Lostock Hall Community Primary School

Lostock Hall Community Primary School Linden Drive, Lostock Hall, Preston, Lancashire, PR5 5AS

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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.  ‘This is a fantastic school’ is one comment that sums up pupils’ very positive views and pride in their school.  Parents share these positive views. Those who responded to the online questionnaire were unanimous that they would recommend the school.  Achievement is outstanding and attainment is well above average. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and those supported by the pupil premium, make exceptional progress.  Reading is taught well, giving pupils high quality skills for learning in all subjects.  Outstanding teaching provides imaginative and challenging activities that stimulate pupils’ enthusiasm so they work hard and see learning as ‘educational but also fun’.  There are a few minor inconsistencies in the quality of teachers’ marking and the way they check pupils’ learning in lessons.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They are polite, respectful and considerate. They feel extremely

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

safe at school. This is one reason why their attendance is above average.  The outstanding curriculum offers rich opportunities for high quality learning and memorable experiences. This results in excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The outstanding leadership team is relentless in its pursuit of excellence. Rigorous checks on the quality of teaching and well-planned professional development underpin the leaders’ aims to make the school even more successful. Since the previous inspection, the quality of teaching has moved from good to outstanding, showing that the school has very strong capacity for yet more improvement.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 20 lessons, visited group sessions and observed activities taking place during the school’s New Technologies Week.  The team heard pupils from Years 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 read and met with pupils and staff, parents, members of the governing body and the local authority representative.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own data on pupils’ current progress, documents relating to the school’s plans for improvement, its procedures for checking the quality of teaching, records relating to behaviour and attendance and documents relating to safeguarding  Inspectors took account of the 26 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and those in the school’s own survey of parents’ views.

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Inspection team

Kathleen McArthur, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Mark Hilton Additional Inspector Clare Nash Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  The very great majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below the national average, and the proportion 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 (additional government funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children that are looked after) is below the national average.  The school meets the governments’ current floor standards, the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school offers before and after clubs.  Since the previous inspection, extensive building work has brought the school onto one site.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further extend the existing high quality practices to eradicate any remaining minor inconsistencies in teaching by:  ensuring all marking follows the school policy so pupils are clear about the next steps to improve their work  ensuring all staff reshape activities swiftly during lessons in response to their checks on pupils’ learning so pupils’ progress is always maximised.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The school’s data shows that children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills below those that are typical for their age. High quality care ensures they feel very safe, secure and ready for learning. Nursery children were excitedly preparing for their Teddy Bears’ Picnic, using the computer to take photographs of their teddy. Reception class children enjoy writing simple sentences, and know they may need to use a full stop or a question mark. Children make good or better progress in relation to their individual starting points in all areas of learning and the majority enter Year 1 with the skills expected for their age.  Inspection evidence and 2013 school data show that attainment at the end of Year 2 is above the expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics. In 2012, however, fewer pupils than usual did better than this. Leaders acted swiftly to overcome this with additional staffing

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

providing individual and small group support. School data shows this is proving successful, and the great majority of pupils make and many exceed the progress expected of them.  Attainment at the end of Year 6 is above national expectations, and a significant proportion of pupils exceed the progress expected of them across a range of subjects. In 2012, pupils did particularly well in reading where nearly all the pupils attained the expected level. Half did better than this and attained the higher level in both reading and mathematics.  The work in pupils’ books, school data and tracking information shows that a high proportion of pupils currently in Year 6 are securely on course to meet and exceed the progress expected of them and to attain the higher levels in English and mathematics.  Carefully directed funds provide extra support and small group activities for those eligible for the pupil premium, so they progress at the same rate as their classmates. Their attainment

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

exceeds that of similar pupils nationally, but is three terms behind their classmates. However, school data shows this gap is rapidly closing.  Reading is taught well and is a very popular activity throughout the school. Daily letters and sounds lessons for younger pupils are built on through daily reading activities for older pupils. They know a good range of strategies which enable them to tackle unfamiliar words effectively and gather meaning from the text. Pupils read fluently and enjoy many different authors and material. The recent focus on boosting the skills of more able boys has proved very successful, and one said, ’I read at any time possible’. Pupils make full use of their reading skills in all subjects, and are well equipped for future learning.  Provision for pupils with special educational needs is well led and organised. Support is closely directed to their abilities so they are able to progress at the same rate as their

