Fairfield Road Primary School

School report Fairfield Road Primary School

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Fairfield Road, Droylsden, Manchester, M43 6AF

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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

 The headteacher has been highly effective in building a skilled and committed team of leaders, staff and pupils that has resulted in outstanding behaviour and continued good teaching and achievement.  Pupils throughout the school make good progress and achieve well. High standards at the end of Key Stage 2 have been maintained and improved since the previous inspection and are well above average.  Pupils who have special educational needs and those supported by extra funding make good progress because of the high quality support they receive.  Teaching is good overall, with outstanding teaching in Key Stage 2.  Pupils behave extremely well in lessons and around the school. They are confident and independent. They feel safe in school and are respectful towards each other and adults.  Parents speak highly of the school’s work in helping their children make good progress and keeping them safe and happy.  The curriculum provides experiences that motivate

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

pupils to learn and prepares them for life in modern Britain. There is a wide range of opportunities for pupils to enjoy additional activities in sports, drama, music and singing.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching in Key Stage 1 is not as strong as in Key Stage 2.  Attainment, although improving, is still below average by the end of Year 2.  The current leadership team is heavily focused in Key Stage 2. Further work is needed to develop the skills and deployment of leaders in Key Stage 1.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in many lessons and also made additional visits to observe parts of lessons, two of which were joint observations with the headteacher.  Inspectors looked at a range of evidence including: the school’s improvement plan; the school’s data relating to pupils’ progress; the work in pupils’ books; and the school’s documentation including information on safeguarding.  Discussions were held with pupils in lessons and their work was discussed with them.  Pupils’ work was scrutinised in writing, mathematics and a range of other subjects.  Meetings were held with senior leaders and middle leaders, members of the governing body, teaching and support staff, pupils and a member of the local authority.  Inspectors listened to pupils read in Year 1 and Year 5 and checked reading progress records.  Pupils were observed during assembly, lunchtimes and break times.  Inspectors took account of 21 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and spoke informally to

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Information about this inspection

a number of individual parents at the start and end of the school day. They also considered the 59 responses to the school’s most recent parent view survey.  Thirty-two staff completed questionnaires and the responses were analysed.

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Inspection team

Gillian Hunter, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is a larger than average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs is just below average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils for whom the school receives pupil premium funding is above the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding to support children who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  Almost one quarter of pupils in the school is from minority ethnic groups, which is just below the national average. Almost one fifth of the pupil population speaks English as an additional language, which is also just below the national average.  Children start school in the early years in the Nursery and attend part-time from age three. They are all full-time from entry to Reception at age four.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  Since the previous inspection there have been some changes of teaching staff, leaders and governors. The headteacher had been the deputy headteacher in the school prior to taking up the post of headteacher just over a year ago. Most members of the leadership team have also taken up their posts relatively recently.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching in Key Stage 1, in order to raise the achievement of middle ability and the most able pupils, by sharing the best practice found in Key Stage 2.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the skills of leaders in Key Stage 1.

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The leadership and management are good

 The leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher has very high expectations of all pupils and staff in the school and a relentless drive and passion for continuous improvement. He has a very good understanding of individual pupils and their needs. Consequently, under his determined leadership, pupils make good progress throughout the school from their low starting points. Progress in Key Stage 2 is outstanding so that by the time they leave in Year 6, pupils attain well above the national average.  The headteacher’s ability to build a strong team and help people to feel confident inspires all staff to work together well. Team work across the school is strong in support of the headteacher’s vision for continued school improvement.  The senior leadership team work effectively together in taking the school forward. They are outstanding practitioners who set high standards and demonstrate the skills to support other staff to improve. School

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The leadership and management are good

leaders are clear that the successful actions used to improve Key Stage 2 are now a priority to further improve Key Stage 1.  Less-experienced staff are encouraged to take on leadership responsibilities. There is currently a team of middle leaders who have a good understanding of how well the school is performing and the overall improvement priorities. This is because, together with senior leaders and staff, they check the progress of pupils and this information is used to support improvements. Extra guidance and support are swiftly provided for any pupils at risk of falling behind. This demonstrates the school’s good commitment to promoting equal opportunities.  Senior and middle leaders have improved the quality of teaching and raised achievement in Key Stage 2. Currently, most middle and senior leaders are focused on Key Stage 2 and it is clear that this is where the biggest improvement has been.

