Stalyhill Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Stalyhill Junior School Hereford Way, Mottram Old Road, Stalybridge, Cheshire SK15 2TD

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Outcome

Stalyhill Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are polite, friendly and articulate. They behave well in class and around the school. They make good use of the fabulous grounds in which the school is set. At break, I observed pupils checking and swapping character cards, playing football and reading books. They play well with each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told me that they feel safe. They develop a good understanding of how to stay safe when working and playing online. Pupils also have a good knowledge of how to stay safe around reservoirs, roads and railways. They were adamant that bullying is rare. If bullying occurs, staff are good at stopping it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well, particularly in science, music, reading and mathematics. This is because staff have high expectations of all pupils. They make sure that the curriculum meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils have an equal chance to join in with all the activities that are offered at the school.

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

This school is well led and managed. Teamwork is strong at Stalyhill Junior School. Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. Staff work well together and support each other. Staff morale is high. Leaders are working hard to reduce staff workload.

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

Leaders make sure that pupils follow the full range of national curriculum subjects. Leaders and staff have created well-designed curriculums in science, music, reading, writing and mathematics. In these subjects, pupils build well on their earlier learning. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, achieve well in these subjects.

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

Reading is a high priority. Pupils are captivated by the stories, poems and fact books that teachers read, both during and at the end of the school day. Staff match reading books 10–11 December 2019

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well to pupils’ level of reading in class. Teachers ensure that pupils do not fall behind in their reading. There is an effective system to allow pupils to catch up quickly. That said, many of the books that pupils read do not reflect the diverse range of people living in modern Britain. Pupils’ awareness of different cultures and diversity is not as good as it could be.

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Teachers follow well-constructed curriculum plans in mathematics. They build carefully on pupils’ earlier learning. They also provide pupils with opportunities to solve problems and explain their thinking. Pupils find their learning fun and engaging. They behave well and are keen to learn. Pupils practise their times tables to ensure that they can remember important facts about number.

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Leaders are in the process of adjusting the curriculum plans in some other subjects to make sure that pupils can build on their knowledge over time. In geography, for example, pupils have a secure understanding of physical features such as rivers, volcanoes and forests. However, the curriculum plans for this subject do not develop pupils’ locational knowledge well enough. This means that pupils confuse the names of cities, towns, countries and the continents.

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Through geography, as well as other subjects, pupils can develop morally and spiritually. For example, they learn about how to look after the environment and discuss important issues such as deforestation. In other subjects, pupils learn about composers and artists. However, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to learn about a diverse range of artists and composers. Pupils are respectful of adults and each other. The end result is that pupils get along with each other and they can concentrate in lessons for most of the time.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have a robust system to identify any pupils or families that need support. Staff undergo all relevant checks to make sure that they are safe to work with pupils.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have a very good system in place to safeguard children looked after, including those who are adopted or fostered. Leaders work well with other agencies to share information and to find solutions to problems that families sometimes face.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum planning in some subjects is coherent and well ordered. However, in other subjects, the curriculum plans are not detailed enough to identify the small steps in knowledge and skills that leaders want pupils to learn and remember. Leaders should refine their curriculum plans further so that teachers are able to help pupils revisit and build on important earlier learning. Leaders have begun this task. It is for that reason that the transition arrangements have been used in reaching a judgement that the 10–11 December 2019

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school remains good.  Leaders are committed to equality. However, in the curriculum, leaders do not place enough emphasis on promoting diversity. This means that many pupils do not have a broad enough understanding of life in modern Britain. Leaders should make sure that the diversity of modern Britain is reflected better in those resources that support the delivery of the curriculum.

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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.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 17 June 2015.

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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.

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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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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. 10–11 December 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10087756 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.stalyhill-jun.tameside.sch.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17 June 2015

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Information about this school

 There have been no significant changes at the school since the previous inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 During this inspection, I met with six members of the governing body. I also met with a representative from the local authority. I visited lessons with senior leaders and I met with staff.  I looked in depth at three subjects: geography, mathematics and reading. This involved speaking with leaders, visiting lessons, listening to pupils read, speaking with pupils and teachers, and looking at pupils’ work in their books.  To find out about safeguarding arrangements, I looked at school policies, observed breaktimes and spoke with staff. I looked at leaders’ information about attendance and bullying and behaviour incidents. I observed pupils leaving the school.  I considered the views of the 33 parents who completed Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. I also reviewed the 11 responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey. 10–11 December 2019

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Inspection team

Allan Torr, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 10–11 December 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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