Adswood Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Adswood Primary School Garners Lane, Adswood, Stockport, Cheshire SK3 8PQ

p.1

Outcome

Adswood Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of the ‘Adswood family’. They told me that they like coming to school because they enjoy learning. Staff have high expectations. They work together to ensure that the school motto of ‘enjoy, believe and achieve’ is a reality for all pupils.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have excellent relationships with adults. They show kindness and respect towards each other. In class, pupils try hard and are enthusiastic about their learning. During social times, pupils play happily together. They say that if bullying occurs or if pupils are unkind to one another, adults sort this out.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils spoke about the opportunities provided to broaden their experiences. Pupils take part in many sports, art, music and reading clubs. They go on a range of educational trips to learn new things.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum helps pupils understand the importance of tolerance and fairness. They have a lot of opportunities to take on extra responsibilities. Pupils are proud to be school councillors, eco-warriors and playground leaders. These responsibilities help to build their confidence.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school. They have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They know how to block someone, as part of their online safety training. Pupils understand the importance of their physical and mental well-being.

p.1

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The curriculum at Adswood is carefully planned and exciting. Pupils told me they enjoy science, history and geography. Leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge they want pupils to learn in each subject and year group. They have worked with teachers to make sure that everyone understands what they should do to help pupils learn well. The curriculum helps pupils to remember and build on previous learning because topics are revisited. For example, pupils learn about electricity in Year 2 and 12–13 November 2019

p.1

2

again in Year 4. This extends and deepens pupils’ knowledge.

p.2

2

Pupils’ learning is planned well in most subjects. In geography, for example, pupils learn about the structure of the rainforest before discussing its impact on the world. Teachers ask questions to check that pupils have understood, and they take action if pupils are confused. This helps to build pupils’ understanding securely over time. While there are clear plans for teaching art and computing, teachers do not always give enough thought to the order in which pupils should learn new subject content. This stops some pupils from learning as well as they could in these subjects.

p.2

2

Recently, leaders have changed their approach to the teaching of reading. This is because there was a dip in pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 in 2019. Reading is now at the heart of the curriculum and helps pupils learn well in all subjects. Pupils read for pleasure in the school library and the ‘reading rocket’ areas. Teachers are passionate about reading. They read to pupils each day.

p.2

2

Leaders make sure that reading is well planned for younger pupils. All staff are well trained in the teaching of phonics. Pupils take home a range of books that match the sounds that they have been learning in class. Pupils’ vocabulary increases as they learn new words through good reading habits. Leaders are adapting the curriculum to ensure that the weakest readers achieve their potential.

p.2

2

Pupils enjoy their mathematics learning. Teachers have clear guidance about what to teach in this subject. They have been well trained. Pupils achieve well. They have strong basic skills. They keep these skills sharp through daily ‘mental maths’ sessions. Pupils use what they know about number and calculations to solve problems and explain what they are doing.

p.2

2

Leaders understand the difficulties faced by pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They ensure that the curriculum is accessible to these pupils with well-informed support plans. Pupils with SEND are supported in their learning by kind adults whom they trust. They achieve well because teachers have high expectations of these pupils and they adapt work well to meet their needs.

p.2

2

The development of pupils’ personal, social and emotional intelligence is a great strength. Pupils are given time to discuss important issues. They told me that there was a need to stop the destruction of the rainforest . Leaders provide curriculum time for pupils to reflect on their own mental well-being. Pupils told me how much the ‘mind space’ area helps them when they feel sad. Pupils learn about healthy living. The ‘active families’ after-school club allows them to have fun with their family and keep fit.

p.2

2

The children get off to a positive start in early years. Staff form caring relationships so that children feel safe at school. Children are happy and content. Both the indoor and outdoor areas are attractive and stimulating for the children.

p.2

2

Staff work well together, and the children have a curriculum that meets their needs. Regular songs, rhymes and stories help develop children’s language skills. Developing the children’s vocabulary is a priority from the day they start. The children in Nursery had fun 12–13 November 2019

p.2

3

making ‘hot chocolate’, using mud and water. The children learned new words, such as ‘mixing’, ‘pouring’, ‘more than’ and ‘less than’. Carefully planned activities build children’s mathematical understanding.

p.3

3

Teachers told me they loved working at Adswood. They know that leaders do all they can to help staff maintain a healthy work–life balance. Parents told me they appreciated the focus leaders and staff have on kindness and c are.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders provide regular training for staff so that they understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Staff know pupils well. Should they have a concern about a pupil, they report this in appropriate detail. Leaders respond promptly to information they receive from staff. The school keeps detailed and well-organised records. It makes referrals to external agencies when necessary.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They have a strong understanding of the risks they face online and how to manage these. For example, pupils know not to share their personal details. They would report anything that concerns them to an adult.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The early reading curriculum supports pupils to become fluent and confident readers by the end of key stage 1. Phonics is a particular strength, and this is having a positive impact on the standard of reading in the school. Leaders should build on this and improve the curriculum for the weakest readers at key stage 2. Staff need training so that they can provide support to ensure all pupils achieve their reading potential.  Leaders have made sure that, in all subjects, the curriculum is clear about what pupils need to learn and when. This means that pupils know more and remember more. However, in art and computing, plans are not delivered as well as they should be. As a result, some pupils do not remember what they have learned as well as they do in other subjects. Leaders need to ensure that teachers know what to teach pupils in these subjects and when. They also need to ensure that teachers check that pupils

p.3

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

p.4

Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2015.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

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. 12–13 November 2019

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10087743 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Website www.adswood-pri.stockport.sch.uk/

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 10 June 2015

p.5

Information about this school

 The school has a before- and after-school club that is managed by an external provider.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 During this inspection, I met with the headteacher and the senior leaders.  I held meetings with teachers, support staff and subject leaders. I met with four members of the governing body and held a meeting with a representative of the local authority.  I visited lessons in each key stage. I spoke to pupils from each key stage and viewed examples of their work. I spoke to pupils about behaviour and expectations in the school and observed behaviour around the school and in lessons.  I heard pupils from Year 2 read.  I reviewed the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans, minutes of governing body meetings and information on the school’s website. I examined records in relation to safeguarding.  I considered the 35 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and the 28 free-text responses. I spoke to parents at the start of the school day. There were no 12–13 November 2019

p.5

6

responses to the pupil and staff online questionnaires.  As part of this inspection, I looked carefully at phonics and reading in all classes. I also focused on mathematics and science. During these activities, I met with subject leaders and visited lessons. I also spoke with teachers and pupils. I viewed examples of pupils’ books and listened to pupils read.

p.6

Inspection team

Andrew Morley, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 12–13 November 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