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The leadership and management are good

 Lessons are observed regularly and feedback from senior leaders is accurate and helps teachers to further improve. New members of staff value the support they receive from senior leaders.  The curriculum offered to pupils is outstanding. In the subjects taught there is a key focus on basic numeracy and literacy skills. Teachers provide a wide range of experiences that motivate pupils effectively. Pupils have increasing opportunities to apply their skills in reading, writing and mathematics in other subjects throughout the curriculum.  There are a range of opportunities for pupils to enjoy additional activities in sports, the arts, drama, music and singing. Visits out of school, residential trips as well as visitors to the school are all highly effective in giving pupils an abundance of experiences to enhance their learning.  The school is respected and is at the heart of the local community. Pupils enjoy contributing to local,

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The leadership and management are good

national or world-wide charities. This year the school cheer-leading group has been asked to turn on the Christmas tree lights in the local town, which they see as a great honour. These all contribute in extending pupils’ experiences and help them to develop good spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness.  The primary school sport funding has been used effectively to extend the range of sports on offer, including boxing and volleyball. Specialist coaches, for example in gymnastics and dance, work alongside teachers. Teachers say that their skills and confidence have increased as a result.  The local authority has recently provided support through a school improvement adviser who works alongside the headteacher and members of the senior team. The local authority sees aspects of the work of the school as highly effective and looks forward to sharing some of the best practice with other local

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The leadership and management are good

schools.  The governance of the school:  Governors provide effective support and challenge to the school. They have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development and have taken part in relevant training and development opportunities. Governors are unanimous in their focus on improving opportunities for all pupils in their care.  Governors visit the school and communicate closely with the headteacher and senior leaders. They ask challenging questions during meetings. They have rapidly increased their monitoring role, which allows them to hold the school to account for its improvement and to ensure that pay progression is closely linked to teachers’ performance. They review data regularly and ask questions about any gaps in pupils’ performance, including the use of the pupil premium funding to improve pupils’ overall achievement. As a result, governors are knowledgeable about achievement and the quality of teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 Governors are aware of their responsibilities regarding safeguarding and have ensured the school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet statutory requirements.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  In lessons they are attentive and very keen to learn. They work hard and are always willing to support each other.  Pupils also behave exceptionally well around the school. They are extremely well mannered in the playground and their behaviour during school assemblies is impeccable. Pupils are extremely courteous towards each other and adults. They are very proud of their school and wear their uniform with pride.  Pupils make an excellent contribution to the life of the school taking on a wide range of responsibilities, including being very responsible members of the school council. Older pupils act as excellent role models for the younger pupils at playtimes and lunchtimes in their role as play advisers.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  Pupils say they feel extremely safe in school and they have very positive relationships with each other and the adults around them. They understand different forms of bullying and the importance of e-safety, both when at school and at home.  Pupils feel safe and very well looked after by the staff. Playtimes are harmonious and pupils from all backgrounds get on really well with each other and there is no sign of any discrimination.  All parents who completed Parent View highly praise the school and are happy that their children are safe and very well cared for. These very positive responses to the survey reflect the inspection findings.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching overall is good. Outstanding teaching in Key Stage 2 has improved pupils’ progress, including the most able, throughout Key Stage 2 so that it is much better than the national average by the end of Year 6.  In Key Stage 1, pupils’ understanding is regularly assessed and the information is used to set work that is sufficiently challenging for different groups of pupils. However, work is not always as well matched for some pupils. While teaching is good in enabling some pupils to make good progress, especially disadvantaged pupils and those who are low attainers, middle attainers and the most able are not being challenged consistently. Often these pupils demonstrate that they are capable of achieving more.  The school has prioritised the teaching of mathematics and English, in order to raise standards. Teachers’ expectations are higher and their good relationships with pupils have contributed to the good learning

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The quality of teaching is good

observed in most classrooms. Pupils are keen to respond and enjoy the interesting activities that teachers plan.  The early years has improved since the previous inspection and now provides a good start for children of all abilities with many practical and stimulating opportunities; these make learning exciting both in the classroom and outdoors. Parents are welcomed into school and have access to a range of information to support their child.  In the majority of classes work in pupils’ books is well presented. Pupils have targets that set out what they need to do in their writing and mathematics in order to improve their work. Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and tell pupils how they can improve their work.  Pupils’ books show that they have opportunities to use their writing skills in subjects other than English and can make clear connections in having a reason to write for a variety of purposes. In Key Stage 1,

