St Mary's CofE Primary School

St Mary’s CofE Primary School Buckingham Road, Cadishead, Manchester, Lancashire M44 5HG

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 This is a vibrant and exciting school. The headteacher has received highly effective mentoring from an executive headteacher from a local school. With the full backing of staff, the church and the community, she has driven through major school improvements.  With this support, and that of a very capable senior leadership team and governors, the headteacher has ensured that the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement have significantly improved since the previous inspection.  The quality of teaching, including in phonics (letters and the sounds that they make), is good and rapidly improving. Teachers and teaching assistants work together well to ensure that pupils make good progress.  Excellent opportunities are available for pupils to develop their musical, artistic and sporting skills.  Pupils are highly considerate and ‘look out’ for each other. They are excellent St Mary’s ambassadors and are well behaved at all times.

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This is a good school

 Pupils benefit from a stimulating and engaging curriculum, which promotes their reading, writing and mathematical skills across all subjects well.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and their appreciation of British values, is promoted exceptionally well.  Almost all pupils had made at least expected, and sometimes more than expected, progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the time they left school at the end of Year 6 in 2015.  Pupils’ attainment has improved year on year for at least the last three years. It was above average in all subjects at the end of key stage 1 in 2016, and much improved at the end of key stage 2.  Parents and carers are positive about all aspects of the school. They say that their children are happy, safe and well looked after.  The leadership and management of all aspects of the early years provision, including children’s personal development and welfare, are good.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally pupils are not fully challenged to achieve to the absolute best of their ability.  The attendance of a small group of pupils is not as good as that of their peers.  Governors new to the school do not yet have a precise understanding of all aspects of pupils’ performance, or how it compares to that of other pupils nationally.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, and in so doing raise levels of attainment across the school further, by ensuring that all pupils, particularly the most able, are consistently challenged to attain to the very best of their ability.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management by: – reducing pupils’ absence – ensuring that governors new to the school have a precise understanding of pupils’ performance and how it compares to that of other pupils nationally.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 This school is well led and managed by an effective and efficient senior leadership team. With the recent support of an executive headteacher, the new headteacher has taken the school from strength to strength, ensuring that standards are moving on an upward trajectory and the quality of teaching is continually improving.  Senior leaders have systematically tackled all areas for improvement identified during the previous inspection. Inspection evidence, including school data and assessment information, discussions with staff and parents, and work in pupils’ books, indicates that pupils make expected and often accelerated progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Senior leaders and governors ensure that St Mary’s is a lively and vibrant school. Pupils enjoy finding out new things and teachers and teaching assistants relish their many opportunities to develop their teaching practice and learn alongside their colleagues.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Subject leaders, including those responsible for English, mathematics, history, science, geography and art, have good subject knowledge. They ensure that they are up to date with developments in their subject areas and contribute to improving the quality of teaching and learning. They do this through talking to pupils about their learning, observing teachers’ practice and monitoring the work in pupils’ books.  Effective systems are in place to monitor teachers’ performance. Teachers are set challenging targets linked to the school’s priorities, including continually raising levels of attainment for pupils.  Teachers and teaching assistants benefit from good training and development. Those who spoke to inspectors were highly appreciative of the many opportunities they have to develop their teaching practice and subject knowledge. Staff new to teaching said that coaching and mentoring from senior

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

leaders helps to improve their practice.  Additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used exceptionally well to ensure that they participate in all aspects of school life, including educational trips and visits. Support activities have helped to ensure that these pupils achieve at least as well as their peers. For example, at the end of Year 6 in 2015 disadvantaged pupils made more than expected progress in writing and mathematics and expected progress in reading.  Pupils benefit from an engaging curriculum which promotes their reading, writing and mathematical skills well across all subjects. In addition to this, pupils have many opportunities to play various percussion, string, brass and woodwind instruments. They learn Spanish in key stage 2 and visit museums, theatres and local places of interest.  Senior leaders’ work to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, as well as their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

appreciation of British values, is highly effective. In this school pupils care deeply for each other and those less fortunate than themselves. Pupils regularly engage in raising money for various charities, play their part in reducing energy usage as ‘eco-warriors’ and are studious in their learning of the major world faiths including Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism and Islam.  Pupils enjoy their democratic rights as school council members and are diligent in their responsibilities as anti-bullying ambassadors. They understand the importance of fair play and the rule of law and have a good understanding of the culturally diverse nature of British society.  The overwhelming majority of parents are pleased with all aspects of the school. They are fully aware of recent changes in the school, including the appointment of a new headteacher, all of which they say have been beneficial to their children. Parents feel listened to. They say that staff are highly approachable and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

