Rawtenstall Newchurch Church of England Primary School

School report Rawtenstall Newchurch Church of England Primary School Dark Lane, Newchurch, Rossendale, Lancashire, BB4 7UA

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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

 The executive headteacher and governors have created stability which has led to good and improving achievement for pupils. This reflects the good leadership and management of the school.  Pupils make good progress and reach standards in line with those seen nationally in reading, writing and mathematics.  The teaching of skills in reading, writing and mathematics is good. Pupils are able to apply the skills they have learned to their work in other subjects with confidence.  Pupils' good behaviour and attitudes to work support their achievement well. They show respect to adults and other pupils, and most are well mannered and courteous.  Warm and friendly relationships between staff and pupils ensure that pupils feel safe and know how to ask for help if they need it.  Teaching and learning continue to improve because leaders carefully monitor pupils' progress and the quality of teaching. They use their findings to plan

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

development and training activities.  Governors make effective use of finances to support improvement across the school. They use their understanding of pupils' achievement information to identify key areas for improvement. They hold the school to account for the progress pupils make.  In the early years, children make good progress because teachers use their assessment of what children know to offer a wide range of well-planned experiences.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally, information on what pupils already know is not used well enough to plan appropriately challenging activities for pupils of all abilities.  Teachers do not always check pupils' understanding regularly enough to ensure all are making good progress when they are working independently.  Not all teachers follow the school's policy on marking and assessment.  The presentation of pupils' work in their books is not of a sufficiently high standard.  The systems and strategies implemented by leaders and governors to improve the school need more time to fully impact on all aspects of school life.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed lessons throughout the school. These included observations carried out jointly with the headteacher. He also looked at a wide range of pupils' work and listened to them read.  Discussions were held with groups of pupils, the Chair and one other member of the governing body, a representative of the local authority and members of staff.  The inspector took account of 20 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire (Parent View). The responses from staff to the inspection questionnaire were also considered.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documents, including: information on pupils’ current progress, the school’s plans for improvement, the management of teachers’ performance, the use of pupil premium funding, and documentation and records relating to pupils’ behaviour and safety.

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Inspection team

Adrian Francis, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is broadly average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is above the national average. (The pupil premium is additional funding to support pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority.)  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  Children in the early years are taught in a Reception class and part-time in a class that is mixed with pupils in Year 1. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 are taught as single age groups every morning and as a combined class every afternoon.  The school has a breakfast club run by the governing body.  The school meets the government floor standards, which are the minimum expectation for pupils' attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this school

 The school has an executive headteacher who was appointed for a period of two years following the previous inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching from good to outstanding by ensuring that:  all pupils have work which consistently stretches or supports them  all staff follow the school's own policy for assessment and marking  teachers regularly check pupils' understanding when they are working independently, including children in Reception.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the presentation of work in pupil’s books by ensuring that:  handwriting is taught consistently through the school and that pupils practise these skills in their work  pupils understand the importance of being neat and tidy all of the time.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management at all levels by continuing the good practice that has recently been introduced.

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The leadership and management are good

 The executive headteacher and key subject leaders check the work of the school to identify appropriate areas for improvement. They have been effective in raising the achievement of pupils across the school, particularly in Key Stage 2. The effective systems and strategies being used are not yet being applied to all subject areas in the same depth.  Governors have developed their knowledge and skills so that they can use evidence from tracking of pupils’ progress to target areas which need to improve. They ensure that the school’s budget focuses upon these aspects and then monitor the effectiveness of this work through the system for checking on teachers’ performance.  Teaching is good and is improving, because leaders check the quality of teaching accurately and regularly. Effective management of staff performance and carefully chosen training ensure that staff and school needs are met. Leaders recognise that more attention needs to be given to ensuring that the whole ability

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The leadership and management are good

range in classes is matched at all points by an appropriate level of challenge.  Subject leaders increasingly manage their subjects well, particularly in English and mathematics. They check the progress pupils make and provide training for staff in areas which need to improve.  Safeguarding policies are followed carefully. This helps leaders ensure that safeguarding meets statutory requirements.  The school’s commitment to equal opportunities is demonstrated by the way in which its finances are used to support the progress of all pupils. Leaders work hard and successfully to eliminate any form of discrimination.  The school uses its additional pupil premium funding effectively to support the large number of pupils who are disadvantaged. They are supported and stretched through one-to-one teaching, small-group support, visits and clubs. They achieve well in spite of the complex difficulties faced by some.

