Thornton Cleveleys Manor Beach Primary School

Thornton Cleveleys Manor Beach Primary School Manor Drive, Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, FY5 1EU

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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 headteacher has a clear view of how successful the school can be. School leaders, including governors, regularly check on the quality of teaching and learning to make sure that standards are improving.  All school leaders have an accurate view of the school’s strengths. They know what needs to be done to continue to improve. Senior leaders have the skill and expertise to achieve their high ambition for the school.  The curriculum provides experiences that motivate pupils to want to learn and prepares them well for life in modern Britain.  Pupils behave well in and around school. They are respectful and polite towards each other and the adults around them.  Pupils feel safe in school and are kept safe by adults who care for them well.  The teaching of reading, writing and mathematics is good.  From their individual starting points pupils make good progress across the school and achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Effective support for pupils who join school at times other than expected, disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs helps them achieve at least as well as other pupils.  Children get off to a good start in the early years because of the close attention all adults give to meeting their learning and developmental needs. Children are well prepared to join Year 1.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some middle leaders are not having a positive impact on standards at the school because their skills are not developed well enough.  There are times when the most able pupils do not get on to challenging tasks soon enough in lessons.  The presentation of pupils' work in their books is not of a sufficiently high standard.  Teaching assistants are not always deployed well; for example, when teachers are introducing learning to the whole class.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes and in activities taken by teaching assistants. One walk around the school also took place to look at displays and in all classrooms.  Inspectors met with one group of pupils and observed and spoke to pupils during lessons, play times and at lunchtime. They also listened to pupils reading.  Meetings were held with parents, staff, senior leaders and managers, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  School documents were considered by inspectors, including the school’s analysis of how well it is doing. They considered the school development plan, information about pupils’ progress, checks on the quality of teaching, minutes of governing body meetings, and records relating to attendance and safeguarding. Inspectors also examined work in pupils’ books.  Inspectors took account of 12 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and also considered

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Information about this inspection

responses from 36 staff to the inspection questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Louise Murphy, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is slightly smaller than most primary schools.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium (additional funding for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority) is well-above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils who start and leave the school at times other than the expected is above national average levels.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is below average and there are currently no pupils at the very early stages of learning to speak English as an additional language.  The school provides full-time places for children in the Reception classes and hosts the Mini-Buddies Pre- school which is subject to a separate Ofsted inspection.  The school provides a breakfast and after-school care club for pupils.

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Information about this school

 The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and learning so that more pupils make outstanding progress by ensuring:  the most able pupils start working on challenging activities as soon as they are able  teaching assistants are effectively deployed throughout the whole lesson.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the presentation of pupils’ work by always making sure that:  handwriting is taught well across the school and pupils are given time to practise skills  pupils understand the importance of presenting their work well.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the impact of leadership and management by building the skills of some middle leaders so that they are all fully involved in driving improvements in their area of responsibility.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher is highly ambitious for each and every pupil in school. She deservedly has the full confidence and support of school leaders including governors. Together they demonstrate the skill and expertise to continue to lead school improvement. For example, by addressing the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection and improving attainment and achievement following the dip in standards in reading at the end of 2014.  Teaching and learning are checked thoroughly and training provided to fit with school priorities and also to support the development of individual members of staff. As a result some middle leaders are highly effective. However, there are others who do not have the skill or determination to ensure that they are fully accountable for raising standards in their areas of responsibility.  There are comprehensive systems in place for checking how well pupils are doing. School leaders make

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The leadership and management are good

good use of information about pupils’ attainment and progress. They have an accurate view of how well the school is performing and where it could improve further.  The subjects on offer take account of pupils’ needs and interests. There is a wide range of after-school activities and visits and visitors to provide pupils with rich learning experiences. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is effectively promoted and pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils are taught to have respect for different faiths, cultures and backgrounds through the curriculum, assemblies and the school’s values. This helps to foster good relations in the school and the success of this is confirmed by the way in which pupils work and play well together.  Leaders successfully tackle any form of discrimination. Their commitment to equal opportunities is demonstrated by the way in which finances are used. For example, the school’s pupil premium allocation

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The leadership and management are good

is effectively directed to support pupils who are eligible for this funding to achieve well.  The primary sports funding has been used well to increase opportunities for sport and physical development. There is a wide range of sporting activities available during lunchtime and after school for pupils to enjoy. Staff have received support and training from specialist coaches and are now equipped to lead sporting activities with confidence.  School leaders including governors make sure that effective procedures are in place to keep staff and pupils safe and statutory requirements including arrangements for safeguarding pupils are met.  The local authority has confidence in the ability of school leaders and provides effective support for the school as and when it is requested.  The governance of the school:  The work of the governing body is effective and governors know the school well. They make good use

