Windmill Hill Primary School

Windmill Hill Primary School Windmill Hill, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 6QE

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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 make a good start to their school life in the very caring and stimulating Early Years Foundation Stage.  Pupils throughout school make increasingly rapid progress from their low starting points and attain broadly average standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the time they leave Year 6. High proportions of pupils are making better progress than similar pupils nationally.  Teaching is of a consistently high quality. All teachers and teaching assistants have high expectations of pupils and grasp every opportunity to ensure work meets their particular needs and interests.  Staff know pupils exceptionally well and value them as individuals. Every opportunity is taken to develop and celebrate pupils’ personal, as well as academic, skills. This helps all pupils to flourish in a highly creative and purposeful learning environment. As a result pupils behave outstandingly well,

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

display excellent attitudes to learning and know how to stay safe. Their eagerness to learn is reflected in their average and improving attendance.  The outstanding curriculum is exceptionally rich and varied. It provides many memorable experiences for pupils to explore and investigate the world around them. It provides excellent opportunities for pupils to develop skills in music, sport and the arts. The Forest School in the school grounds is an exciting and magical place to learn.  The highly inspiring headteacher, ably supported by the excellent deputy headteacher, has ensured that the outstanding practice seen at the last inspection has been sustained and indeed improved. The headteacher’s drive and determination to continually improve the school and make sure the needs of pupils are at the heart of all the school does is fully supported by all the staff. The school has excellent relationships with parents and the wider community.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Governors provide very high quality support and challenge in holding the school to account. As a result the school is always striving to make further improvements and to be the very best it can be.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed a total of 12 lessons or part lessons and observed pupils during playtime and lunchtime.  The inspector talked with pupils in lessons and around school about their work, listened to them read and also held meetings with groups of pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2.  Meetings were held with senior and subject leaders, members of the governing body and representatives of the local authority. The inspector also took account of 13 responses to the staff questionnaire.  The inspector took into account the detailed surveys of parental opinion undertaken by the school. There were too few responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) to be considered.  The inspector observed the school’s work and scrutinised a range of documents including the school’s self–evaluation, school development plans, data on pupils’ current and past progress, and information on how well the staff are performing. The inspector also scrutinised records of

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Information about this inspection

pupils’ behaviour, child protection, safeguarding and attendance.

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Inspection team

Chris Maloney, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is well above average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  A high proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for looked-after children, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those from service families. In this school there are no children from service families.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The school offers a childcare Nursery, breakfast, after school and holiday club, which are subject to a separate inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that all marking by teachers to help pupils improve their work further is of a consistently high quality

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children join the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are low when compared to those typically expected for their age, particularly in their personal and social and communication skills. They make good progress and sometimes outstanding progress, particularly in their attitudes to learning and speaking and listening skills.  Pupils make good and increasingly rapid progress in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, and by the end of Year 6 achievement is outstanding in reading, writing and mathematics given their starting points. Current teacher assessments and the work seen in books show that nearly all pupils throughout school are making the progress expected of them and the proportion of pupils who make more than the progress expected of them is high. Current Year 6 pupils reflect broadly average and improving standards.  Although fewer pupils reached expected standards in the Year 1 phonics check last year, the

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

skilful teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 is supporting pupils’ outstanding progress from their starting points. Pupils continue to develop a love of reading and rapidly improve their comprehension skills due to continued excellent teaching of reading in Key Stage 2.  Pupils are provided with creative and stimulating opportunities to write for different purposes in different subjects. As a result, the quality of writing in pupils’ books shows improvement throughout school.  There is an excellent focus on regularly reviewing pupils’ understanding and use of basic skills in mathematics. This helps pupils to successfully tackle the many real-life problems they are given to solve.  Pupils’ achievement in music and the arts is outstanding. Pupils’ art work around school is of a very high standard.  Pupils have well developed information and communication technology skills and apply these

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

very effectively in their work across subjects.  In the 2012 end of Year 6 tests, high numbers of pupils were eligible for the pupil premium funding. The standards that these pupils reached in English were four school terms below others in school but in line with similar pupils nationally. In mathematics, although they were just over five terms behind the rest of the class they were a term ahead of similar pupils nationally. Evidence from the inspection shows that due to well targeted support and very well organised help from adults, gaps in the standards reached in English and mathematics are closing rapidly.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs and the very small number who speak English as an additional language make excellent progress. Their progress in reading, writing and mathematics is similar to and often better than similar pupils nationally. This is because their needs are identified quickly and they are supported by highly skilled and caring teachers

