Greystones Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Chris Jennings Headteacher Greystones Primary School Tullibardine Road Greystones Sheffield South Yorkshire S11 7GL

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Short inspection of Greystones Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 8 December 2016, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in December 2011.

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Short inspection of Greystones Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the previous inspection and has taken swift action to tackle the areas for improvement identified at that time. You have taken effective action to ensure that the quality of teaching over time is consistently good. This has been done through sharply focused checks on pupils’ progress in their books and the assessment information gathered by the school.

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Short inspection of Greystones Primary School

Teaching in mathematics is reliably strong and is supporting large proportions of pupils to reach the standards of work expected for their ages. There is now little difference between the attainment of boys and girls. However, the most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged, are not always achieving the greater depth in learning of which they are capable. This is because, in some lessons, teachers are not providing the challenge needed to enable pupils to develop mastery in mathematics.

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Short inspection of Greystones Primary School

Greystones School is characterised by a quiet, studious atmosphere, conducive to learning, that prevails in all classrooms. Pupils benefit from teachers’ well-developed subject knowledge and passion to meet the needs of all. Parents are highly appreciative of the work done by you and your staff to provide a stimulating and happy learning community. Safeguarding is effective.

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Short inspection of Greystones Primary School

All staff have a secure understanding of their duties to safeguard children. Staff have been trained to identify those at risk of harm, including from radical views. Leaders’ work to ensure that pupils are safe when using the internet is exemplary. Governors have successfully used their skills, for example, to deliver workshops to pupils and parents on aspects of safeguarding.

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Inspection findings

 You are determined that every pupil will achieve highly at Greystones. You have instilled a focus on pupils’ progress that has led to steady improvements over time. The effect of this can be seen clearly in the progress made by pupils in key stage 1 and key stage 2.  You have carefully delegated responsibility to senior and middle leaders; you have developed them well through mentoring and training so they are well equipped to be effective in their roles.  Governors are knowledgeable about the performance of the school and bring their relevant experience to bear to challenge leaders and hold them to account. They are supported to do this through the very detailed information given to them by you and your senior leaders.  Leaders carefully track the progress of disadvantaged pupils in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupil premium funding is largely well spent to enable pupils to receive additional support with their learning, or to access trips and extra-

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Inspection findings

curricular activities that they might otherwise be unable to attend. Although very few in number, disadvantaged pupils are not all making the rapid progress they need to make in order to catch up with their peers, particularly in writing.  The teaching of phonics in Reception and key stage 1 is effective in helping pupils to develop their early reading skills. The proportion of pupils who attained the Year 1 phonics screening check has been above average over a three-year period. However, the teaching of phonics in key stage 2 is less secure, so that a small number of less-able pupils are struggling to sound out words, hindering their ability to read fluently.  Teaching over time is effective in helping pupils to attain very well, not just in reading, writing and mathematics, but across the broader curriculum. Work in pupils’ books reflects the high expectations teachers have of their pupils and feedback from teachers is successfully helping pupils to improve their learning.

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Inspection findings

 At the end of key stage 1 and 2, pupils’ attainment is very high. Outcomes in 2016 for pupils in reading, writing and mathematics were well above national averages. Pupils made strong progress through key stage 1. There was little difference between the progress of boys and girls, or of disadvantaged pupils and others.  Boys and girls achieved equally well at the end of key stage 2. However, in key stage 2, the progress of some pupils was not as rapid and some of the most able did not attain the higher levels of which they are capable in reading, writing and mathematics. A small number of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities did not make enough progress in reading and writing. Leaders have identified this and put into place teaching to enable them to make better progress this year.  Nonetheless, work in pupils’ books shows the vast majority of pupils are making secure progress in writing. In each year group, books show improvements from

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Inspection findings

the start of the year and pupils are developing the complexity of their writing in line with the expectations for their age. Most pupils make good progress in reading. The most able read fluently and with good understanding of the text.  Teaching in the early years is well planned to meet the needs of all children. Adult interactions with children are sensitive and children are happy and secure as a result.  Leaders have given much thought to providing an inviting and challenging setting for the early years. Good use is made of outside facilities so that all children, but boys in particular, quickly develop their social and physical skills. Children come into school with skills and abilities broadly in line with or above those typically seen. They make secure progress throughout Reception so that high proportions are well prepared for the demands of Year 1.  Pupils’ behaviour in and around school is good. Leaders have put into place a

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Inspection findings

great many opportunities for pupils to contribute to the school community, for example, through peer mentoring, being a prefect or school councillor.  Pupils love learning here. They spoke highly of their teachers and value the opportunities they get to take part in visits, particularly residential visits. Leaders ensure that pupils have frequent opportunities to reflect on other faiths and cultures through the many visits to school from faith leaders, or visits out of school to places of worship. As a result of this very effective work, pupils are polite and kind, and have a mature sense of their place in the world and in modern Britain.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 teaching for the most able pupils is more precisely focused and offers sufficient challenge so they are able to use their knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics in order to reach the higher levels  greater opportunities are provided for less-able children, including those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities, in key stage 2 to more quickly secure their phonics skills and to apply them independently, so they are able to make more rapid progress in reading and writing. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Sheffield. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During this one-day inspection I was able to discuss the work of the school with you and your senior leaders. We visited classrooms together to observe teaching and learning. I was able to look at pupils’ work in books and to speak with pupils throughout the day. I heard pupils read from Year 2, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6. Discussions with a representative of Learn Sheffield and three members of the governing body helped to provide me with additional information. School documentation, assessment information, policies and information posted on the school website were also taken into account. I looked at letters from parents and the online questionnaire (Parent View) to gather 217 parents’ views about the school. I also took into account the views of 30 staff and 42 pupils through Ofsted’s online questionnaires. My main areas of focus during the inspection included checking: what leaders have done to improve the quality of teaching across the

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Information about the inspection

school and to raise pupils’ attainment in mathematics; the effectiveness of the teaching of phonics and the amount of progress made by disadvantaged pupils.

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