Morecambe and Heysham Grosvenor Park Primary School

Morecambe and Heysham Grosvenor Park Primary School Roeburn Drive, Grosvenor Park, Morecambe, LA3 3RY

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 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

 Grosvenor Park is a very happy and harmonious school in which all children and adults are welcomed and challenged to achieve their very best.  The headteacher, supported by a highly effective deputy, has successfully ensured that the school keeps moving forward, with rising standards of achievement and teaching.  Teachers ensure that their lessons are engaging, with interesting work which helps all groups of pupils, including those who need extra help and the most able, to make good progress.  Reading skills are taught very well, and standards have risen, so that by the time they are in Year 6, nearly two thirds of pupils are reading at the higher levels.  Skilled teaching assistants play a valuable role in aiding pupils’ learning particularly, but not exclusively, for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs.  Children of Reception age make good progress in their first year in school, because of the good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

provision for them.  Pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is outstanding, because this aspect is woven seamlessly through all aspects of school life. This builds a culture of genuine tolerance and mutual respect, from all ages.  The curriculum is rich and varied, based on international themes and 'host countries’. The school is well placed to meet the requirements of the new National Curriculum.  Pupils behave extremely well. They are very respectful to adults and to each other, as they move around the school and in lessons.  Governors are knowledgeable and do a good job of holding the school to account for the progress pupils make.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Even though they make good progress overall, the older pupils’ progress in writing is sometimes held back, because they do not have enough scope to write at length in themed work.  Children in the Reception classes do not always have the best opportunities to make decisions and choose for themselves, especially in the outdoor area.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 17 lessons, and one assembly. The headteacher joined the lead inspector in observing one lesson. Inspectors talked with pupils and looked at their work and records of progress.  A substantial number of Years 5 and 6 pupils were out of school on a residential visit, which meant that the older pupils remaining, and the Year 4 class, were taught by other teachers in school. This meant that fewer lesson observations were carried out for these year groups, but an extensive range of other evidence was examined by inspectors.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, subject leaders, governors, and a local authority officer.  Inspectors listened to pupils read. They observed and talked to them at play during break times and lunchtime.  The school’s safeguarding policies, improvement plans, notes from meetings of the governing body and records of pupil behaviour were reviewed, as well as 28 replies to the staff questionnaire.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors took account of parental communications and 68 replies to Ofsted’s online questionnaire (Parent View). Parental views were also sought at the start of the school day, as parents brought their children to school.

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Inspection team

Jean O'Neill, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Grosvenor Park Primary School is an average-sized primary school and has increased its intake number since the previous inspection. Nearly all pupils are from White British backgrounds, with a very small proportion from minority ethnic backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action and the proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational need are both below average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for pupil-premium funding is below the national 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.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectation for pupils’ progress in English and mathematics.  The headteacher is a local leader of education, and the school is part of the Loyne Teaching Alliance.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise pupils’ achievement in writing by ensuring that all teachers plan work in themed subjects which requires older pupils to write extensively and in depth.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the level of independence of the youngest pupils by ensuring that Reception staff: - create more opportunities for children to make decisions and choose for themselves - improve the provision for outdoor learning so that all aspects of learning are represented and children are eager to explore and learn.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and senior leaders have been unstinting in their efforts to achieve excellence throughout the school, so that all pupils now achieve well. Leaders at all levels have an accurate view of the school’s performance and share this information comprehensively with staff, so that teachers set work at the right level for all pupils. Development plans are well thought out and provide a clear view of the school’s next steps.  Staff support one another well by sharing best practice within the school, through its “peer-to-peer” approach. The school is part of a local teaching school alliance, which helps to train and support teachers in a group of schools. Leaders make regular observations of lessons and check on the quality of learning in pupils’ workbooks.  Middle leaders have grown in confidence as they have taken responsibility for more key aspects, as part of the school’s planning processes. Their impact is clear in, for example, high standards in physical education

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The leadership and management are good

(PE) and in developing the skills of recently qualified teachers as they “shadow” subject leaders.  Expectations for teachers are high and linked clearly to the nationally expected standards for teachers and to salary progression. Targets for teachers’ performance are based upon the school’s key priorities and on leaders’ findings from their checks on teaching. Teachers are regularly held to account for the progress the pupils make in their classes and this makes a significant contribution to the good progress pupils make over time.  Leaders have raised the achievement of those pupils supported by pupil-premium funding, by employing additional teaching staff to provide challenge and support to these pupils at all ages.  The curriculum is enhanced by international themes, which provide a coherent framework for pupils to learn about the history and geography of their ‘host country’. Science is integrated into a theme whenever

