Littleborough Community Primary School

Inspection Report Littleborough Community Primary School

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105785 Unique Reference Number Rochdale Local Authority 277409 Inspection number 4 °5 October 2006 Inspection dates Mark Williams HMI Reporting inspector

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

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Calderbrook Road School address Primary Type of school Littleborough Community School category Lancashire OL15 9HW 3 °11 Age range of pupils 1706 378556 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 1706 376961 Fax number 402 Number on roll (school) Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Hollingworth Headteacher 14 February 2000 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277409 4 °5 October 2006 3°11 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 one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and two Additional Inspectors. Also on the inspection was a new colleague gaining experience of inspection processes.

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Description of the school

This is a larger than average primary school. Pupils' attainment when they start school is broadly average, but has been falling in recent years. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. Almost all the pupils are from White British backgrounds. Of those from minority ethnic heritages, only a very small number are at the early stages of learning English. The school has close links with the various other education and care providers on the same site and holds Healthy Schools status.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Littleborough Community Primary School, 4 °5 October 2006

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Grade: 2

This school provides a good education for its pupils and gives good value for money. It has particular strengths in enabling all pupils to make good progress in their personal development and well-being and for most pupils in their academic studies. The school cares deeply for its pupils and they appreciate and value the wide range of activities and experiences offered to them. Teaching and learning are good overall. Pupils in the Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception classes) and Years 1 and 2 make good progress in their learning because of good teaching. The quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6 is not consistently good. Occasionally, the work provided for the pupils is not always well matched to their needs. As a result, some pupils' rate of progress slows. The school ensures the good personal development and well-being of its pupils. For example, the school council gives pupils a good understanding of the responsibilities

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Grade: 2

of serving a community and older pupils support younger ones well as 'Borough Buddies' at lunchtimes. Further strengths lie in the broad curriculum which offers a wide range of additional activities. Pupils are cared for well and value the good support given. The high number of questionnaires returned by parents was overwhelmingly favourable and supportive of the school. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher leads and manages the school well and is ably supported by senior staff and the governors. The atmosphere and ethos of the school are good and this has been carefully fostered and nurtured by senior staff. The school holds a wealth of information about its performance and is working hard to make better use of this information. This is well judged because the school is not evaluating, as well as it might, the data it holds on pupil's performance. Improvements made since the previous inspection coupled with strengths identified

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Grade: 2

now indicate there is good capacity to improve the school further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the rate of some pupils' progress at Key Stage 2, by ensuring that learning opportunities are well matched to their particular needs. • Use the information gained about pupils' progress to identify and tackle current and potential underachievement: evaluate the impact of action taken.

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Grade: 2

Children's achievement, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, is good, overall. When children start school their general abilities are broadly average. They make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes because the activities are interesting and the teaching is good. Regular and effective assessments ensure that staff know children's learning needs in great detail: work is well matched to need. By the time they join Year 1, standards are good. 2 Inspection Report: Littleborough Community Primary School, 4 °5 October 2006 The results of national tests at the end of Year 2 show that standards have been consistently above average for several years in the core subject areas of reading, writing and mathematics. The good quality teaching in Years 1 and 2 contributes to the good progress made. This continues in Years 3 to 6, but there is slightly more variability in the progress made by some pupils. Most pupils make good progress and are helped

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Grade: 2

to achieve well, however, a few do less well. This is because in some lessons the work provided for some pupils is not always matched carefully enough to their needs.

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Grade: 2

The personal development and well-being of pupils are good. Pupils say they like being at school. They are very keen to do well in lessons, particularly where the teaching is interesting and motivating. Pupils describe warmly activities they enjoy, contributions they make to school life and support that they receive. Behaviour and attendance is good and pupils mix well and respect their environment. Good relationships exist across the school. Pupils say that, 'There are lots of friends to play with at school.' and feel totally safe here. Bullying is rare but is dealt with swiftly by staff if it does occur. The 'Borough Buddies' play a key role in befriending children at playtimes and the 'Friendship Stop' is well used. Children remember the safety messages presented by teachers and visitors and understand the importance of healthy lifestyles. They enjoy promoting health and fitness in others, for example,

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Grade: 2

by running a healthy tuck shop and helping with playtime activity equipment. Pupils have a good sense of community. They carry out daily responsibilities that help the school run smoothly. The school council plays an important part in school, meeting regularly to discuss school improvement ideas. Pupils are proud of their contributions through charity work, raising impressive sums annually. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and helps to prepare them for their roles in the wider community. However, opportunities for pupils to work together and take responsibility for their own work in lessons are less well developed, particularly in Years 3 to 6.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good overall. In the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2 learning is consistently good: the work meets the varying needs of the pupils. Teachers know exactly what they want the pupils to learn next and explain new work skilfully. Lessons are lively and interesting and the pupils work enthusiastically, as seen when Year 1 used computers to design their perfect bedroom. The good pace of learning keeps the children on task. Some teaching in Years 3 to 6 also has these strengths. The good quality teaching at both key stages enables most pupils to achieve well. In a few lessons at Key Stage 2, however, the teaching occasionally lacks pace and tasks 3 Inspection Report: Littleborough Community Primary School, 4 °5 October 2006 are not designed carefully enough to help pupils take the next step in their learning, which slows progress. The progress of some pupils, particularly those who were a little

