Greenfield Primary School

Inspection of Greenfield Primary School Shaw Street, Greenfield, Oldham, Greater Manchester OL3 7AA

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 2024

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since September 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 12 and 13 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Warm and positive relationships permeate throughout Greenfield Primary School. Staff know their pupils well. Pupils appreciate the support and care they receive. This means that pupils are happy and feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school promotes high educational standards. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enjoy their learning and achieve well. They take pride in their work. Most pupils are ready for the next stages in their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school sets high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. The recent changes the school has made to the behaviour policy help pupils to understand w hat is expected of them. Pupils are polite and courteous. They listen with attention to their teachers and each other. Pupils play harmoniously together. This begins in the early years where pupils are taught how to share and be kind to each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a varied range of wider curriculum opportunities, such as chess and basketball . Staff are ambitious that all pupils participate in these experiences. They take steps to allow this to happen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the opportunities to be active leaders in the school community, such as becoming a prefect or a mental health ambassador. They take their roles and responsibili ties seriously.

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

The school has ensured that all pupils, including pupils with SEND, access a broad and ambitious curriculum. Some very recent changes mean that a small number of subjects are at an earlier stage of development than others.

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

The curriculum is well planned and sequenced. It clearly defines the essential knowledge and vocabulary that pupils are expected to know and remember as they progress through the school. However, in some aspects of the early years curriculum, leaders have not identified clearly enough what they intend children to learn and by when. This means that some children are not fully prepared for their next stages in learning.

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

The curriculum is typically well delivered. Teachers have strong knowledge of the subjects they teach. They present information to pupils clearly, in small steps. This helps pupils to understand the curriculum. Pupils respond positively in their lessons. This includes in the early years, where children listen with attention to their teachers.

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

Teachers’ checks on how well pupils are learning are variable. For example, in some lessons, teachers do not check with enough frequency if pupils have understood important aspects of the curriculum. As a result, teachers sometimes move on to new content before pupils are secure in their learning. 12 and 13 November 2024

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The school prioritises reading and places it at the heart of its curriculum. Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme effectively. Children in the Nursery, including the two-year-olds, enjoy listening to a wide range of books, stories and rhymes. This prepares them well for the phonics programme in Reception. Staff complete regular checks of phonics learning. This helps to ensure that any pupils who are struggling with early reading receive the timely support that they require to catch up quickly. The reading books that pupils take home to practise reading match the sounds that pupils know. This supports pupils to become fluent and independent readers.

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The school has recently refreshed its systems to promote regular attendance for pupils. Staff have worked with families to overcome barriers to poor attendance. For example, the introduction of a breakfast club is helping to improve pupils’ attendance. However, a small minority of pupils do not attend school regularly enough.

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Pupils with SEND are accurately and quickly identified by staff. In lessons, staff generally make meaningful adaptations to the learning activities. This enables most pupils with SEND to access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers and they achieve well from their different starting points. The school liaises effectively with professional agencies and parents and carers to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the support that they need.

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The school prepares pupils to be responsible and respectful citizens. Pupils are knowledgeable about how to keep themselves healthy and safe, including how to stay safe when playing or working online. Pupils learn about other faiths and cultures. They understand the importance of treating everyone fairly and showing tolerance. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Staff appreciate the recent changes the school has made to support their workload and well-being. They are proud to be part of a successful team. Staff value the priority given to their professional development. Governors provide support and challenge to ensure that pupils receive a positive education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some areas of the early years curriculum, the school has not identified with enough clarity what it wants children to learn and by when. This means that some children are not fully prepared for the next stages in learning. The school should set out clearly the foundational knowledge that children need to learn in the early years.  In some lessons, the school does not make checks to establish whether pupils are learning the intended curriculum. This means that some teachers do not adapt their teaching, so at times, pupils find the work too difficult. The school should ensure that 12 and 13 November 2024

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teachers use effective strategies to routinely check pupils’ understanding and use the information gathered to make appropriate adaptations to support pupils’ learning.  A small number of pupils do not attend school regularly enough. This means they miss important knowledge and develop gaps in their learning. The school should embed recently introduced strategies to ensure these pupils attend more regularly.

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How can I feedback 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 feedback 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). 12 and 13 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 September 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school operates a nursery, which includes provision for two-year-olds.  A new headteacher took up post from September 2024.  The school runs its own breakfast club.  The school does not make any use of alternative provision.

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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. 12 and 13 November 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, other leaders and staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, history, computing and religious education. For each deep dive they met with subject leaders, discussed curriculums, visited a sample of lessons, met with teachers, spoke with pupils about their learning and reviewed samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors observed pupils from Year 1 to Year 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors considered other subjects in the school’s curriculum. They also looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke with a range of staff to discuss how the school supports their

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workload and well-being.  Inspectors met with governors and the school improvement partner. They also spoke with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school. They spoke with pupils and staff about behaviour and learning. Inspectors looked more widely at pupils’ work in personal, social and health education.  Inspectors spoke with parents and considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 considered a range of documents provided by the school. These included

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records of governing body meetings, attendance analysis, behaviour reports, and education, health and care plans.

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Inspection team

Bev Dolman, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Elizabeth Stevens Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 November 2024

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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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