that they are confident that their children are safe, happy and making good progress.  The primary school sports funding is used very well to develop pupils’ confidence and competence in a wide range of physical activities, and to increase their participation in competitive sports, including dodgeball, hockey, handball, badminton and football. Funding is also used to develop the skills of staff in teaching various sporting and physical activities, including gymnastics.  The school has a highly effective and productive relationship with its local authority school improvement partner. Most recently support has been provided to develop the role of middle leaders, review the quality of teaching and learning and provide mentoring support for the headteacher.  The governance of the school – Most governors have a precise understanding of all aspects the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Quite rightly, they are pleased with the recent appointment of the new headteacher and happy that

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

the good work of senior leaders to improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement is paying off. – Governors receive regular information on the impact of additional teaching activities for those eligible for support through the pupil premium. They know that such activities are helping pupils to catch up with, and often surpass, their peers. They are fully aware that funding is used effectively to ensure that no pupils miss out on any aspect of school life because of their personal or family circumstances. – Governors are prepared to reward teachers for their hard work, but only if they are confident that they have met the rigorous targets they are set as part of teachers’ performance management. – Governors know that standards in reading, writing and mathematics are rapidly improving. However, new governors’ understanding is less precise. The chair of the governing body and senior leaders are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

acutely aware of this and have made it a priority area for development.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Senior leaders place a very high priority on ensuring that pupils are safe while in school. All staff, including those new to the school, are fully conversant with the school’s safeguarding procedures and know exactly what to do if they have any concerns about a pupil’s or child’s safety or welfare.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teaching has improved since the previous inspection. Pupils learn in bright, stimulating classrooms, which celebrate their excellent written, mathematical and artistic work. Teachers encourage pupils to read as much as possible, develop their phonics skills well and instil in them a love of reading.  Teachers ensure that pupils take pride in the presentation of their work and focus closely on ensuring that they develop into confident and resilient learners. Teachers take a consistent approach to checking pupils’ grammar, punctuation and spelling. They insist on neat handwriting and ensure that pupils’ calculation and problem-solving work is laid out correctly.  Teachers take a consistent approach to assessing work in pupils’ books. They provide regular feedback, which indicates clearly to pupils how they can improve their learning. All teachers give pupils time to check and review their work. This enhances pupils’ understanding of how they can improve their learning

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

and supports their good progress across all subjects.  Teachers and teaching assistants work exceptionally well together and provide excellent support for pupils who have special educational needs or disability. They operate an ‘inclusive approach’ which is highly effective in ensuring that pupils can work together and learn from each other.  Teachers’ good subject knowledge in English helps pupils in mastering the complexities of the English language. This was exemplified in an upper key stage 2 class where pupils were learning how to use different literary techniques to ‘hook’ the reader in and maintain their interest. Pupils demonstrated their good understanding of metaphor, simile and alliteration to write sentences such as ‘I was metal to a magnet’, and ‘I was as happy as a rainbow being born’.  Pupils understand why mathematics is important because teachers provide many opportunities for them

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

to apply their calculation skills to practical situations and problem-solving activities. This was shown in a key stage 2 class where pupils were refining their multiplication and subtraction skills. Pupils were encouraged to use different methods of calculation to work out how much money they would have left from £50, after purchasing items such as skateboards, tracksuits and training shoes.  Teachers use technology to good effect. This was shown in an upper key stage 2 class where pupils were honing their calculation skills while working on sums with varying levels of complexity. While lower-ability pupils multiplied single-digit numbers with two-digit numbers, the most-able used two-digit numbers to multiply four-digit numbers. They used their handheld devices to check their answers before moving on to the next challenge. Pupils said that they found the devices useful because they could quickly check their

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

work without relying on the teacher.  Work to develop pupils’ love of learning and stimulate their interest is highly effective. This was illustrated in a key stage 1 class when a visitor came to talk to pupils about minibeasts, their anatomy, habitats and characteristics. Although very excited, pupils listened carefully and followed instructions well as they gently handled various insects and used their magnifiers to identify how many pairs of legs a woodlouse has.  Observations of teaching and work in pupils’ books shows that teachers regularly provide a range of activities to ensure the good progress of groups of pupils with different levels of ability. However, work in pupils’ books reveals that occasionally tasks and activities set by teachers do not always fully challenge pupils in key stage 2, particularly the most able, to achieve to the very best of their abilities in writing.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils are very proud of their school. They enjoy coming to school, finding out new things and learning alongside their friends.  Pupils are becoming increasingly confident and resilient learners. They are happy to share their views in class, discuss ideas with peers, try out new things and learn from their mistakes.  Pupils say that they feel safe at all times and that they are confident to share any concerns they may have with any member of staff, knowing that they will always be taken seriously and dealt with quickly.  Pupils have a well-developed understanding of how to stay safe when online and know that cyber bullying can occur on any device that is connected to the internet. Older pupils have a particularly good knowledge of internet safety.  Pupils have a good awareness of most forms of prejudice-based bullying, such as racism, which they say is ‘not nice and does not fit in with our core values of love, equality, forgiveness and hope’. They are

