Primrose Hill Primary School and Children's Centre

Primrose Hill Primary School and Children's Centre Phoebe Street, Ordsall, Salford,Greater Manchester , M5 3PJ

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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.  Achievement is good. Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. This good progress continues as they journey through the school.  Teaching is good and has improved since the previous inspection as a result of effective leadership. The teaching observed during the inspection was mainly good and some was outstanding.  Teachers’ expectations of the standards of pupils’ work are high. Pupils are challenged to achieve their best across subject areas.  Training for teaching assistants, and parent workshops, are of a very high quality.  Behaviour and safety are good because there are clear systems in place to support this. The pupils generally have good adult role models to help with any issues that they may have.  This school prides itself on being an inclusive, caring family community. Everybody is made to feel welcome and has equality of opportunity regardless of their background or ability.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The effective headteacher ensures that the spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects of learning are paramount. She has a clear view of how successful the school can be.  All leaders have helped to ensure that the quality of the teaching and the pupils’ achievement have improved since the last inspection.  Governance is a real strength of the school because the governing body provides effective support and challenge in the school’s quest for improvement for all its pupils.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Although pupils make good progress in reading, it is not as strong as in writing and mathematics, particularly for the most able.  Classrooms, particularly in the Early Years Foundation Stage do not display enough words or celebrate books and reading as much as they could.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 18 lessons. They also made a number of short visits to lessons and listened to pupils read in Years 1, 2, 4 and 6. The teaching of letters and sounds they make (phonics) was observed in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Year 1 and 2.  Separate meetings were held with members of the governing body, staff, groups of pupils and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors reviewed information from 14 responses to the online parent questionnaire (Parent View).  They took account of the views of staff from 18 questionnaires.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a wide range of documentation including national assessment information, the school’s assessment of pupils’ learning, the school’s view of its own performance, local authority reports, information about the subjects pupils study, pupils’ work and safeguarding documents.

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Inspection team

Jean Tarry, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Elaine Maloney Additional Inspector Adrian Martin Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Primrose Hill Primary School is an above average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils who are supported by pupil premium funding is well above the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding provided for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is in-line with the average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is much higher than average.  The pupils are mainly of White British heritage, although the proportion who speak English as an additional language is increasing.  The school does meet the government’s current floor standards that set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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Information about this school

 The school runs a breakfast club for a small charge and many after-school clubs.  The children’s centre is no longer part of the school and will be inspected separately by Ofsted.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the teaching of reading so that it is consistently good or better by ensuring teachers:  plan comprehension work that challenges the most able pupils  display as many words as possible and celebrate books and reading in their classrooms, particularly in the Early Years Foundation stage.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The children start school with skills and knowledge that are well below those typical for their age, especially in literacy and social skills. They make good progress overall in the Early Years Foundation Stage and achieve well because of the well-matched tasks in the group work. Nevertheless, by the time they start in Year 1, their attainment is still below average.  As pupils travel through the school they make good progress from the start of Key Stage 1 to the end of Key Stage 2. They are well prepared to transfer to the next stage of their education.  From below average starting points at the beginning of Key Stage 1, pupils make good progress in Years 1 and 2 and, while attainment is still below average at the end of Key Stage 1, standards in 2013 were higher than those seen in 2012.  Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 has improved since the last inspection, particularly in writing and mathematics where standards are close to average. School data, confirmed by

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The achievement of pupils is good

inspection evidence, show that the improving trend is set to continue.  Last year, most pupils made more than expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics in the national tests at the end of Key Stage 2. However, although the proportion of pupils attaining the higher levels is increasing in writing and mathematics, not so many do so in reading. Nevertheless, pupils do make good progress in their reading during their time in school.  The teaching of letters and the sounds that they make from nursery onwards enables pupils to read. Many pupils are starting to develop a love of reading as they move through the school. Reading takes a high priority across the school, with a large busy library and initiatives such as daily readers or guided reading groups. Attainment is rising in reading, especially at the end of Year 2 and 6. However, the progress the most able pupils make with comprehension tasks in

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The achievement of pupils is good

reading could be even faster.  Disabled pupils, and those pupils who have special educational needs, make good and sometimes outstanding progress due to the targeted support from well-trained teaching and support staff.  The pupils from White British heritage and those who speak English as an additional language make good progress. The extra support given to help pupils with their basic skills is having a real impact, especially with writing and mathematics.  The pupil premium funding ensures that the pupils in receipt of such funding, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, are making progress similar to other pupils in English and mathematics. This group makes at least good progress. In the 2013 end of Key Stage test results, pupils known to be eligible for free school were about three terms behind other pupils in both English and mathematics. However, attainment data for current pupils shows that the

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The achievement of pupils is good

attainment gap between the two groups is closing over time.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good and results in pupils making at least good progress. This is confirmed by the good quality of work in pupils’ books. Teachers have an accurate understanding of what pupils are able to do and plan work that enables them to learn well.  Teachers’ recent training in reading, writing and letters and the sounds they make (phonics) has started to make a real difference to pupils’ learning. However, teachers are not doing enough to help and support the most able readers with their comprehension. Often pupils are not asked to read difficult texts which make them think hard or improves their ability to read between the lines or draw conclusions based on evidence.  The pupils are not always surrounded by words and literature, particularly in the Early Years Foundation Stage. The activities that children are asked to do by themselves are not well organised and sometimes this means children’s learning slows down. The provision for reading,

