Leigh Central Primary School

Inspection Report Leigh Central Primary School

p.1

106418 Unique Reference Number Wigan LEA 277554 Inspection number 15 May 2006 to 16 May 2006 Inspection dates Mrs Margaret Lewis CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Windermere Road School address Primary Type of school Leigh Community School category Lancashire WN7 1UY 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01942 673810 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01942 673810 Fax number 172 Number on roll Mrs M Lowton Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Yvonne Collinson Headteacher 29 November 1999 Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277554 15 May 2006 - 4 to 11 16 May 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

The school is smaller than average and its pupils have a wide range of diverse needs. It is situated in the centre of Leigh in Lancashire. Most pupils are of white British heritage but about 20% come from minority ethnic backgrounds. A significant number of these pupils have English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is above average, as is the proportion who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The number of refugees and asylum seekers attending the school is rising and many of the pupils join or leave the school mid-way through the year, particularly in Key Stage 2. The school is working towards the Healthy Schools Award. It has been designated the lead school for the Leigh Full Service Extended Partnership.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Leigh Central Primary School, 15 May 2006 to 16 May 2006

p.3

Grade: 2

Leigh Central Primary is a good school. This agrees with the school's view of its performance. Pupils like coming to school and they behave well. The school has effective links with parents, who hold positive views about it. Pupils' personal development is good and the school promotes the highest quality of care and support. Links with outside agencies are excellent. The school recognises that attendance is below average and is working closely with parents, and with some recent success, to improve it. Pupils get off to a good start in the Foundation Stage, where quality and achievement are good, although the arrangements and access for pupils and for their parents to accompany them into school is poor. Standards overall are rising. Although pupils start school with low standards, they make good progress overall so that by the end of Year

p.4

Grade: 2

they reach broadly average standards in English, mathematics and science. Pupils with English as an additional language, those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and vulnerable pupils are extremely well supported and as a result they achieve well. Teaching and learning are mostly good. However, in Years 3 and 4, although satisfactory, they are not as good as in other years and this slows pupils' progress in these year groups. The school is led and managed well. Every child matters and is at the heart of the school's work. The school is highly committed to providing the best opportunities for every pupil amongst its diverse population. Good improvements have been made since the last inspection, particularly in the last three years since the appointment of the present headteacher and the school is well placed to improve further. It provides good value for money.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the quality of teaching and learning for pupils in Years 3 and 4. • Raise levels of attendance. • Improve access for children in the Foundation Stage and opportunities for parents to accompany them into school and become more closely involved in their children's learning. 2 Inspection Report: Leigh Central Primary School, 15 May 2006 to 16 May 2006

p.4

Grade: 2

All groups of pupils achieve well. Children start school with well below average standards, particularly in their personal and social development, language and literacy and mathematical development. They make good progress overall during their time at the school and leave at the end of Year 6 with broadly average standards in English, mathematics and science. Only in Years 3 and 4 does progress slow down, from good to satisfactory, owing to pedestrian teaching that does not inspire pupils to achieve as well as they could. Standards are improving although national test results at Year 6 vary considerably from year to year. For example, results in 2005 were affected by several factors. In particular these were: the high levels of movement of pupils in and out of the school; the above average proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and the high numbers of pupils with English as an additional language.

p.5

Grade: 2

The school sets challenging targets in English and mathematics for its Year 6 pupils but the significant movement of pupils in and out of the school means that these targets are not a reliable measure of how well the school is doing.

p.5

Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development is good and this makes a significant contribution to their progress and enjoyment of school. Pupils have good attitudes to work and they behave well. The school is an orderly community. Any bullying is dealt with effectively. As a result of this caring and orderly atmosphere, pupils develop their self-confidence and mature well. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. There are good chances for pupils to reflect on important matters and develop values such as care, understanding, co-operation, honesty and respect. The school involves pupils in many worthwhile local activities such as visiting the elderly and fundraising for charities. Through these, pupils make a good contribution to the community. In addition, the School Council helps them develop a good understanding of citizenship. Pupils have good attitudes towards healthy living, as demonstrated by older pupils in the computer-based presentations they made to

p.5

Grade: 2

parents about healthy lunches. Many outstanding responsibilities and events such as 'enterprise week' ensure that pupils are well prepared for their future economic well-being. However, despite the school's best efforts, attendance is below average.

p.5

Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Improvements in the quality of teaching are helping raise standards and accelerate progress, particularly in Reception, Years 1, 2, 5 and 6, although this is not always the case in Years 3 and 4, where teaching 3 Inspection Report: Leigh Central Primary School, 15 May 2006 to 16 May 2006 although satisfactory can sometimes lack imagination so that pupils make less progress than they could. However, most pupils say teachers are good at making learning interesting and enjoyable. A significant contribution to pupils' progress is made by good quality teaching assistants and additional part-time teachers who are deployed well. Mathematics lessons are well planned, organised and taught by specialist teachers and this helps the pupils learn quickly. Throughout the school there is a strong emphasis on language and developing skills of speaking and listening and writing, which is

p.5

Grade: 2

beginning to bear fruit. Displays are used well to focus pupils' attention on key vocabulary in all subjects. Pupils who find learning difficult and those who are vulnerable receive extremely good help and do well. Staff set high expectations of behaviour and are skilled at promoting good behaviour. Detailed assessments ensure that pupils with additional learning needs get the extra help they need from an early stage.

