Sharneyford Primary School

Sharneyford Primary School Todmorden Road, Bacup, Lancashire, OL13 9UQ

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils achieve well. They make good progress and almost all reach the levels expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Key Stage 2.  Pupils are avid readers and standards in reading have improved, particularly in Key Stage 1. Reading skills are taught systematically throughout the school.  Teaching is good. Skilful questioning ensures pupils understand what they are learning and helps them to develop their ideas.  Teaching assistants provide valuable support for pupils so that they can all make good progress. Pupils with special educational needs do particularly well.  Pupils have good attitudes to learning. Praise and encouragement helps them to enjoy their lessons.  Behaviour is good in this happy school. Pupils look after and support each other. They feel safe and well cared for in school.  The curriculum contributes well to pupils’ understanding of the world around them and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

to their strong spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils enjoy the wide range of extra activities and clubs that are available.  Parents are very supportive of the school. They feel welcome in school and know that any concerns that they may have will be dealt with swiftly.  The new headteacher provides strong leadership. She is clear about what the school needs to do to improve further. She has the full confidence of an enthusiastic staff team.  The support and challenge provided by the governing body are helping to drive ongoing improvements to teaching and achievement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The overall quality of teaching does not result in pupils’ outstanding progress and achievement. Some pupils, including those who are most able, are not always given work that is hard enough to fully challenge them.  Pupils do not do as well in writing as they do in reading and mathematics. Skills in grammar, punctuation and spelling are not learnt well enough.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching in seven lessons, including one observation carried out jointly with the headteacher. The inspector also observed the teaching of reading and spelling skills, and listened to pupils reading. She looked at examples of pupils’ work and observed pupils at lunchtime and during their break times.  The inspector held meetings with pupils, staff, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority. She spoke to some parents as they brought their children to school.  The inspector took account of 12 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire (Parent View), the school’s own survey of parents’ views and 10 questionnaires returned by staff.  The inspector looked at a range of documents, including data on pupils’ current progress across the school, the school’s own view of its effectiveness, and how the school checks on the quality of teaching and learning.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector checked the arrangements for safeguarding pupils and looked at records relating to behaviour and attendance.

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Inspection team

Christine Potter, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a much smaller than average sized primary school. All pupils are taught in mixed-age classes.  All pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is below average. The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  A significant minority of pupils join the school during Key Stages 1 and 2 rather than at the start of the Early Years Foundation Stage.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school provides a breakfast and after-school club.  Since the last inspection, there have been several staffing changes. An acting headteacher was

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Information about this school

in post from January 2014. She was appointed to the permanent position of headteacher with effect from 1 st April 2014.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching by:  making sure that all pupils, particularly those who are the most able, are always given work that is sufficiently challenging  improving the quality of marking so that it always shows pupils precisely how to make their work better.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve achievement in writing, by:  teaching the basic skills of grammar, punctuation and spelling in a more successful way  giving pupils more opportunities to develop their writing skills in other subjects  making sure that the most able pupils develop a broader range of skills to make their writing more varied and interesting, so that more of them reach levels above those expected for their age at the end of both Key Stages 1 and 2.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are generally slightly lower than those expected for their age, particularly in language, although this can vary widely because of the small numbers of children starting each year. They make good progress because adults know the children well and plan activities that are closely matched to their needs and abilities.  Standards at the end of both Key Stages 1 and 2 vary because of the small numbers of pupils, some of whom have complex needs, in each year group. However, pupils’ attainment overall is generally at least in line with the national average. In both 2012 and 2013, the proportion of pupils at the end of Year 6 who reached the levels expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics was well above average. Almost all pupils made the progress expected of them, and many did better than this. Current school data show that a high proportion is making better

