Daisyfield Primary School

Daisyfield Primary School Clinton Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 5LB

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Children join the school with skills which are very low, but exceptionally low in language and communication.  Highly effective teaching in Nursery and Reception classes enables children to make good progress overall and outstanding progress in their speaking, reading and writing skills.  From these low starting points the large majority of pupils reach, and many exceed, the nationally expected levels of attainment by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics.  Teaching is good because it enables pupils to make good progress. Some teaching is outstanding. Teachers provide exciting and interesting activities that engage pupils and make them eager to learn.  There are highly effective systems for identifying pupils who are falling behind. The additional support provided for these pupils, and for the increasing number who are at an early stage of learning English, is good overall and outstanding in the Early Years Foundation

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

Stage and Key Stage 2.  Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding. Attendance has improved rapidly and is now above the national average. In lessons pupils have excellent attitudes to learning, creating a climate in which learning can flourish.  Leaders, managers and governors work very effectively as a team to improve the school’s effectiveness. They check the quality of teaching regularly and ensure that teachers and teaching assistants receive the necessary support to improve their teaching. As a result, the quality of teaching is improving so that most is now at least good and pupils’ standards across the school are rising.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils’ progress in writing and mathematics in Key Stage 1 is not as strong as in Key Stage 2 because not all teachers set work that is sufficiently well matched to pupils’ abilities.  A small number of teachers spend too long explaining things and so pupils do not have enough time to practise their skills.  Marking does not always tell pupils how to improve and pupils do not have enough opportunities to respond to teachers’ advice.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed parts of 15 lessons including one joint observation with the headteacher.  The inspectors also made a number of shorter visits to classrooms and other activities to investigate pupils’ learning.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, staff, the school’s senior staff and three members of the governing body. A meeting was also held with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors heard pupils read and looked at the work of a range of pupils.  Inspectors took account of the 20 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the results of the school’s own questionnaires completed by 120 parents.  The inspectors looked at some of the school’s documents, including those relating to safeguarding, data on pupils’ past and current progress, attendance figures, records showing how school leaders evaluate teachers’ performance and how the pupil premium is spent. The

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Information about this inspection

pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children that are looked after by the local authority.

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Inspection team

John Dunne, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Peter Jones Additional Inspector Stephen Helm Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Daisyfield is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Almost all the pupils are from minority-ethnic backgrounds and almost all speak English as an additional language.  A large proportion of children join the school at an early stage of speaking English and this is increasing.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is above average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is well above average. The proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard that sets the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of good and outstanding teaching, and so raise standards in English and mathematics even further, by ensuring that:  teachers are given the opportunity to observe and learn from the outstanding teaching which exists in school  in all lessons pupils spend less time listening to teachers, so that they can improve their learning by having more time to work on their own or in groups  all marking of work makes it clear to pupils what they need to do to improve and teachers allow them time in lessons to act on this advice, so that they can learn from their mistakes.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 In Key Stage 1, increase the proportion of pupils making expected and more than expected progress in writing and mathematics by ensuring all teachers set tasks that are challenging enough and that they are matched more closely to pupils’ needs and abilities.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children join the school with skills well below those expected for their age, but exceptionally low in speaking and listening. In 2012 nearly half the children joining Nursery spoke no English.  From these low starting points, good teaching enables children to make good progress throughout the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children’s’ progress in language development in Nursery and Reception is outstanding due to highly skilled teaching from both teachers and teaching assistants.  The skill levels of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage have risen over the past three years. By the time they join Year 1 most children now reach standards that are approaching average levels.  From these low starting points, mostly good and outstanding teaching enables pupils to progress well and reach broadly average standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave in Year 6. Standards in reading in Key Stage 2 are high. In the 2012 test results around two thirds

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The achievement of pupils is good

of pupils gained the higher levels in reading, which is well above average.  In Key Stage 1 progress in reading is also good, enabling pupils to reach broadly average standards. In writing and mathematics standards in test results have not been quite as high. For pupils currently on roll, lessons observed, pupils’ books and the school’s rigorous and accurate checking of pupils’ progress provide compelling evidence that teaching and pupils’ progress in writing and mathematics in Key Stage 1 is on a rapidly rising trend but still not as good as in reading. Progress is still sometimes hampered because teachers do not always set challenging tasks that are matched well to pupils’ needs and abilities.  Standards in music and art are above average.  The school promotes equal opportunities well. As a result, pupils who speak English as an additional language, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good

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The achievement of pupils is good

progress. Those pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium make as good progress as others or, in some cases, better. For example, currently there is no discernible gap between the standards reached by those known to be eligible for free school meals and those of other pupils, and this is much narrower than the gap between these pupils nationally.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching at Daisyfield is mostly good and sometimes outstanding. As a result, pupils’ achievement is good and improving. This is particularly apparent in the Early Years Foundation Stage, where children are making rapid gains in language development.  Many teachers and teaching assistants are well trained and skilful in the teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they make). This, coupled with excellent bilingual support, makes a significant contribution to the effective development of language skills for all pupils, but particularly for the many who are at an early stage of learning English. The strong subject knowledge and effectiveness of teaching assistants are a strength of the school.  An English lesson typified the best teaching within the school. High expectations and skilfully planned activities enabled pupils to extend their writing skills. The pupils found the tasks so

