Whitehill Primary School

Whitehill Primary School Whitehill Street West, Heaton Norris, Stockport, Cheshire, SK4 1PB

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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.  There has been good improvement, since the previous inspection, in key areas of the school’s work.  Pupils make good progress and achieve well from their starting points. Standards in English and mathematics are rising.  Teaching has improved. It is now good and, occasionally, outstanding. Teachers’ performance is managed well by school leaders.  Pupils are keen to learn. They behave well and feel safe. Attendance has improved significantly.  The governing body provides much stronger challenge and support for the school than previously. It holds the school to account vigorously and is effectively helping to drive it forward.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not yet enough outstanding teaching to lift the quality to outstanding overall, resulting in pupils’ good, rather than outstanding, achievement.  Although mathematics is improving there is scope for standards to be higher still, especially for those pupils capable of reaching level 5.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 13 lessons and parts of lessons.  They discussed the school’s work with senior leaders and other staff members, parents, pupils and members of the governing body. There was also a discussion with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of 22 responses from parents via the on-line questionnaire (Parent View).  The school’s work was observed and a wide range of documentation examined including: national assessment data and the school’s assessments; samples of pupils’ work; the school’s own view of its performance; local authority reports; minutes from governing body meetings and safeguarding documentation.

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Inspection team

Kevin Johnson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Ramesh Kapadia Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Most pupils are White British in this average-sized primary school. The number of pupils from minority ethnic groups is relatively small but increasing, especially in the lower-age classes. A few pupils do not speak English when they start the school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for funding through the pupil premium is above average. (The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those that are looked after.)  A broadly average proportion of pupils is supported through school action.  A similar, broadly average, proportion of pupils is supported by school action plus or has a statement of special educational needs.  The school meets current floor standards which are the minimum government expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 6.  School leaders have worked with the local authority since the previous inspection.

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Information about this school

 A breakfast club is provided by the school during term time.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching further by increasing the proportion that is outstanding and raising the small amount that requires improvement to good, by ensuring that: – the outstanding practice already in the school is used consistently as a model for all teaching – pupils are given more time to work practically and independently without always relying on the teacher to show them what to do – younger pupils are always taught to listen well in lessons.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards in mathematics to match those in reading and writing by making sure that more-able pupils are always given work that challenges them to the full.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 When children start in the Nursery their abilities are below those typically expected for their age. This is particularly true of their language development and communication skills as well as aspects of their social and emotional development. They are well provided for during their time in the Early Years Foundation Stage unit where some teaching is exemplary and activities are exciting for the children. They settle quickly and gain in confidence because they are well cared for. They learn good manners and how to share and learn together. They make good progress so that, by the time they leave Reception, most children are working broadly in line with expectations for their age in all areas of learning.  Attainment by the end of Year 2 shows a rising trend over time. Teachers in Years 1 and 2 pick up well on the good start that pupils get in the Early Years Foundation Stage so good progress continues. Progress in reading is especially good because those at risk of falling behind are

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The achievement of pupils is good

quickly identified and given very good support. Pupils’ current work in writing and mathematics shows that they are on track to continue the improving trend.  More rigorous and accurate assessments and more challenging targets for pupils since the previous inspection have resulted in good progress in Years 3 to 6. School leaders have acted decisively to raise expectations and the results can currently be seen in pupils’ work and school assessments that indicate some better than expected progress across the year groups. The school’s focus on reading and writing has paid dividends. Attainment by the end of Year 6 is average and improving quickly. Good headway is being made in mathematics, which is the more recent focus for the school, but leaders realise that standards could be raised further and they are pushing to increase the number of pupils who reach the higher levels.  Pupils achieve well in reading. The teaching of letters and the sounds that they make gets them

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The achievement of pupils is good

off to a confident start in the Early Years Foundation Stage where children learn to recognise letters, simple words and how books work. This early learning is built upon well through the school. Pupils in Year 2 read accurately and have good understanding of what they read. They are keen to talk about their favourite stories and practise regularly in school and at home.  By the end of Year 6 most pupils are fluent readers. They choose a range of different texts including, at times, poetry. They are clear about favourite authors and the kinds of novels they like, and generally have good understanding of what they read.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress overall and some do better than expected from their relative starting points. Teachers plan work carefully so that it matches pupils’ particular needs. Good teaching and external support are provided and pupils’

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The achievement of pupils is good

work is checked continuously to make sure their good progress continues.  Pupils from minority ethnic groups are well provided for and make similar progress to others in the school. They are well integrated into school life. Recently enrolled pupils for whom English is an additional language are supported well by the school in order to help them gain confidence with spoken English so that they can learn and achieve alongside others.  Pupils supported by the pupil premium, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, make similar progress to others from their starting points. Assessments for 2012 indicated that pupils known to be eligible for free school meals were approximately one year behind others in English and mathematics. The school’s well-managed use of the funding to provide additional teaching and resources is now successfully closing the attainment gap between groups of pupils in both subjects. There is a clear commitment to promoting equality of

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The quality of teaching is good

 Most teaching is good and some is outstanding.  Teachers generally have high expectations of pupils. Consequently, pupils work hard and take good care over the way they present their work. They are usually attentive and keen to share ideas in lessons.  There is a good emphasis on literacy and numeracy and on pupils practising and developing those skills in subjects across the curriculum.  Assessment is used well. The system helps teachers and pupils to check step-by-step progress and informs them about what to do next to improve. In lessons, teachers question pupils well to check on their understanding and help them to move on in their learning. Another good example is the way that pupils are given time to check teachers’ marking and respond to it, for example, by doing corrections at the beginning of a lesson.  Resources such as electronic whiteboards are used effectively by teachers to capture pupils’