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Grade: 2

behind at the end of Key Stage 1, is very good and by the end of Key Stage 2 they attain good standards. Teachers assess pupils' learning in lessons, which helps them to decide what needs to be taught next. The use of targets to help pupils focus on the next step in learning is developing, but is inconsistent in some classes. The best marking of pupils' work is sharply focused on the next step in learning.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good overall and includes a broad range of experiences. In the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2 the curriculum has a rich range of activities that help pupils to make good progress. In Years 3 to 6 a strong emphasis on English and mathematics ensures that most pupils make some progress in these subjects, but the work is not always best matched to pupils' needs. Where subjects are combined in topics, there is often too much focus on factual tasks and too few opportunities for pupils to find things out for themselves. The curriculum meets the needs of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Clear plans for these pupils' learning and skilled support from staff help them to make good progress. The curriculum is enriched considerably by educational visits to places of interest, such as a Year 3 visit to Chester to start their topic on the Romans. A good range of extra-curricular opportunities, including sport and music, is one of the pupils' favourite

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Grade: 2

This school cares for its children well. Pupils receive good support and guidance and effective systems are in place to ensure health and safety requirements are met. Secure procedures exist for staff recruitment and child protection. Support for looked-after children is good. Good links and relationships between home and school begin with effective induction meetings that help pupils to make a positive start to their education. All children have learning targets and these are communicated to parents. However, the school does not build in sufficient challenge nor rigorously monitor progress towards raising achievement in Key Stage 2. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive good, considerate help from well briefed staff. For example, the few children who are learning English as an additional language receive good support. Staff also make considerable efforts to help children with complex needs gain full access to

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Grade: 2

mainstream education. A system of formal assessment checks on pupils' progress over time is undertaken and some of this is used effectively to help guide them and motivate their learning. The 4 Inspection Report: Littleborough Community Primary School, 4 °5 October 2006 school is not, however, making full use of this information to identify and tackle current and potential underachievement.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher, supported by the deputy headteacher, senior staff and the governors, has a clear vision to promote the development of the whole child. This is highly appreciated by parents and carers. The school holds a wide range of information about its performance and is seeking ways to make better use of this information. The role of some subject leaders is still developing and the school is aware of the need for greater consistency. Governors carry out their duties well. The headteacher and the governors monitor the school's finances effectively ensuring funding is effectively spent, for example, in the provision of information and communication technology facilities. Governors have a sound overview of the school's work and are beginning to act as critical friends holding the school to account for its performance. Satisfactory improvements have been made since the previous inspection. These, coupled with measures put into place since 2004,

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Grade: 2

demonstrate the leadership team of the school have a strong capacity to make further improvements. 5 Inspection Report: Littleborough Community Primary School, 4 °5 October 2006 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Littleborough Community Primary School, 4 °5 October 2006

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

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

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Littleborough Community Primary School, 4 °5 October 2006

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Littleborough Community Primary School, 4 °5 October 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making Mrs Inkster, Mr Crowther, Mr Reid and I feel so welcome when we visited your school to find out how well you are doing. There are lots of good things about your school. The things we particularly like are: • you like being at school and you enjoy your lessons • you particularly like all the visits you go on and the clubs you attend • everyone is friendly and you all get on well together • the Borough Buddies do a smashing job helping anyone who is lonely • you try hard with your work • children in the Nursery, Reception and Key Stage 1 classes are making good progress • we thought your art work was of good quality and attractively displayed • you are well behaved and very friendly towards visitors • you have a good understanding of how to be healthy and stay safe • we think the School Council makes a significant contribution to how your school operates • you like the way the staff take good care to make sure you are safe and happy.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We also found a few ways in which we think it could be even better. We would like you to work with Mr Hollingworth and your teachers to improve the way you learn. • In Years 3 to 6 a few of you are not making as much progress as you should. We have asked your teachers to make sure the work they give you is interesting and challenging, so you can get on quickly. • Your teachers give you tests to find out how well you are getting on. We have asked them to use this information to make sure you learn as quickly as possible. Thank you for helping us with the inspection of your school. 9 Inspection Report: Littleborough Community Primary School, 4 °5 October 2006

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