Johnson Fold Community Primary School

Johnson Fold Community Primary School Worston Avenue, Bolton, Lancashire BL1 5UG

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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This is an outstanding school

 Pupils thrive in this oasis of learning and care. The inclusive nature of the school and exceptional pastoral support from dedicated staff allow many pupils to overcome significant barriers to learning, attend regularly and become well-rounded members of the community. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  From the outset, not a moment of time is wasted by teachers in helping pupils to achieve. Excellent teaching supports pupils from all groups to make outstanding progress from their starting points. Consequently, most pupils attain the standards expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics.  Children in the early years make outstanding progress. They develop their linguistic, social and physical skills quickly because of the skilful work of their teachers and teaching assistants.  Pupils make excellent progress, particularly in writing. Their progress in mathematics, while

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This is an outstanding school

strong, is not quite as rapid as in other subjects.  Pupils feel safe and know how to keep safe in school, in the community and online because of the support and teaching they receive.  Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are exemplary. Pupils are proud to be at Johnson Fold and conduct themselves well around the school. They are welcoming and respectful of adults and towards each other. They settle quickly to their lessons, and are eager learners who demonstrate high levels of curiosity.  Leaders at all levels, including governors, share a vision of excellence and maintain a relentless focus on improvement. Their record-keeping is meticulous and they rigorously analyse the impact of their work. Governors have a clear understanding of the strengths of the school and the areas they wish to improve further based on their incisive questions and challenge to leaders.  The school is highly regarded by parents and the

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This is an outstanding school

community because of the relationships it has established with parents and other community groups.  The breadth of the school’s curriculum and the wide range of extra-curricular opportunities mean that pupils are exceptionally well prepared for life in their community and modern Britain.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Enhance further the progress pupils make in mathematics, so that it matches their progress in reading and writing by ensuring that the teaching of mathematics consistently matches the exemplary practice seen across the school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 The headteacher is a driving force for excellence. She has detailed knowledge of what constitutes high- quality teaching and a commitment to ensuring the very best provision and care for her pupils. All members of her highly motivated staff team put pupils’ learning first.  Leaders at all levels share a common vision and are dedicated to empowering pupils to reach educational excellence while also developing a love of learning.  Rigorous monitoring and meticulous record-keeping, along with the highly effective use of external experts, provide leaders with an excellent understanding of every dimension of the school.  School development planning is detailed and highly focused. It is checked rigorously by leaders and governors to ensure actions are having the intended impact. Leaders at all levels amend their plans regularly to reflect changes in need or emerging concerns. Consequently, the school is agile in responding

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

to the changing needs of pupils and rapidly puts into place support or intervention to ensure pupils overcome barriers and continue their learning. Leaders ensure that equipment is adapted and staff receive training so that pupils who have special educational needs or disability are supported exceptionally well.  Senior leaders recognise the importance of attendance in helping pupils to succeed. There are highly effective systems to track and respond quickly to any absence, including immediate home visits whenever necessary. The meticulous analysis of attendance allows leaders to identify those at risk and head off many absences. This, coupled with a focus on rewarding good attendance, mean that pupils attend regularly.  School leaders’ understanding of the highly transient population allows them to manage effectively pupils’ entry into school at times other than the usual starting points. The careful monitoring of individuals’

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

achievement supports new arrivals in making strong progress from what are often low starting points. An increasing number of pupils who join the school are international new arrivals who live in the local area for only a short time.  Middle leaders are highly effective. They have strong subject knowledge because they have been provided with the opportunities to develop their skills. They, in turn, develop the skills of other teachers. Middle leaders play an important role in monitoring the quality of their subjects and in planning and implementing new initiatives. These include the current research project involving the use of hand-held electronic devices that enable pupils to undertake individual learning programmes and improve their calculation and spelling skills.  The school broadens and enhances the experiences it provides for pupils through a programme of enrichment activities such as cookery, zumba, reading, Lego, football and gymnastics to which all pupils