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The quality of teaching is good

attention and present ideas clearly. Technology such as laptops often features in lessons, providing good support for pupils’ learning. Year 1 pupils, for example had an enjoyable time with a computer program that tested them on their understanding of alphabetical order.  Where teaching and learning are outstanding there is a strong sense of urgency about learning. Every ability is provided for, and every pupil achieves well at his or her level. In a mathematics lesson, pupils warmed up with some ‘shape riddles’. These were specially designed questions to test pupils’ understanding of two and three dimensional shapes by visualising them and mentally calculating sides, edges and faces, and solving problems. The activity was followed by equally demanding real-life word problems all matched to pupils’ varying abilities. All pupils rose to the challenges, enjoyed the competition and gained an excellent sense of achievement.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The school is only beginning to share such examples of outstanding practice. It is not yet an embedded strategy to help raise teaching quality. There are still occasional examples of teaching where the challenge, especially for more-able pupils, should be better planned and they should be given more opportunities to test their skills on their own or in groups working independently of the teacher.  Teaching assistants provide valuable support for pupils’ learning. They work effectively alongside teachers to monitor work in the classroom or help boost the skills of smaller groups. Occasionally, both they and the teacher could more actively ensure that younger pupils, especially, always show good behaviour for learning by listening carefully during lessons. Relationships in lessons are good. Teachers listen to pupils and value what they have to say. This encourages pupils’ confidence so that they are willing to ask questions and try their best.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils enjoy school. They like their teachers and their lessons. They name literacy and mathematics among their favourites.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They are very tolerant of others whatever their cultural background or circumstances. New pupils say that they feel very safe and welcome in the school.  Attendance has improved significantly since the previous inspection; it is securely in line with the national picture and persistent absence is now very low. The school is not complacent, however, and there are constant reminders for parents about the importance of good attendance.  Parents are very supportive of the school. They endorse the pupils’ view that they are well cared for and are appreciative of the additional care and support provided for their children, including the breakfast club each morning.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. They are generally attentive in lessons, though occasionally some

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

younger pupils need to learn to listen more actively. Pupils are always polite and respectful towards teachers and other adults. Pupils know how to behave well in different situations. They are well mannered in the dining room, for example, and quiet and respectful during assemblies.  Pupils say that play times are fun. There is no bullying or name-calling so they feel safe. Pupils understand the different kinds of bullying, including that through the internet and mobile phones, and know what to do should it occur.  They contribute a great deal to the everyday life of the school because of their willingness to take on responsibilities. The active school council has overseen very good improvements in the playground. Older pupils take on caring roles as playground buddies and help at lunchtimes in the dining room. A very good initiative is the ‘school traffic police’. That is a group of pupils who

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

monitor parking outside the school and issue ‘tickets’ to parents who park dangerously. This has a noticeable impact in promoting safe and considerate parking which benefits all pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 School leaders have worked determinedly and successfully, since the previous inspection, to improve the effectiveness of the school.  A cohesive and fully supportive staff team has been established, whose commitment to, and vision for, the school’s future are shared fully with senior leaders, governors and parents alike.  Leaders have gained an accurate view of the school’s work and, with local authority help, they have dealt with key priorities to improve assessment, teaching, pupils’ achievement and systems for checking the school’s performance. This successful action has been helped by links with an outstanding school which have benefitted leadership. The local authority is now confident in leaders’ ability to maintain the pace of improvement with only light-touch support.  Improving teaching has been central to the school’s drive for improvement. There is no longer inadequate teaching in the school. Leaders’ management of teaching and teachers’ performance

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The leadership and management are good

is robust. There are firmly established routines for checking teachers’ effectiveness, underpinned by the Teachers’ Standards document. All teachers know that they are accountable for pupils’ progress and this, too, is checked regularly. Teachers are fully aware that salary progression is linked to performance in the classroom.  A lively and interesting curriculum has been developed. Significant numbers of pupils enjoy music tuition, for example, and many pupils say how much they enjoy history because of the way it is taught. Literacy and numeracy are developed well. A good range of visits and visitors to school, including residential visits, serves to broaden pupils’ horizons and helps them to develop personally and enjoy their learning.  The governance of the school:  The governing body took quick and decisive action after the previous inspection to tighten up the way it checked the school’s work. A successful outcome is the monitoring committee which

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The leadership and management are good

meets termly to discuss the school’s progress and plan actions for further improvement. The recruitment of governors with specific expertise, along with relevant training, means the governing body is now well able to challenge the school strongly and hold it to account. Governors have a very clear view of where the school’s strengths lie and what needs further work. Statutory duties are managed well, including financial management. Governors know how well teachers perform and ensure that financial reward matches success criteria. They are fully aware of how the pupil premium is spent and they monitor pupils’ progress carefully to make sure that there is positive impact and equality of opportunity for all pupils. There are no issues with regard to safeguarding. It is given high priority. All training for staff and governors is up to date and all responsibilities are clearly communicated.

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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 106084 Local authority Stockport Inspection number 405022

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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 215 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jude Wells Headteacher Jill Connell Date of previous school inspection 28 June 2011 Telephone number 0161 480 2142 Fax number 0161 612 8980 Email address headteacher@whitehill.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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