Bollinbrook CofE (A) Primary School

School report Bollinbrook CE Primary School

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Abbey Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 3AT

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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

 Bollinbrook is a happy school with a harmonious and caring atmosphere.  The commitment, vision and determination of senior leaders have galvanised staff and governors in their successful drive to bring about improvements in teaching and pupils’ achievements.  Subject leaders carry out their duties well.  Teaching is now consistently good with many strengths including questioning and the targeted support given by teaching assistants.  Pupils’ achievement is good. They make good progress from their starting points and as a result, attainment is rising.  The early years provision is good. Children in Reception are taught well and receive good care and support from staff. They make good progress from their starting points.  Teaching assistants support pupils’ learning very effectively throughout the school. They are a key part of each classroom team.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. They are proud of their school. Pupils feel safe and behave well in lessons

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and around school. Relationships with each other and staff are excellent.  The curriculum is exciting. It includes an extensive range of visits and provides pupils with invaluable opportunities to add richness to their learning.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong and greatly supports the friendly, purposeful ethos of the school.  Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. They show respect and tolerance for those from different backgrounds or have different beliefs to their own.  Governors know the school well. They provide good levels of challenge and support to school leaders. They are highly committed to further improving the school’s provision and outcomes.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally, the work set for the most able pupils is not hard enough to enable them to reach the highest standards in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to practise and apply their writing skills in subjects other than English.  Teachers do not always ensure marking is effective by checking that pupils follow up the advice provided.  On occasions teachers’ expectations of pupils’ presentation of their work, especially their handwriting, are not high enough.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in a range of lessons. In addition, they made a number of short visits to lessons and listened to pupils from Year 2 and Year 6 read. They also gathered other evidence related to the quality of teaching over time.  The inspectors observed two lessons jointly with the headteacher and one with the deputy headteacher.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and senior and middle leaders. They also met with eight governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors took into account the 37 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View). They also spoke informally with groups of parents who brought their children to school.  Inspectors considered the views expressed in the 25 responses to the staff questionnaire.  Inspectors observed the school at work and scrutinised the work in pupils’ books, the school’s own data

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Information about this inspection

on pupils’ current progress, improvement plans, planning and monitoring information and minutes of governing body meetings. Inspectors also reviewed records relating to behaviour and attendance and documents relating to safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

Anthony Kingston, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Bollinbrook CE is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, eligible for support through the pupil premium, is well below average. The pupil premium is additional funding that the school receives for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are in the care of the local authority.  The very large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The early years comprises a Reception class where children attend on a full-time basis.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which is the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching further and increase pupils’ progress by ensuring that: - work is always hard enough, especially for the most able pupils, to enable them to reach the highest possible standards in reading, writing and mathematics - pupils are provided with more opportunities to apply their writing skills in subjects other than English - teachers check that pupils follow up on the advice given in their marking.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teachers’ expectations of the presentation of pupils’ work, especially their handwriting, are consistently high.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, supported exceptionally well by the deputy headteacher, provides clear leadership. His high expectations are shared by all staff and governors. There is an extremely strong team spirit and determination to continue the school’s drive for improvement. The swift actions taken since the previous inspection, when the school required improvement, have been effective. Consequently, the school is now extremely well placed to move forward even more rapidly.  Senior leaders have implemented good procedures for checking pupils’ progress. These enable both senior and middle leaders to assess how well all pupils are doing and to identify those needing extra help. As a result, additional support is deployed effectively to where it is most needed. This has helped in identifying how to spend the pupil premium. This funding is used effectively to support those who are disadvantaged to catch up with their classmates.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders are focused sharply on developing subject leadership. As a result, subject leaders are now effective because they are more involved in monitoring teaching and learning. They draw up sharp and focused action plans. These play an increasingly important role in bringing about improvement in teaching. However, some inconsistencies continue to exist in, for example, the implementation of the marking policy.  The information from the regular checks of teaching and better use of information about pupils’ progress is used to set teachers targets to improve their performance. These are allied to more robust systems for performance management, which links teachers’ pay rewards very closely to the progress of pupils.  The curriculum is engaging and exciting for pupils. It provides a wide range of opportunities in subjects such as art, sport and music. Numeracy skills are developed well across the curriculum. However, not