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The achievement of pupils is good

progress than expected.  However, pupils do not do as well in writing as they do in reading and mathematics. Skills in grammar, punctuation and spelling are not acquired successfully by all pupils and pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop their writing skills in other subjects.  Not enough pupils reach levels above those expected for their age, particularly in writing. This is because the most able pupils are not always given work that challenges them sufficiently. They do not develop a broad enough range of skills, such as using more complex sentence structures and more extensive vocabulary, to make their writing more varied and interesting.  Standards in reading have improved, particularly in Key Stage 1. Early reading skills are now taught more successfully and pupils of all ages have regular, well-structured group reading sessions. Higher expectations of the most able pupils now mean that they are more skilful at

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The achievement of pupils is good

drawing conclusions from what they read. The majority of pupils are on track to reach the expected standard in the Year 1 screening check of phonics (the linking of letters to sounds). Pupils of all ages are extremely enthusiastic readers, and they were eager to discuss with the inspector the range of books and authors that they enjoy.  Pupils make good progress in other subjects and in particular, they use information and communication technology well to support their learning. They use the internet confidently to do research on subjects as diverse as African countries and the heliocentric nature of the Solar System. They use a range of computer skills to present their work in imaginative and attractive ways.  Pupils who join the school later than usual, some of whom have previously attended several different schools, settle in quickly. Most of them make good progress from their starting points and reach similar standards to other pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make particularly strong progress. Their needs are identified at an early stage and they receive very well-tailored support, both in lessons and individually or in small groups. The school has invested wisely in training for teaching assistants to deliver special programmes to develop pupils’ speech and language skills.  The very small numbers of pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium make progress which is at least as good as that of other pupils. The use of funding is carefully planned to meet their needs. This demonstrates the school’s commitment to ensuring every pupil has an equal opportunity. Any comparison between the attainment of the tiny proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and that of other pupils in the school would be statistically unreliable.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils say how much they enjoy lessons; they ‘learn loads’ and teachers always try to turn work into ‘something you want to do’. Praise, encouragement and humour is used to motivate pupils, and most of them are eager to do well. The work in pupils’ books shows how hard they work and the good progress that they have made this year.  Pupils make good progress in lessons because learning is carefully planned to build on pupils’ understanding and develop new skills. Explanations are clear so that pupils know what is expected of them. Pupils take an active part in identifying ‘steps to success’ and in using these to check how well they are doing during activities. Older pupils in particular look back at their previous work and help to set themselves appropriate targets for improvement.  Questioning is skilful, both to check pupils’ understanding and to enable them to develop and explain their ideas. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 were able to explain confidently how

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The quality of teaching is good

they had calculated a range of different percentages.  Pupils have opportunities to reflect on their learning and to correct their mistakes, both in daily ‘fix it’ time, and as an ongoing part of lessons. For example, pupils in Years 1 and 2 were gently prompted to review the answers they had given when putting pictures in a correct sequence, and to recognise where they had gone wrong.  Pupils are encouraged to discuss and share ideas and to support each other when they are learning. Pupils in Year 4, who were learning about division, worked together to correct and explain each other’s mistakes, so that they all made good progress during the lesson.  Highly-skilled and experienced teaching assistants play an active role in lessons. They work intensively with small groups, using activities and practical resources that are well matched to individual needs. These help pupils to grasp the necessary concepts and make good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Work and tasks are different for pupils of different abilities. Occasionally, pupils are given work that is too easy, particularly for those who are the most able. Sometimes they spend too long practising familiar skills and are not challenged to apply or extend them further.  The school has introduced new systems for marking pupils’ work. However, these are not yet used consistently to ensure that marking always gives precise and accurate guidance to pupils on exactly what they need to do to improve their work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are polite and considerate as they move around the school and they wait patiently for others to hang up their coats in the small cloakroom areas. Pupils say that they feel valued and respected and that they have ‘a lot of respect for each other and the teachers’. They appreciate how staff talk them through any difficulties, help them to understand why their behaviour might not be appropriate, and pupils say that this helps them not to do it again.  Pupils love taking on extra responsibility around the school. Older pupils look after the younger ones and they very sensibly prepare the chairs and tables before lunchtime. They say how this helps them to work as a team.  Pupils are keenly aware of the needs of others in the wider community. They show a genuine interest in and respect for the culture and beliefs of others, and are very keen to talk about the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

