Red Lane Primary School

Inspection Report Red Lane Primary School

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105200 Unique Reference Number Bolton LEA 277316 Inspection number 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005 Inspection dates Mr John Coleman HMI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Red Lane School address Primary Type of school Bolton Community School category Lancashire BL2 5HP 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01204 333580 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01204 333579 Fax number 435 Number on roll Mr P Brown Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr D Johnson Headteacher 16 October 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277316 9 November 2005 - 3 to 11 10 November 2005 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two of Her Majesty's Inspectors and one additional inspector.

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Description of the school

Red Lane Primary School is located in Breightmet on the outskirts of Bolton. Pupils come from a wide range of backgrounds and enter the school with levels of attainment that are well below average overall. Red Lane is a two-form entry school and currently has 435 pupils on roll aged from 3 to 11, including 57 pupils in the Nursery. The number of children receiving free school meals is 44%, which is well above the national average. The vast majority of pupils have English as their first language. Over 30% of pupils have additional learning needs which is above the national average, of which 1% have a statement of special educational need which is below the national average. The mobility of pupils into and out of the school is above that found in most schools.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Red Lane Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005

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Grade: 2

The school's self-evaluation, confirmed by inspection findings, is that this is a good school that provides good value for money. Overall, the strong leadership and management and drive of the headteacher are achieving sustained improvement in the standards of education. The school is particularly successful in providing high quality care and the development of extended services is beginning to support the school's ability to respond to the individual needs of pupils. Standards are satisfactory overall, and given the very low level of skills with which many pupils enter the school, this represents good progress. The curriculum is good and teaching overall is satisfactory. Pupils with additional learning needs make particularly good progress because of the effective support they receive. The highest attaining pupils do not make as much progress as they should and this is identified in the school's action plans for improvement. Pupils are happy coming to school; their

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Grade: 2

behaviour is good and they are polite, courteous and well meaning towards each other. This is a result of the very good role models provided by all staff, and the high priority made to pupils' personal and social development. Pupils are very aware of their own health and safety because of the high profile given to them by the school. The quality of education offered in the Foundation Stage is good. Factors which contribute to this are good teaching, good personal development and a very high quality of care. Since the last inspection, the school has acted successfully to improve areas identified by the report. New teaching areas for Year 1 pupils have been created, the library is now well stocked and resourced, and clear guidance is given with regard to the marking of pupils' work. Improvements in the teaching of writing have been made, but recent inconsistencies in staffing have combined with less able cohorts of pupils to produce

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Grade: 2

lower results. The school leadership is well placed to bring about further improvements.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve provision for the highest attaining pupils by ensuring suitably challenging work is given to them. • Ensure that the quality of teaching is consistent with the best practice in the school. -Effectively use the good monitoring results about pupil attainment to produce clear tangible improvements in their future performance.

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Grade: 2

The majority of children enter school with skills well below those expected nationally. They make good progress overall, and by age eleven are achieving standards that are in line with those found nationally. Standards are variable across different cohorts of pupils, due to the above average numbers of pupils leaving or joining the school, at 2 Inspection Report: Red Lane Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005 times other than the beginning of primary school, and a significant number of recent changes in teaching staff. Overall, children make good progress in the Foundation Stage, particularly in their social and personal development. Pupils also make improvements in their communication skills, so that although standards at the end of this stage are below average, the gap has been narrowed. Standards attained by pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 are satisfactory overall, but are variable across the school. By the age of 7, pupils' standards are average in reading

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Grade: 2

and mathematics, but there is underachievement in writing and especially for more able pupils. This is beginning to improve; standards in 2005 have risen slightly. By the age of 11 pupils' standards in mathematics and science are average, but more able pupils could do better. Standards in writing are below average; as a result, not all pupils meet the targets set for them and English results are around the average.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development is good. The school is very effective in nurturing pupils' self-esteem, confidence and enthusiasm for learning. As a result, they enjoy school and want to do well. Pupils say, 'We do lots of interesting things in lessons', which explains why they are so keen to learn. Pupils respond well to high expectations of good behaviour and this supports their learning. Relationships between pupils and with teachers are very good, as seen when Year 6 thrived on the teacher's constant praise for their efforts. Attendance is good. Pupils develop a strong sense of their own well-being. They know how to make healthy choices in the food they eat and the exercise they take. They explain that Brain Gym helps to keep their minds healthy and alert. Pupils feel safe at school and they know how to stay safe out of school. Pupils have many opportunities to express their opinions, especially through the school forum. They like the way staff not only listen to their