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The leadership and management are good

relevant. This ensures breadth, but because the same themes are studied by two year groups, older and more-able pupils are not always challenged sufficiently, particularly in writing.  Pupils reflect on what it means to be British by comparing their lives with those of people in their “host countries”, as they study them in turn. They learn to respect their beliefs and cultures, and compare them to British values. Pupils are tolerant and accepting of others, which contributes very well to the school’s promotion of equality, with even the youngest children using the word ‘respect’ easily and knowledgeably.  The social, moral, spiritual and cultural development of pupils is excellent, and pupils develop a clear sense of what is right and wrong, and participate readily in the School Parliament, which prepares them very well for life in modern Britain.  The school ensures that finances are used well to ensure that all pupils, including those supported by

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The leadership and management are good

pupil-premium funding, regularly go on educational trips and visits that provide experiences to meet their needs and interests.  The primary school sport funding is being used well via employing a specialist to teach physical education lessons and to provide extra sports to increase rates of participation. Pupils also benefit from outdoor education opportunities provided through the local high school partnership. As a result, the quality of PE teaching is excellent, and rates of participation in a wide range of sports and games have increased significantly.  Leaders are exceptionally vigilant to ensure that arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet requirements, and all feel very safe in school.  Parents support the school strongly; they say their children ‘are so eager to come to school’ and appreciate the way staff meet and greet children at the doors every morning.  The school makes good use of the advice of the local authority, which provides light-touch support, plus

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The leadership and management are good

additional specific services at the request of this good school.  The governance of the school: - Governors are ambitious for the school, and describe their role as - ‘ensuring all children achieve the maximum they can’, placing a high priority on employing, developing and challenging all staff, through a strong performance management structure. - Governors know the school’s strengths and areas for development, because they find out for themselves how well the school is performing by visiting the school regularly and analysing national comparative data. They ask searching questions in meetings to which all subject leaders are invited in turn. They told inspectors ‘We don’t just want to hear from the headteacher’ when checking on the impact of teaching on learning. - Governors have ensured that all groups of pupils do well and that the pupil-premium funding is used effectively to ensure that those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals achieve as well in

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The leadership and management are good

English and mathematics as other pupils in the school do. This is achieved through the employment of additional staff, including a skilled and effective learning mentor, who provides valuable support for pupils whose circumstances might put them at risk. This shows good promotion of equality of opportunity.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. This makes a strong contribution to their learning, and they are able to focus very well on the tasks they are working on. Pupils are able to share ideas in class and demonstrate they can work well together and with the adults in class with them.  Around school, pupils behave equally well. They volunteer to hold doors open for adults, and express concern for them, saying to inspectors, ‘I hope you have a lovely visit.’ They play exceptionally well together at break times, actively engaging in the wide range of activities on offer. Playground buddies support younger children very well at break times.  The pupils have a very clear idea of what bullying is and the harm it can do. They say that incidents of bullying are very rare, and if problems do occur, then adults around school, especially the learning mentor, will help them to sort things out.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. All pupils understand how to keep themselves safe, and trust the ‘green sticker’ visitors’ system, for example when a Reception child asked an inspector, ‘Are you a safe person?’ and looked for the sticker to check.  Pupils get on very well together. They say, ‘Sometimes we fall out with one another, but that’s it.’ There have been no racist incidents for many years, and pupils know that unacceptable attitudes will be challenged.  Attendance has improved, so that it is now above average. Pupils are keen to attend regularly and on time; as one parent told inspectors, ‘My child was so unhappy to miss school because she was ill.’

