Davyhulme Primary School

Davyhulme Primary School Canterbury Road, Davyhulme, Manchester, M41 0RX

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage get off to an excellent start. They make rapid progress, especially in their personal, social and communication skills.  There is outstanding progress throughout the school. The proportions of pupils making better than expected progress year-on-year are high.  Attainment at the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics has been well above average for the past three years. Current school assessments show that the trend is set to continue.  Pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes to school are outstanding. Relationships throughout the school are excellent so pupils feel entirely safe. Attendance is consistently above average. Pupils thrive on the challenges provided for them to achieve both academically and in their personal development.  The quality of teaching overall is outstanding and, typically, it is never less than good.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

Lessons are filled with learning activities that the pupils find to be challenging and fun. Marking quality, however, is not consistent across all subjects and classes in the school.  Outstanding leadership has brought continued improvement in key areas of the school’s work since the previous inspection. The main thrust of school leaders’ and governors’ work has been to raise the quality of teaching to outstanding. Teachers’ performance is managed exceptionally well. The highest standards are set and the quality is checked robustly.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 24 lessons and parts of lessons.  Discussion about the school’s work took place with members of staff, governors, pupils and a representative from the local authority.  Also taken into account were 37 responses from parents who completed the online survey (Parent View).  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a wide range of documentation including: national assessment data and the school’s own assessments; the school’s evaluation of its work; local authority reports; samples of pupils’ work and safeguarding documents.

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Inspection team

Kevin Johnson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Stefan Lord Additional Inspector John Ellwood Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average-sized primary school. Most pupils are White British. A few are from a mix of different cultural backgrounds but none speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils supported by school action is average.  A below-average proportion of pupils are supported by school action plus or have a statement of special educational needs.  The proportion known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below average. (The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children that are looked after by the local authority.)  The school meets current floor standards which are the government’s minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that the quality of teachers’ marking in all subjects and across all classes matches the best marking seen in pupils’ writing, and that pupils always know, as a result, what they need to do to improve.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make excellent progress from starting points that are generally below typical expectations for their age. Children’s social and communication skills are developed particularly well through an exciting range of learning activities. They quickly gain confidence and develop the necessary skills to learn independently. By the end of Reception most children achieve the skills expected for their age and many exceed these.  This rapid pace of learning continues in Years 1 and 2. For example, some Year 1 pupils wrote impressively about a visit to a park, using clear, well-punctuated and easily legible sentences, and all were confident to read their stories aloud. There is a similar rate of progress in mathematics, especially when electronic equipment is used in lessons to add excitement. Overall attainment at the end of Year 2 has been above the national average over the past three years.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The majority of pupils make better than expected progress each year as they move through the school. Consequently, attainment at the end of Year 6 is well above average. Any variations are very quickly tackled. Current standards in reading, writing and mathematics are, again, well above average, continuing the trend set over time.  Progress in reading is excellent. The school’s passionate emphasis on reading underpins pupils’ learning and their enjoyment of books. Two well-stocked libraries, displays, visiting poets and authors, and the use of literature as the central theme for topics make reading accessible and meaningful to every pupil.  Pupils in Year 2 are very keen to read both at school and at home. They read accurately and use their knowledge and skills with letters and sounds to make sense of new and unfamiliar words. Year 6 pupils choose a wide range of challenging books for themselves, and read them with

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

excellent fluency and expression. They comment perceptively on the different styles the authors use, appreciate the way that authors ‘make books come alive’, and talk about excitement and tension in novels. One pupil commented, ‘I like reading. It takes me to another place.’  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make similar progress to others from their varying starting points. The school maintains the highest expectations and teachers plan work and support for these pupils to match their particular needs. Advice from the local authority has effectively boosted the support for pupils who have specific learning needs.  Pupils supported by the pupil premium, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, also make similar outstanding progress. The school works hard to ensure every pupil has an equal opportunity to benefit from the curriculum and achieve their best. Attainment gaps

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The school’s shared expectation of ‘less teaching and more learning’ is evident in all lessons. No time is wasted. Teachers’ explanations are kept short and clear, and pupils are quickly engaged in a range of activities. As a result, they make excellent progress. One pupil stated, ‘When I moved here my levels were poor and now they have shot up---I am pushed.’  Mathematics lessons, for example, begin immediately with a brisk warm-up such as rapid recall of number facts or a challenging puzzle to solve. Teachers’ imaginative use of electronic whiteboards, clear demonstrations and very brisk pace bring new learning to life. Challenging, exciting practical activities often involve pupils in games where they can work in groups and challenge one another.  Teachers move learning on quickly as soon as they assess that pupils are ready. In one lesson, when the teacher noted that most pupils could easily use their knowledge of division to reduce

