Highfield Community Primary School

Inspection of Highfield Community Primary School Wright Street, Chorley, Lancashire PR6 0SP

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good 17–18 September 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe in Highfield School. Staff are friendly and help pupils when they are worried about something. Pupils behave well. Pupils who spoke with us said that teachers always treat them fairly and deal very firmly with any bullying.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s drivers, ‘health, culture, aspirations and community’, are at the heart of everything that leaders and staff do. Leaders are determined that all pupils will succeed. They make sure that pupils develop good personal skills for life as well as learning about different subjects. They also provide a range of interesting trips and visits.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like the range of clubs they can attend after school. They also enjoy the chances that they have to take part in competitive sports and musical events such as Young Voices. Pupils are involved in some of the decisions about the things that happen in school. They do this through the school council and the sports council.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders ensure that pupils learn about keeping themselves safe, including when using mobile phones and other technology. They also provide frequent chances for pupils to keep fit. The daily ‘run for a mile’ is fun. It encourages pupils to develop healthy habits for the future.

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better?

Pupils achieve well in this school. This is because leaders know what pupils need to learn and in what order. They have recently improved the curriculum to make sure pupils know more and remember more. Subject leaders help teachers to plan lessons that build on things that pupils already know. They also work with teachers to improve teachers’ subject knowledge.

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better?

All the staff know that pupils need to learn to read as quickly as possible. From the earliest days in Reception, children learn about letters and the sounds that they make. They quickly move on to reading simple books where these same sounds make up the words in a story. Teachers soon find out if children are lagging behind. They make sure that children and pupils have extra help to catch up. All this makes sure that most pupils become fluent readers by the end of Year 2.

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better?

Once pupils are in key stage 2, they continue to have frequent chances to read every day. All the same, the range of books they choose from is a bit limited. It does not include many well-known, high-quality authors.

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better?

Leaders have recently introduced a new approach to teaching mathematics. This helps pupils to learn how to calculate and solve problems. Sometimes teachers do not give pupils enough opportunities to use what they have learned in different situations. 17–18 September 2019

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve very well. They receive the right support from skilled staff. Leaders make sure that pupils with SEND are fully included in the life of the school. Staff who run the nurture group are particularly good at helping pupils to understand their feelings and emotions. They build pupils’ confidence and self-esteem so that they are ready to learn and can cope with classroom routines.

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Pupils know the difference between right and wrong and most are keen to learn. They usually treat one another kindly and older pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities in the school. Pupils know that there are many different faiths and religions. Leaders give pupils opportunities to understand British values. For example, they arrange visits to the Houses of Parliament to learn about democracy.

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Governors understand how the school is developing the way that subjects are taught. They make sure that the money the school receives is put to the best use to help all pupils learn well and be safe in school. Some governors are new to the school and have not yet had the training that they need to help them carry out their roles.

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All staff in the early years are well trained and know how children learn best. Children develop good relationships with adults from the start and settle into school routines. The early years leader has a clear view of what children need to know and when to learn it. This means that most children are ready to start Year 1 when they finish the Reception Year. They gain knowledge in all areas of learning. For example, by ordering events in their own lives they take the first step to understanding history.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that pupils are safe in school. They have strict procedures in place to make certain that staff are suitable to work with pupils. All staff are well trained in knowing how to protect pupils from harm. They recognise the early signs that may mean pupils are at risk, including from radicalisation. Staff know what to do if they have any concerns.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have developed strong links with other professionals. This enables them to provide the right support for pupils who need it. Leaders also work well in supporting families to keep children safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop their knowledge of mathematics by using their skills in other situations. Leaders need to ensure that teachers provide more opportunities for pupils to apply their skills at a level that 17–18 September 2019

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matches their age.  In key stage 2 pupils do not have enough high-quality books to choose from. Sometimes teachers do not direct pupils to widen the range of books they read for pleasure. Leaders need to strengthen pupils’ reading skills by giving them access to a broad range books by well-known authors. This will also develop pupils’ appreciation of excellent literature.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 17–18 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110926 Type of school Primary

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School details

Chair of governing body William Greenwood, OBE

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School details

Date of previous inspection 30 November 2018

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Information about this school

 The school caters for pupils with a broad range of SEND.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 We met with senior leaders, including the headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher as well as with a range of subject leaders, four members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  We looked in depth at reading, mathematics, history and geography. To do this, we visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and held discussions with school leaders, teachers and pupils.  We checked the school’s documentation in relation to safeguarding, including training records, and spoke with staff about their understanding of child protection. Additionally, we met with a group of pupils to gain their views on safeguarding in school. 17–18 September 2019

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Inspection team

Jan Corlett, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Stephen Rigby Ofsted Inspector 17–18 September 2019

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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