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The quality of teaching is good

interesting that they were inspired to work at pace throughout the whole lesson, producing large amounts of high-quality writing. The work was skilfully adapted for pupils working at different levels and so pupils of all abilities were being ‘stretched’. The teacher and teaching assistant used skilful questioning to make pupils think hard about how to phrase questions and use accurate punctuation, building strongly upon what pupils had already learnt.  Most teachers and teaching assistants have a very clear understanding of where pupils need to improve and use this effectively to plan extra support activities to both remedy underachievement and also to extend pupils’ learning.  Many lessons exploit pupils’ curiosity and explore a wide range of cultures and faiths. Teachers also put on a wide range of out-of-school activities covering an extensive range of musical, artistic, sporting and skill-based events. These build pupils’ self-confidence and strongly promote

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The quality of teaching is good

their spiritual and cultural development and enjoyment of school.  Although good overall, not all teaching is as strong as this. In the small minority of less successful lessons, for example in Key Stage 1 writing and mathematics lessons, teachers do not always plan work that stretches pupils of all abilities.  Occasionally, teachers spend a long time explaining activities. This leaves little time for pupils to demonstrate or practise their new learning. In these lessons learning is not promoted fully.  Pupils’ books are marked regularly but the marking doesn’t always make it clear to pupils precisely what they need to do to improve. Pupils are not always given the chance to have another attempt at work they have misunderstood and so they are not able to learn from their mistakes.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Most lessons are so interesting and pupils are so keen to be involved in their learning that inappropriate behaviour in lessons almost never happens.  Pupils described how much they really enjoyed their lessons and the many extra activities which the school puts on for them.  All pupils spoken to and the overwhelming majority of parents expressed highly positive views about standards of behaviour in lessons and around school. This mirrored the outstanding behaviour and pupils’ impeccable manners and politeness observed by inspectors throughout the inspection. The school’s records of incidents relating to behaviour are well documented and show that only a very small number of minor incidents have occurred over the past three years.  The way in which pupils from many social backgrounds interact harmoniously and treat disabled pupils with care and sensitivity is a strength of the school and, because everyone gets on so well

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

together, it helps learning. Pupils were adamant that bullying never happens, and parents and pupils express high levels of confidence in the school’s systems for dealing with any incidents which may arise. Pupils are well informed about how to deal with the different types of bullying that they may encounter.  Pupils show great consideration and respect for others and greet visitors in a very polite and friendly manner, reflecting the way they are treated with care and respect by staff.  Pupils’ ability to work exceptionally well in groups and independently for extended periods makes a significant contribution to their good learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 Members of the senior leadership team and governors work extremely well together and have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. Their ambition and drive to raise standards are shared by all staff. They are well supported by subject and other leaders and managers, who manage their areas of responsibility effectively.  Improving standards, putting in place measures which have significantly improved attendance and success in effectively dealing with all of the areas for improvement from the last inspection clearly demonstrates the capacity for further improvement.  Effective teamwork is a strong feature of the school.  There are rigorous systems for checking up on the quality of teaching, and the performance management of staff is strongly linked to improvements in their pupils’ progress. All teachers and teaching assistants have clearly understood targets for improvement and are well supported

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The leadership and management are good

to achieve them. Governors and senior leaders provide funding for many training courses to actively promote teachers’ professional development. Leaders know that their next steps are to ensure that the best practice is shared even more effectively among staff.  Systems for checking up on the progress of classes, individuals and specific groups, identifying reasons for underachievement and putting in place intervention plans to bring about improvement are highly effective.  Pupil premium funding is used well to provide additional, small-group teaching in English and mathematics which is improving standards for those pupils.  The curriculum provides good opportunities for promoting pupils’ basic skills across a range of subjects. It also includes a wide range of learning activities to effectively promote pupils' spiritual and cultural development.  The local authority provides effective support for the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors are passionate about the school, have a clear and realistic understanding of how well the school is performing and provide challenge to school leaders. They review information about pupils’ progress and understand that the priority for the school is to continue to raise achievement for all pupils, particularly in Key Stage 1. School finances are managed exceptionally well and the governors use the extra pupil premium funding effectively to help these pupils improve their basic skills. Governors are fully involved in checking the quality of teaching. They are influential in ensuring that teachers’ pay awards are linked to improvements in teaching and pupils’ progress. They ensure that the school is a safe and secure place for pupils to learn and that all statutory safeguarding requirements are met.

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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 119123 Local authority Blackburn with Darwen Inspection number 413072

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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 334 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Abdul Patel Headteacher Peter Fenton Date of previous school inspection 23 June 2010 Telephone number 01254 52108 Fax number 01254 679069 Email address daisyfield@blackburn.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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