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The leadership and management are good

 The primary school physical education and sport funding has provided extra coaching to develop pupils’ skills and attitudes across a range of sports and to help staff to develop their skills in this area.  The curriculum is effective. A wide range of motivating topics enables pupils to apply their basic English and mathematics skills across different subjects. Visits, visitors and special focus weeks bring these topics to life in exciting and imaginative ways.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Through the curriculum, assemblies and the school’s values, pupils learn about, and have respect for, differences in faiths, cultures and backgrounds. Leaders ensure pupils understand British values such as democracy, the need for rules in school and the wider community, and mutual respect. This helps to ensure pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ opportunities for reflection in assemblies or during their lessons help them to understand their contribution to the world. They examine the many moral challenges in society and develop strong friendships and social relationships.  Most parents who responded to Parent View were confident that the school is being led and managed well. The overwhelming majority would recommend this school to other parents.  The local authority has given valuable support to the school. It works closely with the executive headteacher to ensure that pupils' achievement improves.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has played a key part in school improvement since the previous inspection. Its work is effective. Governors know the school well. They make good use of information and data provided by the headteacher to check the achievement of pupils and to evaluate how well the school is performing. They also have good procedures for finding out things for themselves and an effective

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The leadership and management are good

system of regular meetings with subject leaders. These leaders are expected to report to governors about current progress and initiatives. Governors regularly review the use of the pupil premium so that they can be certain that is it being used to good effect to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. Governors know how effective the teaching is and ensure that only good or better teaching is rewarded financially through thorough performance management arrangements.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Most parents and staff agree that pupils behave well. Pupils enjoy school and attend regularly. Their conduct around school is good. Their positive attitudes towards learning have made an important contribution to their improved achievement since the previous inspection.  Pupils work hard nearly all of the time and are determined to improve, although some do not achieve so well when they are working independently. Also, some pupils do not understand the importance of taking care over their work and presenting it neatly.  Pupils are kind to each other and polite and most are respectful to adults at all times. They have good manners; it is normal for pupils to hold doors open for adults, and the youngest children automatically say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ without being prompted. Pupils play happily together at playtimes.  Pupils are friendly and sociable and keenly take responsibility. They eagerly talk to visitors about their

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Behaviour

work and how well they are doing. Some of their comments to the inspector included, ‘It is fun to learn here’ and ‘When you come to school you usually know that you will have an OK day’. Older pupils happily help younger pupils, for example in the dining hall. Pupils from different backgrounds get on well together. They are sensitive to each other’s views and willingly support pupils who are newly arrived at the school.  Pupils who arrive during the school year settle quickly because, ‘The teachers welcome us and the children show you what to do.’  Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour very well. They have high expectations and apply the school’s behaviour policy consistently, although a very small number of pupils have further improvements to make in this area. The school provides good quality support for any pupils who have behavioural or emotional difficulties so that they can improve their social skills.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils say they feel safe in school because teachers and all other adults look after them. Most parents and carers who responded to Parent View agree that the school keeps their children safe and looks after them well.  Pupils say that they are not aware of any bullying in school although some pupils do fall out with each other quite often. They are confident that teachers listen to them and deal with issues quickly and sensitively. They understand that bullying can take different forms, including cyber bullying and prejudiced-based bullying.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in school and the dangers they need to be aware of out of school to stay safe. Leaders have been diligent in ensuring that pupils and staff are aware of e-safety issues.  The breakfast club provides a safe, healthy and social start to the day. Parents, carers and pupils

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Safety

appreciate this provision. It has helped to improve punctuality for some pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is good and improving. Most teachers use the school tracking systems well to monitor pupils’ achievement and target any areas of under-performance through extra interventions.  Pupils generally learn well and make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics because most teachers understand what pupils can do and plan work which stretches pupils of all abilities. However, this is not yet happening consistently in all classes.  Generally, teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to pupils’ progress by supporting ability groups or individuals to practise skills taught in the main lesson.  Staff establish a good focus on learning. They have built good relationships and pupils appreciate praise and rewards for hard work. They also enjoy the fun they have in lessons. Not all staff, though, have consistently high expectations about the way pupils present and organise their work, with too much work

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The quality of teaching is good

being untidy and unattractive.  Teachers ensure that pupils make good progress in phonics (letters and the sounds they make) and this has improved over the past year. Teaching focuses very specifically on pupils’ next learning steps and those who have completed the phonics programme move on to more advanced spelling strategies.  Reading, writing and mathematics are taught well so that pupils are able to apply the skills they have learned in all of these in research or extended pieces of writing. However, there is less evidence of mathematical skills being used in investigation work.  Teachers use homework to give extra practice in reading, spelling and mathematical skills, and to encourage pupils to extend their learning across the many subjects offered.  Staff develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness through all subjects and experiences. In group work, pupils learn to work together, and on the playground, most pupils play happily. Staff offer