p.6

Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. It meets the range of pupils' needs and interests well although the use of information and communication technology (ICT) is still developing and is not yet fully in place in some subjects. However, the school has this in hand as part of its programme for development. The community is used well to enrich learning. For instance, the oldest pupils recently went to Manchester Museum to see a display of World War II artefacts and at the time of the inspection the youngest were preparing for a visit to a nearby 'Home Farm'. Visitors, including sports coaches, authors, poets and artists, and extra-curricular activities such as martial arts, cricket and dance add to the curriculum. The opportunity of a residential visit for older pupils contributes well to their personal development. The school makes good use of specialist teaching to support the learning of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Ample

p.6

Grade: 2

opportunities are given for pupils to think about their future and the world of work through project based initiatives with local secondary schools. Some lessons designed for groups such as vulnerable pupils or those with English as an additional language contain some excellent and skilful opportunities to raise self-confidence and develop the skills of working in teams. There are good chances for pupils to learn about health and safety. In addition, other agencies support road safety, drugs and sex education well.

p.6

Grade: 1

Care, guidance and support are outstanding. The pupils at this school are valued as individuals and great attention is given to raising pupils' aspirations and self-confidence. Typical of comments from School Council members included, 'I am happy and proud to be at this school, I've learnt to do my best and how to be a good person'. Child protection procedures are robust and all staff are particularly well trained. Procedures to support pupils in Local Authority care are good. Health and safety procedures are good and all staff have good training to administer first aid. 4 Inspection Report: Leigh Central Primary School, 15 May 2006 to 16 May 2006 All pupils are given good academic advice and guidance. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, vulnerable and pupils with English as an additional language achieve well in lessons because of the outstanding adult support they receive. The learning

p.6

Grade: 1

mentor makes an excellent contribution to personal development and removing barriers to learning. Rewards and treats are used exceptionally well at this school to celebrate good achievements, behaviour and attendance.

p.7

Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. Raising standards in English, mathematics and science, and in pupils' self esteem, confidence and behaviour, has been a strong focus over recent years. As a result standards are rising and pupils make good progress and achieve well. All pupils are valued highly and great efforts are made by staff to help them succeed. Parents are pleased with the school and the progress that their children make. Self-evaluation is considerably enhanced by seeking and acting upon the views of parents, and pupils. The headteacher has a very good understanding of the school and where improvements are needed. She and the school's staff work together well. The school improvement plan strongly reflects the outcomes of the recent guidelines for Every Child Matters although some priorities lack clarity. The school carefully checks the progress of all pupils and of the different groups of pupils. Self-evaluation

p.7

Grade: 2

is accurate and is undertaken by staff and governors. The governing body fulfils its statutory responsibilities. Governors are supportive and closely involved with the work of the school through regular visits. They are kept fully informed by the headteacher and are knowledgeable about the school's strengths and areas for development, although their analysis of the school's needs is not always sharp enough. Financial management is good. Improvements since the last inspection have been good and have accelerated in the last three years under the management of the current headteacher. These factors illustrate the strong commitment to improvement and reflect the school's good capacity to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: Leigh Central Primary School, 15 May 2006 to 16 May 2006 .

p.7

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

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Leigh Central Primary School, 15 May 2006 to 16 May 2006

p.8

Overall

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

p.9

learners?

NA 1 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

p.9

Achievement and standards

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

p.9

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

p.9

learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 4 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

p.9

needs and interests of learners?

NA 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.9

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.

p.9

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 1 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 3 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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making Mr Hussain and me so welcome in your school. It was a delight to spend some time with you last week. We enjoyed joining you in lessons, talking with you over lunch and at play and looking at some lovely work on the class walls and in your books. You are fortunate to go to such a good school. Here are some of the things we thought were really good about it. - All the staff care for you exceptionally well and work hard to make your lessons and school life as interesting as possible. - The teachers make good use of computers to make lessons interesting for you and you use them well. We were impressed by the quality of your artwork which makes the school look so colourful and bright. - It was good to see the way that you care for each other in the playground and around the school. The play leaders and buddies make playtimes good fun. - You are very thoughtful and helpful. We noticed the way you hold doors open for each other

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and not just for us. You wait quietly to go into the hall and into the gym for games. You are developing good habits in how to keep healthy and to stay safe. - One of the main reasons why the school is so good is because of the hard work and care shown by your headteacher. She knows about each one of you and how you are doing. She has made many improvements since she came to the school and manages the school well and helps everyone do their best. There are three things we have asked the school to do to make it even better. - Make the teaching even better and increase the amount of excellent teaching especially in Years 3 and 4. - We would also like you and your parents to make sure that you miss school as little as possible. - Make the school entrance easier for the youngest pupils and their parents, so that they can go into the classroom in the morning to see what their children are doing.

p.11