Greswell Primary School and Nursery

Greswell Primary School and Nursery Percy Road, Denton, Manchester, M34 2DH

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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 Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  All pupils achieve well and make at least good progress. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 has improved year-on-year for several years. It is above average in mathematics, and average in reading and writing but showing clear signs of improvement.  Teaching is mainly of good quality. Some is outstanding. Very little is less than good.  Pupils feel very safe in school. They trust their teachers. Pupils’ attitude to learning in lessons is excellent. Their behaviour around school is good. New behaviour management strategies are making behaviour better still.  Leaders and managers are outstandingly effective. They have created a school with a wonderful ethos. The school has the capacity to become truly outstanding and is well on its way to doing so.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. They are developing the attitudes and values that will make them

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

very good citizens.  Pupils who find learning difficult receive excellent support. The greater the disability or special educational need, the harder the school works to support the pupils concerned and their families.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Achievement is not yet outstanding. Pupils could make better progress in early reading and writing and more-able pupils could reach higher standards than they currently do.  Teaching is not yet outstanding. More-able pupils are not always sufficiently stretched.  Although governance is good, there is further scope to challenge the impact of the school’s actions on particular groups of pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 19 lessons. They talked to teachers about their lessons and interviewed senior staff, staff with extra responsibilities, governors, parents, pupils and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors examined pupils’ work, listened to a number of pupils read and observed staff working with pupils that were falling behind with their work.  Inspectors observed the behaviour of pupils around school, during breaks and over lunchtime. They made visits to the before- and after-school clubs and extra nursery sessions run by the school for the benefit of working parents.  Documentation and data provided by the school were examined.  Thirty-four returns from the Ofsted online parents’ questionnaire (Parent View) were analysed along with the results of surveys of parents’ and staff views provided by the school.

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Inspection team

Brian Padgett, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Joanna Sharpe Additional Inspector Pamela Davenport Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Greswell Primary School and Nursery is much larger than the average-sized primary school. There are considerably more pupils on roll than at the time of the previous inspection in 2011.  The proportion of pupils with identified disabilities or with special educational needs supported at school action level is below the average. However, the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium is above average. (The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and children that are looked after by the local authority.)  The school provides childcare facilities for working parents comprising a before- and after-school club (Kids Zone), full-time nursery provision and a school-holidays club. Additionally, a breakfast

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Information about this school

club, the ‘Toast Club’, is available to all pupils each morning from 8.30am.  The headteacher will leave the school at Christmas 2013. At present, she works two days per week in the school as the executive headteacher and supports other primary schools as a School Performance and Standards Officer on behalf of the local authority for the remaining three days. An assistant headteacher from within the school has been appointed acting headteacher until the governing body appoints a new headteacher for the school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  T he school holds the Gold PE Kitemark.  The school has achieved the top level as an Investor in People and is working towards a similar level as an Investor in Pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 The Early Years Foundation Stage should provide more opportunities for early reading and writing to better prepare children for Key Stage 1.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 The challenge for more-able pupils should be increased.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 The governing body should probe more deeply into the impact of the school’s actions and spending decisions on different groups of pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Nursery with levels of development that are generally below expectations for their age, particularly in their personal and social skills. By the end of Reception, although levels vary from year to year, children make most progress in this aspect and their levels of personal and social development are generally above those expected of children at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Early reading and mathematics are at the expected levels, with writing as the weakest area.  Pupils generally make good progress, regardless of their starting points. This is also true for the approximately 130 extra pupils who have joined the school in the two years since the last school inspection, the majority of whom have had some form of special educational needs or learning difficulty. The proportion of Year 6 pupils attaining the expected Level 4 in mathematics and English in the end of Key Stage 2 national tests has increased year-on-year for the last five years

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The achievement of pupils is good

and is above the average in reading, writing and mathematics. However, only in mathematics do a significant number of pupils reach the higher levels.  A recent focus on improving literacy skills and grammar and punctuation is making a positive difference. There is, as yet, little writing at length to be seen; however, pupils’ writing in their workbooks is often of a high standard and pupils attained well above the average in the recent national tests of English grammar, punctuation and spelling. Literacy and numeracy skills are practised in other subjects, which is improving pupils’ readiness for the next phase of their education.  Pupils in Key Stage 1 are improving their reading, writing and mathematics skills. There is an appropriate emphasis on understanding numbers and solving problems in mathematics and a clear focus on learning to read and encouraging pupils to read at home. Pupils’ knowledge of the

