Rawtenstall Newchurch Church of England Primary School

Rawtenstall Newchurch Church of England Primary School Dark Lane, Newchurch, Rossendale, Lancashire, BB4 7UA

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Achievement in Key Stage 2 is inconsistent between classes. Current attainment as pupils leave school is not high enough especially in writing and mathematics.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to apply their mathematical skills to practical, everyday situations. Writing lacks imaginative vocabulary and accuracy in punctuation.  Teaching varies and especially in Key Stage 2, not enough is good. Time is not always used effectively and tasks do not get the best out of pupils.  Leaders and governors have not followed up actions with enough rigour to ensure improvements are sustained. Collaboration in using data about the school’s performance and the setting of priorities is limited. Actions are not closely linked to their impact on progress.  Information obtained from checking on teaching and tracking pupils’ progress is not used effectively to raise performance and hold teachers to account for the progress pupils

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The school has the following strengths

 Progress is good in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 and pupils reach the level expected for their age.  Teaching is improving with support from the local authority and no teaching is inadequate.  Behaviour is good and pupils feel safe.  Pupils enjoy school and attendance is above average.  Clubs and visits widen pupils’ experiences and raise their aspirations for the future.  Leadership from senior leaders and governors is much stronger following external support and the appointment of an associate headteacher. An audit has already identified a path to raise attainment and improve teaching.  The school is moving in the right direction and is in a secure position to improve.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching in all classes. She visited 10 lessons.  Meetings were held with staff, a group of pupils, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. A telephone conversation was held with the associate headteacher who is currently supporting the school but who was not available during the inspection.  Pupils from different classes read to the inspector.  Pupils’ books were reviewed, with a focus on writing and mathematics in Years 2 and 6.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including the school’s plan for future improvements, information about pupils’ progress and safeguarding.  The views of 12 parents were analysed through the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) plus one written reply. The inspector also reviewed results of the school’s own parental survey and talked to parents at the start of the school day.  The inspector analysed nine returns from staff to the inspection questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Jennifer Platt, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Full report

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary.  The number of pupils from minority ethnic groups is very low and no pupils are identified as speaking English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium (additional funding provided for children in local authority care, those from service families and those known to be eligible for free school meals) is above average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is above average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  At the time of the inspection, the headteacher had been absent for half a term and was not returning. The school has an associate headteacher (absent at the time of the inspection on a

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Full report

school residential), an associate deputy headteacher and a permanent deputy headteacher.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to be consistently good so that all pupils make good progress, especially in Key Stage 2 and in writing and mathematics, by:  ensuring that throughout the lesson pupils work at activities that match their needs and interests and especially challenge the more-able pupils  including more variety in lessons and using time effectively to sustain pupils’ interest  extending pupils’ abilities to write imaginatively and to punctuate their work correctly  increasing opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical skills in more practical and interesting activities.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management, including governance, by:  involving more staff, including governors, in evaluating the school’s performance and using this information to set precise priorities and actions that link closely to raising attainment  ensuring teachers respond swiftly to improve weaker aspects of teaching  using the accurate data now available about pupils’ progress to identify and respond to underachievement promptly and to hold teachers more rigorously to account for the progress of pupils in their class.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The school has not sustained pupils’ attainment and progress seen in previous years. Although progress is good in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1, this does not continue in Key Stage 2. Progress varies between years and subjects and overall requires improvement.  Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 has been rising and results of national tests in 2012 were average in English and close to average in mathematics. In English, 100% of pupils made the expected progress. However, attainment has dipped this year and is below average, especially in writing and mathematics. This group left Year 2 with low attainment and has had a disturbed journey with changes of staff. In some years, pupils have stayed at the same level for too long but overall from Year 2 to Year 6, most have made the expected progress from their individual starting points.  Management has not responded rigorously enough to raise attainment. Information from

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

assessment is not always used effectively to ensure pupils move on at a fast enough rate, especially for the more-able pupils. This means the promotion of equality of opportunity is not yet fully effective.  Children enter school with skills that are lower than expected for their age. They make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage in response to a well-organised classroom and good teaching. Despite this, their communication and mathematics skills are below average when they start in Year 1.  Good progress is sustained in Key Stage 1 and attainment is rising. Gaps in pupils’ skills are closed and attainment as they leave Year 2 is average in reading, writing and mathematics.  Reading is improving throughout the school. Letters and sounds are taught successfully. In 2012, in the Year 1 national reading assessment, every pupil reached the level expected. Pupils use these skills successfully to read new words. Older pupils benefit from regular guided reading

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

sessions that increase their understanding of the text. They enjoy books and share their favourites with others.  Many pupils know how to write in different styles, such as letters, but lack imagination when writing more creatively. Older pupils have gaps in their basic skills and do not use punctuation correctly. In mathematics, many acquire a good range of skills and calculate correctly. They do not always understand the purpose of their calculations and so become confused when applying their skills and choosing different methods to solve problems.  The pupil premium funding is used well to help these pupils. This group includes those known to be eligible for free school meals. Their progress is similar to other pupils in school. They often make good progress in reading because of the extra support they receive. Their attainment is currently below average in English and mathematics. Predicted data for next year shows higher