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

have equality of access. Additionally, leaders recognise the importance of ensuring that pupils are prepared well to learn and consequently the school runs an award-winning breakfast club to provide the right start to the school day for those who attend. The school has extensive grounds that leaders use innovatively to enhance the curriculum. Pupils are trying, as part of an ongoing outdoor education project, to complete the list of activities recommended by the National Trust for primary-school-aged pupils. The broad and balanced curriculum prepares all pupils well for their next stages of education and for life in modern Britain, ensuring that all have a good understanding of democracy.  Leaders use the considerable amount of pupil premium funding the school receives to good effect and ensure that disadvantaged pupils have equal opportunities to succeed. Use of the funding has included the employment of specialist teachers for dyslexia and reading and the purchase of additional reading

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

books, which have had a conspicuous impact on pupils’ love of reading and consequently the progress they make in the subject.  Sports funding is effectively used to provide expert tuition for pupils and training to develop and sustain teachers’ skills. Specialist coaches help deliver and support the physical education (PE) curriculum and provide high-quality experiences for the children during lessons. Funding also gives pupils greater opportunities to participate more frequently in competitive sports and games such as the Bolton Wanderers’ ‘Football versus Homophobia’ competition, which the school won. Pupils’ skills in PE have increased and their levels of participation in sport and games have risen.  The school’s relationships with parents and its community are excellent. Parents are kept well informed about the achievement of their children through detailed reports and newsletters. The school’s website

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

provides up-to-date and interesting information, including videos of recent trips or events. The school’s recent survey of parents showed that all parents who replied would recommend this school to others. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school and its leadership.  Close links with the community have been fostered, developing pupils’ understanding of the world in which they live and providing them with a broad range of experiences. For example, Bolton Wanderers footballers recently visited the school to promote poetry, while on other occasions the team has come to talk about historical events relating to the study of the First and Second World Wars. Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social education is excellent. The core values of respect for others are emphasised and modelled by staff and pupils alike. Leaders take every opportunity to develop pupils’ understanding of the variety of cultures in modern Britain. They are highly vigilant and proactive in recognising any potential

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

dangers of extremism.  Leaders implement and monitor the school’s safeguarding procedures with rigour and ensure that they are effective. Staff are very well placed to deal with child protection concerns. They are constantly vigilant, highly trained and have excellent relationships with partner agencies; consequently, they take swift and appropriate action whenever concerns are raised.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 The governance of the school — Governance of the school is outstanding. Governors are an intrinsic part of the school family and share with all staff the vision and passion for educational excellence and a strong belief in the potential of their pupils. Governors have detailed knowledge of the effectiveness of the school as a result of the incisive and challenging questions they ask and the quality of information they receive from leaders. Governors also commission regular additional external quality assurance checks above the minimum provided by the local authority. Governors regularly visit the school and draw upon their own professional knowledge to support leaders. — Governors are heavily involved in developing the school’s improvement planning and monitoring the impact of leaders’ actions. Governors closely monitor the school’s finances, including the impact of additional funding for those pupils who are disadvantaged and the additional funding received to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

improve participation in sport and develop healthy lifestyles. — Governors ensure that the school’s performance management systems are rigorous and effectively implemented and that outcomes and objectives are appropriately communicated. This results in all staff, including the headteacher, being set challenging objectives that are clearly linked to achievement. Governors are very aware of the links between performance management and pay.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

 Teaching over time is outstanding; consequently, pupils of all groups make outstanding progress from their starting points.  Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge in a wide variety of subjects because of the high-quality training they receive, including that provided by senior and subject leaders. Teachers are confident and authoritative; they welcome questions from pupils and inject plenty of fun into learning. For example, it is quite the norm to find a teacher conducting pupils from one activity to another, leading the singing and chanting rhymes that further consolidate what they are learning.  Teachers’ assessments of pupils’ achievements are accurate. Leaders routinely check examples of pupils’ work with neighbouring schools to ensure they maintain their rigour and accuracy. Teachers, alongside their dedicated and highly skilled teaching assistants, constantly monitor the impact of their teaching on

