Cheadle Heath Primary School

Cheadle Heath Primary School Edgeley Road, Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire, SK3 0RJ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Not enough pupils make better than expected progress by the end of Year 6.  The quality of teaching is inconsistent in Key Stage 2.  Work is sometimes too hard and often too easy to enable pupils of all abilities to learn well. For the most able pupils, it does not consistently make them think deeply enough nor ensures that pupils' knowledge and understanding is broadened.  Marking does not always tell pupils what they know well and what to do next, and ensure that pupils respond to the advice they have been given.  Some work in mathematics is inaccurate and marked incorrectly.  Pupils have too few opportunities to practise their numeracy skills in other subjects and to practise the specific writing skills that they need to.  Some subject leaders do not have specific roles, responsibilities and accountability for checking and assessing teaching, learning and achievement in their subjects. Not all have sufficient confidence nor have had the

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

necessary training to do this.  The governing body does not find out enough for itself about teaching and pupils’ achievement to be able to challenge and support the school fully.

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The school has the following strengths

 The headteacher is leading the school and driving improvement strongly.  Children in the Nursery and Reception classes make good progress.  Pupils in Key Stage 1 achieve well.  Pupils’ personal development and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding are good.  Pupils behave well in lessons and round the school. They feel safe, secure and happy in school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 18 lessons, of which two were observed jointly with the headteacher.  The inspectors spoke with pupils during lessons and break times, observed them at break and lunch times and listened to pupils reading. They watched several groups of pupils supported by teaching assistants.  One inspector met formally with a group of pupils to find out their views about their school.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and senior and subject leaders, and members of the governing body. The lead inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors looked at a wide range of documents, including information about the achievement of all groups of pupils, samples of their work, the school’s improvement planning, and policies to help keep pupils safe and secure.  In carrying out the inspection, the inspectors took into account the 76 responses to the on-line

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Information about this inspection

questionnaire (Parent View) and the 11 responses made by staff to the questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Lynne Blakelock, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Elisabeth Fenwick Additional Inspector Hilary Ward Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is average in size compared to other primary schools. The number of pupils on roll is increasing rapidly because the school is moving to two-form entry.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium is above average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  Most pupils are of White British heritage and speak English as their first language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average.  The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school is in the final stages of a major expansion programme to support the increased

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Information about this school

number of children attending the school.  There have been numerous staffing changes in the last two years and the senior leadership team has been restructured.  The school has links with several local schools to support specific aspects of teaching, leadership and development.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure the quality of teaching is always at least consistently good, in order to speed up pupils’ progress and to raise standards, by making sure that:  work is set at the right level so that pupils of all abilities achieve as well as they can  marking always tells pupils what they have learned well and the next steps to take, and teachers check their advice has been taken  pupils have regular opportunities to practise and strengthen their numeracy skills in other subjects  pupils’ work in mathematics is marked accurately.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Speed up pupils’ progress in writing by providing more opportunities for them to practise on a very regular basis the specific skills that the school has identified.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the effectiveness of leaders and managers at all levels, by ensuring that:  subject leaders have specific roles, responsibilities and accountability for checking and assessing the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement in their areas and for driving improvement  subject leaders have the necessary training and skills to carry out their roles effectively  the governing body finds out more for itself about the work of the school so that it is better placed to both support and challenge leaders and managers.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils make expected progress through Key Stage 2 but not enough do better than this. This is because the quality of teaching is variable and not consistently good or better to enable pupils to achieve well by the end of Year 6. Achievement, therefore, requires improvement.  Although the school has good ways to improve pupils’ writing skills, which are starting to have an impact on standards, pupils do not practise specific skills regularly enough as part of longer writing activities.  Pupils’ standards by the end of Year 6 have been broadly average over time in reading, writing and mathematics.  In Year 2, standards have been variable in recent years and continue to be so. However, from their individual starting points, pupils make good progress because learning is organised well to match the different needs of the pupils and teaching is generally good.  Most groups of pupils make similar rates of progress, including those who speak English as an

