Saighton Church of England Primary School & Pre-School

Saighton CofE Primary School Saighton Lane, Saighton, Chester, CH3 6EG

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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 Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils make good progress from their starting points. By the time they leave school at the end of Year 6, more pupils than nationally reach the standards expected of them for their age in all subjects.  Pupils’ attainment in reading is well above the national average for all ages and abilities.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress.  Teaching is usually good and some is outstanding.  Pupil’s behaviour is outstanding. They are very happy at school and feel safe.  The subjects and activities provided for the pupils helps them to develop a love of learning and a wide range of interests.  The strong leadership of the headteacher, supported by the senior leader and governors, has brought about improvements in teaching and pupils’ achievement, especially in reading.  Parents express overwhelmingly positive views about the school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching and there is still a small amount of teaching that requires improvement.  Achievement in writing and mathematics, especially for the most able pupils, does not yet match the outstanding achievement in reading.  Checks to measure the progress pupils make are not always accurate and, as a result, do not always provide reliable information about National Curriculum levels that pupils reach, particularly the most able pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching in all classes and saw 10 lessons, including one observed jointly with the headteacher. Teaching assistants were observed working with pupils.  The inspector visited one school assembly and observed break time and lunchtime.  Discussions were held with pupils in lessons and their work was discussed with them.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, members of the governing body, teaching and classroom support staff and pupils. A telephone conversation took place with a representative of the local authority.  Pupils’ work was scrutinised in writing, mathematics and other subjects.  The inspector listened to pupils read and checked reading progress records including home- school diaries.  A wide range of documentation was reviewed including national assessment data, the school’s information about pupils’ progress, monitoring records of the quality of teaching and the

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Information about this inspection

progress of pupils, the school’s review of its own performance and the school development plan. In addition, minutes of governing body meetings, safeguarding documentation and external reports from the local authority were examined.  The views of parents were taken into account through 33 responses to the school’s own questionnaire’. There were too few responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, to be meaningful.

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported at school action, school action plus, or with a statement of special educational needs, is lower than that found in most schools.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium funding is well below the national average. The pupil premium is funding to support pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and children who are looked after by the local authority.  A much higher proportion of pupils than usual join the school in year groups other than Reception or leave before the end of Year 6.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve achievement in writing and mathematics to match that of reading, especially for the most able pupils in Key Stage 2, by:  ensuring pupils are provided with work pitched at a level that challenges them to do their very best  making sure that checks to measure the progress pupils make are accurate and provide reliable information about the National Curriculum levels that pupils reach.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the overall quality of teaching to outstanding by using the most effective teaching already present in school to model good and outstanding practice for other staff.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage get off to a good start. Their starting points are generally typical for their age, although some are less advanced, especially in writing and mathematics. By the end of Reception, they achieve a good level of development in most areas of learning.  The good pace of learning continues in Years 1 and 2. Standards at the end of Year 2 have been well above average in reading and mathematics and above average in writing for the past three years. Pupils’ current work shows that the trend is set to continue and standards in writing are also accelerating quickly.  Good progress continues for most groups of pupils in Years 3 to 6 and standards are consistently above or well above the national average especially in reading.  The very best is not always expected of the most able pupils and this prevents some from reaching the highest levels. In 2013, the progress pupils made by the end of Year 6 dipped,

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The achievement of pupils is good

especially in writing. This dip is being reversed and current pupils in Year 6 are making better progress although they are still not making the progress of which they are capable in writing and mathematics. Senior leaders’ swift actions to provide these pupils with extra support reflect their commitment to ensuring every pupil is given an equal opportunity.  Consistently good teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they make) in Reception and Years 1 and 2 gives pupils the early boost they need to read with confidence and enthusiasm. Pupils achieve very well in reading and attain well above average standards by the end of Year 6. Pupils are fluent and accurate when they read and use good expression. They have many opportunities to read from a wide range of books which are challenging and reflect their interest in reading well.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make at least good and often rapid

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The achievement of pupils is good

progress from their varying starting points. Their learning and the additional help the school gives are carefully matched to needs.  There are very few pupils known to be eligible for support from pupil premium funding throughout the school. There are no significant attainment gaps. Assessment records for the past year show that these pupils achieve at least as well as other pupils in the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good and some outstanding teaching leads to the good achievement of pupils in lessons and over time.  Pupils have a positive attitude to their learning; they work hard and cooperate well with each other. Relationships are good and pupils are confident and keen to learn more and achieve well.  While teachers plan work for different ability groups, some of the work is too easy for the most able pupils and this prevents some from reaching the higher levels, especially in writing and mathematics.  The majority of teachers adapt their plans skilfully when they recognise that pupils have understood the work and move the learning on rapidly. In a small minority of lessons, some pupils do not make enough progress because they do not clearly understand what they are learning and spend too long in the lesson on work that they are unable to manage. For example, when finding the best method to solve some mathematical problems, some pupils were unable

