Watersheddings Primary School

Watersheddings Primary School Broadbent Road, Oldham OL1 4HU

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is an inadequate school

 Leaders and governors have acted too slowly to improve the quality of teaching and learning. They do not check pupils’ progress well enough.  Leaders do not have a planned, rigorous or robust system to check the quality of teaching or the impact of initiatives to improve teaching. Teaching is not improving quickly enough and pupils are not making fast enough progress.  Leaders do not analyse information from checking pupils’ work to identify any gaps in learning for different groups. They do not know where there are gaps and fail to make sure pupils’ learning needs are met.  Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do and achieve are too low, including for the most able. Pupils are not encouraged to think deeply enough about their learning.  Standards by the end of key stages 1 and 2 have declined since the school was previously inspected. Results of national tests in 2015 were significantly below the national average.

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This is an inadequate school

 Provision in the early years is weak. Leaders have not accurately identified strengths and weaknesses because they do not know what good-quality practice and provision look like.  Time is regularly lost for children in the early years to develop their knowledge and skills. This is because staff do not plan enough focused learning activities and fail to use the outdoor area as an effective learning environment.  The curriculum is weak. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to practise their English and mathematics skills across a range of subjects, and work in most subjects is at too low a level.

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The school has the following strengths

 Good promotion of pupils’ personal development and welfare lies at the core of the work of all staff.  Pupils display high levels of good behaviour, both in the classroom and outside during breaks and lunchtimes. They thrive on the vast range of activities offered to them at lunchtimes.  There are signs that pupils’ progress in writing and mathematics is now improving.  Pupils show impeccable manners at all times and are very proud of this aspect of their behaviour.  Pupils have mature attitudes and show a good level of respect for others and for the rule of law.

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Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Rapidly improve the impact of leadership and management by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

ensuring that leaders frequently and robustly check on the quality of teaching and learning, and that they check the impact of actions taken to improve teaching analysing information about pupils’ progress to ensure leaders identify attainment gaps for different groups of pupils and take action to close any gaps using the stronger practice of some teachers to coach and develop other teachers.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Quickly improve the quality and effectiveness of early years provision by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

ensuring leaders have appropriate skills and abilities to help them identify strengths and weaknesses in provision and to devise action plans to address weaknesses using the outdoors area to provide learning activities for children to develop a range of skills making sure planned learning activities are effective in helping children learn essential skills and knowledge, particularly outdoors.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and learning so pupils make more consistently good progress by making sure that:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

all teachers have high expectations of all groups of pupils the most able pupils are given harder work, which challenges them to think more deeply about what they are learning pupils have time to practise their English and mathematics skills across a wide range of subjects work planned in a wide range of subjects is set at the appropriate level to enable pupils to make good progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 Since the school’s last inspection, leaders have failed to improve the quality of teaching and learning quickly enough. As a result, outcomes for pupils by the end of key stages 1 and 2 have declined.  The lack of rigour in the way in which leaders at all levels check the quality of teaching and learning has resulted in a failure to improve teaching. Actions given to teachers to improve are not focused on the progress pupils need to make to catch up. Leaders do not follow up their recommendations to check the impact. Consequently, the quality of teaching and learning is still not good enough.  Systems to check the effectiveness of training to improve teaching have been sporadic and unfocused. For example, the effectiveness of training to improve teachers’ questioning skills to deepen pupils’ understanding has not been checked by leaders. Consequently, they do not have a clear picture of whether teachers require further training or whether teachers are now having a positive impact on pupils’

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

learning.  Although leaders have implemented a system to track the amount of progress pupils make in class, they do not analyse this information sufficiently well to identify which groups of pupils require extra support. They focus on individual pupils’ progress, but do not link limited progress to weaker teaching.  A new curriculum has been introduced which aims to provide a breadth of subjects to be studied in each year group. However, the school’s curriculum lacks the depth of learning to give pupils opportunities to acquire new knowledge and to develop skills at a level which will challenge them to think more deeply. Consequently, pupils are working below the expected level for their age in a range of subjects and are not presented with opportunities to progress quickly enough.  Extra funding to help close gaps between the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and others is generally used effectively. Some gaps still remain, but they are narrowing. However, leaders are unaware

