St George's CofE Primary School

St George's Church of England Primary School Church Street, Hyde, Cheshire, SK14 1JL

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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.  This is a very warm, welcoming and caring school. It works very effectively to meet the different needs of all its pupils.  Children make a good start to their learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  By the end of Year 6 attainment in reading and writing are well above average. Attainment in mathematics has improved sharply and is now above average.  As a result of thorough tracking of how well the different groups of pupils are doing the majority of pupils make good progress.  Teaching and learning are good and are particularly strong in Key Stage 2, with a small percentage that is outstanding.  Pupils’ behaviour is good and attendance is above average. They feel safe and have good relationships with their teachers and each other and are keen to learn.  The headteacher, other leaders and the governing body form an effective team. The focus is clearly on improving attainment and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

pupils’ progress. The school is improving and has successfully addressed the issues from the last inspection.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching. Variations in approaches and activities provided, particularly in Key Stage 1, means that in some lessons pupils become distracted and progress in learning slows.  Middle leaders do not play a full role in monitoring teaching. Teachers are not always clear how to improve their teaching.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed nine teachers and 11 part lessons. In addition inspectors visited sessions where small groups of pupils were working.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, two groups of pupils, members of the governing body and school staff.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents. These included the school’s progress tracking data, planning and monitoring documentation, self-evaluation summary, the school development plan, the safeguarding and related policies, and behaviour and attendance records.  Inspectors also took account of the 15 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and others completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Yvonne Mills-Clare, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jonathon Yodaiken Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized Church of England, Voluntary Aided Primary School.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support from the pupil-premium funding is average.  Half of the pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and speak English as an additional language. Bangladeshi pupils now form the largest single group in the school.  The proportion of pupils supported by school action is larger than average.  The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The school meets the current government floor targets.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching, particularly in Key Stage 1, so that it is consistently good or better by:  ensuring activities match pupils’ abilities and capture their interests, so that all do as well as they can  making sure that marking and feedback always makes it clear to pupils what they need to do to improve  using questioning more effectively to challenge pupils and deepen their understanding of what they and others are learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the monitoring of teaching by involving the middle leaders more and providing teachers with feedback that will improve their teaching.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Nursery with skills that are well below in areas of language and number and generally below in other areas of learning. Children settle quickly and start to make choices and become independent. Bilingual staff and an emphasis on developing speaking and listening extend the language skills of those new to speaking English as an additional language. Children make good progress and many are reaching the level expected for their age by the time they start in Year 1.  Achievement overall is good. Progress is stronger in Key Stage 2 than in Key Stage 1 where the majority of pupils make expected progress to reach broadly average attainment. Progress is increasing, particularly in reading, which is now moving to above average.  Progress accelerates over Key Stage 2 where teaching is consistently good and often outstanding, ensuring progress is built on year on year. Therefore, by the time pupils leave at

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The achievement of pupils is good

the end of Year 6 attainment in reading and writing are well above average. Mathematics is rising following a successful school focus and is now above average.  Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and collaborate well when given the opportunity to work together. They are keen to participate and discuss their learning and make most progress when activities are practical and interesting. For example, boys were animatedly choosing and discussing their chosen settings creating similes such as ‘trees as tall as dinosaurs’.  Pupils read widely both at school and at home and pupils in both key stages read with confidence and fluency. Reading is taught regularly and is rising in Key Stage 1 because younger pupils are taught to match sounds to letters (phonics). Staff also provide opportunities for parents to learn how to help their child at home.  Disabled pupils and those who have who have special educational needs and those who speak

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The achievement of pupils is good

English as an additional language progress well due to targeted support given by teachers and other adults who have a good understanding of their needs.  The pupil premium is used effectively to ensure that pupils for whom it is provided engage in group activities and support programmes that enhance their learning. 

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The quality of teaching is good

 Lesson observations and other evidence, including pupils’ and parents’ views, confirm the school’s own assessment that teaching is good and promotes good progress.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 2 teaching is good and sometimes outstanding. In these effective lessons staff know the ability of their pupils and use questioning effectively to make pupils think about what they are learning. Teaching assistants are deployed well and activities promote excitement and enthusiasm among pupils. These lessons often contain a wide range of resources and practical, busy activities to engage pupils. In these lessons pupils’ enthusiasm and enjoyment is tangible. For instance, Nursery children enjoyed counting activities by singing and acting out ‘Five Currant Buns’.  In Key Stage 1, although lessons include strengths, good teaching is not consistent across all year groups and subjects. Questioning is not always used effectively to extend pupils’ thinking.

