Adlington Primary School

Adlington Primary School Park Road, Adlington, Chorley, Lancashire, PR7 4JA

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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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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection. It is good overall with some examples that are outstanding. As a result, pupils’ achievement has improved and they achieve well.  Pupils make good and often rapid progress from their individual starting points. The majority of pupils reach nationally expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  An increasing proportion of pupils across the school are working at levels higher than those expected for their age because the level of challenge provided in lessons meets the needs of all.  Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals achieve as well as other pupils in the school.  The warm, strong and supportive relationships which exist throughout the school help pupils to thrive.  Pupils are very proud of their school. They are keen to learn and feel very safe.  Parents have a high regard for the way staff

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

care for their children and help them make progress.  The headteacher has a very clear view of how the school can move forward. A number of well-thought plans have been put into place, which have increased the level of progress throughout the school.  Senior and middle leaders contribute well to implementing change. The school is well placed to continue to improve.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 A little teaching still requires improvement.  When pupils write in other subjects than in English, opportunities to develop basic literacy skills are sometimes missed.  In some lessons pupils do not have enough time to complete tasks independently.  Although governors know the school well, they have not yet been rigorous in comparing the school’s performance with schools nationally.

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Information about this inspection

 Thirteen lessons or parts of lessons were observed in the course of the inspection. The teaching of reading skills was observed in all classes. The inspector listened to pupils read and talked to pupils about the books they have enjoyed and those that they are currently reading.  The inspector met with members of the school council and spoke to other pupils about their work.  Meetings were held with the headteacher and members of staff. Four members of the governing body met with the inspector. The inspector held a meeting with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector spoke to parents at the start of the school day and took account of the school’s own questionnaires to parents and 24 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View). The 21 responses to the staff questionnaires completed during the inspection were also considered.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at a wide range of documentation,

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Information about this inspection

including safeguarding documents, records of current standards and progress, the school improvement plan and documents relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance. Minutes from governing body meetings were also considered.

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Inspection team

Lyn Pender, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Adlington is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. The Early Years Foundation Stage consists of a Reception class. Key Stage 2 pupils are taught in two mixed-age classes. Some year group cohorts are small and some classes are smaller than others.  Most pupils are White British and speak English as their home language. A small number of pupils are from Gypsy Roma backgrounds.  A higher than average proportion of pupils enters and leaves the school at other than the usual times.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average. An average proportion of pupils are supported at school action plus or have a statement of special educational needs.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through pupil premium funding is above the national average. (This additional funding is provided for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are

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Information about this school

looked after by the local authority.)  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  There have been changes in leadership and staffing since the previous inspection. A new deputy headteacher was appointed in September 2013.  A privately managed after-school club is provided on school premises. This provision is subject to a separate inspection and its report can be read on the website at www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to improve teaching so that it is consistently good and more is outstanding to raise pupils’ achievement even further by making sure that:  all teachers keep introductions to lessons sharp and expect more from pupils when they work independently so that learning can move at a brisk pace and pupils are able to complete more work in the time available  writing in other subjects consistently develops pupils’ grammar, spelling and punctuation skills as well as it does in literacy lessons.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by making sure that:  the governing body compares the achievement information for all groups of pupils to national averages to ensure that governors are fully aware of how well pupils in the school are doing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In this small school, cohorts vary considerably in size. Some cohorts are small and have a high proportion of lower-ability pupils and pupils who have special educational needs. Attainment varies from year to year because the performance of each individual can have a disproportionate impact where year groups are very small.  Children typically enter the Reception class with skill levels lower than those expected for their age. However, cohorts vary considerably and some skills, including those of reading, writing, numbers and understanding of language, are often much lower than expected when children start school. Teaching excites and captures interests well and encourages children to explore and find out about the world about them. They make good progress from their individual starting points and, although attainment when they enter Year 1 varies from year to year, it is generally close to the national average overall.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 1 have been similar to the national average for a number of years. In 2012, standards overall were below average but improved to in line with the national average in 2013.  The proportion of pupils who met the required standard in the Year 1 check on their phonic skills, which investigates their knowledge of letter and the sounds they make, was higher than average in 2012 but below in 2013. The 2013 dip did not reflect lower achievement but was related to a higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs in that year group. In both years, pupils made good progress in reading in relation to their starting points and abilities, reflecting the good start they made in learning to read in the Reception class.  At the end of Year 6, standards in English and mathematics have been broadly average for a number of years. However, Key Stage 2 pupils have some gaps in their skills due to a legacy of

