Chinley Primary School

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

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Mr Peter Lambert Headteacher Chinley Primary School Buxton Road Chinley High Peak Derbyshire SK23 6DR

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Short inspection of Chinley Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 6 February 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 November 2013.

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Short inspection of Chinley Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You have communicated high expectations of staff and pupils. Staff share your desire to support pupils to achieve at the highest standards in all aspects of school life. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of pupils as individuals. There are very positive relationships between staff and pupils, which support pupils’ progress and development. Every effort is made to meet pupils’ needs, both in terms of their academic progress and their personal growth and well-being.

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Short inspection of Chinley Primary School

You have created a culture where staff and pupils feel valued. They are proud to be members of a school with a strong sense of community. Teachers are keen to support and learn from each other, as are pupils. Teachers are very good role models for pupils to follow. Consequently, pupils are extremely well behaved, confident and respectful of others. Pupils’ attitude and their approach to learning are both strong. They work well independently and in groups. They enjoy learning and are motivated to do well. Pupils are happy and safe.

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Short inspection of Chinley Primary School

The vast majority of parents and carers who made their views known are extremely positive about the school. They recognise the school’s high aspirations for their child’s success and are appreciative of the support they receive. Parents are particularly positive about the school’s leadership and feel fortunate to be able to send their pupils to Chinley Primary School. Leaders and governors have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas in need of further development. They are taking effective action to bring about the necessary improvements. Clear and specific action plans focus on key priorities. Leaders are also mindful of the need to maintain the current strengths in the school. For example, improvement plans also focus on maintaining effective safeguarding arrangements and continuing to promote pupils’ personal development and well-being.

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Short inspection of Chinley Primary School

Following the last inspection, you reviewed the arrangements for staff training to share the wealth of good practice in the school among staff. For example, you introduced ‘open classroom’ weeks, to enable staff to observe and learn from one another. You promote staff development, making use of best practice within school and using support from external providers. Staff are extremely appreciative of the professional development they receive and recognise the benefits to their practice.

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Short inspection of Chinley Primary School

The last inspection identified the need to ensure that pupils understand how they can improve their work, particularly in mathematics. You immediately amended the school’s assessment and feedback policy. In all subjects, teachers now provide ‘purple pen challenge’ activities to stretch or consolidate pupils’ learning. Teachers make clear their expectations and provide time for pupils to reflect on and review their work. Pupils now have a clearer understanding of what they need to do to improve their work. This policy is most effective in helping pupils to improve their writing. You are keen to develop this further in mathematics.

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Short inspection of Chinley Primary School

Since the previous inspection, you have appointed new subject leaders for English and mathematics. You have worked with these teachers to develop their effectiveness in leading improvements in these subject areas. You meet them each term, to review pupils’ progress and to plan extra help for those who need it. Subject leaders now take greater responsibility for leading improvements in the areas for which they are responsible. They have introduced a variety of strategies to improve the school’s work in these subjects. They are beginning to undertake monitoring activities such as work scrutinies and pupil interviews. However, you lead much of the work to evaluate the impact of activities to bring improvement and you are aware of the need to develop the skills subject leaders need to bring about further improvement.

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Short inspection of Chinley Primary School

The leadership team has ensured that all arrangements for safeguarding are fit for purpose. Staff receive up-to-date training and fully recognise their responsibilities to ensure the safety and well-being of pupils. Leaders use the support of agencies and ensure that referrals are followed up swiftly. The curriculum provides ample opportunities to ensure that pupils understand how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations; for example, on the day of the inspection pupils were involved in an ‘internet safety’ day. Pupils of all ages participated in a variety of activities to increase their understanding. For example, children in the early years shared a story about a chicken who accessed a farmer’s computer. Children were able to identify and describe the potential risks of online browsing.

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Inspection findings

 Good teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes ensures that children make an excellent start to their life in school. The proportion of children reaching a good level of development is consistently above the national average. They are very well prepared to start key stage 1. Leaders have identified the need to improve children’s progress in number and are taking effective action to provide opportunities to develop children’s skills. For example, the outdoor nursery area features large stepping stones depicting numbers.  The teaching of phonics is a strength. In 2017, all pupils achieved the expected standard in the phonics screening check.  In 2017, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected and higher standards in reading was above the national average. However, pupils made slower progress than pupils nationally. Leaders analysed pupils’ responses to the assessments and identified the need to develop pupils’ inference skills. They have taken effective

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Inspection findings

action by ensuring that staff have received training to improve their teaching of this aspect of reading. Leaders are developing a strategy to promote a ‘shared language of reading’ to support pupils’ progress. This is in its early stages and leaders are keen to develop this further.  Leaders also identified the need to develop pupils’ vocabulary. They have introduced the ‘word of the week’ for younger pupils and the ‘word of the day’ for older pupils. Activities are designed around focus words and pupils are encouraged to practise using new language. Pupils enjoy these activities.  Pupils are expected to read widely and often. Leaders have ensured that pupils, of all ages and abilities, regularly read to staff and adults. The library has been relocated to a more central area and pupils are encouraged to make use of its resources. They recognise the importance of reading and are keen to do so.  Leaders have identified the need to improve pupils’ progress in mathematics,

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Inspection findings

particularly through developing pupils’ reasoning skills. Teachers now provide more opportunities for pupils to discuss their learning, and there is a focus on developing mathematical language to support pupils to develop their reasoning. For example, pupils in Year 6 were discussing algebra and working out where they had made mistakes and why alternative answers were correct. This led to a lively and valuable discussion, enabling pupils to explain their reasoning.  You are keen that pupils, of all ages and abilities, participate in ‘active learning’ and games to practise their skills and to consolidate their learning. This is proving to be effective and we observed pupils in Year 2 enjoying a game where they had to find the answers to mathematical problems on stickers worn by their classmates.  Teachers have also begun to make use of a new mathematics programme which provides more opportunities for pupils to work on problem-solving activities.

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Inspection findings

Leaders recognise the requirement to continue to adapt approaches to meet pupils’ different abilities and needs. This work is ongoing.  The teaching of writing is a strength. From an early age, pupils are encouraged to develop their skills. For example, in the Nursery, mark making is celebrated and there are plenty of opportunities for pupils to practise and develop their skills as they progress through the school. Teachers provide effective feedback which supports pupils’ progress. Pupils write frequently and at length. Work in pupils’ books demonstrates that the activities to develop their vocabulary are also having a positive impact on the quality of their writing. In 2017, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected and higher standards in writing, by the end of key stage 2, was considerably higher than 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

 strategies to improve pupils’ progress in reading and mathematics, by the end of key stage 2, are implemented successfully  subject leaders increase their effectiveness in leading improvements in the areas for which they are responsible.

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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 Derbyshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

 Meetings were held with you and other leaders. The inspector also met with members of the governing body and spoke with the local authority adviser by telephone.  The inspector visited all classes in the early years, key stage 1 and key stage 2 with you. She also visited the nursery area.  The inspector spoke to pupils formally and informally in their lessons. She listened to a group of pupils read.  Sixty responses to Parent View and 57 free-text comments were considered. The inspector also looked at the results of a survey of parents’ views conducted by the school. She spoke with a number of parents at the start of the day.  The inspector met with a group of staff and considered the 20 responses to the staff survey.  Various school documents were scrutinised, including the school’s self-evaluation and information about pupils’ progress, behaviour, attendance and safety. Documents relating to safeguarding were checked and the lead inspector looked

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Information about the inspection

at published information on the school’s website.  The inspector looked at a sample of pupils’ English and mathematics books with leaders. She also looked at pupils’ science and topic books.

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