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

and teaching assistants.  The outstanding progress made by pupils eligible for the pupil premium and by those with special educational needs reflects the school’s success in ensuring all pupils have equal opportunities to learn.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The quality of teaching seen during the inspection and over time is outstanding, resulting in pupils’ high quality learning and outstanding progress. Teachers have very high expectations and use their excellent subject knowledge and regular skilled assessments of how well pupils are learning to carefully plan work to meet the needs and interests of all pupils. This ensures that pupils of all abilities achieve as well as they can.  Teachers use the highly skilled and caring teaching assistants outstandingly well throughout lessons. This improves the quality of learning for all pupils and helps meet their individual needs exceptionally well. This is particularly so for any pupils at risk of underachieving who quickly receive the support they need to succeed.  Teachers provide pupils with a wide range of opportunities to work with partners or in groups. This helps them to discuss their ideas with others in class and so improve their understanding.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 There is much excellent quality marking by teachers that provides pupils with helpful guidance on what they are expected to do to improve their work. However, not all is consistently of the highest quality of the best in school.  There is some outstanding teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage with an excellent balance of adult-led activities and those activities children choose for themselves. The indoor and outdoor learning environments are vibrant and stimulating and used very well by staff to enhance children’s learning.  Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language learn at the same rate as other pupils in school due to the high quality support they receive for their particular needs.  Teachers stretch pupils’ abilities exceptionally well. Questioning of pupils to challenge their thinking is of a high quality. During an outstanding mathematics lesson, pupils in Year 4 and

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

Year 5 were very skilfully questioned and prompted by the teacher, to check their understanding of handling data using diagrams. No time was wasted as all pupils were fully engrossed in working on activities that were adapted throughout the lesson to precisely suit their abilities.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are excellent and contribute exceptionally well to their outstanding achievement. Pupils are friendly, polite and thoughtful. They cooperate well, show kindness to each other and play safely.  Pupils thrive in an environment of mutual respect. They have very positive and supportive relationships with all adults in school and this helps them to increase their self-confidence and self-esteem. As a result pupils are proud and eager members of the school and this is reflected by their average and improving attendance. A typical pupil comment is, ‘I love this school because all the teachers are really kind and give us lots of exciting things to learn.’  Pupils’ excellent behaviour enables them to concentrate hard on their work in order to do their best. They particularly enjoy investigating and working in pairs or in groups.  Pupils’ all-round personal development is a key part of the school’s work. Pupils say that they

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

really enjoy celebration assemblies and are eager to take on responsibilities such as play leaders or school councillors. Older pupils particularly enjoy being reading buddies to younger pupils to help them develop their reading skills.  Pupils have an excellent understanding of different forms of bullying, including cyber bullying and that based on prejudice. They say that bullying is rare and are confident that when it does happen it is quickly and effectively dealt with by staff.  Pupils say they feel safe and have an excellent understanding of how to stay safe, including ‘stranger danger’ and using the internet. Parents are very happy with behaviour at the school and confirm that pupils feel safe.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher provides inspiring and motivational leadership. All staff and governors share her unwavering commitment to developing the full potential of every individual pupil and in making the school the very best it can be. Staff morale is exceptionally high because all feel valued and their professional development supported. They are proud members of the staff team. The school demonstrates an excellent capacity to make further improvements.  Senior and subject leaders have an excellent understanding of the school’s strengths and have clear action plans in place to address further improvement. They rigorously check the quality of teachers’ work, providing guidance linked to the government’s Teachers’ Standards on how they can improve their performance.  The progress of individual and groups of pupils is very closely checked. Precise support and guidance is given to any pupils who are in danger of underachieving.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The outstanding curriculum focuses on developing key skills and experiences that will help pupils to learn in a highly creative and stimulating learning environment. It is enriched with clubs, visits, visitors, residential trips, music, sport and French. Extensive use is made of the excellent school grounds. The outstanding Forest School in the school grounds provides a superb learning environment where pupils can use their imagination, explore, investigate and learn about the world around them. The curriculum supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development exceptionally well.  The school has excellent relationships with parents, who are overwhelmingly supportive.  The school benefits from a range of excellent partnerships. These include a highly successful partnership with local schools in sharing funding to provide support from a behaviour consultant to help pupils make the most of their excellent learning opportunities. The local authority has

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The leadership and management are outstanding

provided appropriate and effective support.  The governance of the school:  Governors provide outstanding support and challenge to this highly successful school. They have an excellent understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for further improvement. Governors visit school regularly and make very effective use of the high quality information they receive about the effectiveness of the school’s work. The Chair of the Governing Body provides excellent leadership in ensuring the school meets the needs of the community it serves. Governors closely check on the progress of all pupils and hold teachers rigorously to account for the quality of their teaching and its effect on pupils’ progress. Arrangements for teachers’ progression on the pay scale are firmly based on the effectiveness of teaching on pupils’ progress. They have allocated pupil premium funding very well and closely monitor its effect on the progress of the pupils it is provided for. Governors are fully involved in checking

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The leadership and management are outstanding

the quality of the school’s practice. They are fully committed to promoting equality and tackling discrimination of any kind. Governors ensure safeguarding procedures are robust and meet legal 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 111177 Local authority Halton Inspection number 422513

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 124 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mike Shepherd Headteacher Joy Johnson Date of previous school inspection 20 September 2006 Telephone number 01928 712337 Fax number 01928 711038 Email address head.windmillhill@halton.gov.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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