Peel Brow School

Peel Brow Primary Fir Street, Ramsbottom, Bury, Lancashire BL0 0BJ

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Inspection dates 31 October–1 November 2012

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Although pupils’ progress and attainment by the end of Year 6 is improving rapidly in English and mathematics, progress is not yet good across all years.  Teaching is not consistently good across Key Stages 1 and 2 and this limits the progress for some pupils.  There are not always enough opportunities for pupils to use information and communication technology (ICT) or to write at length across different subjects.  Teachers mark pupils’ work frequently but not all comments tell pupils how to improve their work.

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The school has the following strengths

 This is an improving school. Strong leadership and management, including governance, are strengthened by the headteacher’s determination to raise pupils’ attainment. Success can be seen in rapidly improving progress and higher attainment in the results of 2012 Year 6 tests in English and mathematics.  Leaders agree on what has to be done to make sure that the school continues to improve. This includes improving teaching and accelerating pupils’ progress.  Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children learn how to listen and pay attention to staff and this continues throughout the school.  Pupils say they feel safe in school. They are aware of how to work and play safely together and this helps the school to be friendly and caring.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. They enjoy school and are very respectful to each other as well to their teachers.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed nine teachers, visited 10 lessons and parts of four lessons.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, members of the leadership team, subject leaders for English and mathematics, the special educational needs coordinator, pupils, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors observed pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and looked at a wide range of documentation including the school’s self-evaluation, documents relating to monitoring and evaluation, systems for tracking pupils’ progress, documents regarding the safeguarding of pupils and key policies.  Inspectors took account of the responses of 30 of the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and the school’s most recent questionnaires for parents and pupils.

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Inspection team

Sue Sharkey, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Lyn Pender Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Peel Brow Primary School is smaller than the average sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below the national average and very few pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is similar to the national average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below average. In this school, these pupils are those known to be eligible for free school meals and a few children whose parents are in the armed forces.  The headteacher has joined the school since the previous inspection.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club each day.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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Information about this school

 The school holds Healthy School status, the Activemark and information and communication technology (ICT) awards.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that more pupils make good progress by: - ensuring that teachers’ comments about pupils’ work tell them how to improve and they have time to do this - ensuring that pupils always present their work as neatly as possible - planning activities that make sure all pupils do their best and that tasks are always hard enough - giving pupils more time to use their information and communication skills (ICT) in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Providing pupils with more opportunities to write longer pieces of work in different subjects to help to improve their writing, particularly in a range of styles and for different purposes.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage children flourish. They learn to share, play and work together with adults and other children. Children enter the school with skills and knowledge that can vary from year to year but these are often below those typically expected for their age, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics. Good support from teachers and teaching assistants leads to good progress, especially in the children’s social and emotional development.  Progress in Key Stages 1 and 2 is rapidly improving in response to stronger leadership and better teaching. Most pupils make the progress that is expected of them but not enough make good progress, so overall progress requires improvement. However, the trend is rising and the impact of changes is evident in the results of national Year 6 tests in 2012. Many more pupils achieved the higher levels in both English and mathematics than in previous years. This

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

success is not yet seen across all years. Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Key Stage 2 is broadly average.  Pupils’ attainment in reading is rising faster than in writing. The teaching of letters and the sounds they make is good and helps pupils to learn to read quickly. Pupils make better use of their knowledge of letters and sounds when they read than when they write. From sharing, looking at books and talking about what they see in the pictures pupils learn to read the words and enjoy the stories.  Pupils in Year 2 show that by pausing as they read they recognise the purpose of full stops and commas. They talk about their favourite characters and find out what they are doing in different books. As pupils progress through the school, many are starting to make good progress and in Year 6 pupils read confidently adding expression to bring the story to life.  Pupils’ writing is not as strong as their reading. It is clear in pupils’ English books that they

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

have many opportunities to practise and improve their writing but there are not enough occasions for pupils to write longer pieces of work for different styles and different purposes in other subjects.  Many are growing in confidence in mathematics because teachers encourage them to explain how they have worked out a problem. Sometimes tasks are not hard enough and pupils could move at a faster pace.  Staff ensure there is no discrimination and equal opportunities are promoted well. Pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs and those who are eligible for the pupil premium support are quickly identified and supported by teaching assistants. As a result, these pupils do as well as other pupils and make the progress that is expected of them. Over the last two years, more pupils have joined the school in Years 5 and 6. They are supported well with a focus on their specific needs.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching is improving. There are examples of good and sometimes outstanding teaching but this is not consistent across the school and, therefore, teaching requires improvement.  Good teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes ensures that all children have a go at a wide range of activities, for example, painting, counting, baking or sharing books. This helps them to make good progress. The use of the outdoors is improving to ensure children enjoy as many different activities as they do in the classrooms.  In Key Stages 1 and 2, a common strength in lessons is the caring relationships staff have with their pupils which helps pupils to grow in confidence. As a result, pupils are willing to learn so that most lessons move along quickly.  Staff make clear that they expect good behaviour in lessons. Pupils are keen to live up to this. Teachers do not always have the same expectation of pupils’ work which is not always

