Edleston Primary School

Edleston Primary School Denver Avenue, Crewe, Cheshire CW2 7PX

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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 Good

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This is a good school

 The outstanding personal development and welfare of pupils lies at the heart of Edleston Primary School’s work. Leaders and staff know the pupils very well. They use this information to create a warm, welcoming environment where pupils are safe, valued and behave and learn well. Rates of attendance continue to rise and exclusions are non-existent.  The school is led well. The headteacher and the deputy have a clear, upbeat vision which is shared by staff. Consequently, when challenges loom, the school is well placed to meet them head-on.  Leaders check the performance of the school thoroughly. Consequently, leaders know the strengths and what needs to be improved well.  Children in the early years get off to a very good start. They enjoy school and, year on year, the proportion achieving a good level of development has risen. The overall quality of provision has improved since the previous inspection.  Pupils achieve well by the time they leave at the

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This is a good school

end of Year 6. The progress of some pupils for whom English is not their first language and those who enter the school part-way through their school year is outstanding.  The quality of teaching and assessment is good. Teachers and adults use questioning well to ascertain where pupils are in their learning. This questioning also enables pupils to think for themselves increasingly effectively.  In this diverse community, pupils have a strong understanding of British values.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some activities limit pupils’ ability to write responses as fully as they are able to.  At times, pupils are not challenged to correct their spelling mistakes. Consequently, words incorrectly spelt early in the year remain incorrect.  While governance has improved since the previous inspection, governors are sometimes unaware of the impact the actions taken by leaders have had on the learning and development of pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve further the progress made by pupils, so they attain higher standards by the time they leave, by: − providing more opportunities across the curriculum for pupils to write full responses in their own words − providing opportunities for pupils to correct errors in their spellings.  Strengthen governance further by ensuring that governors always seek to check that the actions taken by the school have made a difference to the learning and development of pupils.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The school is led well. The headteacher, ever positive in outlook, has successfully created a strong sense of teamwork which is evident across the school. All staff who responded to the inspection questionnaire reported that they are proud to work at the school, are positive about their roles and know what is expected of them. This is because the headteacher and her deputy have a clear, upbeat vision which is shared by staff. Consequently, when challenges loom, the school is well placed to deal with them.  Another factor behind the strong teamwork evident in the school is the support and challenge teachers and supporting adults receive to carry out their jobs well. Teachers and other adults who support learning are held accountable for their performance. Training needs are identified well and appropriate courses followed. The leadership and management of teaching and learning are therefore strong.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The school’s curriculum is broad and balanced and includes a range of opportunities beyond the classroom. It is also enhanced by expert sports coaching, made possible by effective use of the additional money provided by the government to promote physical education (PE) in primary schools. This expertise strengthens pupils’ participation in sport, challenging them to jump a little further or higher for example, and also strengthens the subject knowledge of teachers.  Pupils across all subjects are encouraged to develop skills of independence and teamwork and, apart from some activities which limit their ability to respond fully, they do so successfully. This is a good improvement since the previous inspection. The curriculum promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. It also prepares them well for life in modern Britain, not least by ensuring that they have a good appreciation of the importance of tolerance and respect.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The additional funding provided by the government to support pupils who are disadvantaged or in the care of the local authority (pupil premium funding) is being used to improve pupils’ academic and personal development with increasing good effect now. In the past, as leaders accurately evaluate, the gains from this funding in improvements in pupils’ behaviour and attendance have not always been matched by gains in academic performance.  Leaders’ checking of how well the school is performing is thorough. Consequently, leaders know strengths and what needs to be improved well. The school benefits from support and challenge from the local authority and a school improvement partner, both of whom have an accurate view of the school’s performance.  The governance of the school Governance has been improved since the previous inspection. A number of governors are active in the life of the school and use their knowledge and understanding well to carry out their roles.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Governors of the school evaluate their own needs and priorities. Roles have been reorganised so that those with the greatest expertise, in teaching and learning and safeguarding for example, lead on those areas. Quite correctly, governors have elected not to fill a vacancy until a person with the right set of skills to enhance the governing body has been identified. Governors have a keen understanding of how money is spent and what actions have been taken by leaders. However, they are not always aware of the impact these actions have had on the learning and development of pupils.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have undertaken required training in child protection. Consequently, staff know signs to look out for and know how to report concerns should they arise. All staff have also been trained in the ‘Prevent’ duty. The school’s approach to pupils’ personal development and the promotion of British values mean that tolerance and not extremism rules the day.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers and adults use questioning effectively across the school and in different subjects. This enables them to ascertain where pupils are in their learning and reshape lessons. This means that where pupils are doing well they are challenged further and those who may be struggling are helped to catch up.  Teachers’ and supporting adults’ questioning also enables pupils to think for themselves increasingly well. Older pupils, for example, when not quite grasping that a triangle could contain an obtuse angle, were encouraged to think what different triangles looked like. Prompted to use their knowledge of the properties of different angles, pupils drew different triangles and were able to explain why such shapes may contain acute, right or obtuse angles.  Pupils spoken to were clear that they enjoy learning. They know if they find things difficult, adults are on hand to help them out. Overall, pupils are challenged well to produce their very best work both in content

