Greenhill Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Greenhill Primary School Mile Lane, Bury, Lancashire BL8 2JH

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Outcome

Greenhill Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Greenhill Primary School typically achieve well. They know that their teachers expect the very best of them. Most pupils enjoy their learning and take a great deal of pride in their work. They are confident that their friends and staff will help them if they struggle.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have equally high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils’ conduct embodies the school’s values. They proudly display the badges that they have earned through demonstrating these values around school. Pupils treat each other with kindness and respect. Leaders have suitable systems in place to address any incidents of bullying swiftly and effectively. As a result, pupils feel happy and safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a range of clubs and activities that enhance their wider development. All pupils are encouraged to be fully involved in school life. For example, during the inspection, pupils in Year 6 were preparing to perform a musical production for their families and guests. Staff had thought carefully to provide a range of roles that enabled all pupils to proudly participate.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils relish the opportunities that they have to take on responsibilities, such as supporting their younger peers by organising playtime activities or listening to them read. Pupils have a strong voice through the active pupil parliament.

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

Leaders have worked closely with leaders from the multi-academy trust to redesign the curriculum. Their vision for a broad and ambitious curriculum has been realised in most subjects, including in the early years. Pupils learn well as a result.

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

In one or two subjects, the curriculum remains in development. In these subjects, the curriculum is not sufficiently ambitious. Leaders have not finalised the essential knowledge that pupils should learn. Sometimes, teachers are not clear exactly what pupils 11 and 12 July 2023

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should learn and when this knowledge should be taught. Over time, some pupils have not learned as deeply as they should in these subjects.

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Leaders have prioritised training to equip teachers with the knowledge and skills that they need to deliver the revised curriculum effectively. This means that, in those subjects where the curriculum is fully developed, teachers successfully design learning that builds on what pupils know already. This helps pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding.

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In some subjects, teachers skilfully identify and remedy any misconceptions that pupils may have. However, in a few other subjects, including those where the curriculum is being developed, leaders are still refining their systems to assess pupils’ knowledge over time. This hinders teachers from checking how well pupils are learning the curriculum in these subjects.

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Leaders have implemented a rigorous phonics programme, starting in the early years, which enables children to quickly develop their recognition of letters and sounds. The books that children encounter closely match the sounds that they have learned. Leaders are committed to ensuring that pupils read fluently and accurately. For example, they have provided support for parents and carers so that they can help their children to practise reading. Expert staff support pupils who fall behind with their phonic knowledge to catch up quickly.

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Reading remains a focus as pupils move higher up the school. Teachers design effective activities to develop pupils’ vocabulary and comprehension. Pupils enjoy listening to the exciting and ambitious class novels that teachers select.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Leaders quickly identify these pupils’ additional needs. Staff provide appropriate support so that theses pupils can access the curriculum and learn well alongside their peers. In the early years, staff get to know the children before they start in the Reception Year. This helps them to quickly identify children that would benefit from additional support.

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Pupils typically behave well in lessons and around school. They learn without disruption. Staff provide suitable support to any pupils who struggle to manage their own behaviour. In the early years, children develop warm relationships with staff. Leaders successfully support children to settle in quickly and to adapt to the routines and expectations of school life.

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Leaders are determined to support the wider personal development of pupils and prepare them well for their next steps. For example, leaders arrange for expert speakers to teach pupils about economic education and money management. Pupils learn how to maintain their physical and mental well-being. Leaders ensure that pupils explore a wide range of religions and learn about diversity within the school community and beyond.

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Leaders and trustees have a detailed knowledge of the strengths of the school and the areas for development. They are mindful of staff workload and well-being. Leaders make 11 and 12 July 2023

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changes, when necessary, in response to staff feedback. As a result, most staff feel happy and proud to work at Greenhill Primary School.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide regular safeguarding training and updates for staff. This ensures that staff remain alert to the signs that a pupil is at risk of harm. Staff understand the procedures for reporting their concerns to leaders and do so diligently.

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Safeguarding

Leaders take appropriate and swift action to address any safeguarding concerns. They seek help and advice from external agencies, ensuring that families are well supported.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that, from the early years, pupils have opportunities to learn how to keep themselves safe. Pupils learn about online safety as well as risks in the local community.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In one or two subjects, leaders have not defined the important knowledge that pupils should learn. This means that sometimes teachers are hindered in designing learning that builds on what pupils already know. Leaders should ensure that, as they finalise the curriculum in these remaining subjects, teachers are clear about the essential knowledge that pupils should learn and when this should be taught.  In a few subjects, leaders are in the early stages of developing systems to check that pupils have learned and remembered all that they should. Sometimes, this hampers how quickly teachers identify and address pupils’ gaps in knowledge. As leaders finalise their curriculum thinking, they should ensure that teachers are fully equipped to check on how well pupils are learning the knowledge in 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 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, also called Greenhill Primary School, to be good in October 2014. 11 and 12 July 2023

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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. 11 and 12 July 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10291442 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Greenhill Primary School converted to become an academy school in April 2021. When its predecessor school, Greenhill Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of the Forward As One Church of England Multi Academy Trust.  Since converting to an academy, a new headteacher and assistant headteacher have been appointed.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that 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 her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with senior leaders, including the headteacher, and a range of staff. She also spoke with a member of the local governing body and representatives of the multi-academy trust.  The inspector met with a representative of the local authority. 11 and 12 July 2023

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 The inspector spoke to pupils about their experiences of school and their views on behaviour and bullying. She observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and social times.  The inspector reviewed a wide range of evidence, including leaders’ self-evaluation documents, improvement plans, minutes of governing body meetings and records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation about safeguarding. She met with leaders, staff and pupils to understand how pupils are kept safe.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, geography and mathematics. For each deep dive, she discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some teachers and pupils about their learning, and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector observed children reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text

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responses. She also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Charlotte Oles, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 11 and 12 July 2023

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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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