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The quality of teaching is good

writing and mathematics groups in the small rooms called ‘Pod’ areas is consistently good in the Nursery and Reception classes.  Outstanding mathematics teaching in Year 6 ensures that pupils make rapid progress. Often there is a high level of engagement in lessons and an excellent pace to the pupils’ new learning. Pupils are totally involved and thoroughly motivated to learn as much as possible when they are asked to work out strategies to solve problems involving fractions. Their partnership work is exemplary as they help and support each other with their learning.  In an English lesson in Year 5, for example, pupils were determined to show how well they could master the skill of writing paragraphs. The teacher challenged and extended their writing skills and their understanding, which resulted in them making rapid progress. The pupils were very confident when using their dictionaries and thesauruses and they demonstrated a high level of

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The quality of teaching is good

determination as they attempted to improve their written work.  The quality of the teachers’ marking is very effective, as the marking is regular, consistent and celebratory. The teachers’ comments in books always ensure that pupils know precisely what they need to do next to improve their work, and pupils are always given the time to complete this task.  Teaching assistants have been involved in high quality training from the assistant headteacher, and this work has had a significant impact on pupils reading, writing and their understanding of letters and the sounds they make.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They are friendly, polite and considerate. Pupils enjoy coming to school, they are excited by their learning and try their very best to succeed. Pupils are generally well-mannered, respectful and polite.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good and make a positive contribution to their progress. They develop a good sense of responsibility as they organise their own learning. Many of the older pupils act as good role models and help their classmates or younger children to improve their work.  Pupils have a strong sense of what is good behaviour and pride themselves on knowing what is not acceptable. There are a few older pupils who find their free time difficult to manage, especially at lunchtime.  The school council has a sense of caring for their friends and classmates. Council members have worked with senior leaders to come up with new rules for the dining hall. They are well on the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

way to becoming good citizens and empathetic and caring individuals for Salford.  Since September 2013, attendance has been above the national average. There are very effective monitoring systems in place and links with parents are very strong to ensure learning does not stop and start at the school gate. Many parents help and support their children with their homework tasks or research work. The learning mentor does an excellent job and is making a real impact supporting ‘Our Community School’ with issues such as punctuality and attendance.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Parents and staff believe that pupils feel safe and happy in school. Pupils know about name-calling and physical bullying and say that it seldom occurs. However, they do know who to talk to if this happens. They know how to keep themselves safe and talk sensibly about the dangers of inappropriate use of the internet.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has established a clear plan for raising standards. She is driving improvement by ensuring that teachers concentrate on the progress pupils are making from their starting points.  The monitoring of the quality of teaching by senior leaders and subject leaders at all levels is carried out well. This has led to improvement in teaching. Leaders at all levels hold staff to account for the progress of pupils. They ensure that this is linked to teachers’ movement up the pay scales.  The headteacher and teachers assess pupils’ knowledge and skills very well indeed. This means that the school’s data that tracks pupils’ attainment and progress is reliable.  School leaders regularly check how well additional funds are used. For example, pupil premium funding is used to provide support for small group work. The new primary school sports funding is used to improve pupils’ achievement, health and well-being through a wide range of high-

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The leadership and management are good

quality sporting opportunities. The impact of this funding can be seen in improved outcomes for pupils, and how well pupils are prepared for their transition to high school.  The school has very effective partnerships with external agencies and this is helping to ensure that those with special educational needs make good and sometimes outstanding progress.  The rich, vibrant curriculum is strength of the school as it provides and meets the needs of pupils effectively. The leaders ensure that pupils’ basic skills are developed well. There is a positive impact on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects of learning and their development. All pupils thrive in this school, which staff describe as a ‘safe haven’ for all  The local authority has provided a range of effective support. The school leadership value this as a means of professional development. This support and help has resulted in rapid and sustained

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The leadership and management are good

improvement in teaching and pupils’ achievement since the last inspection.  The governance of the school:  The governors have the knowledge and skills needed to hold leaders and managers to account for the school’s performance. Governors have an accurate view of pupils’ achievement through analysing performance data, and of the quality of teaching. Governors have ensured that leaders have taken action to improve teaching. They check that performance-management systems are implemented effectively so that only those teachers whose pupils make good progress are rewarded with a pay increase.  They ensure that the pupil premium funding is allocated to support the learning of those pupils for whom it is intended and have checked closely why this support has been effective in narrowing the gap in the attainment of these pupils compared with similar pupils nationally. Governors ensure that the school’s arrangements for safeguarding are in place. Statutory

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The leadership and management are good

duties are fulfilled and meet requirements and discrimination is not tolerated.

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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 129466 Local authority Salford Inspection number 430989

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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 318 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Judy Hoskin Headteacher Gill Harding Date of previous school inspection 26 June 2012 Telephone number 0161 9212400 Fax number 0161 9212415 Email address primrose.hill@salford.gov.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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