Carleton St Hilda's Church of England Primary School

Carleton St Hilda's Church of England Primary School Bispham Road, Carleton, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, FY6 7PE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Inadequate 4 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The headteacher’s successful drive to improve the school is strongly supported by governors and staff. Everyone is working together to make sure improvement continues.  Pupils of all ability, including more-able pupils and those with disabilities or special educational needs, make good progress. They achieve high standards in English and mathematics.  Pupils achieve well because teaching is good. Teachers give pupils plenty of opportunities to conduct investigations, solve problems and explain their thinking. This has been a key factor in raising attainment.  Pupils’ spiritual awareness and social development are promoted extremely well.  Pupils are motivated and enthusiastic learners. They concentrate and persevere with challenging tasks. Pupils feel and are safe because the school provides a warm and nurturing environment. They behave well.  Subject leaders are taking an increasingly

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

strong lead in improving provision, especially in English and mathematics.  Teaching and leadership has improved as a result of good quality professional development and effective performance management by the headteacher.  Strong leadership, effective governance and good teaching ensure that the school can build on strengths and continue to improve.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils are not yet achieving the same high standards in all subjects.  Pupils’ cultural development and their awareness of ethical issues are not promoted as well as they could be.  Some subject leaders need to develop their roles further so they can lead improvements in their subject across the school.  Some parents feel they could be better informed about developments in school and their children’s progress.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was deemed a Section 5 inspection at the school’s fourth special measures monitoring inspection.  The inspector observed ten lessons and sampled pupils’ work in every class and across all subjects. Observations and work scrutiny were conducted jointly with the headteacher.  The inspector heard pupils read, met with a group of pupils from Years 5 and 6 and with the pupil council. She spoke to many more pupils in lessons and around the school.  The inspector scrutinised a range of school documentation including pupil progress tracking, records from governing body meetings, performance management and safeguarding procedures, attendance and behaviour records.  Discussions were held with school leaders, all teachers and six members of the governing body, including the Chair. The inspector had telephone conversations with the school adviser and the monitoring and intervention team adviser.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector took account of 48 responses from parents to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View), and the views expressed in discussion with parents as they dropped their children off at school.

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Inspection team

Jean Olsson-Law, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with section 13 (4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average primary school. Pupils are taught in year group classes from Reception to Year 6.  The proportions of pupils supported at school action and school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs are below average.  There is a smaller than average proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium (which is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are in the care of the local authority and children from service families).  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and speaking English as an additional language is well below average.  There have been a number of changes to staff and the governing body in the last 18 months, including the appointment of a new headteacher, an associate deputy headteacher, a Reception class teacher and a new Chair of Governors.  There is a separate independently managed nursery and before and after school provision on

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Information about this school

the school site. This provision is subject to a separate inspection by Ofsted.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Build on good teaching and increase the proportion that is outstanding so that pupils achieve high standards in all subjects by:  making sure that teaching extends pupils’ knowledge and skills in all subjects, as rapidly as it does in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further develop the role of subject leaders across all subjects, using the good practice that has been developed in English and mathematics as a model.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure that pupils have sufficient opportunities to develop their understanding about cultural and ethical issues.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop communication with parents so that they feel fully informed about developments in the school and the progress their children are making.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children generally enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and abilities at the level expected for their age or above. In Reception, teachers have established an accurate assessment of each child’s knowledge and skills on entry. This ensures that activities provide the right level of challenge and children make good progress from the start.  In Years 1 and 2, pupils make good progress because teachers assess pupils’ ability accurately and build on their previous knowledge and skills. This good progress continues across Key Stage 2 because teachers plan interesting work that extends pupils’ learning in each lesson and particularly rapidly in literacy and mathematics.  The percentage of pupils who met the expected standard in Year 1 in the national phonic screening check was above average in 2012 and even higher in 2013. Pupils’ attainment in the Key Stage 1 standardised assessments in reading, writing and mathematics has improved