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

presented neatly enough.  Pupils often use ICT in the computer room where they learn a wide range of skills. Teachers do not exploit these skills enough during English and mathematic lessons to help to improve pupils’ learning.  A whole-school focus on improving mathematics is having a positive effect. In good or outstanding mathematics lessons, the activities grab pupils’ attention because they can see the reason for doing the task and they find it challenging. This is not consistently the case in all English or mathematics lessons when activities are not always hard enough to challenge pupils.  In contrast, pupils enjoyed the challenge in a Year 6 mathematics lesson looking at triangles. Pupils explored the angles, length of the sides and then extended their learning by using protractors to draw very precisely different sized angles. Brisk pace and probing questions led to pupils learning quickly especially in their use of new mathematical words.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Throughout the school, teachers mark work frequently letting pupils know how well they have done and giving good praise. However, marking does not always tell pupils what to do next in their work nor do pupils have time to think about these comments and how they can improve their work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour is good and they respond well to the calm atmosphere in school. Pupils move around school sensibly, often chatting away quietly to their friends. After break times they return to classes quickly and soon settle to lessons.  Pupils enjoy talking and are very sociable and polite. During lessons they listen carefully to the teacher as well as to each other and are willing to answer questions and give their views.  The school council is keen to be involved in the school and help it to improve. Members agree that behaviour is good saying that there can be falling out but that these problems are soon solved either by pupils themselves or by adults in school. Pupils say that bullying is rare but that they know it will be dealt with by adults in school.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe and know about different kinds of bullying, for example, cyber bullying. Pupils say that they get on well together.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is average. The school is focused on improving attendance whilst working closely with parents to make sure that pupils arrive on time for school. As a result of closer links with parents and the use of different approaches, attendance for some pupils is improving.  The school supports the wider needs of pupils and families through the breakfast and after- school clubs which are well attended.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides strong leadership and is supported effectively by the deputy headteacher and other members of the leadership team. Their strong actions have ensured this is an improving school. Although the impact of these actions is not consistent throughout the school, pupils’ progress is improving rapidly as is reflected in the much better results in national tests in 2012.  The school’s leadership has shown that it is capable of continuing to make improvements and concerns raised at the previous inspection have been resolved. For example, leaders now have a very clear understanding of their roles and make rigorous checks on pupils’ progress.  Regular checks on pupils’ progress have resulted in pupils making faster progress. Pupils needing help are spotted more quickly and help provided. Teachers are more aware of the progress pupils in their class need to make.  The quality of teaching is better in response to more rigorous checking on the quality of

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The leadership and management are good

teaching. Leaders and teachers know how to make teaching better and only a few areas remain needing attention.  Good quality training for the teachers is helping to develop their skills. Performance management is linked to pupils’ achievement and to the school’s priorities. There have been improvements to the quality of teaching and some teachers have been rightly rewarded.  The school works closely with the local authority to continually make improvements. The partnership is strong and has been working to successfully develop leaders’ skills.  Leaders have increased the richness of the curriculum. It is now organised well and is much more exciting. It contributes effectively to the safety, well-being and enjoyment of pupils. Pupils are involved in planning the curriculum and this has ensured that creative skills are a part of different subjects. As yet, the curriculum does not provide enough opportunities for

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The leadership and management are good

pupils to use ICT or to write at length in other subjects.  The wide range of extra-curricular activities, for example, the Magazine Club, Street Dancing and cross-country running, the curriculum promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural activities well.  The governance of the school: - The governing body has a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. It is very supportive of the school’s leaders but is also confident to challenge where governors feel improvements are needed. Governors have a range of skills which they use successfully to support and monitor the school’s work and performance. Governors know that pupil premium funding is being used to provide extra adults so that those pupils eligible for the funding can work in smaller groups on work geared to what they need to do to improve. Governors are happy that this extra support is helping these pupils to make better progress.

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The leadership and management are good

Governors ensure that the school is safe for pupils and that all safeguarding needs 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

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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 105368 Local authority Bury Inspection number 400777

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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 Foundation Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 184 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Patricia Lewis Headteacher Danny Mellor Date of previous school inspection 16–17 September 2009 Telephone number 01706 823204 Fax number 01706 823204 Email address peelbrow@bury.gov.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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