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The leadership and management are good

of nationally published data and accurate, comprehensive reports provided by the headteacher and other school leaders. Governors use this information to check the achievement of pupils and to evaluate how well the school is performing. They also have good systems for finding out things for themselves such as visiting school regularly and having meetings with pupils, parents and staff. Governors know how effective the teaching is and are fully prepared to tackle any underperformance. They set targets for the headteacher and ensure that only good or better teaching is rewarded through progression through the pay scales.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are keen to learn and say that their teachers make learning fun. They are well mannered and show respect for each other and the adults around them.  Pupils look smart in their uniforms and the school environment is well looked after. However, not all pupils recognise the importance of producing work that is neat and tidy.  Pupils enjoy taking on roles of responsibility around the school. For example, each month a group of pupils analyse what one of the ‘school values’ means to them. They then prepare a display to advertise the value and its importance to other pupils in school. The school council makes sure that they listen to the views of other pupils and plan events to raise money to help others and buy equipment for the school. Eco-councillors are highly involved in encouraging recycling around the school. They also have a high profile in helping to keep the local and wider community litter free.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils say that they feel safe in school because they know that the adults care for them well. They are confident that there is always a member of staff who will listen to any problem. Pupils who shared their views with an inspector said that worries and concerns are effectively dealt with.  Parents who spoke with an inspector were very happy with the way the school looks after their children. Most parents responding to the online questionnaire, Parent View, confirm that the school keeps their children safe.  Staff make sure that pupils have a good understanding of risk, including risks associated with using new technologies. Visitors are also invited into school to help pupils to keep safe. For example, members of the fire brigade regularly visit and the police remind pupils about keeping themselves safe on the roads.  Pupils know about different forms of bullying and discrimination. Pupils say that there is no bullying at

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Safety

their school and records confirm that bullying is rare.  Pupils whose current circumstances might make them vulnerable are very well supported by school staff who work with families and external agencies when necessary.  The school works hard to promote good attendance. Exciting lessons and a range of rewards encourage pupils to want to come into school. Absence is monitored closely and swiftly followed up with parents. The vast majority of pupils arrive at school on time and attendance is similar to the national average.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good quality teaching of reading, writing and mathematics results in good achievement for pupils. This is confirmed by the school’s own records, observations in the classrooms and work seen in pupils’ books.  Developing reading skills is given high priority. Teachers are creating comfortable reading areas in every classroom where pupils can sit and enjoy a book. Staff have recently conducted a reading survey to determine which books and authors pupils prefer. They have used this information when purchasing new books to make sure that there are books available to appeal to everyone. Pupils who read to inspectors said that they are encouraged to read every day and that teachers help them to become better readers.  Teachers plan activities that pupils enjoy and these often act as a stimulus for writing. For example, pupils’ experiences gained during ‘Roman Day’ provoked some thoughtful pieces of writing, answering the

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The quality of teaching is good

question, ‘What Do You Know About the Romans?’ Books also provide an excellent basis to help pupils create interesting pieces of writing. For example, Green Class wrote some entertaining newspaper articles about the reopening of the ‘Wonka Factory’, including cautionary tales of what happens when children want too much or do not do as they are told. Though pieces of writing are often imaginative and appropriate punctuation and grammar is used, there is no consistent handwriting policy in use across the school. As a result work is occasionally difficult to read and often not as well presented as it could be.  Recently there has been an increased emphasis on making sure that pupils are confident in using basic mathematical skills. Teachers make sure that pupils have opportunities to practise and develop these skills especially on ‘Problem Solving Friday’. For example, Year 6 pupils used their multiplication and addition

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The quality of teaching is good

skills very well to buy shares to the value of £1,000. They had to use their knowledge of real-life companies to decide which shares would be the most profitable at the start of business the following day.  Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly, they praise what has been done well and provide guidance to help pupils improve their work. At the start of most lessons pupils are given the time to complete their corrections so that they can learn from their mistakes. However, teachers do not always insist that pupils’ work is neat and tidy. There is too much scratching out and rulers are not routinely used to draw lines and diagrams.  The effective teamwork established between teachers and well-trained teaching assistants usually guarantees high-quality support for pupils with any additional need. This is evident when pupils are working one-to-one with adults and during small group sessions. The talents that teaching assistants have

