Harwood Park Primary School

Inspection of Harwood Park Primary School Hardfield Street, Heywood, Lancashire OL10 1DG

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good 26–27 November 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school. They told inspectors that they feel safe and well cared for by staff. They are proud of their achievements. For example, some pupils spoke to us about the awards they had received for their reading. Many pupils enjoy the additional responsibilities that they are given, such as being a digital leader or school councillor. This prepares them well for the future.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils contribute well to group discussions and respect each other’s opinions. In lessons, pupils behave well and follow instructions straight away. Staff do not accept bullying. If it happens, they do everything they can to stop it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A wide selection of after-school clubs is available to pupils, including a brass band and a reading club. A range of sporting activities are also available during the lunch break. Pupils told us that they enjoy the trips and visits linked to their learning, although some pupils told inspectors they would like more.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most teachers set high standards and have high expectations for pupils. However, the quality of education is not good. Leaders have been too slow to resolve weaknesses in the school’s curriculum. This means that there are gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills in some subjects. As a result, pupils struggle to remember what they have been taught. They do not succeed as well as they could. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/disabilities (SEND).

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better?

Leaders, including governors, have not made sure that, in some subjects, the curriculum builds on what pupils already know and can do. Over time, pupils’ achievements at the end of all key stages have been mixed. At the end of key stage 2 in 2019, pupils did not achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics compared to other pupils nationally.

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better?

However, there are strengths in the school. The headteacher ensures that staff focus on teaching early reading skills from the moment children enter the school. Staff are well trained and skilled in the teaching of phonics. Most pupils meet the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Pupils who are not confident readers receive effective, extra support to help them catch up.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge in mathematics. They plan work which develops pupils’ knowledge and skills well, including for pupils with SEND. Although the curriculum is new, there are chances for pupils to practise what they already know before they learn new things. This helps current pupils to remember their learning. Leaders have also changed their approach to the teaching of writing. Writing activities are linked to pupils’ reading and teachers are trained well to deliver the writing curriculum. This is having a positive effect and current pupils are successfully developing their writing skills. This includes pupils with SEND. Pupils take pride in their work. Their handwriting and presentation reflect the high 26–27 November 2019

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Staff in the early years have designed an effective curriculum. This supports children’s early reading, writing and mathematics development. Staff have high expectations of children’s behaviour. Teachers use what children already know to develop and build children’s skills and knowledge in all areas of learning.

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In some subjects, pupils’ learning is not ordered well enough to build pupils’ knowledge and understanding. While geography is stronger, in other subjects, teachers have little direction about what pupils should learn. Teachers have not been provided with training to teach some subjects effectively. As a result, pupils’ knowledge is not secure and does not help them to understand new learning. For example, pupils were not able to discuss how earlier skills learned in physical education (PE) were helping them within current lessons. Leaders have appointed teachers to be in charge of each subject across the curriculum. However, some subject leaders have only been in post for a short period of time. The impact of their work to improve the quality of education pupils receive is at an early stage.

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Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well. Pupils concentrate and often work well together. This means that lessons are rarely interrupted. If pupils misbehave, teachers follow procedures consistently. Pupils who struggle to manage their own behaviour are given the support and guidance they need.

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Leaders ensure that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Assemblies and activities in class, such as debates, give pupils the chance to learn and reflect on important aspects of life in modern Britain.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff are adequately trained and safeguarding updates are a regular occurrence. Leaders have a good understanding of the specific issues in the local area. Staff training reflects these issues. All concerns are logged and followed up where necessary. Pupils know who to go to if they are worried about anything. There is a clear programme for pupils to learn how to stay safe online. Further work on keeping themselves safe is completed in assemblies or through specific lessons.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained to spot signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. Teachers know what to do if they have concerns about a pupil. Leaders keep an oversight of pupils they know to be vulnerable. They work well with external agencies to make sure that these pupils receive the support they need.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The learning of current pupils is well sequenced in English and mathematics. However, this is not securely the case in some subjects. Leaders must make sure that pupils’ learning is carefully planned and taught in all subjects. This is to ensure that pupils know more and remember more across the curriculum.  Some subject leaders are new to their role. Senior leaders should ensure that these leaders are fully supported to develop the skills needed to complete this role successfully. This will allow subject leaders to have a greater influence over the quality of education in their subjects.

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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. 26–27 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10113303 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.harwoodpark.rochdale.sch.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12–13 May 2016

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Information about this school

 The number of pupils on roll has significantly increased since the last inspection from 283 to 404.

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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 held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteachers and members of the senior leadership team. Meetings were also held with those responsible for governance. An inspector also met with two representatives from the local authority. We spoke to pupils, both formally and informally. We also spoke to parents before the start of the school day.  As part of this inspection the following subjects were considered in depth: reading, mathematics, writing, history and geography. For each of these subjects, inspectors undertook the following: discussions with senior leaders and subject leaders; visits to lessons; discussions with pupils about their experience of learning and scrutiny of the work in pupils’ books.  An inspector heard pupils read and talked with pupils about how the school teaches reading. 26–27 November 2019

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 We considered the eight responses to Ofsted’s parental questionnaire, Parent View, and the six free-text comments. We also considered the 38 responses to the staff survey. There were no responses to the pupil survey.  We spoke to staff, governors and pupils about how the school keeps pupils safe. An inspector examined the single central record of the checks undertaken to make sure that staff are suitable to work in a school. He also reviewed the school’s safeguarding policy and practice.

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Inspection team

Simon Hunter, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Doreen Davenport Ofsted Inspector 26–27 November 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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