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The achievement of pupils is good

weaker teaching. Although the school is ensuring gaps are being overcome quickly, in 2013, the check on pupils’ grammar, spelling and punctuation skills was lower than the national result.  School data and inspection evidence show that improvements in teaching are helping pupils make faster progress. Progress overall is good across the school and the proportion of pupils making better than expected progress is similar to the national average.  Since the previous inspection, identification of the needs of the most-able pupils has improved and teaching is carefully planned to stretch the thinking of these pupils in lessons. Pupils’ work, school data and inspection evidence show that the achievement of these pupils is rising and progress is good for pupils currently in the school. However, improvements in teaching did not have enough time to enable a few of the most-able pupils to reach the higher levels in reading,

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The achievement of pupils is good

writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2013.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make similar good progress to that of other pupils. This is because their needs are identified early, school leaders check their progress carefully, and pupils receive effective support when it is needed.  Pupils who join the school at other times than would normally be expected are helped to settle well and their needs are identified quickly. This enables them to get off to a good start in the school and make good progress from their starting points.  The small proportion of Gypsy Roma pupils make good progress in their studies.  The pupil premium is used effectively to support pupils known to be eligible for this funding. The achievement of these pupils, and those known to be eligible for free school meals, is at least in line with that of other pupils in the school. This funding enables pupils to participate in the full

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The achievement of pupils is good

range of after-school activities and provides small group work, led by skilful teaching assistants, for pupils who need a little extra help.  The teaching of reading is a strength and standards are slightly above those of writing and mathematics across the school. The well-stocked library and daily whole-school reading sessions demonstrate the value that the school places on books and literature, and pupils say how much they enjoy reading. Improvements in boys’ reading and their increasing eagerness to write are evident in their books.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching was judged satisfactory at the time of the previous inspection. As a result of school leaders’ clear focus on improving the quality of teaching, most is now good and some is outstanding. The very small minority that requires improvement has good elements.  Teaching is helping pupils learn and progress well. Pupils’ books and lesson observations show that the most effective lessons often include:  well-planned, challenging and enjoyable learning activities matched carefully to all pupils needs  clear explanations by teachers of what pupils are to learn and expected to do, so that they have a good understanding of how to move their learning forward  regular opportunities for pupils to check and improve their work against the ‘today I will learn about’ statements which are a strong feature of each lesson in all subjects  great teamwork between teachers and teaching assistants which ensures that all learners are

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The quality of teaching is good

supported well.  Teachers’ provide regular opportunities for pupils to work in different groups in order to develop speaking skills effectively. For example, in a Year 1 mathematics lesson, pupils were sharing the answers to their addition ‘sums’ to find out where Barney Bear was hidden. This well-planned lesson gave pupils the chance to talk excitedly about their mathematics skills which further developed their language skills.  Pupils’ work is marked regularly and consistently across the school. Teachers provide pupils with very clear next steps in literacy and mathematics books and ensure that time is provided to enable pupils to act on the advice given and improve their work. However, opportunities to develop grammar, spelling and punctuation skills are not always taken when pupils are working in other subjects.  Well-structured teaching of letters and the sounds they make help pupils develop early reading

