Northenden Community School

Inspection of Northenden Community School Bazley Road, Northenden, Manchester M22 4FL

p.1

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 Outstanding 22–23 October 2019

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Northenden Community is a happy school. Adults and pupils make everyone feel welcome. Pupils told us, ‘We are all friends here.’ They celebrate each other’s differences and say, ‘It would be boring if we were all the same.’

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The adults in school want everyone to achieve well and they work hard to make this happen. They have high expectations of pupils. Pupils love to read and write and are good at both. Adults help pupils to thrive and teach them how to be positive citizens of the future.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and well mannered. They work well together. They are caring and considerate of each other. They consider themselves to be part of a whole-school team. Bullying is rare and dealt with quickly by adults.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told us they feel well looked after in school. They know that staff care for them and this makes them feel safe.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The cultural opportunities that pupils get involved in are a real strength of the school. They go to the theatre and take part in a pupil parliament. They have performed with the Hallé Orchestra and sung at Gorton Monastery.

p.2

better?

Leaders have thought very carefully about what they want pupils to learn. They have high expectations about the skills, knowledge and understanding pupils need to help them be successful. Leaders and staff have created an inspiring curriculum that prepares pupils very well for the future.

p.2

better?

Teachers are knowledgeable about the subjects that they teach. They help pupils to see connections in their learning and build their understanding. This helps them to remember important information. For example, in Geography, pupils have learned about the rainforest. They are now building on this knowledge to learn about deforestation around the world.

p.2

better?

Teachers explain things clearly to pupils and are quick to help if a pupil does not understand. Pupils are given regular opportunities to go over information they have previously learned. They are also given time to practise new skills. This is helping to ensure that pupils learn well over time. For example, in physical education (PE), Year 5 and Year 6 pupils have been learning the skills of dribbling and passing in basketball. Pupils told me how they now play the game with much more confidence because they have been helped to build up and develop different skills.

p.2

better?

Teachers know pupils well and plan interesting activities for them. In mathematics, pupils enjoy using what they know to help them solve mathematical problems or to help them work things out quickly. Occasionally and in some subjects, teachers do not plan activities and use resources that support pupils’ learning as well as they 22–23 October 2019

p.2

3

Reading is important in school. Children learn letters and sounds as soon as they start the early years. The school has a rich and varied supply of books. Pupils told us they really enjoy the books they read and the stories that teachers read to them.

p.3

3

Teachers also prioritise the development of pupils’ writing. In early years, children enjoy making marks as a way of developing their early writing skills. We heard children explaining with confidence and pride the words and sounds that they could write. Teachers use a range of texts, including story books, to spark pupils’ imagination, develop their vocabulary and give them ideas to try out in their own writing. For example, we saw pupils in Year 2 eager to write about how an alien was feeling when she got lost on Earth.

p.3

3

Leaders and staff show commitment to ensuring that all pupils achieve their very best. They are quick to notice and help if a pupil is struggling. The school supports pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities extremely well.

p.3

3

Pupils behave well in school. They are enthusiastic about school life and enjoy being with their friends. They listen carefully in lessons and are keen to get involved in the wide range of activities that are available such as sports, cooking and the choir.

p.3

3

Pupils in the school come from a diverse range of ethnic groups and families. They learn about different faiths and cultures and speak knowledgably about celebrations such as Diwali. Displays show that pupils learn about respect and tolerance, not only for each other but within the wider world. For example, pupils are helped to consider the implications of global warming and the plight of other people.

p.3

3

Staff in early years have created a lovely learning environment and atmosphere. Children are very happy and play well together. Learning is carefully planned and inspired by children’s interests and ideas. Adults encourage children to chat, be inquisitive and ask questions. Children enjoy a rich choice of activities in classrooms and in the outdoor space. Staff prepare children well for when they move up to Year 1.

p.3

3

The leadership team have a passion for education. Governors are similarly dedicated. Staff enjoy working at the school, feel listened to and well supported. Subject leaders are not as confident as they could be in talking about their curriculum area.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is a caring and nurturing ethos in the school. The protection of pupils is important to all staff. Leaders make sure that all policies and procedures are in place and that everyone knows them in detail. Leaders are confident to act if they are concerned about a pupil. They work well with professionals outside school to keep 22–23 October 2019

p.3

4

The pastoral care in the school is a strength. Staff ensure that pupils and their families are well looked after and supported.

p.4

4

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when online.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers need to make sure that the activities and resources that they use help pupils to learn the intended curriculum effectively. This is important to ensure that pupils’ learning is maximised within lessons and over time.  Many subject leaders are new to their roles. The headteacher and other senior leaders have therefore led on the development of the curriculum in many subjects. Leaders should therefore build the knowledge and understanding of subject leaders to develop their leadership skills and to make sure that the curriculum continues to evolve and develop.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 22–23 October 2019

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 26 June 2007

p.5

Information about this school

 In recent years, the school has experienced a great deal of upheaval, including, on separate occasions, a fire and a flood. A significant number of staff have also left and joined the school during this period. Staffing at the school is now much more settled and stable.

p.5

Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, we spoke with pupils, both formally and informally, about their work and school life. We spoke to the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders and members of staff. We also held discussions with staff focused on safeguarding.  I spoke with members of the governing body including the chair of governors.  We reviewed a range of documentation including that relating to school development, safeguarding and the checks undertaken on newly appointed staff.  We spoke with parents as they brought their children to school and considered 88 22–23 October 2019

p.5

6

responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.  We also considered 25 responses to the staff survey.  I talked to pupils about the books they like to read and spoke with a group of pupils about school life.  We looked in detail at reading, writing, mathematics, PE and geography. For each of these subjects we held discussions with subject leaders and teachers, visited lessons, looked at samples of pupils’ work and talked with pupils.

p.6

Inspection team

Sue Eastwood, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Moira Atkins Ofsted Inspector 22–23 October 2019

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7