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The achievement of pupils is good

significantly. In 2013, it was well above the 2012 national average.  The vast majority of pupils achieved expected levels in the end of Key Stage 2 standardised tests in 2013. A large proportion achieved at higher levels (level 5 and above) in writing, reading, mathematics and the new grammar, punctuation and spelling tests. This represents a significant improvement on previous years.  All teachers have made a concerted effort to make sure that able pupils achieve as well as they should. They plan challenging activities and give plenty of opportunities for pupils to work things out for themselves. In an outstanding mathematics lesson in Year 6 for example, pupils worked on various investigations to devise mathematical formulae to explain attributes of shape. Many were working at level 5 and towards level 6, which is higher than typical for pupils of this age.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are supported well so they also make

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The achievement of pupils is good

good progress from their starting points. Their progress is checked carefully and where appropriate, they receive additional support to help them get the most out of lessons.  School leaders use the funding they receive to support pupils who are entitled to free school meals effectively. They make sure that pupils who need extra help receive personalised support and the more able pupils in this group can access extra-curricular opportunities to make the most of their abilities. The gap between the achievement of pupils supported by pupil premium and others in the school, closes as pupils get older so that they achieve in line with their peers by Year 6.  Pupils enjoy a range of subjects. Although they achieve well in subjects such as art, design and technology, history and geography, they do not reach such high standards as they do in English and mathematics.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils make good progress because teaching is good and there is some that is outstanding. Teachers plan interesting and challenging activities that give pupils opportunities to investigate, solve problems and explain their learning. Teaching assistants support learning well because they are well briefed and have benefitted from additional training.  Children learn happily and effectively in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff have introduced good induction procedures, including home and nursery visits, to make sure each child’s needs are known before they start.  The reception classroom is well organised with interesting and exciting activities. The activities that children access independently are carefully planned to extend their learning, both indoors and outside. Occasionally, the whole class teacher-led sessions do not provide enough challenge for children who already have well-developed skills and knowledge.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, teachers take full account of pupils’ previous learning to build on their skills successfully. Their accurate assessment of pupils’ ability is a key factor underpinning the improvements to teaching. When teachers mark pupils’ work they make sure pupils know how to improve it.  Teachers have raised their expectations of what pupils can achieve. They pitch their teaching at the right level for pupils of all ability, including the more able and those with disabilities or special education needs.  In Year 3, for example, the teacher’s timely prompts to use paragraphs, similes and interesting verbs, adverbs and connectives, helped pupils of all ability to improve their writing. As a result, the pupils produced highly individual and well-crafted character descriptions.  Teaching is often inspiring, promoting pupils’ spiritual and social development effectively. In a

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The quality of teaching is good

Year 1 religious education lesson, for example, pupils were considering the wondrous natural creations in their world. They were extremely proud of their own artistic creations they produced following this.  Literacy and mathematical skills are taught extremely well. Pupils read and write with confidence, using a range of strategies. They develop proficient mathematical skills because mathematics is taught in an interesting and lively manner.  Teaching covers a broad range of subjects and pupils enjoy the topic based approach. However, the challenge and extension of pupils’ skills is not as well-honed in all subjects as it is in English and mathematics.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have very good attitudes to learning. They approach activities with enthusiasm and perseverance. Their well-developed literacy and numeracy skills enable them to learn independently and tackle challenges confidently.  Staff model courtesy and good manners and this is reflected in the pupils’ polite and considerate behaviour towards each other.  Pupils are sociable and behave well in shared areas. They say that behaviour has improved in the last 18 months because expectations are clearer.  Pupils feel and are safe, because the school provides a warm and nurturing environment. They talk about ‘the family of our school’ and how they all feel part of it. Pupils who have joined the school at Key Stage 2 say that ‘everyone is friendly and welcoming’.  The new funding to promote sporting activities has been used effectively to provide a broader range of physical activity and widen participation. This is helping to improve pupils’ physical

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

fitness, health and wellbeing.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and are aware that it is wrong to use derogatory language about personal characteristics. They feel that bullying is virtually unknown in their school and teachers will deal fairly with any incidents that may occur. However, they have had limited opportunities to discuss bullying and other ethical issues in depth in order to raise their awareness and help them to consider moral dilemmas. The promotion of pupils’ understanding of cultural issues is similarly limited.  Pupils are articulate and very able to express their views. They were keen to share the many improvements they have seen in the school with the inspector. Pupils on the school council are proud of their achievements so far, including their involvement in interviewing and appointing the new headteacher. All pupils are very pleased with their appointment.  Other pupils are keen to take on additional responsibilities and contribute to decision-making