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The quality of teaching is good

are not so effectively used when the teacher is introducing learning tasks to the whole class.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In Key Stages 1 and 2 pupils currently in school achieve well and make at least good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. In the 2014 national tests pupils at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 attained at broadly average levels in reading, writing and mathematics. However, attainment in reading was slightly lower than in the other subjects at the end of Key Stage 2.  Pupils are supported to make good progress from their individual starting points and some pupils make outstanding progress. However, a high proportion of pupils joins and leaves school at times other than expected. Though pupils at the school achieve well, those who start school later than expected do not enjoy all of the benefits of sustained good teaching and learning across the school, and this shows a negative impact on the school’s overall results figures. There are also pupils in school with complex additional needs which prevent them from taking end of key stage tests. This was the case for some

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The achievement of pupils is good

pupils in 2014 in Year 6, and also had a negative impact upon school results overall.  Results of the 2014 Year 6 national tests show the proportions of pupils who made the progress expected of them and more progress than expected in writing and mathematics were very similar to the national average. In reading these figures dipped a little because a few pupils missed their anticipated levels by just one mark. School leaders were determined that this would not happen again and raised the profile of reading across the school. The quality of pupils’ reading in school currently shows standards are good.  The proportion of Year 1 pupils who reach the required standard in the national screening check for phonics is above the national average. Older pupils read well and are able to discuss their favourite books and authors as well as the reasons for their preferences.  In the 2014 end of Key Stage 2 national tests the proportion of pupils who reached the higher Level 5 in

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The achievement of pupils is good

reading, writing and mathematics was similar to the national average. The school’s own records indicate that over half of the current Year 6 pupils are attaining at Level 5 in reading. Work seen in pupils’ books shows an increased proportion of talented mathematicians are attaining at the highest Level 6 in mathematics. Overall the most able pupils make good progress although at times they do not always get to the more difficult tasks soon enough to help them make faster progress.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are given excellent support by teachers and teaching assistants. Their additional needs are met well because they are identified early, effective interventions are put into place, external agencies are consulted when necessary and progress is carefully checked. The same high-quality provision is available for pupils who join the school later than expected. Swift action is taken to ensure that any gaps in learning are narrowed as successfully as possible.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2014, the attainment in reading of disadvantaged pupils was similar to their Year 6 classmates and two terms behind non-disadvantaged pupils nationally. Attainment in writing was approximately one term behind non-disadvantaged pupils nationally and other Year 6 pupils in school and in mathematics two terms behind other pupils in class and nationally.  In recent tests, disadvantaged pupils achieved well in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils achieving more than the expected levels of progress compared favourably with other pupils in their class and other pupils nationally. Current data shows that any gaps in achievement between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils in their class successfully narrow as pupils move up through the school.

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The early years provision is good

 Children start school with skills and knowledge that vary year on year. Most have skills and knowledge below typical and skills are usually lowest in the areas of communication, reading and writing.  Adults skilfully question children to encourage them to think carefully and share their ideas. The strong emphasis on activities to promote social, communication and literacy skills supports children to make good progress from their different starting points in all of the areas of learning.  As a result of effective leadership and management, the quality of teaching in the early years is good. The staff team work successfully together to quickly get to know each child and provide activities to maintain their interest and enthusiasm for learning. As a result the proportion of children reaching a good level of development is above the national average and children are well prepared for the learning that they will

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The early years provision is good

meet in Year 1.  The environment in the early years is well resourced indoors and the school provides good outdoor provision within the confines of a limited space. School leaders rightly recognise that not enough is done to display the written word in the early years to model and promote early handwriting skills.  Children’s behaviour, safety and personal development are good. The well-planned curriculum provides opportunities for children to develop their creative skills and to learn about keeping themselves and others safe and healthy. For example, children enthusiastically built a stage so that they could perform a puppet show. Children very carefully checked how safe and well built the stage was because they were determined that no one would stumble and hurt themselves when walking on it. They also wrapped the star of their show ‘Captain Billy’ in wool so that he would not catch a chill in the cool breeze.

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The early years provision is good

 Effective communication with parents is highly valued by staff. Parents are encouraged to share any information about their child’s development. They are able to do this through the range of opportunities to meet with staff or through writing a message in their child’s individual record of achievement known as their learning journey. Staff use the information about any new learning that has taken place at home to plan the next steps in children’s learning.

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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 119346 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 461731

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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 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 237 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Alan Sykes Headteacher Jane Mason Date of previous school inspection 14 November 2011 Telephone number 01253 853879 Fax number 01253 859870 Email address head@manorbeach.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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