Bridge Hall Primary School

Bridge Hall Primary School Siddington Avenue, Bridge Hall, Stockport, SK3 8NR

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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 exceptional leadership of the headteacher has been central to the school’s good improvement since the previous inspection. Senior leaders and governors have worked well together to get the best out of staff and improve the quality of teaching.  There are effective arrangements for assessing how well the school is doing and how it could improve further.  The governing body is aware of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and plays an important role in driving improvement.  Pupils make good progress and achieve well. By the end of Key Stage 2, the proportion attaining the expected level in reading, writing and mathematics is broadly average.  Teaching is usually good and some is outstanding. Teachers manage classrooms well, so that lessons run smoothly.  Pupils are well behaved and have a good understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Teachers do not always set work that stretches pupils to do their best.  Insufficient opportunities are provided for pupils to reflect on their learning and decide how to improve.  Pupils’ lack accuracy in using grammar, punctuation and spelling accurately.  Reading sessions do not always effectively develop specific reading skills.  In mathematics, pupils are not adept at quick mental recall.  Though improving, attendance is not yet high enough. Inspection report: Error! Reference source not found. Bridge Hall Primary School, 20–21 February 2013 2 of 9

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 11 lessons or parts of lessons taught by eight teachers. Three of these observations were joint ones with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with the Chair of the Governing Body, 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. The inspector listened to groups of pupils read.  There were insufficient responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) for the inspector to take into account when planning and carrying out the inspection. Account was taken of the 43 responses to a recent school questionnaire sent to parents to gain their views about its performance.

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Inspection team

Melvyn Hemmings, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Inspection report: Error! Reference source not found. Bridge Hall Primary School, 20–21 February 2013 3 of 9

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Information about this school

 Bridge Hall is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  A well above average proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care, pupils whose parents are in the armed forces and those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is well above average as is that of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  A high number of pupils start or leave school other than at the normal time.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  It has gained a number of national awards, including the Active Mark, and holds Healthy School status.

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What does the school need to do to improve further

 Raise attainment in English and mathematics by: - improving pupils’ ability to write sentences with accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling - ensuring that planned reading sessions are always tightly focused on improving specific skills - improving pupils’ quick mental recall skills in mathematics so they can carry out problem-solving activities more quickly.

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What does the school need to do to improve further

 Improve the quality of teaching further to be outstanding by: - ensuring teachers always give pupils work that is at the right level of difficulty and stretches them to do their best - providing sufficient opportunities for pupils to think about what they have learned and decide for themselves how they might do better - sharing the outstanding practice evident in school with other staff, in order to further develop their own expertise.

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What does the school need to do to improve further

 Build on the improved links with parents in order to raise attendance further.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well from their skill level on entry, which is well below that expected for their age. The proportion of pupils making and exceeding expected progress has improved significantly and compares favourably with national figures. As a result, the number of pupils attaining the expected level in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6 is broadly average.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children quickly settle into everyday routines and gain confidence by being given opportunities to make choices for themselves. They work and play happily together in pairs and small groups. Children show enjoyment in their activities, as was evident in a music session in nursery when they were developing their singing voice.  In Years 1 to 6, pupils are enthusiastic and keen to learn. They concentrate well, show initiative and persist when faced with difficulty. Pupils collaborate well and are eager to contribute to

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The achievement of pupils is good

group and class discussions.  Attainment in reading is below average at the end of Key Stage 1 and broadly average by the time pupils leave school. This is a result of them successfully building on their skills as they pass through the school. Pupils say they enjoy reading, both in school and at home.  Pupils’ writing is imaginative but lacks accuracy in the use of correct punctuation, spelling and grammar. In mathematics, pupils have secure calculation skills but do not have well developed quick mental recall skills and this slows the rate at which they can solve number problems.  The progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is good because of the extra well-targeted support they receive to meet their individual needs. Pupils who join during the year make good progress because their attainment is quickly assessed and work provided that moves them on quickly.  The funding for pupils eligible for the pupil premium has been used effectively to provide small

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The achievement of pupils is good

group and individual support to improve their literacy and numeracy skills. The gap between pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and other pupils in school has narrowed considerably. Consequently, their attainment in both English and mathematics is now similar to other groups not supported by pupil premium.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, adults provide activities that are practical and interesting across the areas of learning. There is a good balance between activities led by adults and those chosen by children, which contributes well to children’s personal development. There are times when children would benefit from more adult guidance when working on independent tasks.  In Years 1 to 6, teachers plan their lessons well to build upon previous work, so pupils can use what they already know to support their current learning. Behaviour management is consistent and effective, which is important, as a number of pupils have difficulty in acting responsibly at times. Teachers use questioning successfully to find out what pupils know and to get them thinking.  Teaching assistants are deployed well to support all pupils, particularly disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and pupils eligible for the pupil premium. Teachers explain

