Audley Infant School

Queen’s Park Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 1SE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 From their individual starting points, which are significantly lower than typically found, pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teaching is good overall.  Teachers and teaching assistants work well together to provide a good level of support to pupils with any additional needs.  Pupils are polite and well behaved in lessons, around school and at playtimes. Pupils settle quickly to their work and enjoy their learning.  Pupils feel safe and are kept safe by adults who care for them.  The headteacher is effectively supported by the deputy headteacher and has the full confidence of staff and governors. Together they are a strong team who share the ambition to provide the best for every pupil.  Attendance has improved and is now near to national average.  School leaders including governors have maintained pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching through a period of significant turbulence.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching across the school.  Teachers do not always use all of the assessment information available to help them to plan activities that challenge pupils effectively and help them to learn as much as possible.  Teachers do not always check that pupils complete their corrections so that they are able to learn from their mistakes.  There remains a small group of pupils who miss school regularly.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 14 lessons and took two learning walks around the school. They also observed sessions taken by teaching assistants. One lesson was observed jointly with the headteacher.  Inspectors observed and spoke to pupils during lessons and at lunchtime.  Meetings were held with staff, senior leaders and managers, members of the governing body, a representative from the local authority and an educational consultant who supports the school.  A range of documents were considered by inspectors, including the school’s analysis of how well it is doing, the school development plan, information about pupils’ progress, checks on the quality of teaching, minutes of governing body meetings, and records relating to attendance and safeguarding. Inspectors also examined work in pupils’ books.  There were too few responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) to trigger a report. However, an

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Information about this inspection

inspector was able to meet informally with parents as they dropped their children at school.

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Inspection team

Louise Murphy, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is larger in size than most primary schools.  The proportion of pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs and are supported at school action is similar to the national average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well above that usually found and increasing year on year.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium (additional funding for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority) is slightly below average.  The vast majority of pupils are from minority ethnic groups and speak English as an additional language. There are 18 languages other than English spoken by pupils at the school.  There is an increasingly transient school population with a higher number of pupils joining and leaving the

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Information about this school

school at times other than the expected.  Since the previous inspection a Nursery class has been added to the school and children start school both in the Nursery and Reception classes.  A new headteacher and deputy headteacher have been appointed since the last inspection.  A building project has recently been completed and another just about to start.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve teaching and drive pupils’ progress by making sure that teachers always:  use all of the assessment information available to plan activities that build on what pupils already know and can do so that they can then get on with challenging tasks quickly and make as much progress as possible  check that pupils correct and edit their work so that they can learn from their mistakes.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to raise the level of pupil’s attendance at school by working even more closely with the parents of those pupils who regularly miss school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher is highly ambitious for the school and is commitment to providing the best possible learning experience for all pupils. Though she has been in post for a relatively short time she has gained the full support of staff and governors. She has led the successful implementation of strategies to improve learning and teaching during a period of significant change for the school. This demonstrates that the school is well placed to continue to improve.  Priorities are clearly stated in the school’s improvement plan and self-evaluation is both realistic and rigorous. This is because school leaders effectively check on the quality of learning and teaching in the school and have a clear view of how they can continue to raise standards.  Teachers are well supported to improve the quality of their teaching, particularly through staff appraisal and the training they receive. Middle leaders are growing in confidence and developing their skills in

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The leadership and management are good

checking on the quality of teaching and the progress of pupils in their areas of responsibility.  The progress that pupils make is carefully tracked against the targets set for them. Any differences in the progress of the different groups of pupils are effectively closed as they progress through the school. Pupils with additional needs, including the most and least able, are now identified quickly and supported through intervention activities that are closely matched to learning needs.  The school curriculum meets the needs of all pupils, it is made more exciting by the range of trips and visitors to school that provide pupils with memorable experiences.  The school successfully promotes exercise and healthy living. The primary school sport funding is used to provide additional after-school activities, such as martial arts and football. This allows more pupils to participate in sports and is having a positive impact on their health and well-being. Specialist coaches also

