Lytham Hall Park Primary School

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

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Mrs Sharon Bowker Headteacher Lytham Hall Park Primary School South Park Lytham Lytham St Annes Lancashire FY8 4QU

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Short inspection of Lytham Hall Park Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 17 January 2018, 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 May 2013.

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Short inspection of Lytham Hall Park Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Based on the evidence gathered during this short inspection, I am of the opinion that the school has demonstrated strong practice and marked improvement in certain areas. This may indicate that the school is improving towards being outstanding. Therefore, I am recommending that the school’s next inspection be a section 5 inspection.

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Short inspection of Lytham Hall Park Primary School

Your love of learning is infectious. You have established a team that is full of energy and drive. It is committed to ensuring that pupils develop the skills that they need to be successful learners. You are reflective in the decisions you make, and your aspirations are shared by leaders, staff and governors. You and your staff embody the school’s motto, ‘Let’s live to learn.’

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Short inspection of Lytham Hall Park Primary School

You have worked effectively to tackle the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection. Leaders have successfully implemented changes to the way you teach mathematics. Consequently, over the last three years, there has been a considerable increase in the proportion of pupils achieving the national standard by the end of key stage 2. Outcomes for pupils have remained consistently above national averages. The proportion of pupils working at a greater depth has also increased rapidly.

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Short inspection of Lytham Hall Park Primary School

The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection. You have established a strong culture of professional dialogue, support and challenge among your staff. They appreciate the opportunities to improve their own professional understanding and to share skills and knowledge with other colleagues and in other local schools. Skilfully crafted activities meet the pupils’ needs, capture their interests and provide appropriate challenges. Pupils take pride in their work and understand clearly what the ‘next steps’ in their learning will be. Pupils who spoke to me were eager to express their appreciation for the opportunities to learn and the high-quality care they receive. This is exemplified by comments such as ‘We don’t all get the same learning, but we get the learning that we need.’ You have accurately identified that a higher proportion of disadvantaged pupils need to be working at a greater depth

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Short inspection of Lytham Hall Park Primary School

and your actions are beginning to have a positive impact.

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Short inspection of Lytham Hall Park Primary School

Pupils’ positive attitudes towards learning contribute effectively to the progress that they make. They are polite, courteous and confident. Older pupils take their responsibilities very seriously as members of the ‘pupil voice committees’ and as role models for the younger pupils. They are proud of their school values and speak eloquently of the assemblies they lead on equality that celebrate people’s beliefs, cultures and lifestyles. They enjoy the wide range of opportunities they have to take part in sporting activities and cultural events.

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Short inspection of Lytham Hall Park Primary School

The overwhelming majority of parents and carers hold extremely positive views of the school. They appreciate the work you and your staff do to ensure that their children have the opportunities and experiences they need to succeed. Parents of pupils who need additional care for health reasons, or who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities, spoke highly of the help they receive from staff. One parent commented: ‘It’s a pleasure to watch my child grow and flourish in the caring and nurturing environment within this wonderful school.’

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Short inspection of Lytham Hall Park Primary School

The leadership of the school has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements, including online monitoring and filtering arrangements, are fit for purpose. An effective and efficient system ensures that the most vulnerable pupils are identified quickly. Records are appropriate and meticulously kept. Leaders share information with the appropriate authorities effectively to ensure pupils’ safety. Staff and governors receive regular training and know what to do if they have any concerns. Pupils have a very clear understanding of how to keep themselves safe, particularly online, and feel school is a safe place to be. They also said that bullying is rare and behaviour is good.