money they raise for different charities. They talk animatedly about how decorating paper ‘toilet seats’ for ‘World Toilet Day’ helped to raise their awareness of how some people in the world do not have access to clean water.  Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and want to do well. They work hard and show good levels of concentration and cooperation with each other. However, some of them do lose interest and their attention wanders if the work in lessons is not sufficiently challenging.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils and parents are unanimous in their view that pupils are safe and well looked after in school. Pupils say that, although they do very occasionally fall out with each other, there is ‘absolutely no bullying’. Parents agree, and say that any concerns are sorted out straight away, and, in the words of one parent, ‘I mean, absolutely straight away’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a good understanding of different forms of bullying and talk about assemblies where they have learnt to stay safe when using the internet. Younger pupils have good opportunities to learn about the importance of road safety, especially on the busy main road outside the school.  The breakfast and after-school clubs are well attended and provide a welcoming and relaxed environment. Pupils enjoy the healthy snacks on offer and the range of games and activities.  Pupils’ enjoyment of school is reflected in their smiling faces as they hurry into school, and in their good attendance.

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The leadership and management are good

 The new headteacher is ambitious for the school and provides strong leadership. She is supported well by staff and governors. They are enthusiastic and keen to work together as a team to do the best for all pupils. Leadership roles are shared, so that all staff contribute to checking how well the school is doing and planning what needs to be done to continue moving the school forward.  There are clear and effective systems in place to check on the quality of teaching, through lesson observations and looking at teachers’ planning and pupils’ work. The headteacher gives teachers very clear guidance on how to improve their practice and this is linked to training and opportunities to visit other schools to observe outstanding teaching.  Pupils’ progress is tracked closely to make sure that they are doing as well as possible. All staff know individual pupils well. Teachers and teaching assistants work together to make sure that

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The leadership and management are good

any pupils who are at risk of falling behind in their learning are identified at an early stage and given the best possible support.  The curriculum is planned well to stimulate pupils’ interest and develop their skills through a variety of topics. It promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well and is enriched by a range of extra clubs, such as knitting, construction, and gardening. The debating club is very popular and very effectively develops pupils’ confidence in speaking aloud when they discuss topics, such as whether a baby’s ears should be pierced, or whether mobile phones should be allowed in school.  Parents are very positive about the school. They appreciate how approachable the staff are and the individual care and attention that their children receive. The new termly reports are providing parents with more detailed and timely information about their children’s progress and

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The leadership and management are good

general attitudes and behaviour.  The school makes good use of the primary school sport funding. Pupils are enjoying the wider range of sporting activities that the school is now able to provide, such as tennis, tri-golf and cheerleading. Staff are developing their expertise in teaching physical activities through observing lessons taught by specialist coaches.  The local authority provides ‘light touch’ support for this good and improving school, which has included additional support and guidance for the new headteacher.  The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body are highly supportive of the school and are proud of its caring, family atmosphere. They make sure that they are kept well informed about how well pupils are doing and have received training on how to interpret school data. They are frequent visitors to the school and often meet with staff to discuss the subjects that they lead, as well

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The leadership and management are good

as receiving regular written reports about all aspects of the school’s work. Governors ask challenging questions and are quick to investigate if they feel pupils are not doing well enough. They are well informed about the quality of teaching and decisions relating to teachers’ salary progression are strictly related to teachers meeting the pupils’ progress targets set for them. Governors ensure that the small amount of pupil premium funding is spent on supporting eligible pupils and that all financial decisions are in the best interests of the pupils. They are fully committed to making sure that everyone is treated equally and fairly. The governing body understands its statutory responsibilities and makes sure that safeguarding arrangements meet requirements.

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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 119192 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 444307

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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 66 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Robert Uttley Headteacher Andrea Holt Date of previous school inspection 23 June 2010 Telephone number 01706 873955 Fax number 01706 874361 Email address bursar@sharneyford.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 and 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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