Stansfield Hall Church of England / Methodist Church Primary School

Inspection of Stansfield Hall Church of England/Free Church Primary School Todmorden Road, Summit, Littleborough, Lancashire OL15 9PR

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 November 2022

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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 Inadequate Previous inspection grade Good 22 and 23 November 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this school. They feel safe and emotionally secure. Pupils’ well- being is supported effectively and they are treated with respect by staff. In turn, this fosters positive relationships between all members of the school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the enrichment opportunities on offer. They spoke highly of the residential visits and the club that they can attend. They particularly enjoy the opportunities to take part in various school performances.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ ambition for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve well is borne out in mathematics and early reading. However, leaders have not given enough thought to the curriculum in other subjects. Moreover, they have not ensured that children in the early years receive a suitable education. As a result, children and pupils are not achieving as well as they should in some subjects beyond reading, writing and mathematics.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders expect pupils to behave well in classrooms and around the school. Most pupils conduct themselves sensibly, especially during breaktimes and lunchtimes. However, at times, some disruption to learning occurs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying or inappropriate language effectively. Pupils stated that staff deal with any such issues as soon as they arise. Pupils trust staff. They are confident that any concerns that they raise will be taken seriously by staff.

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better?

Leaders have successfully focused on ensuring that pupils study a carefully designed curriculum for early reading and mathematics. As a result, teachers know what they should teach and pupils build up their knowledge in these subjects over time. This means that most pupils achieve well in these areas. However, this is not replicated in some other subjects. This is because leaders have not thought carefully enough about pupils’ age and stage of development in their curriculum design. At times, the curriculum does not match the ambition of the national curriculum. Pupils’ achievement across these subjects is not good enough.

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better?

In the absence of clear information about what pupils should learn and when this should happen, teachers are ill-equipped to design learning, and effective assessment strategies, that enable pupils to build their knowledge over time. This means that pupils are sometimes given disconnected activities that do not lead to secure understanding. At times, pupils are faced with tasks that they can do easily. Elsewhere, pupils struggle with tasks because they do not have the building blocks in place to help them to succeed. 22 and 23 November 2022

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The curriculum in the early years is unsuitable. The statutory early years foundation stage framework is not fully in place. This means that children are taught the key stage 1 curriculum in many areas of learning. These children are not ready for much of this curriculum and, as a result, they miss out on the fundamental building blocks that they need for later success. This also means that some children do not develop effective behaviours for learning quickly enough. Therefore, children do not get off to a good start in the early years.

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In some subjects, and in the early years, leaders do carry out some checks to see how well the curriculum is being delivered. However, these checks do not provide them with the pertinent information that they need to understand what is going well and what needs to improve. This limits leaders’ ability to identify and address any weaknesses in their subject.

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Reading is prioritised at the school. Leaders have invested in a new library space, which pupils enjoy visiting. There is a clear and consistent approach to teaching phonics because staff have been well trained to deliver the phonics programme. Pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds that they know. Pupils who need extra help with phonics are identified quickly and they receive effective support to help them to keep up. This helps pupils to become confident, fluent readers.

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Pupils with SEND have their needs identified effectively by leaders. Leaders also make sure that pupils with SEND are included in all aspects of school life. However, due to the variation in the curriculum design and delivery, the achievement of pupils with SEND mirrors that of other pupils in the school.

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Leaders promote pupils’ personal development effectively. Leaders ensure that pupils gain a deep understanding of diversity and equality. For example, pupils learn about different relationships and family types. Pupils take part in theme days or weeks that recognise significant people and cultural events. As a result, pupils have a tolerant and respectful attitude to others. Pupils develop a secure understanding of British values. They understand concepts such as democracy and equality. This prepares them well for life in modern Britain. Pupils have a good understanding of how to look after their mental and physical well-being.

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Pupils behave well during social times and generally have positive attitudes to their learning. However, low-level disruption sometimes occurs. This is more prevalent in the early years.

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Governors know the school well and are engaged in school life. Governors and leaders fulfil most of their duties effectively. Governors and leaders engage well with the school community. This is appreciated by staff, parents and carers. Leaders take account of staff’s workload and well-being. This is valued by staff. 22 and 23 November 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that all staff receive appropriate safeguarding training. Staff know how to identify and report any safeguarding concerns they may have. Concerns are appropriately recorded and acted upon. Leaders take effective actions to secure any help that pupils might need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, for example, when they are out in the community or working online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The statutory early years foundation stage framework has not been implemented fully in the early years. This means that children do not learn what they should in many areas of learning. Consequently, children are not gaining the crucial building blocks that they need for their future learning. Leaders, including governors, must ensure that the early years foundation stage framework is implemented fully for Reception-age children. They should also make sure that staff are suitably equipped to deliver this framework.  In some subjects other than early reading and mathematics, leaders have not given enough consideration to the knowledge that pupils should know and the order in which it should be taught. This means that pupils do not build their knowledge in a coherent way. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum identifies what pupils at different ages should know and be able to do across all subjects.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, teachers do not design learning that enables pupils to build a secure body of knowledge over time. A lack of curriculum guidance means that they present content that is too easy or is too difficult for pupils. At times, this leads to low-level disruptive behaviour. It also means that pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the guidance that they need to design learning that helps pupils to know and remember more over time.  Some subject leaders do not know how well their curriculum is being delivered and the impact it is having on pupils’ achievement. This means that some weaknesses in the curriculum are not sufficiently addressed. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders develop their oversight of their curriculums, so that they can support teachers to help pupils to learn what they should. 22 and 23 November 2022

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 22 and 23 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10226260 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.stansfieldhall.rochdale.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The governing body oversees the before- and after-school club.  The most recent section 48 inspection took place in December 2017.  A new deputy headteacher has been appointed since the last inspection. This person was on extended leave during the inspection. An acting deputy headteacher has been appointed to cover their responsibilities.  A new assistant headteacher post has been added to the leadership structure since the last inspection.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision. 22 and 23 November 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in these subjects: early reading, geography and mathematics. They met with subject leaders and teachers. They visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ and children’s work and talked with groups of pupils about their learning. The lead inspector heard pupils read to a familiar adult. Inspectors also considered the curriculum, spoke with pupils about their learning and evaluated their work in some other subjects.  Inspectors spoke with members of the governing body, the headteacher and other school leaders. The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority. Inspectors also talked to staff about their workload and well-being.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour and pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about safeguarding and their wider experience of school. Inspectors looked at a range of policies and documents related to pupils’ welfare and education. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors reviewed leaders’ policies and procedures to keep pupils safe. They discussed safeguarding arrangements with leaders and staff. Inspectors also checked the school’s records of the suitability of staff to work with pupils.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.  Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day and took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

David Spruce, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Lisa Hesmondhalgh Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 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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