Aldwyn Primary School

Aldwyn Primary School Lumb Lane, Audenshaw, Manchester, M34 5SF

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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.  Standards in writing and reading are high.  The quality of teaching in English is consistently good and leads to good progress.  Leaders and managers provide clear direction for the school. There have been significant improvements in pupils’ attainment and progress in English and in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Gaps between how well different groups are doing have closed. Most pupils now make expected progress from their starting points and many make more than expected progress in both English and mathematics.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress as a result of the effective use of assessment in planning for next steps in learning.  The systematic teaching of reading and writing in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 is effective in raising attainment and accelerating progress in these areas.  Pupils are keen to learn, feel safe and behave

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The quality of teaching in mathematics is not yet consistently good or better across all year groups and this leads to uneven progress in this subject as pupils move through the school.  Systems for checking on and improving the quality of teaching and for the performance management of staff, including that carried out by the governing body, lack some rigour.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 16 lessons, of which four were joint observations with the associate headteacher and executive headteacher. In addition, inspectors made a number of short visits to lessons and other activities conducted by teachers and trained assistants.  Meetings were held with two groups of pupils. Inspectors also held discussions with the Chair of the Governing Body, a representative of the local authority and school staff, including middle and senior managers.  Inspectors took account of 44 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and three letters from parents.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents. These included the school’s own data on pupils’ current progress, the school’s self-evaluation and planning documentation, records relating to behaviour and attendance and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Judith Tolley, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Deana Aldred Additional Inspector Sheila Loughlin Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Aldwyn is a larger than average-sized primary school.  Pupils are predominantly of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is low, as is the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is broadly average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (those known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families or in local authority care) is lower than average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school has a number of awards including Healthy School status.  The executive headteacher has oversight of two other primary schools, has been in post for

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Information about this school

three years and works in liaison with the associate headteacher.  The school shares a site with Hawthorne Special School, but the schools operate independently of each other. Hawthorns Special School is inspected separately.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching in mathematics so that it is consistently good or better and ensures that pupils always achieve well in the subject, by ensuring that:  lesson planning precisely meets the needs of groups of different ability  written feedback always gives pupils precise information about how to improve their work  best practice is spread across the school  pupils are given more opportunity to apply their mathematical skills in subjects other than mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the procedures for checking on the quality of teaching to better inform performance management and improvement planning by:  checking more frequently on the quality of teaching  the governing body being more rigorous in its management of the performance of the headteacher.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Many children start school with skills and abilities which are below expectations for their age. Pupils make good progress overall as they move through the school. By the end of Year 6, they achieve standards which are well above those achieved nationally in reading and writing and broadly average in mathematics.  Achievement in the Early Years Foundation Stage has improved since the last inspection, particularly in the development of children's communication and language skills, although these improvements are relatively recent and their full impact is yet to be realised. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 sound out letters and read with confidence, fluency and enthusiasm.  Achievement in mathematics in 2012 was not as good as in previous years but attainment was still in line with the national average. Overall, pupils’ progress in mathematics is uneven as they move through the school.  Since the last inspection standards in English have improved significantly. Pupils make good

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The achievement of pupils is good

progress in reading and outstanding progress in writing. Standards of writing are high. Pupils write with confidence and panache for a variety of purposes and audiences. They display a very good range of vocabulary and use a wide variety of literary devices in their writing. Pupils enjoy reading and read widely and with confidence. There is no significant difference between the performance of boys and girls or different groups.  The school makes sure that pupils who are known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium are not disadvantaged. The school has used the funding very effectively to develop the skills of teaching assistants, provide one-to-one tuition and staffing for ‘Family Hot Shots’, a programme to support personal development. As a result, gaps in performance of different groups have closed and now pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals achieve the same standards as their peers in English and mathematics and also make good progress

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The achievement of pupils is good

from their starting points. Pupils with special educational needs make the same good progress as their peers.

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The quality of teaching is good

 As a result of good quality teaching, the vast majority of pupils reach at least national expectations and many pupils reach higher levels in English by the end of Year 6. More pupils reach the higher levels in English than do so in mathematics.  In the vast majority of lessons teachers provide interesting and challenging activities for pupils. As a result, a good pace is maintained and pupils display high levels of concentration. For instance, pupils from Years 3 and 4 were so absorbed by testing out new strategies they had learned to add together three and four digit numbers that they were reluctant to stop their calculations to join in a class discussion. Similarly, high levels of interest and enthusiasm were seen among pupils from Years 5 and 6 in planning their own biographies of a highwayman.  Teachers and teaching assistants are skilful in their use of questioning, which both supports and