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good, with staff working closely together to support one another and build their subject knowledge. They communicate this well to pupils, so that pupils say lessons are fun and they are keen to learn. Through good questioning, pupils can develop their ideas or check their understanding of an aspect of their work.  Pupils’ skills and understanding in reading, writing and phonics are developed well so that the progress pupils make overall, from their individual starting points to when they leave in Year 6, is good.  Teachers’ marking and feedback to pupils are of consistently high quality and very helpful in letting pupils know how they can correct and improve their work.  Teachers plan activities that will interest and engage pupils, linking subjects together well. For example in a Year 2 music and science lesson, pupils confidently created musical sequences to represent different weather patterns, using percussion instruments with skills and control. They then listened carefully to each

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The quality of teaching is good

composition and made useful evaluation comments.  Activities are generally well planned for different abilities to ensure that all make good progress. However, sometimes older and more-able pupils are not sufficiently challenged in the themed work, so that their written work is of a lower standard than in their English lessons.  The school uses teaching assistants to very good effect to support pupils of all abilities.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress across the school, to reach above average standards by the end of Year 6. By the time they leave, all pupils have good skills in reading, writing and mathematics, and are well prepared for the next stage in their education.  Attainment in Key Stage 1 has improved to above national levels in reading, writing and mathematics in recent years. Standards in phonics (letters and sounds) have risen, so that more than four fifths of pupils now meet the requirements of the Year 1 check on their phonics skills. These skills are taught well and Year 1 pupils go on to become confident and proficient Year 2 readers.  Progress in all subjects in Key Stage 2 is good, and although boys achieved less well than girls in recent years, this gap has now all but closed. A high proportion of pupils makes more than expected progress in mathematics and reading; every pupil makes the expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment by the end of Year 6 is now above national levels for all subjects. At least two thirds of pupils now attain at above the expected level for their age in reading, as a result of the school’s concerted action in this area.  Older pupils are avid readers, and enjoy a wide range of reading material from the school library. One boy told inspectors, ‘I have three thick books at home next to my pillow’, and he was keen to discuss how the school supported him in his reading. Year 6 pupils expressed opinions about non-fiction texts, for example on pollution, and related this to the neighbouring construction site, discussing the pros and cons of the new motorway link with confidence and in detail.  Mathematics is taught well, and pupils apply their skills successfully in a range of activities. They enjoy all aspects of mathematics, and for many it is their favourite subject, saying. ‘I like adding crazy numbers’

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The achievement of pupils is good

and ‘maths is always fun’.  Disadvantaged pupils, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, form a very small proportion of the school’s population. They make at least as good progress as their peers do because of the school’s clear focus on adapting teaching to meet the learning needs of all pupils, using small-group work very effectively. Gaps between how well these and similar pupils in the school are doing are closing as pupils move through the school, and disadvantaged pupils now attain at least as highly as their peers do, both in school and nationally in English and mathematics.  The school provides good levels of challenge, in particular for the most-able pupils. This is evident in the fact that last year more than two thirds made more than the expected progress in mathematics and writing, from their higher starting points.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress because of the highly

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The achievement of pupils is good

effective support they receive from skilled teaching assistants.  Additional sport funding is having a strong impact on standards, with excellent teaching of PE. Pupils now enjoy a wide range of sporting opportunities, and enjoy growing success, both in school and in local competitions.

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The early years provision is good

 Children’s skills when they join school are variable, but are generally at lower levels than typical for their age, particularly in reading, writing, and being imaginative. However, their development of mathematical skills is better, and closer to expectations overall when they join.  Children settle quickly and rapidly catch up, so that by the end of the Reception year, they have made good progress, closing most gaps in their skills. Nearly three quarters reach a good level of development, achieving above expectations in reading, writing and number, and are well prepared for Year 1.  Teaching is strongest when adults are working directly with the children, who respond readily and learn quickly. However, activities for children to access independently are not always sufficiently well planned, particularly in writing and number. This means they do not engage children and encourage them to make

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The early years provision is good

decisions and choose for themselves.  Activities are planned to reflect the different ways children learn, but there are fewer examples of extending learning in a meaningful way through the outside environment, and to offer real-life experiences by investigating the natural world at first hand.  Parents appreciate the opportunities to liaise with the staff and they receive regular updates about their children’s progress. They also contribute to the understanding of this process by telling staff what their children have achieved at home.  Children behave extremely well, and are safe and secure. They have excellent social skills and talk confidently with inspectors about their learning.  The early years is led well, with responsibility being shared jointly by the two Reception teachers.

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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 119351 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 448836

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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 254 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Gavin Brown Headteacher Kevin Kendall Date of previous school inspection 27 January 2010 Telephone number 01524 845708 Fax number 01524 388026 Email address head@grosvenorpark.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

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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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