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

pupils’ understanding. Consequently, teachers are quick to intervene to address misconceptions or give further challenge. Using their deep knowledge of pupils’ understanding, teachers plan work carefully to help pupils (many of whom have low starting points), and build their knowledge securely over time. Pupils in all groups are fully engaged in their learning and loss of concentration is extremely rare.  Reading, writing and mathematics are taught systematically and with high levels of skill. In the early years and Key Stage 1, teachers rightly prioritise the development of social and linguistic skills that allow pupils to access further learning as they progress through the school. The teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they make) is effective and closely linked to the development of writing skills. Consequently, pupils make leaps and bounds in their understanding of sounds and letters. Teachers use technology

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

highly effectively as a tool to engage and capture pupils’ attention and harness their enthusiasm. Teachers’ excellent use of hand-held electronic devices ensures that pupils relish the practice and consolidation of mental calculation and spelling skills by matching challenges closely to individuals’ needs.  Pupils read widely and often, saying they are inspired to read. Pupils, who read to inspectors, discussed confidently the types of books they like and demonstrated a love of reading. The school rightly focuses on developing pupils’ reading skills to ensure they have access to the broader curriculum. New investment in the library has updated books to reflect modern society and history, while also presenting pupils with a wide choice and variety of fiction to enjoy. Computerised reading programs and expert individual support are very effectively used by the school to ensure that specific pupils accelerate their reading skills.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

 Teachers are enthusiastic about the new mathematics curriculum and draw well on the expertise of specialist mathematicians on the staff to implement their new schemes of work. Teachers and leaders do, however, recognise the need and are taking action to enhance further some aspects of the teaching of mathematics to ensure that pupils make the same accelerated progress in mathematics as seen in reading and writing.  All teachers and teaching assistants have high expectations of all pupils. Teachers and teaching assistants develop pupils’ vocabulary and their understanding of technical language effectively.  Teachers make learning fun and often use their own expertise or the school’s grounds to provide stimulation and excitement. For example, younger pupils have joined the hunt for the missing gingerbread man on the loose in the school’s forest, while older pupils try to achieve the ‘50 things to do

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

before you are 11 and three quarters’. Another teacher uses personal skills as a computer-generated animation specialist to deliver this aspect of the computing curriculum to older pupils.  All staff use probing questions linked to their strong subject knowledge to good effect, particularly in writing. Pupils are commonly asked to explain their thinking or reasoning and contribute ideas as to how others could improve their work. This consolidates their understanding, while the sharing of good examples of pupils’ work using technology allows others to see what is possible and builds pupils’ confidence. Teachers have exceptionally effective relationships with pupils through which pupils feel confident to take risks and make mistakes from which they learn.  Homework is used well to help pupils consolidate their learning or to develop new knowledge and skills. In the early years in particular, staff produce and encourage parents to use a range of resources to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

consolidate basic language skills and to ensure that pupils are well prepared for their next stages of learning. Teachers regularly give up their lunchtimes and provide appropriate guidance, resources and a place in which to work to ensure that pupils who may not otherwise be able to complete homework have equal opportunities to benefit from these tasks.

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Personal development and welfare

 Personal development and welfare are a key strength of this school. It is the foundation on which the outstanding progress pupils make is built.  Pupils know how to stay safe and look after themselves because of the high-quality teaching they receive. Regular visitors from external agencies bring additional excitement and life experiences and help to reinforce teachers’ safety messages. Children in the early years learned a great deal from the visit to school by the local fire service in its fire engine. Pupils were keen to share their recent experiences in practising ‘evacuation drills’ and explained how they would quickly return to the safety of the school buildings to protect themselves from any threat outside the school. They spoke confidently about keeping safe in the community and demonstrated secure understanding of how to stay safe while online because of the teaching they receive. There is a strong emphasis on care in the school, and pupils reflect the