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

where some gaps remain.  The local authority shared concerns about leaders not acting swiftly enough after the previous inspection. Support was provided by officers at the local authority and a local primary school. However, this did not bring about fast enough improvements.  The school’s website does not meet statutory requirements as some key information is missing, particularly relating to the use and impact of pupil premium funding and the school’s approach to meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs or disability.  Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They play an active role in decision-making in the school through their role on the school council. They learn about a range of different customs, cultures and religions across the world, which are often celebrated in an ‘RE’ or ‘Culture’ day. Extra-curricular activities, linking with a variety other schools with a range of pupil profiles, visitors into school and trips,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

are having a good impact on pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development.  The school uses the primary school physical education and sport premium effectively to promote pupils’ physical development and to extend their sporting opportunities. Specialist coaches are used to provide good-quality teaching for pupils and training for staff. Furthermore, lunchtime activities are motivating and exciting; they engage and involve pupils in physical exercise well. This encourages them to become increasingly physically active.  The school may not appoint newly qualified teachers.  The governance of the school Although the governors have taken some steps to improve their skills and their knowledge of the school since the previous inspection, further work is still required. They do not challenge the work of leaders robustly enough to ensure that any improvement initiatives have a specific focus and are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

precise enough to bring about sufficient improvement. The governing body has been proactive in identifying new members of the community to become governors, to bring additional, essential skills to strengthen the governing body. Governors have sought validation from external consultants to support them in their decision-making around performance management for teachers. On occasions, this external validation has not been accurately based on robust evidence and has therefore given governors an over-generous view about the quality of teaching and learning.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There are robust systems to ensure that pupils are kept safe. A family support worker and learning mentor bring further expertise and support for leaders, which means that vulnerable pupils receive additional guidance when needed. They are taught well about how to stay safe in school, online and in the community.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because it is not consistently good. Leaders are not managing teaching well enough to secure improvements. As a result, the amount of progress pupils make varies from class to class.  Most teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can do. Too often, the most able pupils are not challenged to think deeply and are not given enough opportunities to explain what they have found out. This means that they are not making the rapid progress they should. Additionally, lack of challenge means not enough pupils work at the level of which they are capable.  Opportunities for pupils to practise their mathematical and writing skills in different subjects are not embedded in practice. This means these important skills are not developing quickly enough.  Teachers’ expectations vary about the quality of pupils’ work which is expected in different classes and across a range of different subjects. There are occasions when the work presented demonstrates a real

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

pride in pupils’ attitudes. However, there are times when pupils are allowed to produce poorly presented work with too many mistakes that remain uncorrected.  The teaching of mathematics is inconsistent across the school. More recently, there has been a focus on giving pupils opportunities for problem solving and to think for themselves. This is more successful in upper key stage 2, but is not developed well enough across the school.  A recent initiative to develop pupils’ writing skills is starting to have an impact on the progress pupils are making. Pupils demonstrate a better understanding of how to review and edit their own writing to improve it. This is working most effectively in two classes in key stage 2.  The work of teaching assistants has a positive impact on pupils in Year 1 to Year 6 who need additional help and support in their learning. This helps pupils, particularly new pupils who speak English as an

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

additional language, to make a good start in their learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils feel very proud to attend Watersheddings. They talk with passion and enthusiasm about the opportunities available to them, including residential visits and trips to museums.  Pupils care for one another around the school and in the playground. Pupils speak very maturely about welcoming other pupils from different backgrounds and countries, and accept that sometimes they have different beliefs. They show very positive attitudes when discussing that everyone is unique and people have different religious practices, stating ‘people should make up their own mind – it’s their choice’.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in the school, at home and out in the community. Pupils talk confidently about keeping themselves safe online and know exactly what to do if they have any safety concerns or issues.  Pupils understand the different forms bullying can take. They show a secure understanding of potential

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Personal development and welfare

dangers that could face them in and out of school. They are confident that, if any issues do occur, staff members will deal with them seriously and swiftly.  Pupils are encouraged to take on responsibilities in classrooms and around the school, including by becoming members of the school council. Pupils learn about democracy as part of this process. They have been fundamental in decision-making about new playground furniture this year, and have attended governing body meetings to find out more about running and managing the school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils display good attitudes to their learning. They are keen and eager to participate with other pupils and interact well with adults. This makes a significant contribution to the progress pupils make. There is a high level of respect, between adults and pupils, and among the pupils themselves.  Pupils are proud of their school. They are respectful as they move around the school and are extremely well-mannered. Inspectors found that pupils demonstrated impeccably high standards of courtesy at all times.  Pupils are encouraged to be active during playtime and lunchtime. A great amount of thought and effort goes into organising activities for pupils to engage in, including carrying out exercises to music and a range of team games. At the same time, there are areas for pupils to chat to their friends and to sit and relax. This helps pupils behave well, as they are motivated by the activities, which they enjoy.

