Ormskirk Church of England Primary School

Ormskirk Church of England Primary School Greetby Hill, Ormskirk, Lancashire, L39 2DP

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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

 Effective school leadership and good governance have brought good improvement, especially in the past year. The quality of teaching has been maintained since the previous inspection because of good management and, as a result, standards are rising.  Pupils’ good behaviour and their eagerness to learn are strong contributors to their good achievement. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and pupils feel safe in school.  Parents are very supportive of the school, especially the way it provides for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.  The overall quality of teaching is good. Teachers manage their pupils well and cater well for their varying abilities.  Children are given a good start in Reception. They make good progress from their starting points as they move through the school, and achieve well by the end of Year 6.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are not high enough, especially in mathematics.  Not enough pupils reach the higher levels of attainment by the end of Year 2.  There is a considerable amount of lateness which means that some pupils miss out on valuable learning time.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in a range of lessons.  There were discussions about the school’s work with members of the governing body, pupils, a representative from the local authority and staff members.  Also taken into account were the views of 62 parents who responded via Ofsted’s online survey (Parent View) as well as questionnaires completed by staff members.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and examined a range of documentation including: national assessment data and the school’s own assessments; minutes from governing body meetings; the school’s own view of its work; curriculum information; samples of pupils’ work and safeguarding documents.

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Inspection team

Kevin Johnson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average-sized primary school. Most of the pupils are White British.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by pupil premium funding is broadly average. The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is below average.  The school meets current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations, set by the government, for pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 6.  Early years provision is full time in Reception classes.  Pre-school provision for early years, a breakfast club and after-school care are available on site. These provisions are not managed by the governing body and receive separate reports.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards at the end of Key Stage 1, especially in mathematics, by: - ensuring that challenging work for all pupils, but especially the most able, is always planned and provided - making sure that feedback in mathematics in all classes consistently informs pupils about what they need to do next and that pupils follow this up - deepening pupils’ understanding of mathematics, particularly in Key stage 1, by giving them more opportunities to practise their skills in different ways.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ punctuality and thereby maximise learning time.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, senior leaders and governors have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and what they need to do to improve the school further. They provide clear direction for staff members and all are strongly committed to providing equality of opportunity for pupils. Staff members are fully supportive of the school’s leadership and good working relationships exist. However, outcomes for pupils, although currently improving, have fluctuated since the previous inspection.  Senior leaders have an accurate overview of the school’s work. They communicate the school’s high ambitions and expectations clearly to colleagues. They check the school’s work robustly in order strengthen best practice and plan for further improvements.  Good leadership of the early years creates a strong sense of purpose about the work teachers do and ensures that children in Reception classes make good progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 Middle leaders, responsible for individual subjects, plan a good curriculum that challenges pupils and promotes their good enthusiasm for learning. Pupils also enjoy the wide range of activities outside of lesson time where they can expand their various skills and interests. The curriculum helps pupils to develop good spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness and prepares them well for life in modern British society.  Issues from the previous inspection have been tackled vigorously. Training and new resources for mathematics, for example, are showing positive results with regard to standards overall in the subject, although the impact is more evident at Key Stage 2 at present.  Local authority support has largely been ‘light touch’ to check on standards and quality, but has included some subject training to boost staff skills.  Teaching and learning are managed well. Systems for senior staff to check on teaching quality are well

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The leadership and management are good

established. Performance management sets clear targets for teachers to improve and appropriate support and training are well planned.  The primary school sport grant is used effectively by leaders to enrich opportunities for pupils to be active, enjoy sports and improve their fitness and well-being. Pupils comment on the wider opportunities planned for them and the improved quality of lessons. Class teachers work alongside specialist coaches in physical education lessons to improve their subject knowledge and skills effectively and to ensure that good quality teaching is sustained.  Leaders use the pupil premium effectively to help eliminate discrimination. Additional staff have been appointed to support disadvantaged pupils’ learning and pastoral care and to make sure that they achieve well. Pupils’ progress is checked on closely by school leaders and governors.  Safeguarding procedures are firmly in place and meet all requirements.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school: - Governors understand clearly how well the school works. The good range of professional expertise among governors enables them to challenge and support the school robustly. They compare the school’s academic performance with national data in order to maintain their view of standards and have an accurate overview of teaching quality in the school. Governors are aware of performance management expectations and how these guide salary increases for teachers. Good links are established with the school. Valuable information is shared via visits to school and reports from the headteacher, senior leaders and subject leaders. Financial management is good and governors are very watchful over the impact of additional pupil premium and sport funding.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils enjoy school and are keen to learn. They are well behaved in lessons and settle quickly when learning activities begin.  Around the school they behave safely and sensibly. There is no aggressive play in the playground and table manners in the dining room are good.  The school’s behaviour record shows that there are few serious incidents and racist comments are extremely rare. Pupils confirm this, and judge their own behaviour to be at least good.  Pupils contribute well to the school’s ethos. They turn out neatly dressed in school uniform, are always polite and well mannered. They respect others’ differences and generally behave in a friendly and mindful way towards others. The school council is active in gathering pupils’ views and discussing them in council meetings, and there have been some generous fund-raising, and improvements to school life, as a result.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils say that they feel safe and that adults take very good care of them in school. Parents agree with this view and have every confidence in the school’s work to ensure pupils’ safety and well-being.  Pupils are fully aware of the different forms that bullying can take, including potential dangers when using the Internet. They know how to keep safe in, and out of, school. Pupils are confident that there is no bullying in school and that the very rare occurrences of offensive name-calling are dealt with quickly and effectively by staff.  Pupils’ attendance is good. It was above average in the last school year and is on track to be even better in the current year. However, there is a considerable amount of lateness which means that some pupils are missing out on essential learning time. Leaders acknowledge that some improvement is needed in this