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Personal development and welfare

adamant that racism never happens at school. Their knowledge and understanding of other forms of discrimination, such as homophobic bullying, is less well developed.  Pupils have a good understanding of safe and unsafe situations. This is promoted by the police and firefighters, who regularly address the whole school during assemblies. Older pupils have an acute awareness of the dangers of drugs and alcohol and of the importance of regular exercise and healthy eating.  Older pupils’ tours around the local community, in their high-visibility jackets and junior police community support officer hats, develop their awareness of the dangers of playing near parked vehicles and the importance of being alert when on the roads.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils in this school really care about each other. They support their less-confident peers when they are reluctant to speak in class and applaud each other for their achievements. Pupils enjoy coming together for whole-school assemblies, leading collective worship, sharing their ideas on the school council, singing with the Hallé Orchestra and dancing at the Lowry Theatre. Pupils’ joy in attending assemblies was shown during the inspection when they warmly invited the local bishop into school and listened quietly as he congratulated them, and staff, on the outcome of a recent statutory inspection for Methodist and Anglican schools.  Pupils play together sensibly and move around the school considerately. They are welcoming to visitors and are immensely proud of their school. Pupils treat each other and adults with respect, take great pride in their appearance and with the presentation of their work. Pupils ensure that their school is tidy and

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Behaviour

that the excellent displays of their artwork and writing are meticulously kept.  Pupils are of the view that behaviour is almost always good and that bullying never happens. They say that the anti-bullying ambassadors never have to deal with bullying; instead they focus on making sure that no one in school is left without a friend.  Teachers, governors, and the overwhelming majority of parents are of the view that behaviour is good. The school’s own records show that poor behaviour is rare and always dealt with appropriately and swiftly. Pupils’ behaviour over time is typically good.  Pupils’ attendance is average and is much improved since the previous inspection. However, the attendance of a small group of pupils is below average. Senior leaders are aware of this and are working closely with the school’s learning mentor to ensure the good attendance of all groups of pupils.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils’ achievement has improved since the last inspection. At the end of Year 6 in 2015, the vast majority of pupils had made at least expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics. A very small minority of pupils did not make the progress expected of them in reading. All pupils made at least expected progress in writing and mathematics. Disadvantaged pupils made more than expected progress in these subjects.  Pupils’ attainment at the end of both key stages 1 and 2 in 2015 was the best that it has been for the last five years. While their attainment in reading and writing at the end of key stage 2 was below average, it is rapidly improving. Pupils’ attainment was average in mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling. Pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 1 in 2015 was well above average overall with writing being especially strong.  The school’s assessment information and data show that almost all pupils made at least good progress

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Outcomes for pupils are good

across the school in all subjects in 2015. They continue to make rapid progress across the school this year. The school’s excellent records show that the small number of pupils who did not make expected progress by the end of Year 6 in 2015 were mainly pupils who have special educational needs or disability. These pupils made good progress from their exceptionally low starting points.  Pupils love to read. Their reading records show that they read often and are familiar with the work of many authors and different genres. Those pupils who read for inspectors demonstrated their good ability to read in character and summarise storylines. Less-able readers were able to use their phonics skills well to sound out and read unfamiliar words. Good phonics teaching has helped to ensure that the proportion of pupils secure in their phonics skills and knowledge at the national screening check at the end of Year 1

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Outcomes for pupils are good

has been above average for the last two years.  The overwhelming majority of pupils make rapid and sustained progress in writing across the school and have good writing skills. This is shown in their extended writing on, for example, the lives of the great Egyptian pharaohs and well-known artists. Rapid improvements are being made in key stage 2.  Pupils’ mathematical skills are developing well because teachers make this subject interesting. School data shows that standards attained by pupils in mathematics are rapidly improving across the school. Work in pupils’ books shows examples of mathematics being taught in other subjects, such as in science and geography, and demonstrates pupils’ accelerated progress.  Disadvantaged pupils make good, and sometimes outstanding, progress across the school and they achieve at least as well as their peers in all subjects.  The care and excellent support that pupils who have special educational needs or disability receive

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Outcomes for pupils are good

enables them to fully engage in their learning alongside their peers and make rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Senior leaders have taken effective action to increase the number of high-attaining pupils. This was evident in pupils’ good attainment in mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling at the end of key stage 2 in 2015. The most-able pupils are increasingly given challenging work, provided with extra classes at local advanced progression centres, and encouraged to pursue their own interests.