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

additional language, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. Pupils supported at school action plus make quicker progress because of the timely help they receive in literacy and numeracy.  The most able pupils do not achieve as well as they can in lessons where teaching requires improvement. Even so, as with other groups of pupils, they work diligently at the tasks they are set.  The proportion of pupils who reach the required standard in phonics (the sounds that letters make) in Year 1 is average, although the girls achieve higher levels overall and perform more strongly than the boys. From nursery, children make secure progress in recognising letters and groups of letters, improving their pronunciation and in spelling accurately.  The allocation of the pupil premium funding is carefully matched to the individual needs of the pupils, including one-to-one support to improve reading, and specific activities to build up pupils'

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

confidence and personal, social and emotional development. As a result, last year there was no gap in the performance of pupils eligible for the funding in mathematics, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, and those who are not. In reading, the gap widened but in writing, it narrowed considerably. The picture is set to be similar this year. The school’s promotion of equal opportunities for all is not yet fully successful.  Children join the Nursery with skills and knowledge that are typical overall for children of their age, but below that level in reading, writing and numeracy. The children make good progress and a higher proportion of children reach a good level of development than nationally by the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The proportion has increased for three consecutive years because of plenty of opportunities for children to learn effectively through good teaching and

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Although some teaching is good, more so in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, the quality varies between lessons and year groups and results in variable rates of progress.  There is inconsistency in the quality of work provided for pupils. Sometimes it is too hard or too easy. For the most able pupils, even when work is more suited to the levels at which they work, activities do not always encourage them to think hard nor to broaden their knowledge and understanding so that they learn as well as they could.  The quality of teachers’ questioning is also variable. The pupils are taught in mixed-ability classes but questioning does not help all pupils make good progress in what they know and can do.  However, pupils achieve well when both questioning and the work provided are carefully considered. In Year 5, for example, the range of activities, questioning and accurate challenge commanded pupils’ attention, motivated and enabled them to develop a good understanding of

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

the importance of stories and what they can tell us.  The school is encouraging pupils in Key Stage 2 to respond to teachers’ marking of their work at the start of the day. This is proving very helpful in securing and improving pupils’ skills in some classes. Marking in some classes tells pupils exactly what they know well and what to do next. However, there is variability in the regularity and detail of marking. Inspectors saw some inaccurate work in mathematics, which had been marked incorrectly in three year groups.  Teaching incorporates many opportunities for pupils to practise their literacy skills in other subjects. They have fewer chances to practise their numeracy skills as part of other learning, however.  The pupils read often and for different purposes, including through guided reading sessions. In Year 1, an exciting story provided a good basis for pupils’ descriptive writing.  There are good relationships between staff and pupils which help pupils to want to learn and try

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

hard. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes develop confidence in making decisions and taking responsibility for their learning.  There is plenty of guidance and support for pupils and teaching assistants provide encouragement and a great deal of help. Pupils who find some learning harder than most others become more confident, for example, in solving number problems and writing interesting sentences.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Both in lessons and round the school, pupils behave sensibly and politely. They come to school wanting, and ready, to learn. They wear their uniforms very smartly.  Pupils are happy and mix well with other pupils.  The school’s work to keep the pupils safe and secure is good.  The inspectors were impressed with the sensible attitudes of the pupils towards the restrictions in their movements during the building work, which is not disrupting learning.  The pupils express confidence in the staff to keep them safe in school. They trust the staff to help them with any concerns. There is little bullying, but the pupils know it is wrong and who to go to for help. The pupils are aware of a range of prejudices and the importance of treating others fairly.  Pupils’ attendance has been average in recent years and is rising. The school checks attendance regularly and has effective strategies to encourage good attendance.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school promotes pupils’ personal development well. Pupils enjoy having responsibilities throughout the school. Year 6 pupils help Reception-aged children with their reading and periodically eat lunch together. In all classes, pupils have assigned responsibilities. The school council representatives enjoy meaningful roles, such as gathering ideas for the school’s rebuilding, and planning events, such as the walk-to-school week.  Through learning and responsibilities, pupils develop good spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. Topics and visits promote well pupils’ understanding of the equal importance of all and each individual’s right to be treated fairly.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Teaching is not good enough throughout the school. While subject leaders are working conscientiously to carry out checks of performance in their subjects, some are not sufficiently clear about how to carry out their role to enable them to support effectively senior leaders’ drive to move the school forward as quickly as possible.  Nevertheless, this is a quickly improving school, led strongly by the headteacher, amidst a building programme that has been managed well and safely. She is supported well by the deputy headteacher.  The senior team have established good strategies to improve teaching, such as a smoother transition from the way that children learn in the Early Years Foundation Stage to how they learn in Key Stage 1. Since the previous inspection, achievement in the Early Years Foundation Stage has improved and is now good. Pupils achieve well in Key Stage 1. These improvements confirm