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Personal development and welfare

caring attitudes of staff in their conduct around the school and its grounds. Older pupils often carefully look after younger siblings and friends.  All pupils spoken with are fiercely proud of their school and say that they feel safe and are happy to come to school. They said there is extremely little bullying and teachers deal with any incidents quickly and effectively. Pupils are aware of different types of bullying because of the impact of the teaching and training they have received. For example, one group recently attended anti-homophobia training as part of a sporting competition.  The school has extremely strong relationships with external agencies and is proactive in referring any concerns that may place children at risk of harm. A significant proportion of pupils have had to make use of these services to ensure that they remain safe, and the support and actions from the school are invaluable in ensuring that pupils have a focus of stability during times of turbulence and crisis.

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Personal development and welfare

 Rewards are used to encourage learning to good effect. Pupils take enormous pride in wearing the red jumpers that identify those who have made positive contributions during the week.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  All children behave well in lessons and demonstrate an inquisitiveness and a love of learning that percolates through the school. They listen with rapt attention and are eager to begin learning to reach the high expectations placed on them by teachers. Pupils enter the school early and settle quickly to morning tasks that stimulate, engage and consolidate knowledge and skills.  Pupils’ behaviour around school is outstanding. Pupils are impeccably polite and courteous to each other, staff and visitors. Pupils have excellent manners and are genuinely curious. They are keen to engage in conversation and eager to ensure visitors enjoy their visit to the school. Highly effective behaviour management by staff means that the minority of pupils who have significant behavioural issues are generally very compliant, work well in class and have minimal negative impact on their progress and the

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Behaviour

learning of others. School records show that any misbehaviour is closely monitored and effectively followed up with parents as necessary. Sanctions have the desired impact on pupils’ behaviour, so that incidents do not recur.  Attendance is in line with national averages. Excellent pastoral care results in very few pupils being persistently absent from school.  Pupils spoken with around the school have a very good understanding of bullying in its different forms, including cyber-bullying. They say that it is extremely rare, as are ‘falling outs’, which are dealt with quickly and effectively by teachers and other staff. Records of incidents are kept meticulously and are analysed in depth by leaders.

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

 The outcomes for pupils have improved since the last inspection. Pupils’ rates of progress from their relative starting points are above national levels in mathematics, and significantly better than national levels in writing and reading. The 2015 cohort, alongside many other cohorts still in school, contained a large number of pupils with significant special educational needs, who made excellent progress, but whose attainment was below national expectations.  In 2015, the proportions of pupils achieving the standards expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics were similar to national averages. The proportion of low-ability pupils, who made up the majority of pupils in the cohort, and who achieved the standards expected for their age, was significantly above the national average, reflecting the outstanding progress they made. The proportion of middle- ability pupils exceeding the progress expected to reach the highest standards of attainment in reading,

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

writing and mathematics was twice the national average for this group. The school, however, had no pupils identified as being most able.  Current work in pupils’ books and school records of detailed tracking and assessment show that pupils continue to make outstanding progress to close the attainment gap with other pupils nationally.  Disadvantaged pupils, who form the majority of the school’s population, do very well. All disadvantaged pupils who left the school at the end of Year 6 in 2015 made expected progress in reading and writing, while nearly twice as many made better than expected progress compared with other pupils nationally. In mathematics, the picture is not quite as strong, although disadvantaged pupils made similar progress to other pupils nationally.  The progress made in phonics by all pupils from their low starting points is strong. Increasing proportions of pupils are reaching the required standard in the Year 1 phonics check to close the gap with the

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

national average. Disadvantaged pupils outperformed the minority of pupils who are not disadvantaged. Current work in pupils’ books and school-based tracking confirm that the stronger and more systematic teaching of phonics continues to improve outcomes for all groups of pupils.  The attainment of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2015 was still below that seen nationally in all subjects for all groups. Work in pupils’ books, however, shows that all groups, including those who are disadvantaged or who have special educational needs or disability, make strong progress across the key stage from their different starting points.