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

attainment.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make expected progress except in writing. Additional help is planned for smaller groups to meet their needs more effectively.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching is improving in response to advice from the local authority and the associate headteacher. Nevertheless, overall teaching is not yet good enough.  In lessons that require improvement, pupils do not make the progress they are capable of because some activities occupy them but fail to extend their learning. Some work is too easy; for others it is too hard. In some lessons, the more-able pupils sit listening to explanations about their work that they already know how to do rather than moving promptly to work at their level.  The less-effective lessons do not inspire pupils and, especially in writing, books show a lack of imaginative vocabulary and ideas.  Teaching is good in Key Stage 1. The teacher makes good use of checklists and pupils assess their own learning. Good subject knowledge of mathematics lays a firm foundation in basic skills. This is not fully exploited in Key Stage 2 with some confusion creeping in when pupils apply their

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

skills. Activities do not always link to everyday experiences. This was good in Year 6 as pupils reviewed a sale rail of clothes with a % discount, although not all pupils had the chance to try out their skills.  Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Staff have a good knowledge of how these children learn. They quickly identify favourite activities and use these well to capture children’s enthusiasm. The current camping theme is stimulating role play and extending basic skills, such as counting the items of washing drying on the line.  Teaching of reading has improved and is generally good, especially in the teaching of letters and their sounds. These are taught in small groups matched accurately to pupils’ needs. Practical activities consolidate this knowledge.  Marking is improving in response to recent changes. Teachers set pupils the next steps to improve their work. This is usually done well, although a small number of pupils’ comments are

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

inappropriate and errors in their learning remain unchecked.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour is good overall. In assembly pupils listen closely. Singing is enjoyed and creates a feeling of belonging to a community. At play, pupils make full use of resources and share amicably with others.  In lessons, attitudes to learning are normally good but vary in line with the quality of teaching. Some pupils’ attention understandably wanders when tasks are not fully interesting. Occasionally, this is not managed firmly enough and expectations of pupils’ work could be higher.  The school council recognised that some pupils do not behave well all of the time and there is a very small group who are unkind to others. They feel this is managed well and show a clear understanding of all types of bullying. Pupils who sometimes struggle with sustaining good behaviour are supported well by staff and learn to act responsibly most of the time. The councillors said, ‘this is a friendly school and teachers help you to sort out problems’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Staff show kindness to pupils and as a result they feel safe in school. They listen to important messages in assembly and from visitors about keeping themselves safe and feel well prepared to deal with dangers.  Pupils enjoy school and attendance is above average. Year 6 pupils are confident and polite. Their excellent performance in Cinderella Rockerfella will be one of many happy memories they take away with them.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership has undergone a difficult time with absences of key leaders. This has led to actions failing to sustain improvement and weaknesses identified in the previous inspection not being fully resolved. As a result, attainment and teaching continue to be areas to improve. Nevertheless, with the support of the local authority and the associate headteacher the school has remained a happy place for pupils to learn. An audit has promptly identified the key priorities for improvement and the school is in a stronger position to move on.  Leaders’ evaluation of the school was misleading and not fully supported by all. Staff and governors do not play a full part in this process or in deciding the best priorities for the school. Actions in the school’s development plan are not closely linked to their impact on pupils’ progress.  The tracking of pupils’ progress has been too complex and led to a lack of focus on those not

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The leadership and management requires improvement

making enough progress. The deputy headteacher has refined very successfully assessment procedures and the school now has a clear picture of individual progress. This information is not yet used effectively by teachers when planning lessons. Although teachers have discussed pupils’ progress, this has not been robust enough to hold teachers to account for the progress pupils in their class make. As a result, some pupils, particularly the more able, mark time before moving to a higher level.  Teaching is checked regularly, although this has not always produced an accurate view of teaching. External checks have identified areas to improve and while some success can be seen weaker aspects remain.  Targets are set based on performance and staff do not receive a salary reward if these are not met.  Training links well to weaker aspects in the school’s performance, as can be seen in the rise in pupils’ attainment in reading linked to the improvements made in teaching pupils how to read for

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The leadership and management requires improvement

meaning.  The curriculum widens pupils’ experiences. Pupils enjoy visits as part of their themes and this makes their writing and other activities more purposeful. For example, the visit to Eden Camp provided a deep insight into the Second World War. Visiting musician and sports coaches promote effectively pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Safeguarding meets requirements.  The local authority has been swift to offer support. This has most effectively raised morale in school and put it back on an even keel ready to move forward.  The governance of the school:  Governors share the staff’s strong commitment to the school. Their determination that pupils should do as well as possible was the trigger to call in support when they felt the current Year 6 pupils were not doing as well as expected. This is indicative of their review of data and knowledge of teaching that enables them to ask challenging questions and take essential

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The leadership and management requires improvement

action when needed. Governors’ links with subjects and visits to school mean they have first- hand knowledge of school life. They recognise that their previous lack of involvement in setting priorities and evaluating the school’s performance led to some errors in the past. Financial management balances the budget well and ensures pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding benefit from this support.

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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 119390 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 405859

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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 Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 109 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Alice Mervin Headteacher Averil Culverhouse Date of previous school inspection 5 July 2011 Telephone number 01706 229478 Fax number 01706 260570 Email address head@newchurchcofe.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

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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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