Heaton Park Primary School

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

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Mr Paul Lord Headteacher Heaton Park Primary School Cuckoo Lane Whitefield Manchester M45 6TE

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Short inspection of Heaton Park Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 3 May 2017, 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 September 2012.

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Short inspection of Heaton Park Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You, your team and members of the governing body have driven up standards in teaching since the previous inspection.

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Short inspection of Heaton Park Primary School

Children now make good progress in the Reception and Nursery Years. You have successfully expanded your Nursery and now take children from age two. They thrive in a stimulating and nurturing environment. They are keen to tell me about ‘birthday bear’ and show me how they can count and share. Children in the Reception Year continue to thrive. As a result, the proportion of children who achieve a good level of development by the end of the early years has increased year on year and is now above the national average.

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Short inspection of Heaton Park Primary School

One parent commented: ‘My daughter is thriving at Heaton Park Primary. She enjoys learning and I think that is testament to the interesting lessons and topics her teacher plans for the class. Her teacher is always available for feedback or to discuss any challenges my daughter may be facing.’

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Short inspection of Heaton Park Primary School

Pupils benefit from a broad and varied curriculum. You invest in specialist sports coaching and we observed Year 2 pupils happily learning how to throw and catch a rugby ball. Pupils produce some very high-quality artwork, and they enjoy singing, music and learning outside. I observed Year 4 pupils learning about the work of the painter Bridget Riley. The teacher showed examples of her work and showed good knowledge of the techniques she used. As a result, pupils’ behaviour was excellent and they were keen to replicate her work.

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Short inspection of Heaton Park Primary School

Pupils show respect for teachers and each other; they play well together at social times. Pupils say that derogatory language is unacceptable and would rarely be heard in the school because ‘Mr Lord stopped it.’ Any incidents of behaviour that do not conform to the school’s high expectations are clearly and effectively dealt with and logged. You have revised all your safeguarding, behaviour and bullying policies, procedures and practice. Pupils and parents say that behaviour is typically good and any issues are dealt with quickly and effectively by teachers.

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Short inspection of Heaton Park Primary School

Evidence of pupils’ current achievement in books, through lesson observations and assessment information, show that they are achieving in line with the national average in mathematics and English. This represents good progress from their typically below-average starting points.

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Short inspection of Heaton Park Primary School

Middle- and high-ability pupils make good progress in English and mathematics. This is because the quality of teaching has improved. I observed pupils in Year 6 mathematics solving complex reasoning questions. There are now consistent approaches to teaching calculations and excellent modelling by the teacher to help those who are not confident to work out the calculation by themselves.

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Short inspection of Heaton Park Primary School

The school recognises that last year’s results in writing were unusually high and has since moderated more rigorously with other schools. Pupils’ current progress shows that they will maintain above-average standards due to significant improvements in the quality of teaching.

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Short inspection of Heaton Park Primary School

My scrutiny of Year 5 mathematics books showed a similarly high standard of work. Books show lots of highly effective problem-solving and reasoning. Mathematics is now taught well across the school, including in the Nursery and Reception Years, where I observed very effective teaching of number work.

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Short inspection of Heaton Park Primary School

In reading, standards are broadly average. Phonics is taught well and pupils show that they are confident readers. Pupils say that they love the very well-stocked library. Scrutiny of work and classroom displays shows that pupils read a wide variety of texts from different authors.

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Short inspection of Heaton Park Primary School

The least able pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities do not consistently make the same good progress as their peers. This is because they do not always receive the right support. Teachers and teaching assistants are not always given effective strategies to help these pupils improve.

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Short inspection of Heaton Park Primary School

The single central record meets requirements. All staff have regular child protection training. You regularly update child protection and designated person training. Child protection records are kept securely. You keep appropriate records of child protection concerns and ongoing cases, and work effectively with relevant agencies. You have a safeguarding team and a family worker who builds relationships with families and supports your drive to improve attendance. You hold regular meetings for all relevant staff to share information about child protection cases. Pupils say that they feel safe and enjoy coming to school.

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Inspection findings

 You and your team have responded well to the areas for improvement from the last inspection. You have raised expectations, improved the quality of teaching and behaviour and strengthened governance. Children make rapid progress in the Nursery and Reception Years due to high-quality teaching and a very caring and nurturing environment.  Middle- and high-ability pupils make good progress, particularly in English and mathematics. Standards in writing are good; pupils regularly redraft work until it is of the highest standard. There is very good attention paid to spelling and grammar.  The vast majority of pupils behave well in school due to engaging teaching, and an ethos that encourages mutual respect and understanding of differences. Attendance is broadly average. Behaviour is managed fairly and consistently well with a focus upon praise and reward.  Differences in achievement between disadvantaged pupils and their peers are

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Inspection findings

diminishing. You have invested pupil premium funding well into providing pastoral support for families whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.  Pupils with an education, health and care plan receive good-quality individual support. This is because strategies and approaches to be used by teaching assistants are clear and regularly reviewed. However, support for the least able pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities without an education, health and care plan is variable.  Neither of these groups make consistently good progress because teachers and teaching assistants do not always receive effective strategies to help them. On occasion, teaching assistants scribe for pupils who are more than capable of writing for themselves. Consequently, the achievement of these pupils lags behind their peers.

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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

 they improve the quality of provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities  the least able pupils are consistently well supported. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Bury. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

I met with you and your leadership team. I met with your school improvement partner and members of the governing body. I spoke with a range of pupils in lessons and at social times. I looked at the school’s record of checks made on the suitability of staff, records of child protection and staff training, and discussed other aspects of safeguarding with you. I scrutinised a range of workbooks across a variety of subjects and year groups. I looked at the school’s website and analysed the school’s self-evaluation and school improvement plan. I spoke with parents in the playground at the beginning of the school day and considered 27 free-text responses and 22 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.

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