Gorse Hall Primary and Nursery School

GORSE HALL PRIMARY AND NURSERY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Gorse Hall Primary and Nursery - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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GORSE HALL PRIMARY AND NURSERY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Gorse Hall Primary and Nursery - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 399

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Forester Drive Stalybridge Cheshire Postcode: SK15 2 DP

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0161 338 4262 Fax number: 0161 304 9728

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr G Goodchild

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 12 October 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Gorse Hall is a larger than average primary school located close to the town centre of Stalybridge. It serves a community that includes privately rented and local authority housing and a wide range of owner-occupied houses. There are 399 pupils on roll and a further 66 who attend part-time in the Nursery. There are more pupils in the school than there were at the time of the last inspection. There are significantly more boys than girls in the school, especially in Years 4, 5 and 6. Pupils attend the Nursery for either morning or afternoon sessions from the age of three and enter the Reception class in the September of the school year in which they become five. The attainment of pupils on entry to school is about average.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

There are three pupils in school who have Statements of Special Educational Needs and this is below the national average. There are 61 pupils who are at different stages of assessment for special educational needs, which is about average. The school admits pupils from a variety of backgrounds. All pupils in school come from homes where English is the first language. Fourteen per cent of pupils receive school meals free of charge; this is in line with the national average.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has received the award of Investors in People. Gorse Hall Primary and Nursery - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

1272 Mr I Hocking Lead inspector Mathematics, physical education, religious education, English as an additional language 9974 Mr D Singh Lay inspector 4350 Mr C Whittington Team inspector English, art and design, geography, special educational needs 8316 Mrs J O’Hare Team inspector Science, history, music, Foundation Stage 6642 Mr P Hill Team inspector Information and communication technology, citizenship, design and technology

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Serco QAA Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Gorse Hall Primary and Nursery - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 30

Gorse Hall Primary and Nursery - 6 PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 30

Gorse Hall is a very good and caring school that benefits from very good leadership, management and governance. The excellent work of the headteacher and deputy headteacher is pivotal to the school’s very good improvement. They promote an atmosphere in which individuals are respected and valued. Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds are expected to do their best and most achieve very well because of the very good quality of education provided. The school provides very good value for money.

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 30

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 30

• Leadership and management are very good and lead to very good teamwork. • Very good and occasionally excellent teaching enables most pupils to achieve very well. • Educational standards in English and mathematics are above those found nationally and are improving. • Pupils’ very good attitudes and behaviour contribute significantly to their learning. • Pupils’ learning and personal development benefit from an enriched curriculum. • Good provision is made to ensure pupils’ care, welfare and safety, though the playground surface needs to be improved. • Assessment arrangements are unsatisfactory for information and communication technology (ICT), religious education (RE), history and art and design.

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 30

The school has made very good improvement since it was previously inspected. All the key issues have been dealt with successfully. In addition, there has been considerable improvement in teaching and good improvement in leadership, management and curricular provision, all of which contribute to improved educational standards.

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 30

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English B E A A mathematics C E C C C E C C Key: A - well above average

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