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Inspection findings

 During the inspection, I focused on a number of key lines of enquiry. Attendance overall remains above the national average. You have been relentless in your drive to improve the attendance of a number of pupils who are persistently absent. Staff quickly follow pupils up when they are absent and effective systems are in place, including visits to the home if necessary. As a result, attendance for this group of pupils is improving and no disadvantaged pupils were persistently absent in the last term. For a small proportion of pupils, health-related issues have led to considerable absence from school and you support them and their families.  You have introduced a successful range of strategies that have considerably improved parents’ involvement in their children’s learning and their understanding of the importance of getting to school frequently and on time. Regular drop-in sessions, the use of technology, attendance meetings, reports

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Inspection findings

and work with other authorities have all contributed to improved attendance and the progress that pupils make.  Next, we discussed how effectively you use the additional funding for disadvantaged pupils to promote the progress that they make, particularly in key stage 1. Leaders have accurately identified pupils’ key barriers to learning. You have effectively focused on the development of spoken language and enhancing pupils’ attitudes to learning. Highly trained staff provide effective nurture and guidance to the most vulnerable pupils. Effective partnerships with a range of other professionals help parents to develop the skills they need to support their children’s learning.  Leaders use detailed assessment information to identify pupils who are not making progress quickly enough. Teachers use a number of different ways to accurately identify the precise gaps in pupils’ learning. You have ensured that

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Inspection findings

staff have the skills and resources they need to help pupils catch up quickly. This is particularly the case for pupils who join the school within the academic year and pupils who speak English as an additional language. Carefully designed activities closely match the needs of this group of pupils and as a result, the progress that they make is improving rapidly. The school’s own assessment information indicates that outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are also improving over time. You have accurately identified that a higher proportion of disadvantaged pupils need to work at a greater depth and are taking appropriate action. However, the impact of this action has not yet been fully realised.  We also discussed the way pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are supported in the school. There is an increasing number of pupils who are supported by an education, health and care plan. Leaders work closely with a range of other

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Inspection findings

agencies and professionals to ensure that the right support and facilities are in place. Leaders’ close working relationship with local nursery providers allows them to swiftly and accurately identify pupils who may have SEN and/or disabilities before they start school. As a result, leaders ensure that the right help is in place and that it accurately matches the needs of pupils for when they start Reception.  Leaders ensure that for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities a wide range of successful activities is implemented to meet their individual needs. Regular monitoring looks at the impact on pupils’ progress and changes are made if necessary. Detailed records show that pupils make strong progress from their starting points over time. Parents commented very positively on the help and support provided by you and your staff. They are pleased with the progress their children make.  Finally, we evaluated the impact of leaders’ actions to ensure that the children in

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Inspection findings

Reception are ready for Year 1. On entry to Reception, the majority of children are working at a level which is typical for their age. Leaders have established strong working relationships with the five nurseries that the majority of children attend before they start school. Leaders encourage parental engagement through a range of very successful events and activities before the children start school, for example home visits and ‘Stay and Play’ sessions. Children settle quickly because of well-established routines which promote cooperation and develop independence. Workshops for parents about how to teach phonics, reading, writing and mathematics provide them with the opportunity to develop their own knowledge and skills to support their children’s learning at home. Parents spoken to during the inspection commented very positively about how quickly their children settle into school.  Staff know the children very well. They accurately identify the ‘next steps’ in

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Inspection findings

children’s learning because they make good use of a wide range of assessment information. As a result, gaps in children’s understanding are quickly identified. Well-crafted activities ensure that they are helped to catch up very quickly. Consequently, children make strong progress. Leaders work closely with other colleagues in the local group of schools to share expertise and ensure that assessments are accurate. As a result of the high-quality training staff in Reception receive, they have the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to effectively support the strong progress that the children make. Over the last three years, the proportion of children who achieved a good level of development and are ready for Year 1 has remained consistently above the national average.

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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

 a greater proportion of disadvantaged pupils make the progress necessary for them to attain at a greater depth.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Lancashire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During this inspection, I met with you, other members of your leadership team and staff. I also met with the chair of governors and two members of the governing body and spoke with a representative of the local authority. I conducted a learning walk with you and we visited classes where I had the opportunity to speak to pupils and see their work. I heard a number of pupils read. I met with a group of pupils during the day and spoke with a number of parents in the playground at the start of the school day. I also took account of the free-text comments and 59 responses to Parent View, the Ofsted online questionnaire for parents. I scrutinised your assessment information, self-evaluation, school improvement planning, single central record and other safeguarding procedures and practices.

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