Milnrow Parish Church of England Primary School

Inspection Report Milnrow Parish Church of England Primary School

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105823 Unique Reference Number Rochdale LEA 277420 Inspection number 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006 Inspection dates Mrs Jane Austin HMI Reporting inspector

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

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St James Street School address Primary Type of school Milnrow Voluntary aided School category Rochdale, Lancashire OL16 3JT 4 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01706 643973 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01706 868327 Fax number 196 Number on roll Mr W Tann Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs H Woodcock Headteacher 11 September 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277420 5 July 2006 - 4 to 11 6 July 2006 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Milnrow Parish C of E Primary School is average in size. Almost all pupils are White British and all speak English as their first language. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is slightly lower than average. Although the overall proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average, there are more pupils with statements of special educational need than is usual for a school of this size and type. The school has gained the Healthy Schools and Investors in People awards.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Milnrow Parish Church of England Primary School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006

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Grade: 3

Milnrow Parish Primary School judges itself to be satisfactory and inspectors agree. Pupils enjoy coming to school and levels of attendance are above average. They are enthusiastic about opportunities to play instruments, perform in the brass band and sing with the choir. The school has achieved some successes in this area of its work. Many pupils appreciate the sporting activities on offer and playing in the school teams is popular. Pupils with responsibilities take these seriously. Pupils' personal development is supported by the school's close links with the parish church. Behaviour is generally good and pupils have positive attitudes to learning. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. However, pupils are not always given sufficient guidance on how to improve. Pupils reach standards that are in line with national averages and make satisfactory progress as they move through the school. However, in recent years higher

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Grade: 3

attaining pupils have not made the progress of which they are capable and the school has made this a priority. This year's results indicate improvements in this area. Provision in the Foundation Stage is good. Interesting independent activities and adult led tasks are carefully designed to match children's learning needs. As a consequence they are keen to participate and concentrate well. Good use is made of the available space to provide a stimulating environment for learning. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The school has suitable systems for evaluating its own performance and identifying priorities. However, the effectiveness of appropriate strategies to address these is hindered by inconsistent implementation. The lack of a common voice and conviction on the part of the headteacher and leadership team result in uneven progress towards improvement. Nonetheless, given a unified approach, the school has the capacity to improve. Satisfactory progress has

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Grade: 3

been made in addressing issues identified at the time of the last inspection. The school gives satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that the leadership team demonstrates a shared commitment to improvement and adopts a consistent approach to addressing the school's priorities. • Improve achievement overall, and particularly for more able pupils. • Improve the quality of teaching and learning. • Improve the quality of guidance to pupils so that they know what they need to do to improve.

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Grade: 3

Achievement and standards are satisfactory overall. The pre-school experiences of children entering the Reception class vary considerably, as do their levels of skill and understanding when they join the school. The school's records indicate that they make 2 Inspection Report: Milnrow Parish Church of England Primary School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006 good progress in relation to their individual starting points. By the end of the Reception year, standards are broadly in line with those expected nationally. In 2005 results in English, mathematics and science were in line with national averages at the end of both Years 2 and 6. However, the proportion of pupils reaching the higher Level 3 in the Key Stage 1 national tests was well below average. While the school met its targets for pupils attaining the expected level at the end of Key Stage 2, it fell short of these at the higher Level 5. Overall, pupils' achievement is satisfactory.

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Grade: 3

However, in 2004 and 2005 higher attaining pupils did not make enough progress. Provisional results for 2006 show an improvement to this picture, with a greater proportion of more able pupils reaching the level expected. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupil's personal development and well-being are good. Pupils say that they like their teachers and feel safe and secure in school. The school council has been in place for several years and its members are democratically elected by their fellow pupils. Although the council members take their responsibilities seriously and talk with enthusiasm about their work, their personal development is limited to some extent because they are not given the responsibility to act as either chair or secretary of their own meetings. Pupils' personal development is enhanced by undertaking various tasks around the school such as helping to set up equipment for assemblies. The support of 'playground pals' and games leaders at break and lunchtimes is appreciated by their fellow pupils. Pupils say that they enjoy life at this school and one pupil summed up the views of many by saying, 'We have a wonderful range of subjects and special lessons such as