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The leadership and management are good

work with staff to develop their skills, so that sporting activities can be taught more effectively.  The local authority responds appropriately to requests for support made by the school. For example, they have worked well together to provide changing facilities for pupils who need them. Moreover, further building projects are planned to meet the more complex needs of pupils joining the school.  The governance of the school:  Governors are highly committed to and supportive of the school. They attend training so that they have the knowledge and skills needed to hold school leaders to account for standards at the school. The governing body have an accurate view of pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching because they receive comprehensive reports from the headteacher which they meticulously question and challenge. Governors check that systems to manage staff performance are implemented and that teachers’ pay

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The leadership and management are good

reflects how effective they are. They also ensure that the pupil premium funding is used to support those pupils for whom it is intended and that spending has a positive impact on eligible pupils. Governors make sure that statutory requirements are met, pupils and staff are kept safe and the budget is prudently spent.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  There is a strong commitment to spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Consequently, pupils are very happy in school, behave well and look after each other. For example, when a new pupil starts school they are immediately paired with a friend who will show them around school and help them to get settled.  In lessons and around school pupils are courteous towards each other and the adults around them. They look smart in their uniforms and enjoy learning and playing within the bright and vibrant surroundings that the school provides.  Pupils really value being trusted to take on the range of responsibilities available to them. For example, they will collect the registers and distribute fruit to each class.  The school council has been very busy collecting the opinions of their classmates so that they can help to put together the classroom rules for this coming year.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour is not yet outstanding because although pupils mostly have good attitudes towards their learning, there are a few occasions when activities do not challenge them appropriately and some pupils become distracted from their learning.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils feel safe because they know that the adults in school care for them well. They also know that they have to very careful when they use the internet and when they go near to electrical equipment.  Pupils understand bullying in its different forms. They were confident that there is very little bullying at their school and say that when it does take place it is dealt with quickly.  Attendance has improved and is now near to the national average. The school works closely with parents to help them understand the importance of children being in school. However, not all parents respond as positively to the school’s requests to improve attendance and there are those pupils who continue to miss

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils make good progress because the quality of teaching reading, writing and mathematics is good across the school. This is confirmed by lesson observations, work in pupils’ books and the school’s records of pupils’ progress.  Most pupils are clear about what they have to do because teachers explain carefully what they expect pupils to achieve. Pupils are also encouraged to share their ideas and learn from each other.  Writing is taught well, pupils are constantly reminded of important features to include in their writing. For example, there are actions associated with capital letters, full stops and finger spaces which pupils know very well. In a Year 1 class they went one step further and a child wore a cap to remind all pupils to use capital letters in their writing and a ball was used to prompt the inclusion of the full stop. This worked very well and most pupils used all of the three aspects well in their writing.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of mathematics has improved because staff have engaged in training opportunities to improve their subject knowledge. They make sure that pupils use practical equipment in each lesson and this has a positive impact on pupils’ learning.  Teachers question pupils to check their level of understanding and encourage pupils to assess their own learning by showing thumbs up for a good level of understanding and thumbs down when they need extra help.  Pupils with additional learning needs are identified quickly and small group activities are planned to help them to achieve well. However, the school’s comprehensive assessment information is not always so well used to plan activities for other members of the class that builds on what they already know and can do; consequently, some pupils do not always learn as much as possible.  School leaders have put systems in place to improve the impact of teachers’ marking. However, teachers