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good teaching across subjects, maintained since the previous inspection, promotes pupils’ good overall achievement.  Teachers’ high expectations ensure that there is consistent challenge for most pupils to make good progress in lessons and over time.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is good and interesting approaches to topics make learning enjoyable. In one lesson, for example, a teacher explored the different ways that pupils might encounter negative numbers in everyday life. Pupils were captivated by this and came to a good understanding of how to use negative numbers in their calculations.  Teaching assistants generally work effectively to support groups of pupils. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are supported particularly well. Teaching assistants are very sensitive to their pupils’ particular needs.  English is taught well and there is good progress to be seen in writing across the school. Pupils practise a

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The quality of teaching is good

good range of writing styles and write for different purposes across subjects. A strong emphasis is placed on correct punctuation and grammar and pupils have good opportunities to improve their writing by extending their ideas, for example, or adding more precise vocabulary to their sentences.  Mathematics teaching has more impact in Key Stage 2 than in Key Stage 1. There is generally a strong focus on teaching number and number systems and pupils develop appropriate understanding from an early age. However, in Key Stage 1 pupils have too few opportunities to deepen their understanding by practising their skills and recording work in different ways. Sometimes, too little is expected of the most- able pupils, especially in mathematics, so they are not taking that ‘extra step’.  Teachers understand pupils’ abilities and, in most lessons, cater well for their needs. There is good questioning during lessons to check on understanding and encourage pupils to think more deeply about

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The quality of teaching is good

their work. Feedback to pupils about their work is good in English. Pupils say that teachers’ comments are helpful. In mathematics, however, marking throughout the school gives too little information for pupils about how to improve and move on to the next steps.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 From broadly typical, but variable, starting points on entering Reception, pupils achieve well by the time they leave the school. Standards at the end of Year 6 are rising.  Standards reached in phonics (knowledge of letters and sounds) by Year 1 pupils in 2014 was above the national average, showing good improvement over the previous year.  Standards in reading, writing and mathematics at Key Stage 1 have been consistently in line with the national average for the past five years. Standards in 2014 show improvement, despite that cohort having slightly lower than usual starting points when they left Reception. This indicates good progress made. Nevertheless, school leaders acknowledge that more pupils should reach the higher levels of attainment, especially in mathematics, which is the school’s current focus, in order to raise standards further.  Standards at the end of Year 6 dipped following the previous inspection, but show a significant upturn in

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The achievement of pupils is good

2014. Writing improved to securely above average, while reading and mathematics have improved well and are slightly better than the national picture. Pupils’ current work and school assessments indicate that improved standards are on track to be at least maintained. In 2014, the proportions of pupils who made expected progress and those who did better than expected compared favourably with national figures.  Pupils make good progress in reading. Year 2 pupils use their good phonics skills well to sound out words. They tackle unfamiliar texts confidently and generally enjoy a good range of reading. By Year 6, pupils read confidently. They use expression well to convey the meaning of what they read and indicate that they read from a range of different sources, including newspapers and electronic texts.  The progress of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is closely checked on to ensure

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The achievement of pupils is good

that good provision for them meets their needs well. Parents are fully involved through meetings and discussion, and by sharing of information about their children’s progress and the particular care that they need. Assessments indicate that pupils achieve well in relation to their personal targets and similar pupils nationally.  Increasing numbers of pupils are making better than expected progress at the end of Year 6 and some achieve the highest possible standard (Level 6) in mathematics, writing, and grammar, punctuation and spelling. This shows that the school is challenging the most-able pupils well in Key Stage 2. However, Level 3 attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is below the national proportions.  Disadvantaged pupils achieve well. The school’s use of the pupil premium is showing positive results at the end of Year 6. Gaps in pupils’ attainment are closing. In 2014, national assessment data show the

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The achievement of pupils is good

attainment of disadvantaged pupils to be between one and two terms behind non-disadvantaged pupils in the school and nationally in mathematics and reading. In writing, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils is similar to that of non-disadvantaged pupils in the school and nationally.

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The early years provision is good

 Historical data shows that, over time, children’s skills and abilities have varied on entry to Reception. Currently, they are broadly typical for their age, but they have been slightly below this in the past.  Children make good progress from their starting points because of good teaching and challenging activities which develop children’s independence, physical and social skills well.  Teacher-led sessions are securely based on assessments and well planned and matched to children’s specific needs and differing abilities with appropriate challenges and expectations for the most able. There are good opportunities for children to follow up their focused learning independently in writing and number activities.  Children’s communication skills develop well because activities are punctuated by teachers’ questions, which encourage children to think about and explain what they are doing and talk about new ideas.

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The early years provision is good

 By the end of Reception, the proportion of children who reach a good level of development is currently above the national proportion. Children are well prepared to move into Year 1.  Leadership of the early years is good. Children’s safety and well-being are provided for well and they quickly learn to behave well. Staff teamwork is strong and all work with a common purpose to bring out the best from the children. There are positive links with other providers and strong partnerships with parents who contribute to children’s learning records and support their children well in school.

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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 119372 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 453200

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 360 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Richard France Headteacher John Rowlands Date of previous school inspection 27 June 2011 Telephone number 01695 574027 Fax number 01695 579553 Email address bursar@ormskirk-ce.lancs.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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