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Grade: 2

music and French which make our learning enjoyable.' Consequently, attendance is above average and pupils are generally punctual. Most pupils behave well in classrooms and around the school although there are occasional instances of noisy behaviour by a minority. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The school's close links with the adjacent Milnrow Parish Church support pupils' spiritual and personal development effectively. Pupils' moral and social development is fostered well by the good personal, social, health and citizenship education (PSHCE) curriculum and the positive use of circle time. A growing number of opportunities for pupils to explore world faiths and to participate in special multi-cultural focus days enhance their cultural development.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. The better lessons move at a brisk pace with pupils fully engaged in their learning and keen to succeed. Pupils are challenged 3 Inspection Report: Milnrow Parish Church of England Primary School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006 well and effective questioning helps them develop their understanding. Pupils enjoy learning through practical tasks. Well designed demonstrations help them grasp and apply new ideas. Pupils collaborate effectively, for instance in completing short focused tasks with their talking partners in English. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used appropriately to support learning. However, too many lessons lack pace and sparkle. Teachers' introductions are too long and explanations lack sufficient clarity to enable pupils to attempt tasks confidently. Planning does not always sequence learning to best effect or adapt work well enough to meet the needs of all pupils.

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Grade: 3

However, good relationships mean that behaviour and concentration are often good so that pupils make sound gains in learning. Pupils with learning difficulties are effectively supported by teaching assistants. Marking is satisfactory overall. There is some good practice in which particular areas for development are highlighted and targets set. However, practice is inconsistent so that pupils do not always know what they need to do to improve. Opportunities for teachers to evaluate progress and for pupils to reflect on what they have learned are not a well established feature of lessons.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. The school has broadened the range of activities available, providing extended access to a wide range of music including brass, guitar and choir, in addition to French and sport. The school is justifiably proud of its growing reputation for curriculum enrichment: a brass ensemble and the school choir recently performed in a regional festival linked to Music for Youth. The curriculum is further enhanced through the many opportunities provided for pupils to visit, study and work in the local environment and to take part in a wide range of extra-curricular activities and clubs. Enjoyment is clearly to be seen on the faces of many children around the school but this was not always evident in classrooms where literacy and numeracy were being taught.

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Grade: 3

The quality of care, guidance and support is satisfactory overall. The school roll includes a wide spectrum of pupils, a few of whom have complex needs and low levels of self-esteem. This has been recognised by the school and there are sound plans to introduce a nurture group in the near future. Pupils already falling into this category, and those identified with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, receive good levels of pastoral and emotional support from all staff, as do other pupils in the school. The good provision for PSHCE and circle time helps develop pupils' self-confidence and a growing understanding of their own personal health and safety. Although some pupils are aware of class and personal learning targets, comprehensive and consistent academic guidance procedures, designed to help pupils know what to do to improve, are not in place across the school. 4 Inspection Report: Milnrow Parish Church of England Primary School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher has a realistic view of the school's strengths and areas for development. This is based on an effective system for tracking pupils' performance and regular evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning. Curriculum coordinators contribute to this, using an appropriate range of methods to monitor provision in their subjects. Improvement planning reflects the priorities arising from these processes and suitable strategies for bringing about the required improvements have been introduced. However, the leadership team are not successful in embedding these with the consistency and coherence needed to secure sustained improvement. Thus there are few whole school approaches, for instance, to teaching and learning and good practice is not shared widely enough. The sense of corporate responsibility for improvement is underdeveloped, as is an understanding

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Grade: 3

of the accountability of teachers for pupils' performance. The headteacher is not sufficiently effective in embedding a culture of continuous improvement and motivating staff to work together towards common goals. Governance is good. Governors have a firm grasp of the main issues influencing the school's performance and provide a robust level of challenge for the headteacher. 5 Inspection Report: Milnrow Parish Church of England Primary School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006 .

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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: Milnrow Parish Church of England Primary School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006

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

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 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 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 3 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 3 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 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 3 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 making us welcome when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed coming to some of your lessons, talking to you about your work and listening to the choir and band. We are pleased to tell you that your school provides a satisfactory education for you. What we like most about your school is: - the way Reception children learn well through activities that are fun - the help Playground Pals and games leaders give to make break times enjoyable - your good attendance - the wide range of opportunities you have to play music and sing together - the good opportunities there are to play sport - your enthusiasm for learning French - the school's links with the church. Some things about your school could be improved. What we have asked your headteacher and teachers to do now is: - work together to make sure that you all do as well as possible in your tests - give you work that makes you think as hard as you can so that you learn as much as possible

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

in every lesson - help you understand what you need to do to improve your work. We have also asked the school to let you take more responsibility for the school council. We wish you and the school continued success.

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