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The leadership and management are good

enough opportunities are provided for pupils to practise their writing skills in other subjects.  The school’s core values of honesty, respect and love and the richness of the curriculum promote pupils’ social, moral and spiritual development extremely well. The school is outward-looking and is involved in the local community and supports a number of charities. The school has a well-thought-out policy to ensure that it promotes British values, such as respect, honesty and tolerance of others’ beliefs. Consequently, pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Relationships in the school are underpinned by a caring and nurturing culture. Staff do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. The good progress of pupils from different backgrounds and of varying abilities shows the school’s commitment to promoting good relations, tackling all forms of discrimination and ensuring all pupils have equality of opportunity.

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The leadership and management are good

 The primary school sport funding is used very successfully to provide many more opportunities for pupils to engage in an increasingly wide range of sports and tournaments within the school and between schools. The pupils are becoming increasingly successful. As a consequence, pupils are developing healthy lifestyles.  Pupils who form the school’s sports council and Change for Life team arrange a wide range of activities at break and lunchtimes. They are passionate in their drive to encourage ever greater participation and as one said, ‘make everyone more aware of their health and fitness’.  The local authority has provided very effective support, training and challenge to the headteacher and governors to improve the school.  Parents are very supportive of the school. Virtually all responses to the on-line Parent View questionnaire and those parents spoken with during the inspection were extremely positive about the school, especially

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The leadership and management are good

about the improvements since the previous inspection. Many parents commented very positively on the recent introduction of STAR days. On these days parents discuss with their children and class teacher their children’s progress, set targets for improvement and suggest ideas of how they can support their children’s learning at home. One comment was typical of the views of most parents. ‘Wow! What a great opportunity to see all the children’s hard work.’  Safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirements and pupils and parents overwhelmingly support the view that the school is a safe and friendly place.  The governance of the school:  Governance is a strength of the school. Governors are highly committed to the school’s improvement.  Since the previous inspection governors have improved their monitoring of school performance. They are kept well informed by the headteacher but now also make regular visits to the school too, for

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The leadership and management are good

example, governors lead assemblies and meet with teachers, leaders and pupils. In this way they gain first-hand knowledge of the quality of teaching and its impact on learning and behaviour.  Governors analyse data on pupils’ performance and compare how well the school is performing with national data. They regularly check on pupils’ progress. This means governors challenge school leaders effectively to improve the school when necessary.  Governors have developed an effective and thorough system for checking on the performance of all staff. Hence, their systems for rewarding good teaching through performance management are very thorough.  Governors make sure that the school’s finances are managed effectively. They oversee the spending of the pupil premium and the primary school sport funding well and are keenly aware of the positive impact such spending is having on pupils’ achievement and their physical well-being.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are extremely polite, show respect and kindness to others and are friendly and well behaved around the school. They say that behaviour is good and one comment identified ‘We are like one big family. Everyone looks out for everyone else.’  Virtually all pupils behave well in lessons and at other times around school, including at playtimes. They listen attentively, are eager to answer teachers’ questions and willingly contribute towards discussions. On a few occasions, however, some pupils do not settle as quickly to their work as they should and, although they do not disturb other pupils, their own progress is slowed.  There are a very small number of pupils who find it difficult to conform to the school’s expectations.  Pupils are proud of their school and speak highly of the staff. They develop a strong social conscience and are eager to take on extra responsibilities, such as becoming active members of the sports and school