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 School monitoring records and inspection evidence shows that the overall quality of teaching has improved from good to outstanding. Consequently, all pupils attain well. Excellent questioning skills, which pupils relish are one example of the outstanding quality of teaching. They like the way they are challenged saying, ‘Good questions make us think hard’. This was observed as older pupils worked on problems involving ratios in a mathematics lesson.  Pupils describe their teachers as helpful and are pleased to report, ‘Teachers enjoy learning new things, too’. Bright displays feature good examples of pupil’s work, celebrating their success and providing very good examples for others to aim for.  Behaviour in lessons is always good or better. High quality relationships between pupils, teachers and classmates feature everywhere in school, ensuring pupils are keen learners and always make good or better progress.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The tracking system gives detailed information on pupil progress, enabling teachers to plan high quality lessons, with varied activities closely matched to pupils’ different abilities. During lessons, teachers check pupils’ responses and understanding and reshape and adjust activities to make sure learning is always effective, although this is not yet fully embedded.  Teachers set high expectations and clear success criteria for their pupils to develop and become increasingly independent as learners. For example, in Year 3, pupils and their teacher worked together to write a play script based on a Roald Dahl story. Pupils then worked independently, produced imaginative scripts and were able to self-assess their work using the success criteria.  Pupils work with their teachers to agree targets for improvement and say teachers’ marking helps them improve their work. Exemplary marking was seen in many workbooks, which gave

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

pupils very clear guidance. However, some minor variations in the quality of marking remain.  The teaching assistants are skilled and well-deployed and make a strong contribution to pupils’ good or better progress. Pupils who may find learning difficult and those whose circumstances make them vulnerable receive particularly valuable support, so they are able to progress as well as their classmates.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ exemplary attitudes and behaviour were seen in lessons, as pupils moved around the building and when they were playing outside. They really enjoy learning, are fully involved in their tasks, and demonstrate increasing levels of independence as they move up through the school. Consequently, the school is a calm, happy place for everyone there. This supports pupils’ good and better progress and their excellent personal and social development.  Parents commented that their children are happy, and feel safe and secure in school. Pupils agree, confident they can approach any member of staff if they have a problem, knowing they will be listened to.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, saying this is regularly covered in school assemblies. They say bullying is not a problem and are well aware it can take different forms, such as cyber bullying, and say that they would always report it.  Consistently applied behaviour management strategies make a very strong contribution to the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

positive atmosphere found throughout the school. Pupils understand the need for rules and regard them as fair. They were enthusiastic about the different certificates, trophies and house points they can earn for their work, their behaviour and their contributions to the life of the school. Older pupils were excellent, caring role models as they helped the youngest children operate different equipment during the New Technologies week.  Attendance is above average, and pupils arrive in good time each morning. Pupils who attend the before and after-school provision are very well cared for and can access a wide variety of activities in a safe environment.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 School leaders have a highly ambitious vision for their school and how good it can be. The very effective team of staff and governors fully support this vision and are strongly committed to further improvement, placing the highest priority on ensuring all pupils have equal opportunities for high quality learning.  Staff are held to account for pupil progress. Very effective, rigorous management and appraisal of teachers’ performance is supported by well organised, strategically targeted professional development, often arranged through the local school’s partnership. School monitoring and inspection evidence shows this has successfully raised the quality of teaching from good to outstanding.  Pupils’ excellent behaviour and attitudes demonstrate that spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted extremely well. Pupils are always polite, helpful and considerate.  The outstanding curriculum is suitably adapted for pupils’ different needs and abilities,

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The leadership and management are outstanding

ensuring they acquire high quality basic skills and enjoy a very broad range of memorable experiences. Consequently, they are well equipped for the next steps in their education.  Link between subjects and special themed weeks, such as the New Technologies Week, capture pupils’ imagination and interest and make learning more relevant and meaningful. Pupils spoke highly of visits out of school that enrich classroom learning, for example the residential experience and The World Museum in Liverpool. After-school clubs, such as the model car club are very varied and popular.  The school welcomes parents and ensures they are kept well informed through text messages, newsletters, and open afternoons such to view the New Technologies activities. Recent courses for parent have included reading and mathematics and the before and after- school clubs support those who work.  Arrangements for safeguarding meet all statutory requirements. Records are maintained

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The leadership and management are outstanding

meticulously and child protection and first aid training is up-to-date.  The local authority provides light touch support, and recognises the skills of school leaders, using them to share and extend good practice beyond the school.  The governance of the school:  Governors are well informed and rigorously challenge school leaders, questioning them about pupil progress and attainment outcomes. They make full use of data and information from a range of sources to compare the school’s performance with others both locally and nationally. They understand the school’s strengths, are well equipped to contribute to school self-evaluation and plans for on-going improvement. They rigorously check on the effectiveness of how pupil premium funds are used. Governors know how leaders are using professional development to raise the quality of teaching. They are meticulous in ensuring the outcomes of staff performance reviews are related to any rewards for good teaching

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The leadership and management are outstanding

and are used to improve teaching and develop leadership skills at all levels.

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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 119159 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 412461

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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 449 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Polly Bollenberg Headteacher Ian Kirkland Date of previous school inspection 12 November 2008 Telephone number 01772 338289 Fax number 01772 338936 Email address bursar@lostockhall-pri.lancs.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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