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The quality of teaching is good

extends pupils’ thinking. Teachers monitor individual progress closely and intervene effectively to give extra support or challenge.  Where teaching is most effective, teachers have high expectations and plan carefully for the progress of individuals and for different groups, identifying their needs precisely so that they can all make the best progress.  The careful planning seen in English lessons is not always evident in mathematics lessons. On occasions the needs of groups of differing ability are not met precisely enough so that pupils find work too difficult or too easy.  Most marking informs pupils about how to improve their work. However, there are too few examples which clearly outline the levels they are working at or how to reach the next level. Pupils sometimes indicate that they have read and reflected on teachers’ comments but this is rare.  The teaching of reading is well planned and effective. As a result, pupils make good progress in

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The quality of teaching is good

developing their reading skills as they move through the school.  Recent training aimed at ensuring teachers meet the needs of all pupils, including more-able and less-able pupils has had a positive impact in English but has yet to have the same impact in other subjects, particularly mathematics.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Good behaviour and positive attitudes towards learning mean that pupils come to school ready to learn. Few parents raised concerns about bullying and poor behaviour and the vast majority agree that behaviour is good and bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that any poor behaviour is dealt with promptly and effectively.  Pupils are keen to learn and to do well. When given the opportunity to work in pairs or small groups they do so sensibly and with enthusiasm. They listen attentively to others and respect each other’s views. They are particularly enthusiastic when engaged in problem-solving activities.  They have very good relationships with adults, feel very safe and both pupils and parents are confident that any poor behaviour is dealt with promptly and effectively. They are aware of the different forms of bullying that can take place and know how to deal with it. Playground leaders actively helping their peers at break and lunchtimes.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 They know how to stay safe, including when using the internet, and have a good understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Extra-curricular activities, including sport are popular.  Attendance is broadly average. Pupils arrive punctually. Many use the breakfast club, which provides a good start to the day. Pupils play an active part in decision making within the school and take their responsibilities, for instance, as school councillors, members of the Eco Committee and playground leaders, seriously.

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The leadership and management are good

 The leadership and management of the associate headteacher and executive headteacher are good. They provide clear direction based on an accurate analysis of pupils’ progress. However, systems for checking on the quality of teaching lack rigour. Teaching is not reviewed frequently enough and, as a consequence, teachers’ performance management is not linked well enough to their advancement on the pay scale or to whole-school improvement planning. This is the reason why leadership and management are good rather than outstanding.  Actions to raise standards and to accelerate pupils’ progress in English across the school have been very successful, leading to standards which have improved year-on-year. Similarly, there has been a marked improvement in the progress children make in the Early Years Foundation Stage, as a result of the more effective use of assessment in planning next steps in learning.

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The leadership and management are good

Staff have received appropriate training in order to improve and develop their skills in English teaching and the school is well placed to improve further.  Subject leaders are involved in developing their subjects through the topic-based curriculum, and in improving the quality of teaching in their subjects, although this is at a very early stage in mathematics.  Issues identified in the previous report have been tackled successfully. The detailed analysis of pupils’ progress by the senior leadership team has led to appropriate support for pupils, including those with special educational needs.  Arrangements for safeguarding meet government guidelines.  There are good links with the local high school, as well as with the local network of schools, which help staff develop their skills and help pupils to make a smooth transition from one stage to the next.  The curriculum meets pupils’ needs well. The teaching of reading is effective and phonics (the

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The leadership and management are good

sounds letters make) lessons and guided reading sessions are well organised to meet individual needs. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the topics they are studying. However, opportunities are missed for pupils to apply their mathematical skills in subjects other than mathematics and this slows their progress.  Lessons are enriched by a variety of activities, such as French, music and themed days, as well as a range of clubs and sporting activities, visits, including a residential visit, and visitors.  A local teaching school has provided effective support for the teaching of English, which has improved the quality of teaching in this subject.  The governance of the school:  Governors know how well the school is doing and are clear about what it needs to do to improve further. They keep themselves well informed and have engaged in various forms of training, including interpreting data, safer recruitment and safeguarding. They understand

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The leadership and management are good

how pupil premium funding is meant to be used and have made sure that some of this has been used to pay for extra staffing to improve pupils’ achievement in English. However, governors are not rigorous enough in the performance management of the associate headteacher.

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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 106212 Local authority Tameside Inspection number 405026

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 333 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sarah Rothwell Headteacher Stephen Clark Date of previous school inspection 8 March 2011 Telephone number 0161 3703626 Fax number 0161 3715714 Email address admin@aldwyn.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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