Sharples Primary School

Inspection Report Sharples Primary School

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105162 Unique Reference Number Bolton LEA 277307 Inspection number 21 September 2005 to 22 September 2005 Inspection dates Mr Anthony Painter CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Ashworth Lane School address Primary Type of school Bolton Community School category Lancashire BL1 8RX 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01204 333077 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01204 333078 Fax number 231 Number on roll Mrs Shirley Buckley Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Ms Aleksandra Hartshorne Headteacher 1 November 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277307 21 September 2005 - 3 to 11 22 September 2005 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

This average-sized school includes provision for up to 16 children with visual impairments who travel from a wide area. Most other children come from the residential area around the school with a number of indicators of disadvantage such as above average levels of children receiving free school meals. Greater than typical numbers of children come from minority ethnic groups and are learning English as an additional language. In recent years there have been above average numbers of children leaving and joining the school. Attainment on entry to the school is below average, with many children having only limited English.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Sharples Primary School, 21 September 2005 to 22 September 2005

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Grade: 2

Inspectors agree with the school's evaluation that it is a good school and judge that it gives good value for money. The headteacher has effectively led significant improvements in the last two years since her appointment, when standards were too low. Good monitoring and evaluation to establish challenging targets for pupils has helped improve and ensure good teaching and learning. All children achieve well from below average attainment on entry and standards are rising through the school and over time. Although overall standards by the start of Year 1 remain below average, good Foundation Stage provision helps many to reach the expected levels, particularly in number and personal development. Good achievement in Years 1 to 6 brings children to overall average standards. Children with special educational needs, including those with visual impairment, are identified and supported well to make good progress.

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Grade: 2

The adults in school ensure that all the children are well cared for and benefit from the full range of opportunities available. A very positive atmosphere underlies lessons and a wide range of activities, including many successful visits and visitors, help children to learn well. Relationships at all levels are very good and underpin children's good personal development. A strong team approach is developing that ensures that the school can continue to make good progress. However, despite the successes, many systems are still relatively new and the school recognises the need to consolidate its approaches to ensure even better achievement for all children. In particular, teachers need to look at the finer detail of development planning to identify exactly how changes can improve standards.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Consolidate the improvements made in recent years and ensure that the identification and planning of developments focuses sufficiently on the fine detail of what is needed to improve provision and standards.

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Grade: 2

Children's standards when joining the school are below average, with a substantial proportion having only limited English. Despite this, all achieve well through the school and reach average standards by the end of Year 6. Results of tests in Year 2 have shown substantial improvements in recent years, although weaker results in 2003 reflected the abilities of the children involved. The school responded well to weak 2003 Year 6 test results with a number of measures to improve teaching and learning. Better assessment systems, for example, have helped teachers to set challenging targets to ensure the progress of individual children. Their success was clear in the significantly better 2004 results and this trend of improvement has been maintained in the 2005 results. Although no national comparisons are yet available, the school's records show that children have made better than expected 2 Inspection Report: Sharples Primary School, 21 September 2005 to 22 September 2005

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Grade: 2

progress from their standards in Year 2. In particular, a large number of children achieved the higher Level 5 in science. There are no significant differences in the achievement of children with different backgrounds and abilities. Children with English as an additional language quickly gain confidence and progress well with the other children. Those with special educational needs make good progress because their needs are accurately identified and good support is given. Children who have visual impairments benefit from substantial specialist support that allows them to play a full part in lessons and achieve well.

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Grade: 2

Inspectors agree with the school's evaluation that provision is good. By Year 6, children are keen to learn, attentive to their teachers and proud of their school. They keep themselves safe, behave sensibly and are polite. Bullying and racism are very rare and children say that any incidents are dealt with quickly. Current school developments are focusing on improving playground facilities and systems of playground friends. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Year 6 children, for example, confidently expressed their feelings during a well-led assembly about moving house. Children learn about democracy and working in teams through the effective school council and are very pleased that their voice is heard. They know that rules are necessary and understand them because they are discussed openly. Children know and like the discipline systems and try very hard to gain rewards. Through

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Grade: 2

extensive work for local and national charities, children recognise that they are better off than many in the world. They are developing awareness that everyone is equal regardless of their background. Children enjoy coming to school, which is reflected in the above average attendance figures. Procedures for monitoring and encouraging attendance are effective and children try hard to achieve reward certificates. They respond positively to responsibilities and understand their roles, for instance, a prefect said, 'We are here to help'.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good, reflecting the school's own evaluation, and enables all children to learn well. Well-organised classrooms have clearly established routines and teachers' careful explanations and instructions allow learning to proceed with good pace. Effective discipline and reward systems successfully encourage children to behave well and contribute to good learning. Teachers' very good relationships with children ensure that children of all backgrounds or abilities have confidence to 'have a go'. 3 Inspection Report: Sharples Primary School, 21 September 2005 to 22 September 2005 New developments to improve teaching are introduced thoughtfully and purposefully. For example, attention to improving children's writing is having a positive impact on standards and progress. Good systems enable teachers to identify and support children with special educational needs. Effective teaching assistants make a positive