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The achievement of pupils is good

sounds letters make is very close to the average in the national phonics check at the end of Year 1, indicating good progress.  Pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium funding achieve well. In 2012, both their attainment and progress were better in mathematics than those of other pupils, which was considerably better than for pupil-premium pupils nationally.  Pupils with disabilities and special educational needs make the same good progress that other pupils make. This is because of teachers’ vigilance in checking progress, their careful assessment of need and the school’s allocation of whatever resources are required to meet those needs, including, where necessary, seeking support from external agencies.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The strong and positive relationships between staff and pupils are a major factor in pupils’ enjoyment of school and their willingness to work hard and improve. Lessons are planned to be interesting and relevant and most succeed, particularly since the introduction of lessons based on themes that run across different subjects and within which core skills are practised. Teachers praise and encourage their pupils often, which leads to a positive climate for learning in class.  Improving teaching has been one of the main focuses of leaders’ attention since the last inspection. There have been impressive gains in teaching quality: in planning for pupils of different abilities and learning needs, in assessment, in target setting for pupils, in the involvement of pupils, in marking and in the deployment of teaching assistants. Underpinning all these aspects is teachers’ shared commitment to the highest expectations of pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In nearly all the lessons observed, teaching was judged good. In several lessons, teaching was judged as outstanding and pupils made exceptional progress within a single lesson. Rather more often, although progress in lessons and over time is good, relatively few pupils reach the highest levels. This is most often because more-able pupils are not sufficiently stretched. Teachers’ skill in asking questions that are open, requiring much of pupils by way of thought, is often good, but could be better and more challenging for pupils of high potential. Just occasionally, pupils become less engaged because they are not actively involved in learning.  The school demonstrates its care for pupils most clearly in its provision for pupils with disabilities and special educational needs. Its responses are tailored to need. Should pupils fall slightly behind with their work, they receive extra help in groups. If they fall further behind, they receive

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The quality of teaching is good

one-to-one support until they catch up. If the pupils’ barriers to learning are potentially serious, such as with physical and sensory impairments and autistic spectrum conditions, then the school significantly ramps up its response, working closely with experts to secure the help pupils need. Moreover, since leaders recognise the impact a child’s learning difficulties may have on families, the school works closely with parents of pupils with special educational needs. Inspectors spoke to several parents who could not praise enough the support they and their children had received. The teaching of programmes for pupils with additional needs is mostly carried out by teaching assistants and one-to-one support staff. Their effectiveness makes a considerable contribution to the overall quality of teaching.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The attitudes of pupils to learning in lessons are excellent, as observed throughout the school, in all classes. Very rarely do pupils become disengaged. Behaviour around the school is good. There are many activities to occupy pupils during breaks. Older pupils look after younger ones and willingly take on responsibilities.  Pupils feel safe in school. Key workers in the Early Years Foundation Stage ensure the continuity of welfare and well-being for young children. Incidents, such as occasional bullying, take place. However, pupils have trust and confidence that their teachers and leaders will take action to stop this happening. Their confidence is well placed. The school has developed rigorous and well-understood strategies for the management of behaviour so staff and pupils know exactly what to do and what to expect respectively. Leaders have developed the role of the learning mentor into that of a behaviour manager. This is a critical role effectively discharged. Records

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

show how the incidence of poor behaviour is falling steadily, despite the school taking on several pupils from other schools with records of poor behaviour.  The school’s curriculum makes a very positive contribution to promoting good behaviour and attitudes in pupils. There are lessons and assemblies specifically planned to develop pupils’ social and personal skills. The school is committed to promoting healthy eating through its highly regarded midday meal. There is a tremendous commitment to physical education (PE) and sport. Success in competitive school sport strongly supports pupils’ achievement, health, well-being and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school makes very effective use of the pupil premium and additional government funding to encourage primary school sport and ensure the full participation of pupils from all social and economic backgrounds. The school runs ‘A’ and

