Eccleston Primary School

Eccleston Primary School Doctors Lane, Eccleston, Chorley, Lancashire, PR7 5RA

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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 say this is a happy school where ‘People respect each other’. This is one reason why attendance is above average.  Achievement is good. Pupils make good progress and by the time they leave at the end of Year 6, the standards they reach are above average in reading and writing, and in English punctuation, grammar and spelling, and average in mathematics.  Disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those supported through the pupil premium receive well organised additional help. Consequently, they progress as well as their classmates.  Good teaching provides interesting lessons that pupils enjoy, so they work hard and progress well. The proportion of outstanding teaching is increasing and pupil progress is accelerating.  Behaviour is good and pupils are always polite, friendly and helpful. All parents who responded online in Parent View said their children feel safe at school.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength, promoted effectively through the good curriculum and very varied range of additional experiences and activities.  Leaders, staff and governors work as a strong team, united in their vision to make the school even better for all pupils.  The quality of teaching is checked regularly and staff skills continually improve through further training and other opportunities. Data on how well each pupil is progressing is carefully analysed.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The quality of teaching does not result in outstanding pupil achievement.  Pupils are not always expected to respond to marking comments and so mistakes recur.  Checks on the quality of teaching in mathematics do not focus well on the school’s actions for improvement.  Progress in mathematics lags behind that of reading and writing.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed 11 lessons. It was not possible to observe any lessons in Key Stage 2 on the second day of the inspection because pupils were participating in a pre-arranged ‘Roman Day’.  Inspectors visited small group sessions, observed pupils during break times and listened to some pupils from Years 1 and 2 read.  Inspectors met with pupils, staff, school leaders, members of the governing body and the local authority’s representative.  The team looked at pupils’ books and current achievement data and scrutinised the systems leaders use to gather an accurate picture of how well pupils are doing.  The inspection team looked at how the school checks the quality of teaching and learning and they scrutinised the school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils.  The 22 parental responses recorded online in Parent View were analysed as well as the results of the school’s own surveys of pupils’ and parents’ views. Nine staff questionnaires were also

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Inspection team

Kathleen McArthur, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sheila Mawer Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average sized primary school. The majority of pupils are of White British heritage and all speak English as their first language.  The proportion of pupils supported by pupil premium funding is below average. Pupil premium funding is additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children of service families and those looked after by the local authority.  The proportions of pupils supported through school action, school action plus or who have a statement of their special educational needs are all below the national average.  The school met the governments’ current floor standards in 2013. These are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school offers breakfast and after-school clubs.  Since the previous inspection, one new member of staff has joined the senior leadership team

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Information about this school

and the increase in numbers on the school roll means all pupils are now taught in single-age classes.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and learning to outstanding by:  ensuring assessment information is always used accurately so that work is matched even more closely to pupils’ different learning needs and abilities  ensuring pupils are always expected to respond to teachers’ marking and feedback  ensuring the checks carried out by leaders on the teaching of mathematics concentrate closely on the action points listed in the school improvement plan and insist on these being fully implemented.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further raise standards and accelerate progress in mathematics so it is at least as good as that in reading and writing by:  providing regular opportunities for pupils to use, apply and extend their mathematical skills and knowledge in a wide range of situations across curriculum subjects  ensuring pupils always read mathematical problems presented to them in word form carefully and that they fully understand what they are required to do.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 A wide spread of abilities is found each year when children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage, but most have skills typical for their age. Excellent teaching and well planned activities in the warm, caring atmosphere ensure these young children are very keen to learn. They progress rapidly and are ready for Year 1 at the end of their time in Reception class.  Progress is good in Key Stages 1 and 2, and most parents agree. The great majority of pupils make the progress expected of them, but not enough do better than this, particularly in mathematics. Current school data shows the proportion making more than the progress expected of them is now increasing rapidly.  Pupils progress at a faster rate in reading and writing than in mathematics. Opportunities to tackle mathematical problems or use mathematical skills in other subjects are limited and pupils do not always fully comprehend written questions.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 When pupils leave the school, standards have been typically above average in all subjects. The school has substantial evidence to account for the dip in mathematics in 2013. Leaders’ actions to tackle this, including staff training and more problem-solving activities, have been successful and are speeding up pupils’ progress in mathematics this year. Pupils say they enjoy mathematics lessons, which is an important factor in their more rapid progress to higher standards.  Pupils’ workbooks and school data show pupils currently in Year 6 are on course to reach above average standards in all subjects and to exceed national expectations at the higher level, Level 5. Work is usually presented neatly and carefully.  Throughout the school, the most able pupils and those with particular talents receive additional teaching on a one-to-one basis each week, with extra challenges that further stimulate their

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The achievement of pupils is good

interest and knowledge. School data show more able pupils currently in Year 6 are making better than expected progress and are well on course to do better than pupils nationally at the higher level in English and mathematics.  Pupils progress well in other subjects, for example design technology and art because they enjoy the practical activities.  The small number of pupils supported by pupil premium funding progress as well as their classmates but the standards they reach are about a term behind. School data shows this gap is rapidly narrowing due to well organised additional support that meets their needs, including additional learning support or help with the cost of transport and visits.  Pupils with special educational needs receive well managed help with their learning and make good progress in relation to their capabilities.  In the 2013 phonics screening check, the proportion of pupils who reached the expected