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The quality of teaching is good

although there are daily opportunities for pupils to write, there are not always enough opportunities for pupils to write longer pieces of work.  Reading is taught well. There are current changes taking place in Key Stage 1 to make sure that there is a more rigorous programme to teach pupils their letters and sounds. Pupils have opportunities to read from a wide range of books and are confident when reading aloud.  Teaching assistants are knowledgeable and confident. They know pupils well and make a good contribution to pupils’ learning when they provide support to pupils who are struggling.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children join the Nursery with skills that are below what is typical for their age, especially in their language and communication development. Pupils make good progress across the school and leave Year 6 with well above average standards.  Attainment throughout Key Stage 2 has shown improvement over three years in all subjects. Attainment in writing has improved since 2013 and caught up with the high levels of attainment in reading and mathematics.  Children are making good progress in the early years and this is a notable improvement since the previous inspection. They settle quickly as a result of effective relationships and stimulating activities that engage their interests well.  Progress in Key Stage 1 is good overall because, although attainment remains just below the national average, most groups of pupils make good progress from their low starting points.  Inspection evidence shows that pupils were keen to read in both Key Stages 1 and 2. Reading has a high

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The achievement of pupils is good

profile across the school and is supported by a good range of resources. Teachers and pupils choose books carefully to engage pupils’ interests and enjoyment.  By the end of Year 6, pupils make outstanding progress from the end of Key Stage 1. Most pupils make expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics, and the proportion making better than expected progress is above the national average in reading and mathematics and just above in writing.  The school’s commitment to promoting equal opportunities is demonstrated by the good progress of all vulnerable groups of pupils. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress throughout the school because of the support they receive from highly effective teaching assistants. It is also as a result of the effective leadership and determination of the special educational needs coordinator. Parents appreciate the support provided for their children.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2014, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 is in line with non-disadvantaged pupils nationally and in reading these pupils are doing better by about one term. In school, the non- disadvantaged pupils are doing better by about one term in reading, writing and mathematics. Overall, these pupils make good progress.  The attainment and progress of the most able pupils is good and improving. Although they attain well above the national average in reading by the end of Year 6, their attainment in writing and mathematics is still broadly average. The most able pupils in Key Stage 1 attain below the national average.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language and those from minority ethnic groups make variable progress, although there is no particular pattern in any subject. The school’s tracking data, affirmed during the inspection, show that the progress of all pupil groups is tracked rigorously and many pupils

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The achievement of pupils is good

make good progress.  Highly effective support is given to pupils who join part way through Key Stages 1 or 2, so that they settle quickly and make increasingly good progress. Parents made special mention of the high quality support and care provided by the school.

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The early years provision is good

 Many children start either in Nursery or Reception classes, with levels of knowledge and skills that are typically below their age. Children make good progress in the early years and are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.  The quality of teaching in early years is good. Teachers and teaching assistants create a positive atmosphere for learning. Staff quickly identify the needs of all children and this gives parents confidence in the care their children receive when they first start school.  Since the previous inspection, significant improvements have been made to the outdoor learning environment. This has dramatically improved opportunities for learning. Both the indoor and outdoor areas now provide a rich and vibrant learning environment. Resources are readily accessible to children and are carefully chosen to stimulate interest and curiosity. Planned activities contribute well to children’s spiritual,

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The early years provision is good

moral, social and cultural development; this includes encouraging imagination and creativity in role-play areas.  Adults are now regularly assessing children’s skills and make good use of information gained to adapt and reshape learning activities to meet individual needs and interests. Historically, development at the end of the early years has been lower than the national average. However, recent improvements have begun to make a difference and inspection evidence supports the school’s view that in 2015 children’s development is rising and is closer to levels that are typical for their age.  A good balance of adult-led activities and opportunities for children to explore for themselves means they can practise the skills they have learnt as they play. At all times children are encouraged to be independent and take responsibility for their own learning. As a result, children are resilient and able to

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The early years provision is good

stay on task and complete activities confidently.  In both whole-class teaching and small group work, teaching is effective. This includes the teaching of phonics (linking sounds and letters) and the development of early writing skills. Some of the youngest Nursery age children are confidently recording recognisable letters to represent their names after a relatively short time in school.  Children behave very well because they are interested and excited by their learning. Adults help children to learn important social skills, such as taking turns and being kind to one another, sensitively. As a result children feel secure and are confident about asking adults for help.  Effective leadership and management ensure that disabled pupils and those with special educational needs and those for whom the school receives additional funding are well supported to make similar progress to their classmates. The new early years leader provides clear and purposeful leadership and this has

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The early years provision is good

resulted in improvements to the quality of provision since the last inspection. She recognises significant improvements have been made but has developed action plans to increase the proportion of outstanding teaching so that children make even more rapid progress.

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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 106207 Local authority Tameside Inspection number 448304

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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 362 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Kay Rands Headteacher Alec Stephenson Date of previous school inspection 4 May 2010 Telephone number 0161 370 3625 Fax number 0161 370 8306 Email address head@fairfieldroad.tameside.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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