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The quality of teaching is good

ideas confidently and ensure that pupils are clear about what they are to learn and what to do to succeed. Good relationships and the way teachers organise their classrooms helps pupils to learn well.  The work set by teachers is sometimes too easy for some pupils and too hard for others. When this happens progress slows. Marking is used well to guide pupils how to do better but pupils are not given enough time to think about what they have learned and to decide for themselves how they might improve. Progress in reading is good rather than outstanding because reading sessions are not always planned effectively to rapidly improve specific skills.  Outstanding teaching was typified by highly stimulating and motivational activities that very successfully met the individual needs of all pupils. This was evident in a Year 4 literacy lesson in which pupils were learning to write ‘sensational sentences’.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. They encourage pupils to be curious about the world around them and have high expectations of their behaviour. There are good opportunities for pupils to collaborate and learn about cultures different to their own.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ good behaviour contributes well to the progress they make as it ensures there is minimal disruption in lessons. They are polite, courteous and show respect for others. Pupils are keen to get on with their work and are considerate and supportive of each other in lessons.  Staff, parents and pupils say that behaviour is good and has improved significantly in recent years, which is shown by the decreasing number of incidents recorded in the school’s behaviour logs. Pupils, including those with identified behavioural difficulties, respond well to the school’s procedures for managing and improving behaviour, which are applied consistently.  Pupils have a good awareness of the different forms of bullying, such as physical bullying and name calling. They say such incidences seldom occur and are confident staff would deal with it quickly if it did.  Pupils say they feel safe in school, commenting ‘Friends support each other and teachers take

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

really good care of us.’ Pupils’ awareness of how to stay safe is effectively promoted through the curriculum. As a result, they have a good understanding of the dangers related to internet, road, railway and water use and what to do if approached by a stranger.  Attendance has improved significantly in recent years and is nearing the national average. However, there are some pupils who do not attend regularly enough and the school is seeking to further strengthen links with parents to address this.  There are many opportunities for pupils to take on responsibility, which they take on willingly. The school council take their role seriously and effectively give all pupils a voice in how the school develops. This is shown in the way pupils’ toilet facilities were refurbished after the council expressed concern about their quality.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has high ambitions for the school and has a very clear view of how successful it can be. Leaders and the governing body show determination in driving forward improvements. The school’s leadership has shown it is capable of continuing to make improvements.  The management of how well staff perform has been improved and ensures that teachers are accountable for the progress their pupils make. The training of teachers and other adults is now well-matched to whole school and individual staff needs. There is a strong link between how successful teachers are and their salary progression.  The checking of the quality of teaching by senior leaders is rigorous. The school’s procedures for gaining an accurate view of its performance are good. Leaders regularly check if the action taken to bring about improvement is proving successful.  The promotion of equality of opportunity and tackling of discrimination is good. The improved

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The leadership and management are good

arrangements for checking pupils’ progress give a clear picture of the progress of individuals and different groups. It has led leaders to take action to successfully raise the attainment of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  The local authority provided strong support after the previous inspection to help the school improve. It has confidence in the school’s leadership to continue improvements and support is now light touch.  Improvement of the curriculum means it better meets the needs of all pupils. It successfully promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and is enhanced by visits, including to the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry. Pupils enjoy the experiences provided for them saying, ’We really like the Super Learning Days when we can work with children in other classes on lots of different activities.’  Leaders have worked successfully with parents to improve attendance significantly but know

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The leadership and management are good

there is more to do.  The governance of the school:  The governing body knows the schools strengths and weaknesses and is directly involved in driving improvement. Governors take part in a range of training to maintain their effectiveness and ensure safeguarding requirements are met. They know how the management of performance is used to improve staff expertise, reward good teaching and tackle any areas of underperformance. The governing body manages the budget capably and holds the school to account for the way the funding for pupils eligible for the pupil premium is used to raise their achievement. Inspection report: Error! Reference source not found. Bridge Hall Primary School, 20–21 February 2013 7 of 9

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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. Inspection report: Error! Reference source not found. Bridge Hall Primary School, 20–21 February 2013 8 of 9

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School details

Unique reference number 106032 Local authority Stockport Inspection number 405017

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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 150 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair David Trafford Headteacher Martyn Spray Date of previous school inspection 10 May 2011 Telephone number 0161 480 7889 Fax number 0161 480 7889 Email address admin@bridgehall.stockport.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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