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Early years provision is outstanding

 Leadership of the early years is outstanding. Leaders ensure that children receive excellent opportunities to develop skills in all areas through the effective utilisation of the right staff to the right place so that their skills are used to best effect. Consequently, children make excellent progress from very low starting points.  Children enter the school at different times, either as a two-year-old or through Nursery to Reception. Over time, there is a high rate of mobility of pupils in early years, with many children leaving or joining the school at times other than the norm.  Nearly all children begin the early years with social skills, levels of communication, literacy and language skills and understanding of number, shape and space that are below, and in many cases, significantly below, those that are typical for their age. The proportion of children who achieve a good level of development by the time they leave the early years is above the national average because of the

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Early years provision is outstanding

outstanding teaching and support they receive. The school’s provision for two-year-olds is relatively new and numbers are small. This provision, however, has great impact on preparing pupils with the right skills to begin learning straightaway when they enter the Nursery class.  Staff demonstrate excellent knowledge of up-to-date early years practices. Children’s safety and welfare are ensured because leaders and staff are highly trained, including in safeguarding and first aid.  Children develop their independence by choosing and using easily accessible resources, and undertake well-planned activities that encourage imagination and a desire to find out why things happen. In the mornings, children enter the early years eager to learn because they are met with a well-prepared environment that immediately stimulates their interests and captures their attention. Well-established routines that are consistent across year groups mean that children settle quickly and are well supported

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Early years provision is outstanding

in their learning. Consequently, children develop curiosity and excellent behaviour that prepare them well to begin the National Curriculum as they move into Key Stage 1.  Children in the early years are encouraged to participate regularly in outdoor learning in the two safe, well-resourced and easily accessible outdoor areas in early years. Different areas are designed to meet the needs of Nursery and Reception classes and children attending the provision for two-year-olds. These areas have age-appropriate equipment to ensure easy access and appropriate learning.  Staff in the early years develop excellent relationships with parents and increasing parental involvement in children’s learning. Parents have opportunities to visit the early years to see their children at work and play, and to borrow resources from school to help them consolidate skills at home.

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School details

Unique reference number 105157 Local authority Bolton Inspection number 10003619

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School details

This inspection 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 2–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 261 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Richard Morgan Headteacher Mrs Ruth Dean Telephone number 01204 333011 Website www.johnsonfold.bolton.sch.uk Email address office@johnsonfold.bolton.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 11 April 2011

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage .There is, however, a growing proportion of pupils from other ethnic groups, including those who speak English as an additional language.  Two thirds of pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium. This is well above average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs or disability is well above the national average. High numbers of pupils enter or leave the school at points other than the usual times. The school is in the lowest 20% of schools nationally for stability of its pupil population. Increasing numbers of international new arrivals temporarily attend the school due to short-term accommodation placements in the local

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Information about this school

community.  The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school during the school year is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The early years comprises small-scale provision for two-year-old children, a Nursery that provides part- time sessions and a full-time Reception class.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed a range of lessons or parts of lessons and looked at pupils’ work. They listened to pupils reading, and talked with pupils about their lessons and school life.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, representatives of the governing body and the local authority’s school improvement consultant linked to the school.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and scrutinised documentation relating to pupils’ progress and to school management, including the arrangements to ensure that pupils are kept safe.  The inspectors spoke with parents and staff and took account of the school’s own consultations with parents and other communications that Ofsted received.  There were no responses to the online staff or pupil questionnaires.  There were insufficient responses to the online parent questionnaire (Parent View) to allow an analysis of the outcomes.

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Inspection team

John Nixon, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector John Daley Ofsted Inspector Sheila O’Keeffe Ofsted Inspector Stephen Rigby Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted.

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Inspection team

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

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