Heaton Park Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Heaton Park Primary School Cuckoo Lane, Whitefield, Manchester M45 6TE

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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 November 2022

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Outcome

Heaton Park Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to Heaton Park Primary School. They say this is a safe place where they are cared for. They arrive excited and ready to learn. Staff know pupils well and have positive relationships with them. Pupils told inspectors that adults help them to resolve any worries they may have. Leaders deal with bullying and name calling effectively. This helps pupils to feel safe and supported.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy spending time in the outdoors and learn to appreciate nature. They value the opportunity to use the tree house and enthusiastically conduct science experiments outside. They behave well in and out of classrooms. This is because teachers have high expectations of how they should conduct themselves.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work hard in lessons. Staff expect them to do their very best. This helps them to become successful learners, who achieve well across many subjects. Pupils take part in a wide variety of trips and clubs. After-school clubs such as cross-country, netball and football are popular. Pupils enjoy supporting the local community through events, such as collecting food for local food banks.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are particularly supportive of the school. A typical comment expressed was: ‘My child is thriving here.’

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious and broad curriculum that meets pupils’ needs and interests. Staff promote an enthusiasm for learning from the minute that children join the school in the Nursery Year. The curriculum excites pupils and children in the early years, so that they develop their knowledge across the full range of subjects. This accounts for their strong achievement.

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

Leaders are clear about the knowledge that pupils and children in the early years should learn and when this content should be taught. Teachers are confident about designing 9 and 10 November 2022

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learning that helps pupils to build on what they know already. Teachers have strong subject expertise. They select suitable resources and activities that help pupils to remember the curriculum over time. Teachers and staff provide support to address any gaps in pupils’ learning. Leaders monitor how well teachers teach curriculums and how well pupils achieve in most subjects. However, in a very small number of subjects, leaders’ checks on the teaching of the curriculums are not as effective. This means that leaders and governors are not as clear about how well pupils remember the intended content.

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Leaders have successfully made reading a priority. They have made sure there is a wide range of high-quality books for pupils to read in classrooms and in the school library. Children and pupils value the joy that reading can bring. They also enjoy listening to their teachers read. Staff in the early years develop children’s communication and listening skills effectively. Children in the Nursery Year learn rhymes and hear stories, which prepare them well for learning to read. This is built on quickly in the Reception class and during key stage 1, as children and pupils build their knowledge of letters and the sounds that they represent.

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Staff make regular assessments of the progress that children and pupils are making. They ensure that those who are struggling to read receive effective support that helps them to keep up with their classmates. Almost all pupils can read fluently and independently by the end of key stage 1. Parents value the communication from leaders about how they can best help their children with reading. By the time that they leave Year 6, pupils are well prepared for the challenges of the key stage 3 curriculum.

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Pupils and children in the early years are keen to learn and behave well. They listen well and join in enthusiastically in lessons. Pupils conduct themselves well in and around the school, at playtimes and in lessons.

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Leaders have made sure that the curriculum encourages pupils’ personal development. Pupils have a strong understanding of difference. They respect other cultures, faiths and beliefs. They are tolerant of others and keen to celebrate difference through a range of festivals and events. They learn to value diversity. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Leaders and governors have a clear and ambitious vision for the school. They have a detailed understanding of its strengths and areas for further development. Governors ask leaders challenging questions about their work to improve the school. Staff enjoy working at the school. They feel well supported by leaders who are mindful of their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that staff are trained well to identify those pupils who may be at risk of harm. Staff know the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about a pupil’s well-being or safety. Leaders act in a timely way to follow up any concerns. They work effectively with different agencies to ensure that pupils are supported appropriately. 9 and 10 November 2022

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This enables them to ensure that pupils and families who need help receive it promptly. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a very small number of subjects, assessment information does not provide teachers with the clarity needed to inform future teaching. Leaders and governors are not as clear about how well pupils remember the intended content. Leaders should ensure that summary information provides enough detail to shape future teaching.

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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 an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 2012.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 9 and 10 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10240101 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 May 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  During this inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher and other leaders. He also spoke with a range of staff.  The inspector met with governors and spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector spoke with parents and carers at the beginning of the school day.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. He also considered responses from staff to the Ofsted survey, and from pupils to the Ofsted pupil survey. 9 and 10 November 2022

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 The inspector examined a range of safeguarding documentation. He checked leaders’ procedures for recruiting staff. The inspector checked records of staff’s safeguarding training. He spoke with staff to check how well they understood safeguarding arrangements.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour at playtimes, in lessons and around school. He also spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and religious education. He met with subject leaders and teachers and visited a sample of lessons. The inspector spoke with pupils and looked at examples of their work. He also observed pupils reading to trusted adults.

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Inspection team

David Hampson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 9 and 10 November 2022

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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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