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

and presentation. This good work ethic was articulated well by a pupil who, when asked what it felt like to get a piece of hard work right, replied, ‘You feel like it was worth it.’ However, while pupils are encouraged to think for themselves, and do so increasingly well, some activities set by teachers limit pupils’ ability to write responses as fully as they are able to.  Teachers’ assessments of pupils are accurate and indicate that pupils are continuing to make good progress in their learning. Teachers follow the school’s marking policy appropriately and, in the main, pupils respond to the helpful comments made – another factor underpinning the good progress pupils make. Where there is inconsistency, though, it is in the correction of spelling errors which means errors sometimes go unchecked and, as a result, are repeated.  Across the school, including in the early years provision, teachers and their assistants work together very

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

well. This is because additional adults are deployed suitably to support pupils’ learning. As a result, different groups of pupils, including those who have special educational needs or disability, learn well.

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Personal development and welfare

 The promotion of pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding and lies at the very heart of the school’s work.  Leaders and staff know their pupils very well including what makes them tick and what gets in the way of their learning and development. What is more, leaders and staff are relentless in their efforts to tackle any obstacles.  Support for vulnerable pupils is very strong. Thorough records identifying needs are kept and external agencies involved appropriately so that these pupils are supported in a coordinated fashion.  Pupils have a strong understanding of British values. In the diverse community in which pupils live, they appreciate very clearly the need for tolerance and respect, including for different religious beliefs.  Examples of bullying, including racist and homophobic, are rare. Any such incidents are checked regularly by the school’s lead behaviour professional and the headteacher to ensure that any trends are minimised.

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Personal development and welfare

These records, supported by the views of pupils spoken to, show that such incidents are taken seriously and acted on. Pupils know bullying is unacceptable. They also know there is always someone to turn to if they have concerns, using the headteacher’s ‘worry box’ for example.  The result of the school’s excellent work in promoting personal development and welfare is that a warm, welcoming environment has been created where pupils are safe, valued, and behave and learn well.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are a credit to themselves and their school. They are cheerful, friendly, polite and smart in their appearance.  Pupils behave well around school at break and at lunchtimes. When taught by visitors, in PE for example, they show the same level of respect to these adults as they do to their usual teachers.  In class, in the main, pupils are most attentive and eager to participate. They work well individually and in groups. On occasions, though, a few disrupt the learning of themselves and each other. Such occasions are managed skilfully by teachers and are much rarer than in the past.  Rates of attendance continue to rise and exclusions are non-existent. The attendance of pupils currently stands at over 96%.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 The majority of pupils enter Year 1 with skills and abilities below those typical for their age. Over the course of their time in school, they make good progress across the curriculum to attain standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 that are broadly average.  Across the curriculum, pupils are making strides in their learning. Year 1 pupils, for example, ably identified features from oblique aerial photographs while Year 6 pupils used longitude and latitude to find various locations on maps. Pupils also used skills gained in mathematics to interpret graphs to describe levels of rainfall and differences in temperature.  Published information on the school’s performance shows that rates of progress made by pupils between Year 2 and Year 6 have been in decline. This information, however, masks high levels of pupil mobility and social and emotional need. In 2015, for example, only two thirds of the pupils who took national tests

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Outcomes for pupils are good

began their school career at Edleston. Furthermore, these pupils saw 30 other pupils join or leave their class at different times. Nevertheless, pupils still attained broadly average standards from below average starting points.  Of those who joined Edleston later, some attained expected standards in Year 6 having been well below average at the end of Year 2. These at least good rates of progress are the result of the outstanding levels of personal development and welfare which have enabled these pupils to complete their education and be prepared well for secondary school.  In the past, disadvantaged pupils have performed less well than their peers at both key stages 1 and 2. Current pupils, however, are making good progress in line with their peers. This is because the support the school is providing through pupil premium funding is beginning to pay dividends. Leaders acknowledge that the impact of this funding has, in the past, been more evident in pupils’ personal

