Higher Openshaw Community School

Higher Openshaw Community School Saunton Road, High Openshaw, Manchester, M11 1AJ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 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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This is a good school

 Pupils make good progress in learning to read and write and in mathematics.  Well-planned lessons and interesting activities enable all groups of pupils to make good progress. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because they receive the right help.  The quality of teaching is good. Relationships between pupils and staff are very strong.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. Pupils are eager to learn. They are confident and friendly and say that they feel very safe in school.  The headteacher, senior leaders and the governing body have taken effective steps to improve the school. As a result, pupils’ achievement and teaching have improved since the previous inspection and are now good.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching.  In a few lessons, the work is too hard for some or too easy for others.  Pupils do not always have enough time to find things out and learn for themselves.  Sometimes, pupils do not have the opportunity to check their work against their targets in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 24 lessons taught by 16 teachers and visited other activities for shorter periods of time. Three lessons were observed jointly with the school’s deputy headteacher. The inspectors listened to pupils read.  Meetings were held with groups of staff and pupils and with representatives of the governing body. Inspectors spoke to a representative of the local authority on the telephone.  There were too few responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) for the results to be displayed. Inspectors looked at the results of the school’s own recent survey of parents’ views and spoke with a small number of parents at the start of the school day.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at work in pupils’ books. They looked at documents relating to safeguarding, minutes of governing body meetings and records of the school’s checks on the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors examined information on pupils’ attainment and progress for the school year 2011/12 and information provided by the school for 2012/13.

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Inspection team

Liz Godman, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Peter McKay Additional Inspector John Shutt Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than most primary schools.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding provided by the government to support pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children looked after by the local authority and children of military personnel) is well above average.  More than half of the pupils are from minority ethnic groups and more than a third speak English as an additional language. Pupils are from a wide variety of ethnic heritage backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is below average.  The proportion supported at school action plus and with a statement of special educational needs is well below average.  The movement of families into the area is high, so that many pupils join the school at other than the usual times during their primary education.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to outstanding by making sure that:  the work provided in lessons is at the right level for all, so is neither too hard for some pupils nor too easy for others  pupils are given time to find things out and learn for themselves  pupils have opportunities to check their work against their targets in reading, writing and mathematics, so that they know the level they have reached and they are clear about the next steps in their learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children join the Nursery class with skills that are below those typical for their age. They make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes, so that by the end of the Reception Year, the skills of most in personal, social and emotional development and in physical development are broadly typical for their age. However, the skills of a significant number remain below those typically expected in speaking, reading and writing, and in some aspects of mathematics.  In a lesson in the current Reception class children made good use of their knowledge of letters and sounds to read unfamiliar word clues about the ‘calendar thief’.  Pupils make good progress in Years 1 and 2. By the end of Year 2 pupils reach broadly average standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Many in Year 1 are eager to write at length, for example, recounting a recent class visit to a science museum.  Most pupils in Year 1 have a good knowledge of letters and the sounds they make and use this

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The achievement of pupils is good

to work out unfamiliar words. Pupils in Year 2 are beginning to read fluently and understand what they have read. In a Year 2 lesson, pupils enjoyed learning mathematical language and used this well to programme the movement of a toy.  Pupils’ good progress continues in Key Stage 2. In 2013, at the end of Year 6, pupils reached above average standards in English and mathematics, having made particularly rapid progress in reading and mathematics.  The current Year 6 pupils are confident and fluent readers. They speak well about their favourite authors and talk enthusiastically about the wide variety of fiction and non-fiction materials they have read.  Pupils use their reading, writing and communication skills well in other subjects. For example, pupils in Year 5 have written at length about the Ancient Greeks.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress overall. This

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The achievement of pupils is good

is because the work set for them is usually right for them and they receive good help from teaching assistants and in small groups.  In 2012, those eligible for free school meals made the same good progress as other pupils. However, by the end of Year 6 they did not reach the same high standards in English and mathematics as the school’s other pupils. However, the results for 2013 show that those eligible for free school meals attained as highly as or better than other pupils and that the gap in attainment has closed. All groups of current pupils including those from different ethnic groups, those for whom English is an additional language and those who arrive later than at the usual time are making good progress. The most-able pupils also make good progress. This reflects the school’s good promotion of equality of opportunity.  Pupils of all ages participate keenly in physical education and sport at break times, after school

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The achievement of pupils is good

and in the coaching sessions provided through the new primary school sport funding. It is too soon to tell whether the funding is making a difference to pupils’ overall well-being and physical performance.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The good quality of teaching results in the pupils’ good progress.  Teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes is good. This helps the children to settle quickly. The youngest children are very keen to be ‘busy bees’ and to help the adults. Adults make good use of the opportunities to extend children’s language and communication, so that children make good progress from their starting points in early reading, writing and mathematical skills.  Staff have high expectations of the pupils and this helps to secure the good progress of pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2. Reading, writing and mathematics are taught well and pupils have increasing opportunities to use these skills in the different subjects of the curriculum.  Regular and accurate checks are made on the progress of pupils and this information is used to plan lessons which generally meet the pupils’ needs. This helps those with special educational