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The achievement of pupils is good

standard was below the national figure. Leaders acted promptly to remedy this, with staff training and daily letters and sounds (phonics), reading and spelling lessons. Pupils say they enjoy reading, and younger ones happily ‘sound out’ and blend letters into words. School records show pupils currently in Year 1 are on course to at least match the average level.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good, with some examples of excellent practice. Good relationships and respect between pupils and staff were seen in all lessons. Pupils are keen to learn and always willing to ‘have a go’. Consequently pupils make good progress.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage receive a very good basis for future learning, particularly in developing early reading skills. This was observed when children enjoyed helping Speaking Steve, the class puppet, to learn the ‘ch’ sound.  Learning is usually planned so that it is fun, such as through practical activities and using information and communications technology (ICT). Skilful questioning challenges pupils and enhances their ability to think carefully and explain their answers, and so they progress well.  Pupils report that they really enjoy literacy and numeracy lessons. An activity using chocolate caught the interest of older pupils so they quickly developed an understanding of ratio. Pupils do

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The quality of teaching is good

not always have opportunities to put their mathematical skills into practice like this. Very occasionally, assessment information is not used accurately when matching tasks to pupils’ different abilities and so work is sometimes too hard or too easy for some pupils.  Staff regularly check and review how well their pupils are progressing and act swiftly if any are in danger of falling behind. Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution, providing regular and timely intervention and support to move pupils on in their learning. This is especially so for those with special educational needs or those who receive help funded by the pupil premium.  Pupils say their work is always marked. Written comments help them with their learning and sometimes set them an extra challenge. In some classes, pupils are expected to respond to the teacher’s marking or feedback, but this is not the case across the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils and most parents agree with this. ‘We all get along’ was a typical pupil comment.  Pupils work together happily, share equipment and help each other without prompting. They are keen to learn and persevere with their tasks. Outside, they mix well so break times are calm and enjoyable for everyone. Older pupils look after the younger ones, helping with their coats or making sure they have someone to play with.  The school’s work to ensure pupils are safe and secure is good.  Pupils say they feel safe in school because, as one said, ‘There is always someone around’. The clear behaviour policy is known, understood and pupils see it as fair. Each class works together to earn Golden Time rewards.  Pupils who attend the before and after school clubs enjoy good quality care in secure surroundings.  Bullying is described as ‘rare’. Although a minority of parents feel that bullying is not dealt with

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

well, pupils are confident that if they experience a problem, they can speak to any member of staff and it will be sorted out quickly. Bullying is covered in lessons so pupils are aware of the dangers of, for example, cyber bullying, and they know what to do about it.  Pupils are eager to be school or eco councillors and take their responsibilities seriously. They are keen to recycle goods and use Fair Trade products.  The well attended extra-curricular activities extend and maintain pupils’ interest and enthusiasm.  Attendance is above average, and this has been the case over time. Leaders work hard to improve punctuality for the small minority who arrive late.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders, staff and governors share an ambitious vision of how good the school can be and to ensure all pupils learn and progress equally well. Plans for improvement tightly focus on boosting standards and progress in all areas, most especially in mathematics.  Well organised professional training follows from rigorous staff performance targets and appraisal of individual teaching quality. Pupil progress meetings are held every half term and staff are held fully accountable for the progress their pupils make. School monitoring and inspection evidence shows that more teaching is now outstanding. However, monitoring has not focused closely enough on ensuring actions to boost achievement in mathematics are fully implemented.  Senior staff provide valuable role models of good quality teaching and leadership and management expertise. These are used to guide middle leaders in the development of their

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The leadership and management are good

curriculum or aspect responsibilities. An example of their effectiveness is the impact of the work of the new mathematics leader, resulting in pupils making more rapid progress.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is shown in pupils’ respect for others, good behaviour and enthusiasm for learning. They relish visits out of school, such as to Liverpool or the residential experience. The wide range of extra-curricular clubs are very popular and include, for example golf and tag rugby, introduced using the additional sports funding.  The curriculum is carefully adapted for pupils’ different needs and abilities, ensuring they acquire good quality basic skills and are well equipped for future learning. Pupils develop their literacy skills across the curriculum, but have fewer opportunities to use their numeracy skills.  Well planned, stimulating experiences bring learning to life. For example, the Roman Day linked

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The leadership and management are good

drama, history, literacy and personal and social skills as pupils worked together in teams as legionnaires and investigated how social attitudes have changed over time.  Arrangements for safeguarding meet all statutory requirements. Training for all staff in child protection procedures is up to date. Staff value parents’ support and work hard to keep them informed through the weekly newsletter and the accessible school web-site. The carefully considered programme of homework extends learning effectively and enhances the positive links between home and school.  The local authority provides light-touch support for this good school.  The governance of the school:  Governors rigorously challenge school leaders on the progress made and the standards reached by pupils using national data as well as information supplied by the school. Consequently they have a clear understanding of how well pupils are doing and how results

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The leadership and management are good

compare with other schools. They are fully aware that standards in mathematics dipped in 2013 and have been vigilant in checking actions to prevent this from happening again.  They check that pupil premium funds are used effectively and know that the small gap between the performance of pupils supported by the funds and others is rapidly narrowing.  The finance committee manages finances very carefully and checks that funds are used effectively to bring about school improvement.  Staff performance reviews are shared with governors. They make sure that any rewards for good teaching are closely related to pupil results, and that professional development is used to improve the quality of teaching and develop leadership skills at all levels.  Governors appointed a member of staff to lead and manage the use of the new sports funding. This provides a wide range of physical activities as well as those pupils usually

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The leadership and management are good

experience. More pupils from both key stages are now participating in different activities such as judo or dance. The local sports partnership has provided staff training in teaching new skills, for example in dance, in order to continue to benefit pupils’ health in the future.

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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 119310 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 443836

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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 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 173 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Roy Moore Headteacher Elizabeth Fletcher Date of previous school inspection 23 September 2009 Telephone number 01257 451114 Fax number 01257 450570 Email address head@eccleston.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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