Haslingden Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Haslingden Primary School Ryefield Avenue, Haslingden, Rossendale, Lancashire BB4 4BJ

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Outcome

Haslingden Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to be part of the Haslingden Primary School community. The school enables the unique gifts of each pupil to flourish. It has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils rise to meet these expectations. They are inquisitive and attentive in lessons. Pupils take responsibility for their own learning. They achieve well. Alongside their academic accomplishments, many pupils develop their creative talents.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They know that everyone deserves equal respect. Pupils uphold the school values by being kind and responsible. They are polite to adults and to each other. Pupils’ positive conduct helps make the corridors and dining area safe and calm places to be. Pupils enjoy active playtimes, where they play cooperatively with their friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils access a remarkably broad range of clubs each week. These help pupils to keep physically active and to develop their talents and interests. For example, pupils have opportunities to climb, dance, sing and play musical instruments. They are proud of the public performances that they take part in. Parents and carers spoke with delight of their children being the first members of their families to have the confidence to perform in front of others.

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

The school has designed an ambitious and broad curriculum that considers the needs of pupils well. The curriculum builds pupils’ knowledge in a logical way from the early years to Year 6. The school has worked with a local high school to ensure that pupils are well prepared for their later learning.

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

Teachers benefit from high-quality training to develop their curriculum expertise. They adapt their delivery of learning activities so that pupils learn all that they should. Teachers check regularly what pupils have learned. This means that any gaps in pupils’ knowledge are identified quickly so that pupils receive timely support. For example, gaps in pupils’ reading knowledge are addressed swiftly. 1 and 2 May 2024

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In most subjects, teachers are aware of pupils’ starting points and build up from these. Teachers remind pupils of what they already know before moving on to new learning. For example, children in the early years plant seeds and watch them grow. Older pupils revisit this experience before learning about parts of plants and pollination in key stage 2. Teachers enhance pupils’ learning by arranging visits from scientists in the community, including a local botanist. This inspires pupils and prepares them well for later life.

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Some pupils do not achieve as well as they could in a small number of subjects. This is because, at times, teachers introduce pupils to complicated words before they have grasped the basics. Consequently, some pupils become overwhelmed with new information and cannot remember some important facts.

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The school identifies children’s additional needs, including any special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), in the early years. Pupils with SEND receive specialist support where needed. They benefit from repeated and reinforced routines across school, as well as the predictable calm pace of lessons. Pupils with SEND thrive.

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The school prioritises teaching pupils to read. The school’s early reading programme is delivered with rigour. The books that pupils read and listen to have been carefully considered. Pupils learn to read fluently from an early age. Older pupils spoke enthusiastically about their favourite authors and how adults in school encourage them to read often and widely. Pupils said that they enjoy reading about characters who have faced challenges and have overcome them successfully.

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The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Younger pupils move calmly and safely from one activity to another. Older pupils learn how to manage their emotions well. The school places a high priority on pupils’ attendance and punctuality. Staff identify any reasons for absence and help to minimise these. As a result, most pupils attend school regularly.

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The school places a high priority on pupils’ wider development. Pupils play an important part in helping the school to become even better. For example, they helped to design the outdoor play equipment. Parents and pupils appreciate that the school is a focal point for the local area. For example, events such as tree planting and celebrating significant national occasions and festivals help pupils to play their part in the community.

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The school responds positively to significant challenges and demands. The staff are a supportive professional team. The school makes sure that any changes it introduces improve efficiency and protect staff’s workload. Governors make courageous decisions to ensure that staff well-being is maintained.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 1 and 2 May 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, in a small number of subjects, the school does not ensure that teachers check that pupils’ knowledge is secure before they introduce new learning. When this happens, pupils do not achieve as well as they could because the building blocks for future learning are not fully in place. The school should provide the support that teachers need to make sure that pupils’ new learning is built on secure foundations in these few subjects.

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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 February 2014.

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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 ’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 1 and 2 May 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Christopher Paxton

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27 November 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of the school’s educational provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher, senior leaders and members of staff. She also spoke with members of the governing body, community representatives, the school improvement partner and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, geography and science. She spoke with staff who lead these subject areas, visited lessons and spoke with teachers. The inspector spoke with pupils about their learning and viewed examples of their work. The inspector also considered the curriculum for mathematics. She spoke to the mathematics leader and reviewed a sample of mathematics books.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector observed pupils in key stages 1 and 2 reading to trusted adults.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during playtimes, in the dining hall and while in lessons.  The inspector spoke to parents to gather their views about the school. The inspector also spoke with staff.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. She reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including records of governing body meetings, behaviour logs and attendance records.

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Inspection team

Trish Merritt, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 May 2024

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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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