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The quality of teaching is good

needs to make good progress. However, at times the work provided in lessons is too hard for some pupils and they find it difficult to complete without the help of a teaching assistant.  Occasionally, the work is also too easy for other pupils. In general, pupils, including the most able, have too little time to find things out and learn for themselves.  Careful thought is given to ensuring that the different groups of pupils do as well as they should. The school has acted swiftly to ensure that those eligible for the pupil premium receive individual additional help. As a result, in 2013 there was no gap in attainment between these and other pupils.  Pupils’ work is marked regularly and accurately. Pupils know what they have done well and what they should do to improve their work. Comments made by pupils in their books show that they have read the teachers’ comments, but that they do not always act upon them.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Similarly, in lessons there are opportunities for pupils to consider how well they have worked, but these do not always enable pupils to think about what they have learned. As a result, pupils do not check their work against their targets in reading, writing and mathematics regularly and do not always know the level they have reached. Consequently, they are not clear as to the next steps in their learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well in lessons. They are eager to learn and work well with one another and when given clear direction by an adult. Occasionally in some lessons, their attention wanders and they stop working. However, when an adult prompts them they swiftly resume work.  Pupils are confident and friendly. They speak with adults clearly and politely. Pupils are calm and quiet in the dining room.  Pupils enjoy physical activities and sports at playtimes and usually play well together. They say that they feel very safe on the playground and in the school. They have a secure understanding of how to stay safe and can explain in detail how to say safe when using the internet. This is because of the school’s good teaching about safety.  Parents who completed the school’s own survey and those who met with the inspectors agree that the school is a safe place. The inspection findings confirm that pupils are safe because of

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

the care the school takes to ensure this.  Pupils say that bullying is very rare. They understand the different forms that bullying can take and know where to go for help should they need it.  Pupils get on very well with one another irrespective of their different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds and talk proudly about the different languages they speak. They extend a warm welcome to new pupils from around the world which enables these pupils to settle quickly. The school fosters good relations very successfully and there is no evidence of discrimination or other incidents.  Attendance is consistently above average and pupils arrive at school in good time in the morning, often accompanied by their parents. Parents are welcomed into the school and are able to speak with staff about any concerns they might have.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governing body and senior staff have high expectations of the staff and pupils. Their actions have secured improvements in the school’s work so that teaching and pupils’ progress are good.  Senior leaders have an accurate view of the quality of teaching and use this information well to make improvements where these are needed. The management of the performance of staff is thorough and rigorous. Staff receive training and support which is of good quality.  Leaders make careful and regular checks on pupils’ progress and analyse carefully the attainment and progress of different groups. This enables those who have special educational needs to receive the help they need. This analysis also identified an attainment gap in Year 6 in 2012 between those eligible for the pupil premium and other pupils. As a result, additional provision was made and in 2013 there was no gap in attainment between those eligible for the

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The leadership and management are good

pupil premium and others.  The school’s evaluation of its work is highly accurate and is used well to decide priorities for further improvement. There is good support from the quality assurance partner provided by the local authority. This has helped to validate the school’s own analysis of its performance.  Good links with other agencies and services help to promote pupils’ safety. The school has used the primary school sport funding to purchase additional time from external coaches and instructors. The pupils enjoy these sessions. However, the activities have only been in place for a few weeks. Consequently, the school has yet to complete its checks on their effect on pupils’ well-being and physical skills.  Since the previous inspection, subject leaders have taken on a more effective role in checking and improving teaching and pupils’ learning.  Staff work well together to plan the curriculum so that it includes themes and activities which

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The leadership and management are good

capture the pupils’ interest. This information is available to parents so that they know what their children will be covering over the year.  The curriculum includes varied visits which help to bring the themes to life for the pupils and which provide relevant contexts for pupils to develop their skills in reading, writing, communication and mathematics. The curriculum also helps pupils to respect, work and play with others and to gain a good understanding of life in different cultures.  Relationships with parents are highly positive. The school provides good information for parents and readily responds to any questions or concerns that parents might have. This is seen in the number of parents present in the school at the start and end of the day and in their responses to the school’s own survey of parents’ views.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has an accurate knowledge of pupils’ achievement and of the quality of

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The leadership and management are good

teaching. Governors have supported the senior leaders well in improving teaching and ensuring that it is good. The governing body receives detailed information from the senior staff and its members visit the school during the day. Governors regularly ask questions about different aspects of the school’s work. As a result, they ensure that the performance of staff is managed effectively and that good teaching is rewarded appropriately. They check that resources, including the pupil premium, are used well. This ensures that all groups of pupils and individuals make good progress.

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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 105471 Local authority Manchester Inspection number 426086

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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 350 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Robert Wright Headteacher John McAllister Date of previous school inspection 17 January 2012 Telephone number 0161 223 3549 Fax number 0161 231 8319 Email address admin@higher-openshaw.manchester,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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