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Behaviour

councils, the Change for Life team or taking on one of the many responsibilities which help in the smooth running of the school.  Pupils have a strong sense of right and wrong. They are happy to talk about issues involving making the correct choices and the importance of British values such as democracy, tolerance and respect. Pupils’ positive attitudes contribute greatly to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Attendance is average. Pupils told inspectors they enjoy coming to school because teachers make learning interesting.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. The excellent relationships between pupils and adults in school mean that pupils are happy to speak about any issues that may be bothering them.  Pupils have a good understanding of different types of bullying, for example in relation to race and differing beliefs and can explain why it is wrong. They say that bullying hardly ever happens at the school but when it does they are confident that the school will deal with it quickly and effectively. Virtually all parents who responded to Parent View agree. Pupils also know how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations, for instance, when using the internet and on the roads and pavements.  All parents responding to Parent View agree that their children are safe at school and well looked after.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Hallmarks of the good teaching in this school are the excellent relationships which exist between all adults and pupils and the willingness of pupils to involve themselves in lessons. They relish opportunities to respond to challenges and respond to questions asked by teachers. This results in vibrant learning environments in which pupils are valued and keen to learn.  Teaching is typically good. Pupils achieve well and are highly motivated. Observations of teaching by leaders and inspectors and evidence of the high standards in books show that all groups of pupils make good progress and that teaching has improved since the previous inspection. However, at times teachers do not have high enough expectations of the presentation of pupils’ work. This leads to some examples of work, especially handwriting not being neat enough.  Displays in classrooms, corridors and communal areas of the school are eye-catching. They show the

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The quality of teaching is good

richness of the curriculum, celebrate pupils’ achievements across a wide range of subjects.  Teachers routinely share the purpose of lessons with pupils, which set a focused framework for learning. Planning for the needs of pupils of different abilities has improved, although occasionally the work, especially for the most able pupils, is not hard enough or they do not get on to the harder work quickly enough.  Writing is taught effectively. This is clear in a wide range of imaginative and interesting writing activities linked to topics and visits in which pupils engage throughout the school. A particularly evocative display of writing to which all pupils contributed on the First World War demonstrates a surprisingly mature ability to empathise with the sadness of loss and misfortune borne by others. Pupils are taught punctuation skills effectively; however, there are not enough opportunities for them to apply these writing skills in subjects

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The quality of teaching is good

other than English. As a result, pupils do not always make the best possible progress.  Teachers promote reading successfully across all year groups. Teachers ensure reading is scheduled frequently for all classes. For example, the well-considered approach to the teaching of phonics (letters and their sounds) promotes the rapid development of early reading skills and sets pupils off to becoming avid readers. Older pupils are given frequent opportunities to read for pleasure and to retrieve information. In guided reading sessions teachers focus on developing pupils’ comprehension and inference skills.  The teaching of mathematics is good. Activities are usually designed to help pupils to apply their skills to practical problems. There is an emphasis throughout the school on pupils working in smaller groups to discuss and explain their answers, thereby deepening their understanding of methods chosen.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants make an enormous contribution to the good learning and progress of individuals and small groups of pupils in and out of the classroom. They skilfully use questions to enable pupils to complete tasks which they find difficult and also to provide targeted activities that move learning on.  Marking provides pupils with clear advice on how they can improve their work. However, teachers do not always check that pupils follow up on the advice given and on occasions this slows down the progress pupils make.  The overwhelming majority of parents who responded to Parent View or spoke with inspectors believe their children are taught well and make good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Standards by the end of Key Stage 1 have improved from average in reading, writing and mathematics at the time of the previous inspection to above average in 2014.  By the end of Key Stage 2 standards in reading, writing and mathematics in 2014 reached their highest level since 2010. This resulted in above average standards in writing and mathematics. Standards in reading were average. This was because not enough pupils reached the higher Level 5 in this subject. However, leaders have tackled this issue and school data and inspection evidence shows that pupils’ progress in reading has accelerated. Hence, pupils are on track to achieve higher standards this year. Current standards are above average in reading, writing and mathematics.  National test results in 2014 show that the proportion of pupils who made expected and better than expected progress from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics was in line with