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The quality of teaching is good

skills well from their different starting points. Further up the school, tablet computers, provided with funds raised by the Parent Teacher Association, are used effectively to enable older pupils to develop reading skills further when finding out more about the topics being studied.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well and are polite and considerate of others’ feelings. They say they feel safe in school and that staff take good care of them. Parents expressed very positive views about the care the school provides for their children, saying that all staff are friendly and approachable and will often go out of their way to help. Parents of pupils with additional needs and those with children who joined the school at other than the normal times expressed warm appreciation of the support the school provides.  Pupils apply themselves well in lessons. Their books show they try hard to present their work neatly; they have worked hard to improve their handwriting skills, mostly with good success. They listen attentively to instructions in lessons and enjoy the regular opportunities provided for them to work collaboratively in small groups.  Pupils pay good attention to the ‘today I will learn about’ steps to success and their individual

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

targets and use these well to make improvements to their work. As a result, pupils are becoming mature and independent learners.  Pupils understand the different forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying. They say that incidents are rare in their school and that staff always deals with any such issues quickly and fairly.  Older pupils enjoy helping the younger ones, for example as playground ‘Pals’ and ‘Buddies’.  Pupils with additional learning, health, social and emotional needs are included in everything on offer. The school provides sensitive and caring support for pupils whose circumstances might make them vulnerable.  Attendance and punctuality have a high profile and are in line with most other schools nationally.

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The leadership and management are good

 A welcoming and inclusive ethos exists in the school. All adults ensure that pupils are treated equally, feel safe and enjoy school. Staff and leaders share the headteacher’s ambition for the school and are committed to providing the best possible education for all pupils. The school has good capacity to continue the improvements that have taken place since the previous inspection.  Systems for checking on pupils’ progress have been strengthened; they now provide clear and regular information about how well everyone is doing, enabling staff quickly to identify and support any pupils who may be underachieving. These improved systems have also enabled the school to identify any gaps resulting from previous weaker teaching; the information generated has been used well in planning the additional support pupils need in order to close those gaps.  Checks on the quality of teaching are accurate and take place regularly. The best practice in the

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The leadership and management are good

school is used well to improve the quality of teaching, and an effective training programme for all staff is helping to keep skills sharp and up to date. All of this is helping to improve teaching and increase the proportion that is outstanding.  The school’s provision for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is led and managed effectively; this ensures that the needs of these pupils are met well.  The curriculum has continued to develop since the previous inspection and contributes well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Subjects are brought together into topics that capture pupils’ interests. It is enriched by a wide range of visitors to the school and by regular visits to places of interest and residential trips.  Pupils of all ages enjoy regular opportunities to participate in sport and physical education through lessons and a wide range of after-school activities. The school regularly competes in

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The leadership and management are good

competitive sport events with other schools; they are proud of the netball team which is currently top of the local league. The Primary Sports Funding has been allocated effectively to provide specialist sports coaching and tuition.  The local authority provides regular advisory and consultant support and this has helped the school continue to improve.  The governance of the school:  The supportive governing body makes a good contribution to school leadership. Governors share the headteacher’s firm resolve to achieve the best possible outcomes for all pupils and to continue to move the school forward as rapidly as possible. Governors ask challenging questions and have good systems in place to find out first-hand about life in the school. They review information about the achievement of pupils, considering this data against the school’s targets. However, they do not always compare pupil achievement with national standards.

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The leadership and management are good

Governors keep a check on how well the quality of teaching is improving and how this relates to salary increases of staff. Governors ensure that the pupil premium funding is spent wisely, for example on providing additional support for pupils who need it. They keep a good check on expenditure and ensure that safeguarding arrangements meet requirements and that the school promotes equality of opportunity well and rejects all forms of discrimination.

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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 119330 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 426143

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 117 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Suzanne Talbot Headteacher Tracey Taylor Date of previous school inspection 17 January 2012 Telephone number 01257 480 557 Fax number 01257 485 442 Email address bursar@adlington.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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