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The leadership and management requires improvement

the school’s capacity to continue making progress.  The deputy headteacher analyses the progress pupils make regularly and class teachers are expected to take actions to address any underachievement. Subject leaders do not all have specific responsibilities nor accountability for checking and assessing specific aspects of teaching and pupils’ achievement in their subjects and some are unclear about how best to do this, in order for them to support senior leaders as well as they might.  Several teachers are new to the school since September 2013 and their classroom practice has been observed formally and regularly, as has that of the other teachers. Although during the inspection the senior leaders’ judgements matched those of the inspection team, the evaluation of the proportion of good and better teaching is over-generous in some cases.  The staff support the headteacher’s actions in strengthening teaching and providing a breadth of

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The leadership and management requires improvement

opportunities for pupils. They appreciate the training they are given to help them reach their performance targets and to develop broader skills. Training for newer subject leaders is not yet as comprehensive.  Both staff and parents support the school’s equal emphasis on pupils’ personal, as well as, academic development and the way they value all pupils as individuals.  Pupils find learning increasingly interesting and show this in their enthusiasm for their work. What they learn gives pupils many opportunities to develop a range of skills, for example, in music, computing and in language, as well as their literacy and numeracy knowledge and understanding. Where teaching provides work that is at the right level, pupils learn well, but in Key Stage 2, they do not all have equal chances to succeed as well in their learning. The pupils enjoy the many and varied after-school activities from the Reception class onwards, which

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The leadership and management requires improvement

encourage pupils’ personal and social development, as well as new sporting and creative skills.  A member of staff has specific responsibility for the primary school sports funding allocated to the school. The funding is used wisely to provide a specialist sports teacher to support and increase the staff’s subject knowledge, ensuring effective teaching and building up pupils’ specific skills. Already pupils’ extra proficiency in gymnastics has led to their success in local competitions.  The local authority is a helpful partner and provides pertinent ongoing support for teaching, leadership and the new curriculum.  Parents are seen as important partners in their children’s education. The very informative website, involvement in school activities and regular workshops all help parents to support their children’s learning. They support the school’s work strongly. Other partnerships, such as links with other schools to share expertise in how reading is taught and to strengthen the overall

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The leadership and management requires improvement

quality of teaching, are helpful in the school’s drive to raise standards.  The governance of the school:  The governors ensure that the budget is sound and that safeguarding procedures meet the statutory requirements. Several are relatively new to their roles and are very determined to help the school to be as good as it can be. All members of the governing body have had recent training on how to interpret and use performance data and are beginning to ask questions about pupils’ achievement. Governors know there is some inconsistency in pupils’ progress and are beginning to ask more questions. They understand that arrangements to check the performance of staff are intended to improve teaching. They are less secure about the use and particularly the impact of the pupil premium funding. The governors receive a great deal of information from the headteacher. The governing body sometimes invites subject

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The leadership and management requires improvement

leaders to meetings and read their action plans, but governors have no regular links with leaders and do not find very much out for themselves in order to be able to support and challenge the school as rigorously as they should.

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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 133326 Local authority Stockport Inspection number 444292

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 293 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Janet Rothwell Headteacher Christine Meekley Date of previous school inspection 9 March 2011 Telephone number 0161 428 2476 Fax number 0161 428 5981 Email address headteacher@cheadleheath-pri.stockport.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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