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The quality of teaching is good

activities which help pupils explore what it means to be respectful and tolerant of people of all backgrounds and faiths.  Teachers ensure that there are many opportunities to explore what it means to be British and for pupils to experience British values in real-life situations.  Where pupils make the best progress, teachers assess their progress very accurately and give detailed feedback which deepens pupils’ knowledge, but this is not yet happening in all lessons. Most marking helps pupils to know how to improve their work, but this is not as well developed in some classes.  Sometimes, the pace of lessons is not judged well enough to ensure pupils’ best progress. When this happens, some pupils who are working independently lose concentration and make slower progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well and make good progress from their different starting points.  Most children start in the Reception year with skills and knowledge that are below the levels typical for their age in most areas of the curriculum. Skills are usually lowest in communication and language, mathematics and writing. They make good progress in the early years because of good provision including good teaching.  Standards have fluctuated over the past three years. In 2014, standards at the end of Key Stage 2 were broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics and above average in grammar, punctuation and spelling skills. This is because all groups, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and disadvantaged pupils, made good progress from their starting points.  The most able pupils make good progress because they have more challenging work to do in most lessons. However, occasionally they are not challenged sufficiently. This, in turn, limits their progress. In

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The achievement of pupils is good

2014, the proportion of the most able pupils achieving the higher levels at the end of Year 6 was above that found nationally in mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling. It was similar to the national figure in reading and writing.  Work in pupils’ books and the school’s own checks and inspection findings show that their progress is improving. However, progress is not yet sufficiently rapid in all classes to ensure outstanding achievement.  In 2014, the proportion of pupils reaching the required level in the national check in Year 1 on phonics was below average. In the previous year, it was average. Extra support is now provided for those pupils who need to catch up. The impact of this is now seen in good use of phonics skills by some pupils to help them read unfamiliar words.  Reading for enjoyment is promoted well across the school and many pupils of all ages are fluent, expressive readers. They are skilled in reading and understanding new texts and using the internet for

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The achievement of pupils is good

research purposes. They make good use of dictionaries to enhance their writing.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make similar good progress to others. Their needs are identified early and precisely so that appropriate support can be given to help them make good progress from their various starting points. The school ensures that any barriers to learning do not lower their expectations of what they can achieve.  Disadvantaged pupils are now making good progress across the school. In 2014 their progress overall was a little slower than other pupils nationally but was better in writing. In national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2014, eligible pupils were a little over two terms behind their classmates in reading and mathematics and around a term behind in writing. When compared to other pupils nationally, they were about two terms behind. However, the gap is now closing in most year groups, reflecting the school’s successful and

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The achievement of pupils is good

much improved approach to raising the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. This is being achieved through the effective use of support that is well focused on individual pupil’s social or academic needs both in and out of lessons.

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The early years provision is good

 Most children start in school with skills and abilities that are below the levels typical for their age. They mainly make good progress across the areas of learning in the Reception class. Most children meet, and some exceed, the goals expected of them by the time they start in Year 1.  The Reception children are taught as a single age group every morning and share a class with Year 1 pupils in the afternoons. This ensures that they have good role models for their behaviour and learning and that they are well prepared for Year 1.  Well-planned adult-led sessions clearly focus on the development of key skills. This enables children to make good progress. The well-structured phonics sessions and focused teaching of calculations ensure children use these skills well in their reading, writing and number work. For example, in an adult-led mathematics session for the most able, children were challenged and had to think hard about their work

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The early years provision is good

on addition and subtraction.  There is a wide variety of independent activities, both indoors and out. These are enjoyed by most children. However, adults do not always check frequently enough that children are fully engaged in worthwhile activities and that they understand their learning.  Children behave well and work together sensibly on their activities, sharing resources and enjoying their role play. They develop their confidence and independence well.  Children know the routines and respond well. They independently access resources and know how to take care of themselves, for example putting on their coats to go outside and helping each other to put away equipment they have been using.  Staff assess children’s progress regularly and make sure that any children not doing well enough get the support they need to help them catch up. They regularly carry out a detailed observation of each child, as

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The early years provision is good

well as half-termly checks, to ensure that all children are making progress across the areas of learning.  Staff ensure that children are kept safe. Children know to use resources safely and staff ensure they walk back to their classrooms sensibly, holding doors open for each other and for adults.  Leadership is good and has ensured a consistent and effective approach to teacher-led learning and a thorough assessment of children’s progress. However, it has not yet developed children’s independent learning to be equally effective.

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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 119390 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 462324

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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 controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 103 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Simone Cudworth Headteacher John Aspin Date of previous school inspection 16 July 2013 Telephone number 01706 229478 Fax number 01706 260570 Email address bursar@newchurchcofe.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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