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Behaviour

 All staff work hard to engage with pupils who are regularly absent and with their families. As a result, attendance is now higher than it was previously, although it is still below the national average. Pupils with special educational needs and those who are looked after have lower attendance than other pupils nationally. There continue to be issues with some pupils’ levels of persistent absence. Leaders continually implement a range of different strategies to address this and regularly issue penalty notices to those families whose children do not attend regularly.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Progress is not consistently good across the school and in different subjects. Therefore, outcomes for pupils still require improvement. Low standards by the end of each key stage, and inconsistent progress which is not enabling pupils to catch up to the level they need to reach, are resulting in pupils not being ready for their next stages in education.  The amount of progress pupils make by the end of Year 6 is similar to that expected nationally. However, this is from low starting points and pupils are not catching up as quickly as they should do. Not enough pupils make good progress, particularly in writing and mathematics.  Standards have fallen since the school was last inspected. Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 1 is now significantly below what is expected nationally. There is a similar picture in key stage 2. Standards have declined and are now below national figures in

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

mathematics and reading, and are significantly below in writing and English grammar, punctuation and spelling.  The most able pupils do not make the rapid progress they should make owing to a lack of challenge in most year groups. This means that they do not attain the highest levels of which they are capable. However, current Year 6 pupils have been given more opportunity to do this more recently and are rising to that challenge.  As a result of very recent improvements in teaching, progress in writing and mathematics has started to quicken and standards in these areas are beginning to rise.  Disadvantaged pupils, and those with special educational needs or disability, are making the same uneven progress as their peers. Gaps between those pupils and their peers have mainly closed, although some do remain. Disadvantaged pupils are not making as much progress as their peers in writing in upper key

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

stage 2.  The proportion of pupils who attain the national standard in phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) has improved over the last three years. The proportion achieving this is now above what is being attained nationally. This is because a more systematic way to teach phonics is improving the way pupils are starting to read.

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Early years provision is inadequate

 Leaders do not have a clear picture of the provision’s strengths and weaknesses, which has resulted in ineffective action to improve the quality of teaching and learning. This is hindering the rapid progress pupils need to make to catch up with their peers nationally.  Leaders of the early years do not monitor the provision effectively because they do not have a good understanding of what good early years practice and provision look like. Consequently, staff are not given clear strategies and suggestions to improve their own skills.  Children enter the early years with skills which are below those typical for their age. The proportion of children who leave with a good level of development has improved over time but it is still well below the national average. Gaps still remain in key learning areas of reading, writing and number for disadvantaged children. Therefore, a substantial number of children are not ready to begin Year 1.

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Early years provision is inadequate

 The quality of teaching and the use of teaching assistants is inconsistent. Where practice is stronger, staff are using opportunities to challenge and extend children’s understanding and learning. Children are presented with activities which encourage them to think, for example using screwdrivers to take equipment apart safely. Where practice is weaker, staff do not link what is taught to the learning the children need in order to develop their skills.  Leaders have not ensured that provision for children is good enough when regular staff are absent. They do not plan for focused learning opportunities during these times, resulting in a significant amount of time in which to develop children’s skills and understanding being lost.  Children behave well; they listen to adults attentively, cooperate and share with each other.  The outdoor areas do not provide a wide enough range of activities for children to explore adequately the

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Early years provision is inadequate

different aspects of the early years curriculum. Consequently, children are not developing their skills in the outdoor environment and do not catch up quickly enough. Too often children flit between activities or miss valuable learning time in unchallenging activities.  Safeguarding is effective. Leaders ensure that all the relevant documentation is in place and that safety checks are carried out regularly. However, they are unclear about some of the welfare requirements and, during the inspection, were unable to provide evidence of any involvement of external agency work other than the private on-site Nursery provider.  Links with parents remain a focus for staff in the early years. The school has built up positive relationships with parents, who regularly visit school to take part in activities with their children.

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School details

Unique reference number 105635 Local authority Oldham Inspection number 10012102

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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 Maintained Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 279 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Nichola Bardsley Headteacher John Crabtree Telephone number 0161 624 1219 Website www.watersheddingsprimary.co.uk Email address info@watersheddings.oldham.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 4–5 March 2014

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Information about this school

 The number of pupils on roll at the school is average for primary schools. This is increasing over time.  Children attend part-time in the Nursery and full-time in the Reception Year.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average, but is increasing term by term.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is above average. The pupil premium is additional government funding for children looked after and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is similar to other schools.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.  There is a breakfast club on the premises which is run independently of the school, and a privately run Nursery.  The school’s website does not contain all the information that is required.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in a range of lessons and also made some short visits to classrooms. The headteacher jointly observed two lessons with the lead inspector.  Inspectors listened to a range of pupils read and reviewed the work in pupils’ books both independently and with school leaders.  Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and during break and lunchtime was observed.  Inspectors talked informally to pupils in lessons and around the school and held formal meetings with pupils from across key stages 1 and 2.  Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, senior leaders, subject and other leaders, class teachers, governors, and an officer from Oldham local authority.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation, including leaders’ evaluation of the school’s performance, school improvement planning, documents monitoring the effectiveness of teaching and learning, minutes of governing body meetings, the school’s own policies, and documentation relating to

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Information about this inspection

safeguarding and attendance.  Inspectors took into account the views of parents at the start and end of the day as there were insufficient responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View).

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Inspection team

Suzanne Lithgow, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Michael Gaskill Ofsted Inspector Philip Choi 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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