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The quality of teaching is good

to find the answer because they did not have the basic understanding and spent too long in the lesson struggling before they were supported to move on in their learning.  Teachers’ ask questions to check what pupils can do and also prompt them to explain their thinking. This was seen in an outstanding Key Stage 2 science lesson where pupils were learning about how volcanoes erupted. Pupils acted as scientists to investigate different types of volcanoes. The teacher had good subject knowledge and used this effectively to question and challenge pupils of different ages and abilities so that they were able to structure their work more precisely.  There are many opportunities for pupils to discuss their learning and test their ideas on each other. Technological aids are used particularly well to help pupils focus on their learning.  Teaching assistants are a crucial part of the teaching team. They know the pupils well, provide

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The quality of teaching is good

very good learning support and deal sensitively with pupils’ particular needs.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils are consistently polite and well mannered. Attitudes to learning in lessons and behaviour around the school are exemplary. They show respect for each other and for adults and are always mindful of others, especially when help is needed. Their behaviour and relationships reflect the school’s strong Christian values.  Pupils enjoy learning because of the exciting opportunities provided by teachers and other adults in lessons and other out of school activities. When asked what they liked best about their school a group of pupils replied, ‘This is a small school and we all feel part of a close family. Teachers train children well. Lessons are fun and we enjoy learning.’ They all agreed that they would never think of changing schools and that they know of other children who want to come to the school because they think it is so good.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils feel very safe in school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

They share trusting relationships with the adults who care for them. Parents agree consistently with the view that pupils are extremely well cared for. Additional care at lunchtimes and at the after-school clubs is also appreciated by the parents and pupils.  Pupils are fully aware of the different forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying. They agree that bullying and offensive name-calling is rare in the school and is always dealt with sensitively by staff before becoming too serious. There are clear rules about how to keep safe on the internet. These have been drawn up by the children themselves following an awareness week for children and parents about the potential dangers that can occur.  Attendance is in line with the national average and is continuing to improve. It is checked rigorously by the school and any absences unaccounted for are quickly followed up.  Pupils contribute a great deal to the everyday life of the school. They are active on the school

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

council and as play leaders and always willing to take on additional responsibilities when needed.  They are true ambassadors for the school. Their attitudes to learning and the personal qualities they gain leaves them exceptionally well prepared for the next stages of their education.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher leads the school well and with an outstanding determination that the school will continue to improve. She is well supported by an effective senior leader who, with the governing body, continues to strive for further improvement.  School leaders’ analysis of the school’s performance leads to clear priorities for further improvement in teaching and learning. There is a detailed school development plan with priorities that are shared and understood by all leaders, governors and staff.  In this small school, most teachers have a middle leadership responsibility and contribute to the school development planning process under the direction of the headteacher. They work well together as a team and are effective in leadership of their subject.  The school has worked closely with a network of other schools with the specific aim of raising achievement for gifted and talented pupils. Even so, the most able pupils are not achieving as

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The leadership and management are good

much as they are capable of.  Management of teachers’ performance in the classrooms has been robust. There is rigorous checking to make sure that all pupils are making good progress. However, leaders have been too harsh in their judgements of pupils’ work, especially the most able and so they have not had an accurate view of exactly how well these pupils are doing in each year group.  There has been some well-focused training and support to improve teachers’ skills in order to iron out weaknesses. Teachers recognise that they are accountable for standards and pupils progress and that salary progression is linked to classroom performance.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. There are very good local, national and international links including links with a school in Germany and plans for linking with a school in Cambodia. There have been visits to the school from Germany and

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The leadership and management are good

opportunities to communicate with children across the globe. The school also links with a larger school in Birkenhead which benefits all pupils in understanding life and education in different contexts. This, together with subjects such as religious education, geography and modern foreign languages, helps pupils to learn about life in the wider world.  The curriculum adds richness and enjoyment to pupils’ learning and enables pupils to foster interests in music and sports. Pupils also benefit from a wide range of clubs and visits that help them to develop their personal qualities.  The school has used the new primary sport funding effectively to enhance and improve the participation of pupils in competitive sport. This is well linked to the physical education (PE) curriculum and is resulting in better physical well-being for pupils as well as improving their performance levels in PE and a range of sporting activities.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has confidence in the leadership of the school. The local authority has provided basic support to the headteacher and governors for three days each year since the last inspection.  The governance of the school:  The governing body works well in moving the school forward. Governors know the school well and have a range of expertise to challenge the school about its performance. They are aware of the recent dip in writing and about the priorities to raise the achievement even further for the most able pupils. The recent dip in the progress of most able writers has led to additional classes to rapidly improve the standards of these pupils. Statutory duties are carried out well. There are no issues with financial management or with safeguarding which meets all government requirements. The governing body has an overview of teaching performance and how this is linked to teachers’ salaries. It manages the headteacher’s performance effectively.

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The leadership and management are good

Rigorous procedures are in place to hold individual staff to account for any underperformance. Governors are aware of how the small amount of pupil premium funding is used and check this closely to ensure that it benefits those who are entitled to it.

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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 111350 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 440805

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 114 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Shelley Evans Headteacher Mavis Sellers Date of previous school inspection 16 March 2011 Telephone number 01244 335822 Fax number 01244 335822 Email address head@saighton.cheshire.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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