Salterforth Primary School

Salterforth Primary School Cross lane, Salterforth, Barnoldswick, BB18 5UD

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This is a good school because:

 Pupils have positive educational experiences and are well-prepared for the next stage in education and their future lives.  Achievement is good and pupils make good progress through the school. As a result, they reach broadly average standards in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Teaching is consistently good. Teachers know their children well and so are able to set work that effectively challenges different groups. Classrooms are managed well so that lessons run smoothly and little time is wasted.  Pupils behave well and have positive attitudes to learning. They feel safe and secure and take pride in their school. Attendance is above average and pupils arrive punctually.  The astute leadership of the headteacher has been central to the school’s good improvement since the previous inspection. The governing body and staff work well as a team and morale is high. Self-evaluation is accurate and enables leaders and governors

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This is a good school because:

to target the correct areas for development. Action taken has been successful in improving the quality of teaching and raising achievement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Teachers do not provide sufficient opprtunities for pupils to be actively and independently involved in learning.  Staff lack expertise in asking incisive questions to extend the thinking skills of different groups.  Not enough emphasis is placed on guiding pupils to make decisions for themselves about how to improve.  Pupils are not proficient in using their mathematical calculation skills to solve problems in real-life situations.

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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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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 11 lessons or parts of lessons, taught by four teachers.  Discussions were held with the Chair of the governing body, parents, staff, pupils and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector observed the school's work, and looked at school documentation, including that relating to safeguarding, records of meetings of the governing body, assessment information and curriculum planning. Work in pupils’ books and displays around the school were examined.  Account was taken of the 13 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning and carrying out the inspection.

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Inspection team

Melvyn Hemmings, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Salterforth is much smaller than the average sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is above average.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is above average. The proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational need is above average.  Almost all pupils are of White British heritage.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set minimum expectations for attainment and progress.  The before- and after-school clubs are privately managed. They are subject to a separate inspection and the report is published on the Ofsted website.  It has gained a number of awards, including the Lancashire Race Equality Mark, and holds Bronze Eco-School status.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ ability to apply their mathematical calculation skills to solve problems in a variety of real-life situations.  Further improve the quality of teaching by:  providing sufficient time for pupils to be actively and independently engaged in learning  developing the expertise of staff in asking questions that deepen the thinking skills of different groups  placing stronger emphasis on guiding pupils to decide for themselves how they might improve.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement from their attainment on entry, which is below that expected for their age, is good. They make good progress and attain broadly average standards in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Children make a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage, settling in quickly and showing enjoyment in all they do. They work and play well together, taking turns and sharing fairly. Children grow in confidence and are willing to make choices for themselves.  In Years 1 to 6, pupils tackle their activities with enthusiasm and have good levels of concentration. They have positive attitudes and persevere when faced with difficulty. Collaboration is good, as evident in a literacy lesson for pupils in Years 5 and 6 in which they were comparing a rehearsed and non-rehearsed speech.  Pupils speak clearly and enjoy taking part in group and class discussions. They write imaginatively, using a variety of styles, such as poetry and narrative writing, to express their

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The achievement of pupils is good

ideas. Pupils say they read often and talk enthusiastically about a wide range of books and authors.  Pupils have secure mathematical calculation skills including quick mental recall. They lack proficiency in applying these skills to solve practical problems in a variety of real-life situations.  Levels of presentation are good with pupils taking pride in their work. They can use information and communication technology (ICT) confidently to support their learning across the curriculum, such as in history and geography, when researching information on the Internet.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress because of the well-targeted extra support they receive. Their individual needs are identified early and a variety of intervention programmes put into place to ensure they are met.  There is no significant difference between the achievement and learning of different groups.

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The achievement of pupils is good

Pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium make the same good progress as other pupils because funding is targeted effectively on raising their achievement. This has been particularly successful in improving their reading skills since the previous inspection.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Adults in the Early Years Foundation Stage work effectively as a team to ensure that the individual needs of children are met. There is a good balance between adult-directed activities and those chosen by children for themselves. As a result, their development as independent learners is fostered well.  In Years 1 to 6, lessons are planned well to build upon prior work so pupils can use what they already know to support their current learning. Marking is used well to show pupils how improvements could be made. However, teachers place insufficient emphasis on guiding pupils to decide for themselves how they might improve.  Teachers have good subject knowledge and so are able to explain ideas clearly and confidently. This was evident in a mathematics lesson for pupils in Years 3 and 4 in which they were learning ‘doubling’ techniques to solve problems. The pupils said they were confident that the teacher could help them overcome any difficulties if they arose.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers usually provide activities that are interesting and which fully engage pupils. There are occasions however, when pupils spend too long listening to teachers and not enough time actively and independently involved in learning. Consequently, their attention wanders and learning is not as effective.  Teachers check pupils’ work during lessons so they can pick up any misconceptions and adjust their plans accordingly to promote learning. They use questioning to find out what pupils know and can do. Nevertheless, such questioning is not always sharp enough in order to extend the thinking skills of different groups.  Teaching assistants are deployed well to support all pupils. They are particularly effective in supporting disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and pupils supported by the pupil premium. They play a key role in the good progress these pupils make.  Teachers promote moral and social development by high expectation of behaviour and

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The quality of teaching is good

encouragement of pupils to work collaboratively. Pupils’ spiritual and cultural development are fostered through opportunity to think about their experiences and learn about cultures different from their own.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are well behaved, courteous and polite. In lessons, they show positive attitudes to the teacher, their learning and each other. This makes a strong contribution to the friendly and welcoming atmosphere that pervades the school.  They know the different kinds of bullying, such as physical and name-calling, and say such instances are rare. Pupils with behavioural difficulties find it hard to act responsibly at times. However, they respond positively to the school’s consistently applied behaviour management strategies and their behaviour has shown marked improvement over time.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe. This is promoted effectively by the curriculum, through which they learn about how to react if approached by a stranger and the dangers associated with roads, railways and water. They are confident that any issues they raise will be dealt with promptly and effectively by the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

school.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in comments such as, ‘We like school because teachers are friendly and everyone looks after each other.’ Their attendance is above average and pupils are consistently punctual.  The life of the school is enhanced by the willingness of pupils to take on responsibility, such as being a member of the school council. In so doing they learn about the democratic process and also give all pupils a voice in how the school develops. This is exemplified in the way pupils were closely involved in planning the improvements to the playground and in deciding which play equipment and resources should be purchased.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s ambitious vision for further improvement is shared by all leaders and the governing body. They lead by example, consistently communicating high expectations to staff and channelling their efforts to good effect.  Leaders base their actions on robust self-evaluation, which gives a clear picture of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. The effectiveness of these actions is checked regularly, so that any necessary adaptations can be made quickly to ensure success. As a result, there has been good improvement since the previous inspection and there is good capacity to take the school forward.  The leadership of teaching, including professional development and performance management, has successfully improved the quality of teaching and raised pupils’ achievement, particularly in reading. Teachers are accountable for the progress that pupils make and regular meetings are held to check pupils are on track to meet the challenging

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The leadership and management are good

targets set for them. Any pupil identified as falling behind is quickly given extra support to boost their performance.  Staff model professional standards in all of their work and show respect and courtesy for pupils and each other. There are good relationships throughout the school and this contributes positively to pupils’ learning and development.  The promotion of equality of opportunity and tackling of discrimination is good. The school has rigorous systems for checking the performance and progress of different groups. As a result, pupils’ experiences are positive and any unevenness between groups is minimal.  All statutory safeguarding regulations and duties are met and regularly reviewed. The school integrates issues about safety into the curriculum, so pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe.  After working closely with leaders and the governing body to secure improvement after the

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The leadership and management are good

previous inspection, the local authority now provides light touch support for this good school.  The school works successfully in partnership with others, including the local primary school cluster, to promote pupils’ learning. Engagement with parents has been improved since the previous inspection and they are kept informed about school activities and how their children are progressing.  The curriculum is organised well to meet the needs and aspirations of different groups of pupils. It is enriched by a variety of well-attended extra-curricular activities and visits to places of educational interest, such as Bancroft Mill in Barnoldswick as part of their local history studies. It effectively promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The governance of the school:  The governance of the school is good. In particular, governors are fully involved in evaluating the school’s performance and in determining its strategic direction. Their

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The leadership and management are good

relationships with staff, parents and pupils are constructive.

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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 119267 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 401826

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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 88 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs Linda Dowbiggin Headteacher Mrs Helena Dunsdon Date of previous school inspection 16-17 June 2010 Telephone number 01282 812223 Fax number 01282 812223 Email address bursar@salterforth.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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