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Grade: 2

contribution by supporting individuals and groups and ensuring their progress. Teachers use the school's regular and extensive assessment and targeting systems to ensure that most tasks are well matched to children's needs. Frequent reviews of targets help teachers to maintain the levels of challenge. As a result, children are keen to work and their lessons often stretch their learning well. Through discussing these targets, children increasingly understand what they need to do next and how they are improving. However, teachers recognise they can make even more use of assessment information when planning work.

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Grade: 2

Inspectors agree with the school's evaluation that curricular provision is good. The curriculum fully meets the needs and interests of learners and statutory requirements are met. There is an effective emphasis on the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills. Teachers are beginning to establish clearer links between subjects to interest children further and help them to learn. However, this work is still in its infancy and remains a priority for the school. Good provision for children with learning difficulties or disabilities, including those from the visually impaired unit, allows these children to be fully included in what is taught. Children's learning is enriched by events like a 'World War II' week and a poetry week. Visits, including a residential trip, are well planned to promote academic learning as well as to develop personal skills like teamwork and self-esteem. Good attention is paid to health and safety matters. The good range of clubs spans interests from sports

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Grade: 2

to drama and are very well attended by children in Years 1 to 6.

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Grade: 2

'I like this school because teachers really care about you', said one child, and parents fully agree that this is a very safe and caring school. All staff know and follow high quality child protection procedures. Rigorous risk assessments, a particularly high priority during the recent building work, ensure that children are safe. Effective links with the local secondary school help enrich the curriculum and give children confidence. The school's good programme for health education enables children to know how to stay fit. They are also taught simple methods of remaining safe and why substances such as tobacco and alcohol are dangerous. The school closely monitors children's academic and social progress and passes on this information to parents well. However, teachers could use assessment information more when planning some work for children. 4 Inspection Report: Sharples Primary School, 21 September 2005 to 22 September 2005

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Grade: 2

There are high quality procedures for the early identification of children with learning difficulties or disabilities. Parents of these children are fully involved in their child's programme and outside agencies are used well to support the school's work.

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Grade: 2

In recent years, good leadership and management, reflecting the school's own evaluation, have led to significant improvements in standards and achievement for all children. A clear and effective framework for further development has been established and the school has good capacity to continue to improve. The headteacher has established an effective responsibility structure that promotes good teamwork and a very positive atmosphere. Governors are increasingly involved in evaluating and challenging the school, for example, through links with individual classes. There are good opportunities for parents and children to contribute their own ideas for consideration. A substantial timetable and programme of monitoring and review has been established. The headteacher's observations are accurate and perceptive, giving a comprehensive view of the school's strengths and weaknesses. Monitoring of teaching and pupils'

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Grade: 2

records contributes well to performance management and school development. A good range of data on children's standards and progress is aiding target setting and helping to improve teaching. Subject coordinators have a good understanding of their roles and use the knowledge gained from monitoring planning, teaching and children's work to identify ways for the school to improve. Lessons learned from monitoring are included in the school's planning and have successfully helped to improve provision. Identified developments are well matched to the needs of the school and are linked to training and the purchase of resource needs but are sometimes too broad. Planning does not always focus enough on the finer detail of what now needs to be done to ensure continued improvements. 5 Inspection Report: Sharples Primary School, 21 September 2005 to 22 September 2005 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Sharples Primary School, 21 September 2005 to 22 September 2005

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for being so welcoming to us when we recently visited your school. We were very impressed with your good behaviour and the way you were all so polite and friendly. We were also pleased with the ways your teachers and other staff have worked together so successfully to improve the school in recent years. Good teaching and lots of different interesting things to do are helping you all to do well. We agreed with you when you told us that you felt safe and that the school was fair. We liked the way you all worked and played together well. We have asked the adults working in school to make sure they keep improving the school. In particular, we would like them to look carefully at exactly what they need to do to make sure you can keep learning well. We are sure that they will make a good job of it. We very much enjoyed talking with you and your teachers as well as watching you enjoy learning

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

in lessons and clubs. We wish you and the school the very best for the future.

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