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The achievement of pupils is good

that seen nationally. This has been extended over the last year. Current data and inspection evidence indicate that progress made by all groups of pupils is good.  The improved teaching of phonics is enabling younger pupils to tackle new and unfamiliar words with greater confidence. This is reflected in the high proportion of six-year-olds who achieved above the expected level in the national screening check on phonics.  As pupils move through the school, they continue to develop a love of reading. This was exemplified by a group of Year 6 pupils who agreed that they enjoyed, ‘journeying into new and mythological worlds which stir their imaginations.’  Pupils’ writing is helped by the emphasis that is given to reading which boosts the vocabulary they understand and use in their own writing. Discussions before they set to work are enhancing the pupils’ fluency and meaning of what they write. For example, among many other examples in Year 4, one

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The achievement of pupils is good

included, ‘And here, right here, the strange mainland landscape of ice and snow relieved by weirdly warm, bubbling pools, belching drifting smoke upwards like dragons snoring.’  Pupils are very competent mathematicians and possess well-developed numeracy skills. Their ability to make numerical calculations is secure. Progress in problem solving is rapid due to the many opportunities to undertake challenging investigations.  Pupils are proud of their achievements. However, they do not always present their work neatly, particularly their written work. This is because not all teachers have consistently high expectations of how pupils present their work.  Overall, the most able pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the time they leave Year 6. This can be seen in the increasing proportions of pupils who reach the very highest Level 6 in mathematics and the higher Level 5 in reading and writing. However, because the work in some classes

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The achievement of pupils is good

does not always provide them with sufficient challenge, especially in reading and writing, they do not always or consistently make the rapid progress of which they are capable.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make similar and sometimes better progress than their peers, because their needs are met very well under the expert guidance of the teachers and teaching assistants.  There are too few disadvantaged pupils in the school for an analysis of their progress and attainment data to generate meaningful comparisons with other pupils nationally. However, the additional funding given to the school for these pupils is used very effectively to provide well-targeted support through additional skilled and knowledgeable teaching assistants. Consequently, they make similar and sometimes better progress than their classmates.  Art is a strength of the school. Many classes, such as Year 2, display stunning pieces of pupils’ work.

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The early years provision is good

 Children start in the Reception Year with knowledge and skills that are typical for their age. As a result of good teaching, children now make good progress from their different starting points. Hence, the proportion of children who in 2014 reached a good level of development, which is the expected standard at the end of the Reception Year, was above average. This is a significant improvement since the time of the previous inspection and shows children are now ready to start in Year 1.  The early years is well led and managed with a strong team approach by staff who quickly get to know the children and build activities around their interests. Significant improvements to the provision have been made since the previous inspection.  Teaching is good and staff have high expectations of what the children can achieve. There are strengths in the interaction between adults and children. Staff are particularly skilled in identifying exactly what

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The early years provision is good

children need to move them on in their learning so they remain interested in their tasks. They enjoy a challenge especially the most able children. Staff record progress carefully and make sure that any children who have additional needs receive effective support.  Staff provide focused and appropriately challenging sessions to develop children’s reading, writing and mathematical skills. These are further developed through a wealth of well-planned opportunities for children to apply these skills to a range of child-led activities. For example, one group of children were absorbed in the role-play café, writing out their own menus and deciding on the prices of the buns, cakes and teas. Others, supervised by an adult, organised Tricycle Time Trials, making a tally of the number of laps each child completed in a given time. They then calculated how many more or less laps some children completed than others. Some, using their own initiative, worked out how many laps were completed

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The early years provision is good

altogether.  Children behave very well and show kindness and consideration to one another. They work cooperatively together on different tasks, sharing equipment and taking turns.  Very effective transition arrangements ensure that children settle in quickly, feel safe and get off to a rapid start.

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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 111360 Local authority Cheshire East Inspection number 455543

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 192 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Angus Tennant Headteacher Mike Waters Date of previous school inspection 17 September 2013 Telephone number 01625 384071 Fax number - Email address admin@bollinbrook.cheshire.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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