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The quality of teaching is good

Activities are not consistently matching pupils’ needs and fail to provide creative, fun experiences that sustain interest and enjoyment in learning. Consequently, pupils’ enthusiasm declines and progress is not as rapid as it could be.  Throughout the school very good relationships exist between adults and pupils and between pupils themselves. Pupils have confidence in their teachers and know they will help them. This is especially effective in giving confidence to the pupils learning English as an additional language.  The teaching of reading and writing is a strength across the school, resulting in well above- average attainment at the end of Year 6 and improving outcomes at Key Stage 1.  Some teachers conscientiously mark pupils work and generally make it very clear to pupils what is needed to make their work better. However, this practice is not consistent across the school. As a result not all pupils are clear about how to improve their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers promote pupils’ moral and social development well through their high expectations of behaviour and in providing opportunities for pupils to work collaboratively with their learning partners. Spiritual and cultural development is effectively encouraged by class ‘Bliss’ circle time and opportunities to reflect on their learning, while the different cultures in school are encouraged to proudly communicate their heritage to others.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour is good in the classrooms and around school. They are courteous and polite to adults and each other. Playtimes are happy times and pupils say they love to play with their friends. This has a positive impact in lessons as pupils return to class calm and ready to learn.  Effective systems promote attendance, which is above average, and pupils understand the importance of coming to school every day and on time.  Pupils clearly understand the school’s behaviour policy, articulating systems for rewarding the good and consequences of any unacceptable behaviour. Pupils welcome the opportunity to compile their own class rules.  Pupils willingly take on a range of responsibilities such as ‘Play Leaders’ and ‘Buddies’. This fosters the climate of kindness towards others in the school.  A scrutiny of behaviour and incident logs and discussions with pupils and staff responses confirm that behaviour has been good over time. There have been no exclusions.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils know about the different forms of bullying such as cyber bullying and name calling. They say incidents are rare and, should they occur, are effectively and swiftly dealt with by the school.  Pupils say they feel very safe and happy in school. This was also the opinion of the parents who responded to the online questionnaire. When asked if there was anything they would change about school, pupils replied, ‘No, nothing, it’s great!’  Attitudes to learning are good. Pupils are willing to help each other, when working collaboratively or checking each other’s work. For example, in the Reception class, after working with her learning partner, one child commented, ‘Yes, it’s right... well done!’ Only when lessons fail to excite pupils do they lose their enthusiasm for learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, together with her deputy and the governors have a sharp focus on improvement. As a result, attainment, progress and the quality of teaching and learning have all improved and issues from the last inspection have been tackled well. This school knows itself very well and priorities and actions are effective in bringing about and sustaining improvement. For example, school strategies such as a drive on consistency in the approach to the teaching of number and calculation have accelerated pupils’ progress and raised attainment.  Staffing difficulties over recent times have meant that the headteacher has undertaken the majority of lesson observations and performance management herself. Although this has been effective and teaching has improved it has restricted opportunities for middle leaders to share their expertise. There remains variability in teaching and it is not always made clear enough to

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The leadership and management are good

teachers the next steps they need to take to make their teaching better.  The tracking of pupils’ progress is thorough and teachers are being held increasingly responsible for the progress their pupils make. Regular meetings between class teachers and senior leadership ensure challenging targets are set for each pupil and progress towards these targets is regularly reviewed to ensure progress is accelerating.  The use of performance management is more effective as it is linked to teachers’ pay scales and pupils’ achievement. Staff training links to school priorities and individual need. These changes have been central to the school’s improvement.  The promotion of equality of opportunity and tackling of discrimination is good. Leaders track the progress of all groups accurately so that any required intervention programmes can be put into place swiftly. As a result any unevenness between different groups is minimal.

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The leadership and management are good

 The procedures for ensuring the safety of pupils and staff meet requirements.  The curriculum is organised well so that no time is wasted. Personal development is promoted effectively through a variety of sporting and other extra-curricular activities that enrich the curriculum and are appreciated by pupils. Through various programmes and ‘hands-on’ experiences, it promotes spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  Engagement with parents begins in the Early Years Foundation Stage and involves them effectively in their children’s learning from the outset.  The local authority knows the school well and offers support as needed and requested by the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body provides support and challenge for the school. Governors make good use of their expertise to help the school. They ensure finances are managed well and check that pupil-premium funding is used to meet the needs of these pupils. Governors ensure all legal requirements are met.

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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 106236 Local authority Tameside Inspection number 400829

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3  11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 233 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Wendy Richardson Headteacher Patricia Walker Date of previous school inspection 25 January 2010 Telephone number 0161 3682848 Fax number 0161 3682022 Email address head@st-georges-hyde.tameside.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

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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