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Grade: 2

ideas but also help implement them, such as introducing new playtime equipment. Special responsibilities for the older pupils give them an understanding of contributing to the community. Arrangements for pupils' spiritual, moral and social development are good, but there are too few lessons that teach children about cultural diversity.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are currently satisfactory, even though pupils make good progress across the school. Recent, significant changes to teaching staff have been handled well, but the new team is not yet fully effective. During inspection, forty per cent of teaching was good or better. In these lessons, clear planning, work that is well matched to pupils' existing skills, and lively relationships 3 Inspection Report: Red Lane Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005 enable pupils to do well. Teachers organise the learning well, which gives pupils the confidence to succeed. A particular strength comes from the principles of 'The University of the First Age', which seek to build positive relationships and attitudes, and ensure children learn in ways best suited to themselves. As a result, pupils gain great enjoyment in many lessons. Teaching assistants' high quality support helps pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to make good progress. In too many lessons,

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Grade: 3

however, more able pupils are given work that is too easy and so they do not make the progress of which they are capable. This is because teachers are not making best use of the good information available about pupils' existing skills. The school has good systems for checking on pupils' progress. When this information is used well, such as with pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities, it enables teachers to set challenging, achievable targets for learning. At present, this information is not used consistently to ensure that work for all pupils is appropriately challenging.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. All National Curriculum subjects are covered in sufficient depth and, over time, pupils enjoy a broad and balanced curriculum. There is good provision for teaching the basic skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology. Subject policies provide clear guidance of what should be taught and ensure children develop new skills as they progress through the school. The focus on personal, social and health education provides a clear thread through all that is taught and is an outstanding feature of the school. This focus allows children to progress and develop well. Much work has been undertaken to establish a relevant and enjoyable curriculum. Topics, such as the work in Year 1 about 'Carnivals and Celebrations', ensure strong links are made between individual subjects. Further opportunities to enrich the curriculum are available through a variety of educational visits, including residential

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Grade: 2

opportunities for older children and the wide selection of extra-curricular activities.

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Grade: 2

Levels of care are good overall with some outstanding features. They extend beyond children of school age and outside the school day, underlining strongly held views about caring for the community. The staff are meticulous in ensuring that each child is safe, happy and ready to learn. The pupils say they feel cared for because, 'The teachers help you a lot and they are friendly'. This feeling of confidence makes a very strong contribution to pupils' personal development and their enjoyment of learning. Staff implement effectively the good procedures for first aid and child protection, and are vigilant about health and safety checks. Support and guidance for pupils' learning are good. Staff are generally aware of individual pupil's needs and provide effective guidance to help them improve, both 4 Inspection Report: Red Lane Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005 orally and through marking of work. Support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or

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Grade: 2

disabilities is very effective, but more able pupils are not always challenged sufficiently. The school has good systems in place for setting targets to help children to improve aspects of their work.

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Grade: 2

Inspection confirms that leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides strong visionary leadership and clear direction, which is unanimously supported by governors and staff. The leadership of the Foundation Stage is also good. The school leadership team, including governors, have a good awareness of the strengths of the school and the areas in need of improvement, though their impact upon raising standards has been restricted by recent staffing instability. Pupil performance is effectively monitored and the school evaluation is accurate and well structured. Plans for improvement rightly prioritise the areas identified from this process, but do not detail systematic and measurable actions, which will impact upon raising the standards of pupils' attainments. A high priority is given to including all pupils whatever their ability or background. Extended services, including comprehensive childcare facilities are improving the

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Grade: 2

opportunities for many children and families in the area. The impact of this provision is beginning to be seen, as the school identifies early those pupils with additional learning needs and takes appropriate action to provide support. The leadership and management have good capacity to make further improvement. The governors are well informed and knowledgeable about the school; they successfully challenge the school leadership where appropriate and provide effective support in their strategic role. Resources are well deployed and the recruitment and retention of staff are well managed, as evidenced during the recent high turnover of staff due to promotion, illness and personal circumstances. 5 Inspection Report: Red Lane Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Red Lane Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 3 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 3 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

As you know, we visited your school last week to find out if it is giving you the education you should receive. Thank you for making us feel so welcome and for being so helpful when we asked you questions. We enjoyed talking with you and finding out about the things you enjoy doing. We think your school does most things very well, and some of the things you learn are particularly exciting. We have found a few things which we think would make your learning even better. The things we particularly like are: - everyone is very friendly and helpful and so your school it is a happy place to be - your teachers help you to do well in lessons and so you learn quickly - you said your teachers make most lessons interesting and enjoyable, and we agree - when you are given jobs to do, you carry them out very sensibly - the school cares for everyone and makes sure you are safe - the pupil forum has some good ideas to make your school better

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

- you enjoy the very good range of clubs and activities outside lessons. We would like you to work with your teachers to improve the way you learn: - we want the work teachers give you to make you work really hard, particularly if you are good at something - we have asked your teachers to make sure that all lessons are as interesting as the best ones - when your teachers find out what works well at your school and what needs to improve, we want them to use the information to help you get better with your work. Thank you for helping us so much with the inspection of your school. Please share this letter with the other children. We all hope you will carry on enjoying learning and helping your teachers to make Red Lane Community Primary School a good place to be.

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