages the school very well. Despite staffing difficulties, she has ensured a strong focus on continous improvement. She has the full support of her

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

staff and also from a knowledgeable governing body.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Achievement is good rather than outstanding. While an increasing number of pupils make more than the progress expected of them, the proportion exceeding the expected progress is not high.  Teaching is not yet outstanding, mainly because more-able pupils are not always provided with sufficient challenge in mathematics. Also, marking is not always used to best effect.  The role of middle and senior leaders,other than the headteacher, is not fully developed.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 14 lessons of which one was a joint observation with the headteacher. Additional short visits to lessons were undertaken to look at important issues such as how well pupils behave and other aspects of school life.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils (chosen at random), members of the governing body, senior staff and with parents. A discussion took place with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors heard pupils read.  Pupils’ current work and available work and assessment information from the previous academic year was scrutinised, including tracking information about the rate of pupils’ progress.  Inspectors took account of 17 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View).

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Inspection team

Geoffrey Yates, lead inspector Additional inspector Gillian Burrow Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is smaller than the average sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average.  The proportions of pupils at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs are below average.  There have been a significant number of staff absences since the previous inspection.  There is on-site provision for pupils under the age of four, not managed by the school.This provision wil be the subject of a separate Ofsted inspection.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding is well below average.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for learning and progress.  The school has achieved awards such as Healthy Schools status.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching from good to outstanding by: - ensuring that more-able pupils are consistently provided with appropriate challenge in mathematics - sharing outstanding practice - ensuring that marking is consistently effective in helping pupils to improve their own work - developing further the roles of senior staff and middle leaders in evaluating the quality of teaching and the impact it has on pupils’ learning and progress.

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Inspection judgements

 Pupils are hard working and show great interest and enjoyment in their learning. They work well with each other and take a pride in their work and their school because all adults who work with them are caring. One pupil when writing a poem about the school entitled ‘There is a place’ included the lines, ‘There’s a place, where children grow in self esteem. There’s a time, in which children and adults respect each other.’  Most children start school with the skills expected for their age. Good teaching ensures that they make good progress and achieve well. The majority of children has skills above those expected by the time they enter Year 1.  Younger pupils’ skills in linking letters and the sounds they make, and older pupils’ skills in reading ensure that reading attainment is well above average at the end of both key stages. This is because of the high emphasis given to reading across the school.

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Inspection judgements

 In Years 1 to 6, achievement continues to be good as a result of good teaching. The school has improved its assessment systems, and the information gathered is beginning to be used well by staff; its use in mathematics lessons is better in some classes than in others. As a result, more- able pupils do not always make the progress they are capable of making because what they are asked to do lacks sufficient challenge.  Attainment has improved since the previous inspection. The school’s data and inspection evidence show it to be above average in English and mathematics at the end of both key stages. Weaknesses in writing, identified in the previous inspection report, have been tackled successfully.  Pupils with special educational needs and disabled pupils make good progress and achieve well. This is because of the good support of effective teaching assistants.  The school’s data show that those pupils eligible for pupil premium funding make equally good

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Inspection judgements

progress as that of their peers.  Most parents’ responses and comments indicate they are pleased with their children’s achievement.

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Inspection judgements

 Lesson observations and other evidence, including pupils’ and parents’ views, confirm that the school’s assessment is accurate that teaching is good and promoting good progress.  In a small number of lessons teaching was outstanding and, as a result, pupils of all attainment levels made rapid progress. For example, in one lesson because tasks were matched very well to pupils’ needs, younger pupils gained a very good understanding of co-ordinates and were bursting with enthusiasm to explain what they knew.  Too little has been done with regard to sharing with all members of staff, what makes the teaching outstanding.  Where teaching is not as strong, questioning is not always used well enough to extend pupils’ thinking. Sometimes teachers do not adjust the lesson content sufficiently precisely enough to meet all pupils’ needs.  Very good relationships between staff and pupils encourage the development of confidence

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Inspection judgements

and the building of resilience.  Teachers receive good support from teaching assistants and this helps to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and disabled pupils make good progress.  A good understanding by the staff of the needs of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage ensures that children make good progress. While provision is good overall, resources outside, although used well, are not of the same quality as those in the classroom.  The teaching of reading throughout the school is a major strength resulting in well above average attainment. However, the work set for the more-able pupils in mathematics is not always challenging enough. As a result, this group of pupils is not given sufficient opportunities to apply their numeracy skills well enough to solving challenging mathematical problems.  Teachers generally give good guidance about how pupils can develop their skills but this

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Inspection judgements

practice is not consistent across the school. As a result, not all pupils are clear about how to improve their work because marking and feedback are not consistently helpful.

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Inspection judgements

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

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Inspection judgements

 The school is a very friendly and caring community. Pupils of different ages play and work well together within a very safe environment.  The school’s good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a positive factor in pupils’ good behaviour. Children who have just started school in the Reception class play together well. They are developing well their skills in sharing, taking turns and helping each other.  Older pupils have many opportunities to work co-operatively and collaboratively together and they respond well. For example, Year 5 pupils in one lesson clearly enjoyed the challenge of trying to find how to express the remainder in a numerical calculation as a decimal or as a fraction.  Pupils say how much they trust staff and that they would turn to them if worried or concerned. They have a good understanding of the importance of feeling safe and also of how to keep

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Inspection judgements

themselves safe.  Pupils’ enjoyment of school manifests itself in their good attendance. They have a good understanding of all forms of bullying, including bullying based on prejudice.

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Inspection judgements

 The headteacher provides strong leadership and management and has been successful in ensuring that the issues identified in the previous inspection have been tackled successfully. Despite staff absence and changes of staff she has maintained successfully the drive for continuous improvement.  The school’s performance management arrangements are effective and members of staff are appreciative of the support they receive.  Parents are very supportive of the school. They and their children confirm that equality of opportunity is promoted well and all forms of discrimination are not tolerated.  Middle and senior leaders are developing their roles appropriately but not enough attention is given to involving them in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in their designated areas of responsibilities. This means they do not have first-hand knowledge of the specific strengths and weaknesses in their subjects.

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Inspection judgements

 The school’s self-evaluation is accurate. This has helped staff to recognise areas of weakness and to tackle the improvements needed. For example, teachers now ensure that pupils are using their writing skills increasingly well in subjects across the curriculum.  The local authority provides good support and has worked well with the school in helping it improve from satisfactory to good since the previous inspection.  The curriculum is well organised and a good range of extra-curricular activities is available and liked by the pupils.  The governance of the school:  provides the school with good support and challenge  meets all legal requirements  makes good use of governors’ expertise, including helping in school.

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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 119156 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 405834

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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 Maintained Age range of pupils 4-11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 171 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair David Owen Headteacher Sian Halsall Date of previous school inspection 02 December 2010 Telephone number 01772 613026 Fax number 01772 617447 Email address head@littlehoole.lancs.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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