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Early years provision is good

 All aspects of the early years provision, including the quality of teaching and outcomes for children, are good. Children learn in lively, purposeful and stimulating indoor and outdoor learning and playing areas. For example, recently children tried out new foods during World Food Day and enjoyed watching incubated chicken eggs hatch and handling little chicks.  Staff hold detailed assessment information on all children and have an accurate picture of their skills and abilities when they enter the Nursery class. Often with skills not as well developed as typically expected for their age, especially in speaking and listening, all groups of children, including those eligible for extra support through the pupil premium, make good progress.  In 2015 the proportion of children attaining a good level of development was just below average and not as good as that of the previous year. However, the vast majority of children made good progress, often

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Early years provision is good

from low starting points, and were well prepared with the necessary skills and abilities for their learning in Year 1. This year, children have got off to an excellent start and are making good progress in all areas of learning.  Staff are caring, well trained and work exceptionally well together to ensure that children’s time in the Nursery and Reception classes is memorable and productive. They have very high expectations of children and offer various activities to cater for their different interests and learning needs. Children enjoy art, construction, reading, writing, role play, weighing, counting and measuring, and are very eager to talk about their learning.  Children are cooperative, enjoy solving problems and listen carefully to adults. This was evident during a phonics session, where in different groups children were refining their reading, writing and letter- formulation skills. Highly effective support was provided for a small number of children at the very early

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Early years provision is good

stages of developing their communication and language skills.  Children behave well at all times. They move around sensibly and considerately and take care when using their wheeled toys. Children always stop what they are doing when adults ask them to tidy up or follow instructions.  The early years leader ensures that parents are kept fully informed about their children’s progress. The school’s website contains lots of useful information for parents on how they can support their children’s learning at home. Parents are pleased that their children are making good progress and are of the view that they are happy and safe. Senior leaders ensure that the same good and effective safeguarding procedures operating in key stages 1 and 2 are fully implemented in the early years classes.  Senior leaders have made it a priority to continue to improve children’s skills including writing, numbers and listening and attention, and to ensure that an even greater proportion of children than in previous

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Early years provision is good

years attain a good level of development and are well prepared for their future learning.

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School details

Unique reference number 105936 Local authority Salford Inspection number 10012169

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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 Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 205 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Chris Tomkins Headteacher/Principal/Teacher in charge Jo-Ann McGarry Telephone number 0161 7759594 Website www.st-marys-cadishead.salford.sch.uk Email address stmarys.ceprimaryschool@salford.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 17–18 June 2014

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is above average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by pupil premium funding is twice the national average. (The pupil premium is additional government funding to support those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority.)  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups, as well as the proportion who speak English as an additional language, is well below average.  Children in the early years provision attend the Nursery and Reception classes on a full-time basis.  The school meets current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Before- and after-school services operate from the school. These are subject to a separate inspection.

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Information about this school

 After the retirement of the previous headteacher, at the end of the summer term in 2015, the local authority appointed an executive headteacher from a good school until a substantive headteacher was appointed. The deputy headteacher is now the substantive headteacher.  Since the previous inspection a number of staff have been appointed, including four newly qualified teachers and a learning mentor. Three governors have been recently appointed.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed a range of lessons in all year groups, as well as the teaching of small groups of pupils and sessions aimed at helping pupils to learn to read. Joint observations were carried out with the headteacher.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and held discussions with pupils from across the school. Pupils’ work in books was scrutinised in class and separately with senior leaders.  Inspectors considered the 12 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and 13 text responses from parents. Inspectors met informally with parents at the beginning of the school day. Responses to the inspection questionnaires completed by 22 members of staff and 83 pupils were also considered.  Two separate meetings were held with six governors. A meeting was held with a range of subject leaders, including those responsible for English, mathematics, science, history and art. Meetings were also held with leaders responsible for the early years provision and provision for pupils who have special

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Information about this inspection

educational needs or disability.  A meeting was held with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors examined a range of documents. These included the school’s reviews of its own performance, checks on the quality of teaching, development plans, safeguarding documentation, information about pupils’ progress, and various records of pupils’ attendance and behaviour.

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Inspection team

Lenford White, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Elaine White 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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