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

but feel there are not as many opportunities to do this as they would wish.  Parents who spoke with the inspector and the vast majority of those who responded to the on- line questionnaire, Parent View, think behaviour is good and say their child is happy, feels safe and is well looked after. Attendance is above average and there have been no exclusions in the last three years.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher sets high expectations for staff and pupils. Leaders, governors and staff have shown determination to improve provision and raise pupils’ achievement. As one teacher said, ‘the headteacher sets a clear vision for the school and we all feel part it’.  Improvements have been secured through leaders’ effective evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses in teaching and accurate analysis of pupils’ progress. Weaknesses have been tackled with good quality professional development and effective procedures to manage the performance of staff. Salary progression is now being linked with expected teaching standards and the responsibilities held by staff.  Teachers are committed to improving their own performance and have a keen desire to make sure all pupils achieve to the best of their ability. They have set demanding targets for the achievement of pupils in their class. Regular meetings to discuss pupil progress successfully

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The leadership and management are good

identify any pupils who are not making good progress so that they receive extra support.  Leaders and governors ensure that good relationships are fostered, discrimination is tackled and all pupils have equal opportunities to learn and make good progress.  There is a consistently good approach to marking and assessment, behaviour management and expectations for the presentation of pupils’ work.  The curriculum covers a broad range of subjects which maintain pupils’ interest. Pupils build their knowledge and skills through distinct lessons and topics, which they thoroughly enjoy. However, subject leaders are aware that more could be done to develop specific subject knowledge and skills in more depth and they are keen to develop a more creative approach.  Subject leadership is at varying stages. English and mathematics have been the main focus for improvement over the last year and leadership has developed effectively in these areas. Other

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The leadership and management are good

subject leaders have welcomed the increase in responsibility and are looking forward to developing their roles in monitoring and leading improvement in their subjects.  Partnership working has increased. Links with the local high school are supporting the more able mathematicians in Year 6 to work at higher levels. The Early Years Foundation Stage leader has cultivated useful links with nurseries to improve children’s transition into school and subject leaders are benefitting from sharing good practice with colleagues in other schools.  The school is using the additional funding for sports effectively. A local sports partnership are providing a programme of specialist coaches to develop staff skills and deliver further physical activities for all pupils.  Most parents think their children make good progress and are pleased with recent developments, particularly in the Early Years Foundation Stage. However, some feel that they

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The leadership and management are good

are not well enough informed and they are unsure about the progress their children make. A few also feel that the school has not responded to concerns that they have raised, particularly about homework.  The headteacher is providing good leadership and has the full support of all staff and governors. Together, they have improved teaching, raised pupils’ achievement and secured good behaviour. They have the capacity to sustain further improvement.  The local authority has supported the school extremely well. They acted quickly to put interim leadership arrangements in place until the headteacher was appointed. Advisers have provided good quality professional development to develop the teachers’ skills.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is well-led and members have a range of skills.  Governors are now very knowledgeable about the work of the school. They have analysed performance data in detail and carried out a range of monitoring activities. Consequently,

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The leadership and management are good

they are able to ask searching and challenging questions about the progress pupils make.  Governors work closely with the headteacher to evaluate and improve teaching. They set targets for improvement and ensure salary progression is linked with good or better performance. They manage the performance of the headteacher effectively and hold school leaders to account.  They keep a close check on school finances and make sure that additional funding is used to improve the achievement of pupils who are eligible.  Governors ensure safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirements.  They have good relations with parents but there is more they could do to ensure parents feel well-informed and involved in the school.

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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 119557 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 428173

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 189 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Michael Everitt Headteacher Heather Wareing Date of previous school inspection 14 March 2012 Telephone number 01253 882225 Fax number 01253 895920 Email address head@sthildas-carleton.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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