Propps Hall Junior Infant and Nursery School

Inspection of Propps Hall Junior Infant and Nursery School Propps Hall Drive, Failsworth, Manchester M35 0ND

p.1

Inspection dates: 19 and 20 November 2024

p.1

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding 19 and 20 November 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including children in the early years, thrive at Propps Hall. They love coming to school. Staff are highly attuned to the needs of each pupil. They foster pupils’ strengths and talents extremely well. This enables pupils to develop a healthy self-belief. Pupils enjoy warm, trusting relationships with staff. They know that staff will listen carefully to any concerns that they may have. This helps pupils to feel safe.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work incredibly hard to meet the extremely high expectations of the school. They are enthused by their lessons and learn very well across the full curriculum. They achieve exceptionally well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They treat each other with the utmost respect. Pupils display exceptional behaviour throughout the school. At lunchtimes, pupil playmakers ensure that every pupil is part of a purposeful activity. Well-being ambassadors look after their peers’ emotions with maturity and sensitivity.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils can choose to take part in an amazing array of extra-curricular opportunities. From cooking to playing the harp, staff provide tailor made activities to fire pupils’ interests. The school ensures that disadvantaged pupils, in particular, benefit from this comprehensive offer.

p.2

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

The school has produced a highly inspiring and engaging curriculum. It is ambitious for all pupils. Highly skilled staff have ordered curriculum content so that pupils continually build on their prior learning. This curriculum journey builds seamlessly from the early years. As a result, children are very well prepared for their learning in Year 1 and beyond. This is because they are building on solid foundations.

p.2

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

Staff have excellent subject knowledge. They use their considerable expertise to deliver the curriculum very well through high-quality learning activities. Pupils regularly recap what they have learned. This helps them to remember key information. In mathematics, for example, pupils have excellent recall of their times tables. Pupils have a very well- developed understanding of subject-specific vocabulary. They can articulate a sophisticated level of knowledge about a range of subjects. In history, Year 4 pupils could clearly explain the reason behind the fall of the Roman empire. They were able to compare and contrast the Roman era with that of the Anglo-Saxons.

p.2

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

Since the last inspection, the school has further refined its approach to assessment systems. Staff expertly evaluate the curriculum content that pupils know and remember. This enables staff to accurately identify any gaps in pupils’ learning. Staff use this information to precisely tailor learning that meets pupils’ needs. As a result, pupils achieve exceptionally well across the curriculum. However, this is not reflected fully in the most recent published data for the school. This is because the Year 6 pupils who left in 2024 did not have enough time to benefit from improvements to the curriculum. 19 and 20 November 2024

p.2

3

The teaching of reading is a top priority. Children in the Nursery Year engage in the retelling of traditional tales with unbridled enthusiasm. Staff across the school are well trained. They skilfully deliver the phonics programme with a high degree of consistency. Pupils’ books are precisely matched to the sounds that they know. Staff act immediately to support any pupils who may struggle with reading. Younger pupils read fluently and confidently. They have a strong understanding of what they are reading. They are adept at using their acquired phonics knowledge to spell words accurately. Pupils throughout the school are immersed in high-quality books. Older pupils love being read to by their teachers.

p.3

3

Staff are single-minded in their approach to ensuring that all pupils have no limits on their learning. The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. This enables pupils with SEND to receive highly effective support. Staff receive regular expert training. This helps them to make suitable adaptations to their teaching so that pupils with SEND access the same learning as their peers. A well- qualified pastoral team provides additional support to pupils when this is required. These supportive measures enable pupils with SEND to achieve very well.

p.3

3

Attendance rates at the school are high. Learning behaviours in all classes are exemplary. Clear and consistent routines are quickly established. Children in the Nursery Year listen to their teachers with close attention. They quickly learn the importance of resilience. Children in the early years and pupils across the rest of the school know the importance of always trying their best.

p.3

3

Pupils’ personal development sits at the heart of this school. All pupils are provided with exceptional opportunities to enhance their learning and broaden their horizons. They have an in-depth knowledge of other faiths and religions. Pupils learn about tolerance and diversity. Year 6 pupils are looking forward to cooking and preparing a meal for an upcoming community event. They also spoke excitedly about their recent trip to France.

p.3

3

Staff are proud to work at the school. They are highly appreciative of the range of professional development opportunities that they receive. Staff are grateful for the consideration given by governors to their well-being and workload. Governors are highly skilled. They have a thorough understanding of the school. They use these qualities to provide insightful challenge and support to leaders.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

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. 19 and 20 November 2024

p.3

4

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with 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). 19 and 20 November 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Headteacher Gillian Kay (executive headteacher)

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 July 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of The Ivory Federation. There are three schools in the federation. Each school has its own governing body.  The school manages the before- and after-school provision.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth-form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 19 and 20 November 2024

p.5

6

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: 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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors observed pupils reading to an adult. They also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher and members of the senior leadership team. They also met with governors, including the chair of governors.

p.6

6

 Inspectors spoke with staff to discuss their workload and well-being.  Inspectors spoke to parents and carers at the start of the school day and considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors had discussions with groups of pupils about their experience of school. They also observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at social times.

p.6

Inspection team

John Tomlinson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Joan Grant Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 November 2024

p.6

7

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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7