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The quality of teaching is good

do not always check that pupils complete their corrections and learn from their mistakes.  Teachers and teaching assistants work well together as a team to provide a good level of support for all pupils including disadvantaged pupils, the most able, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Though children make good progress in the early years classes, they start in Year 1 with skills significantly below those typically found. Pupils go on to make good progress across Key Stage 1. However, because of the very low starting points their skills in reading, writing and mathematics remain significantly below the national average by the time they leave school at the end of Year 2.  The school supports pupils including those with special educational needs and those in the very early stages of learning English as an additional language to develop their speech, language and communication skills very well so that they are prepared for the next stage in their learning. They are equipped to further develop their literacy and numeracy skills when they transfer to the junior school that shares the same site.  The school’s pupil progress information and work seen in pupils’ books shows that pupils develop their

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The achievement of pupils is good

skills in reading, writing and mathematics more rapidly as they move up through the school. This is because their language and communication skills are improving at the same time.  A love of reading is effectively encouraged by a very well stocked library that even the very youngest children are encouraged to borrow from so that they can become familiar with books and understand the pleasure that they can bring.  The proportion of Year 1 pupils reaching the required standard in matching letters to the sounds that they make has increased this year and is in-line with national levels. What is more, pupils who spoke to inspectors were positive about reading and felt that they had plenty of opportunities to read to adults in school.  The school provides effective support to the increasing number of pupils who are disabled and those with special educational needs. Carefully planned small group and one-to-one sessions help pupils to learn and

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The achievement of pupils is good

achieve well. The additional needs of pupils who join the school at times other than the expected are also well catered for.  In Year 2 in 2014, disadvantaged pupils attained standards in reading, writing and mathematics very similar to non-disadvantaged pupils both in the school and nationally. It is evident that gaps narrow as pupils move through the school. This confirms the school’s commitment to making sure all pupils have the same opportunities to succeed.  The most able pupils make good progress. Although there was a slight dip in the 2014 national assessments in the number of pupils reaching the higher Level 3 they nevertheless made good progress given their starting points.

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The early years provision is good

 An increasing number of children are joining the school with special educational needs. Children are assessed quickly and external agencies work well with the school to meet any additional needs and help children to make good progress.  There are children who prior to their starting at Audley Infants have had very few experiences outside the home. Most children start at the school understanding two or three words in English and speak a language other than English at home. There are also children starting at the school wearing nappies and used to drinking from bottles rather than cups.  Children are effectively taught by a dedicated staff team well led by the deputy headteacher. The staff understands the importance of developing children’s communication skills, a good proportion are bi-lingual and this helps communication with parents and children.  Communication with parents is important to staff. Staff visit parents and children in their own home before

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The early years provision is good

they start in school, so that they can all get to know each other. Parents are then able to speak with staff at the start and end of each day so that everyone can share any relevant information. Staff provide advice to parents on how to continue to teach their children at home and this supports children’s learning and helps them to achieve well.  The ‘learning journeys’, which are records of a child’s achievements during the early years, are highly informative for parents and staff. Parents are encouraged to contribute to them by sharing the milestones children achieve at home. Learning journeys build a good picture of each individual child and clearly identify the progress that each child is making. They are well used by teachers to help them to plan activities that support children to maintain their good progress  The early years environment is generally well resourced both indoors and out. The outdoor area for the

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The early years provision is good

Reception children covers all of the seven areas of learning well and really helps to develop children’s physical skills. There are also plenty of opportunities provided for children to investigate and explore, wearing their bright yellow jackets so they are easily seen and very safe. The outdoor area used by the Nursery is not as well resourced as the area available to the Reception class; however, school leaders are aware of this and plan to tackle it.  For children who need some quiet, reflective time, the sensory room meets their needs well. It also provides a stimulus to develop language related to what children can see, and feel.  Good teaching results in children being supported to make good progress particularly with their speaking and listening skills. However, because starting points are significantly lower than those typically expected in all areas of learning, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development is about half of

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 119136 Local authority Blackburn with Darwen Inspection number 449275

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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 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 371 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tasmin Raja Headteacher Helen Nelson Date of previous school inspection 6 October 2010 Telephone number 01254 52065 Fax number 01254 690124 Email address audley.infant@blackburn.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 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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