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Outcomes for pupils are good

development than in their academic attainment.  Pupils for whom English is not their first language make outstanding strides in their learning, again because of the high levels of support they receive in line with their peers.  The most-able pupils in the school are catered for well through the stimulus they receive in lessons. A number of pupils, for example, attained a level in mathematics in 2015 more associated with standards expected in secondary schools.  Reading is given high priority. The proportion of Year 1 pupils who attained the expected standards in phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) rose between 2014 and 2015 and is set to rise again. Particularly pleasing was the performance of disadvantaged pupils in 2015. Pupils throughout the school read with increased fluency and expression – they enjoy reading very much.  Pupils enjoy writing. The work they produce is increasingly accurate in the use of grammar and

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Outcomes for pupils are good

punctuation as they progress through the school. Spelling errors, though, are often repeated because teachers sometimes do not correct them the first time they appear.

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Early years provision is good

 The quality of provision has improved markedly since the previous inspection. This is because of the strong leadership and teamwork that exists, which means each child is known well. The personal development and welfare of children, outstanding in quality, are paramount. Statutory requirements are met and children are safe. Children get on very well together and behave very well. They settle into their activities quickly and with increasing maturity. Routines in the early provision are well established and expectations are clear.  This strong focus on the individual needs of children is vital in this setting. This is because a sizeable proportion of children enter Reception with little or no English. Furthermore, children overall have skills and abilities which are below, sometimes significantly so, those typical for their age. The close links that exist with pre-school providers and parents help counter these potential barriers. These factors are not

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Early years provision is good

used as excuses by leaders: expectations of what children are to achieve in their learning and development are high. Parents spoken to during the inspection reported freely how happy they and their children are with all the school has to offer.  Children make good and sometimes outstanding levels of progress from their starting points. In 2013, only one fifth of children achieved a good level of development. This figure has risen year on year so that two thirds of children are on course to meet this standard in 2016. Leaders are aware that these rises, while pleasing, are below average. This means that while the majority of children go into Year 1 with the skills they need, a third of children in 2016 need further support to develop these. While this is the key reason why the early years provision is not outstanding, those who are not on course to attain a good level of development still make at least good progress. Children for whom English is not their first

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Early years provision is good

language, for example, benefit from additional, targeted support to develop their skills in speaking, listening and writing.  Children benefit from a stimulating environment both indoors and outdoors. This environment is used successfully to provide opportunities to learn in a range of contexts, and particularly to help children read, write, use numbers, shape and space, and explore the wider world.  Good, strong, stimulating teaching and assessment encourage children to explore and share their findings. When, for example, the teacher and an assistant had a ‘telephone conversation’ about the availability of different shapes, the children joined in enthusiastically. Focused, open-ended questioning by adults helped all children identify different shapes and use vocabulary such as ‘faces’ to deepen their understanding. This mastering of key vocabulary is a significant feature of well-planned activities to

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Early years provision is good

promote independent learning. Children, for example, role playing in the ‘shape shop’, were able to identify spheres, cones, cylinders, cuboids and cubes, and use these words accurately.

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School details

Unique reference number 111170 Local authority Cheshire East Inspection number 10011037

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 209 Appropriate authority The local authority Chair Emma Humphries Headteacher/Principal/Teacher in charge Rachael Bagni Telephone number 01270 685770 Website www.edleston.cheshire.sch.uk Email address head@edleston.cheshire.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 20 January 2011

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Information about this school

 The school is a little smaller in size than other primary schools in England. It shares its site with a pre- school.  The proportion of pupils for whom pupil premium funding is intended is higher than the national average.  The school has a much higher proportion of pupils for whom English is not their first language.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is just below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards which set the minimum expectations of pupils’ progress and attainment.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed the school at work, including looking at teaching and learning in lessons and scrutinising pupils’ work in books. On the first day of the inspection, much of this activity took place with the headteacher.  Inspectors sought the views of parents through informal discussions at ‘the gate’ on the second day of the inspection. They also took into account 10 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, gathered over the last 365 days alongside the responses of parents to the school’s own surveys.  Two groups of pupils spoke to inspectors about their views of the school. Inspectors also spoke informally with pupils during breaks and lunchtimes and in lessons themselves. During some lessons, inspectors heard a few pupils read. Four pupils responded to the inspection questionnaire.  The views of 21 menbers of staff who responded to the inspection questionnaire were also taken into

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Information about this inspection

account.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and deputy headteacher and the early years leader. They also met with two members of the governing body including the chair. Telephone discussions were held with the school improvement partner and a representative of the local authority.

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Inspection team

Mark Williams, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Mark Quinn Her Majesty’s Inspector Clare McGarey 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

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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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