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

the price of an item by 10% or 20%, they were very quickly challenged to work out more complicated 4% or 6% reductions.  Similarly, literacy lessons are planned exceptionally well and taught with excellent pace and high expectations. Probing questioning challenges pupils’ thinking and draws out their best ideas and vocabulary for writing. Teachers’ constant checking and rechecking of learning in lessons makes sure that objectives are being met. Teachers’ first-class subject knowledge ensures that pupils are well equipped with the necessary spelling, punctuation and vocabulary skills to write for different purposes.  Teachers’ marking of pupils’ writing is generally good, although it often celebrates what pupils have done without saying clearly how they could do better. The quality of marking across other subjects is too variable and, occasionally, pupils’ efforts are not recognised because work is not

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

marked at all. This means that pupils have no means of judging their progress and no suggestions to respond to in their subsequent work.  Teachers promote pupils’ personal development exceptionally well by using methods that encourage them to work together and support one another. Groups are often planned deliberately to help some pupils to improve their confidence by working with those who are more able.  Teaching assistants are a crucial part of the teaching team. Their roles are ‘planned in’ so they know what they are accountable for. They make a very valuable contribution to pupils’ learning and to the monitoring of progress in the classrooms.  Pupils’ outstanding learning is underpinned by the unfailingly high quality of relationships in lessons. Teachers really value the contributions that pupils make. Pupils in all lessons know that they are listened to and, therefore, they are always willing to ‘have a go’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils say that in school there is a great emphasis on having positive attitudes to all that they do. They live up to that rule in every way. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent.  Pupils gain their very good cultural awareness from lessons, art activities and thoughtful displays that show people and work from the school’s past. Pupils work and play harmoniously and show great respect for each other’s cultural backgrounds. They enjoy many opportunities to experience the excitement of learning in art, music and competitive sports.  Attitudes to learning are exemplary. Pupils are invariably attentive, extremely well-behaved and hard-working in lessons. They appreciate the way that teachers always check that they understand before the tasks begin and also always make lessons fun.  Behaviour around the school is excellent. Pupils are extremely well-mannered in the dining room

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

and enjoy the social occasion of eating lunch together. They equally enjoy chances to be active in the playground where they feel safe and secure because of the excellent relationships they share. They understand why they should avoid dangers outside of school and know how to keep themselves safe and healthy.  Pupils understand the different forms that bullying can take, including cyber-bullying and various kinds of name-calling. They insist that there is no bullying in school. Pupils say that they always make friends and that no-one is ever left out. Most parents agree with the view that their children are entirely safe in school.  Pupils make an excellent contribution to the everyday life of the school. Their polite and friendly approach is a credit to them. The active school council makes sure that all pupils’ views are taken into account. Older pupils willingly take on roles such as play leaders to ensure that others

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

enjoy playtime activities safely. Given their personal qualities and excellent academic achievement pupils are exceptionally well prepared for the next stages of their education.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Leaders’ ambitious vision for the school is fully shared and is demonstrated in the mindset that every pupil and teacher will perform to the highest standards. There is excellent teamwork throughout the school and a strong commitment to improvement. Staff members are fully confident in the strength of school leadership.  With outstanding support from senior leaders the headteacher has steered the school through many improvements since the previous inspection. An exciting curriculum has evolved as a result of more effective subject leadership. Leadership and provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage have improved. Academic standards have been maintained. Most crucially, the quality of teaching has been raised.  The school’s past work with the local authority to help secure those improvements has been highly successful. The local authority recognises leaders’ ability to manage improvement and

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The leadership and management are outstanding

now provides only light-touch support when needed.  Constant, rigorous checking of the school’s work provides leaders with an accurate picture of its success and a clear guide as to what can be improved further.  The well-planned and extremely thorough management of teachers’ performance is at the heart of the school’s work. It has been the basis for teachers’ successful training and support and is underpinned by the Teachers’ Standards. All teachers know how they are accountable for pupils’ achievement. They are aware that salary increases are linked to their success in the classroom.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has an excellent overview of the school’s work. It works very effectively to check the impact that its decisions have on pupils’ achievement. This is particularly the case in its management of the pupil premium by which pupils are given equality of opportunity. Governors are familiar with assessment data and check the school’s progress rigorously

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The leadership and management are outstanding

against the national picture. They are quick to challenge potential weaknesses and equally quick to support the school in its plans to eliminate them. Teaching performance is shared with governors, who are also aware of how salaries are linked to experience, responsibility and performance. Overall, governors perform their duties very efficiently. Finances are managed well and safeguarding arrangements meet all of the government’s requirements.

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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 106316 Local authority Trafford Inspection number 411769

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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 504 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr H Munton Headteacher Mr P McDowell Date of previous school inspection 11 May 2010 Telephone number 0161 748 3392 Fax number 0161 912 1032 Email address davyhulmeprimary.office@traffordlearning.org 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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