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

‘B’ teams in up to nine different sports.  The childcare provisions in the Nursery and through the before- and after-school clubs (Kids Zone) do more than provide an important and cost-effective support for working parents. The wraparound care within the Nursery is of high quality. The clubs are very popular with pupils, who very much enjoy the different activities on offer. They are run by school staff who are well known to pupils. Inspectors observed morning and evening sessions and saw first-hand the excellent care for pupils and the good behaviour of the children of varied ages.  Parents are almost universally proud and supportive of the school. Many felt it to be the best in the area. Primarily, they thought the staff were caring and approachable and many said the school was getting better and better.  Attendance is broadly average at around 95%, although occasionally higher. The school is very

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school is well along the path towards becoming outstanding. It has a wonderful ethos of care for pupils and a commitment to raising their achievement. It owes its present position to the drive and determination of its senior team, principally that of the executive headteacher, who has seen the school through several years of steady improvement and united her staff with a sense of common purpose.  There is a relentless focus on improving teaching and learning. Whatever can be done by way of professional development, visiting other successful schools, taking on new ideas in education, rigorously monitoring the quality of teaching and the performance of staff for pay and progression purposes, is being done. Teachers are well supported but they are also significantly challenged. Staff with long experience and teachers new to the profession are responding very well and there is a strong momentum to continue improvement from staff and leaders alike.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school runs smoothly and is very well organised. Its financial affairs are well regulated and tightly monitored by senior leaders and the business manager. It has recovered from a serious deficit in past years to a modest surplus this year. It uses its current financial flexibility well, to provide additional opportunities it could otherwise ill afford.  The school is outward-looking, engaging in partnerships with the local authority, local schools, teacher training providers and with universities for the purposes of research. It is developing its curriculum creatively, with the intention of making learning interesting and relevant and using all opportunities to promote the practice of core skills. This is seen well in the development of the Forest School on a piece of derelict land adjacent to the school.  Middle leaders at Greswell, class teachers taking wider responsibility for subjects and other

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The leadership and management are outstanding

school aspects, approach their responsibilities in the same way many senior leaders do in other schools. They lead, monitor the quality of teaching and work alongside colleagues to coach them and improve pupils’ achievement. They are beginning to use performance data to inform their evaluations. Like the executive headteacher, they are influencing practice beyond the school, working in partnership with other coordinators in local schools.  The leadership values the contribution of all staff and pupils in this is a very inclusive school. It promotes equality, including gender equality, and tackles discrimination. It is an increasingly multi-ethnic, multicultural school. Its pupils are taught to value differences and to be open and straightforward, some of the reasons their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is so good.  The school has a strong partnership with parents and the community; the evidence for this can

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The leadership and management are outstanding

be seen in the rate at which parents opt to bring their children to Greswell. Parents were almost unreservedly positive about the school and proud of its achievements, with a few exceptions.  Additional funding provided by the government through the pupil premium and primary school sport funding is used to very good effect. The achievement of pupils eligible for free school meals is high, well above that of such pupils in other schools and occasionally above that of other pupils at Greswell. By judicious use of the funding, the school ensures lack of money does not prevent pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds having access to opportunities. The rate of participation of pupils in competitive sports is extremely high, with first and second teams competing in up to nine different sports, including two girls’ football teams.  The governance of the school:  Governance is good. A strength of the governing body is the proportion of governors who live

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The leadership and management are outstanding

within the community and are parents with children at the school. Governors are involved in the day-to-day life of the school as each governor is attached to a particular year group. Governors bring a wide range of skills to their work. The governing body is currently re- structuring and inducting new members. They make good use of independent advice from the local authority and other sources. There is a good level of challenge to senior leaders as there is a good understanding of performance data. However, there is scope for governors to probe more deeply into the impact of the school’s actions and spending decisions on various pupil groups. The school website is in need of updating.

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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 106219 Local authority Tameside Inspection number 427318

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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 469 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tynan Carroll Headteacher Maggie Parker (Executive Headteacher) / John Cooper (Acting Headteacher) Date of previous school inspection 8 February 2011 Telephone number 0161 336 6854 Fax number 0161 336 6854 Email address admin@greswell.tameside.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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