Eastcroft Park SchoolOfsted inspection, 19 Jun 2007

104447 Unique Reference Number Knowsley Local Authority 286944 Inspection number 18 °19 June 2007 Inspection dates Clare Henderson 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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Primary Type of school Community School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 272 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr J Barry Chair Miss Withey Headteacher 17 June 2002 Date of previous school inspection Hollinghurst Road School address Tower Hill Kirkby Liverpool Merseyside L33 1EB

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0151 4778210 Telephone number 0151 4778211 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 18 °19 June 2007 Inspection dates 286944 Inspection number .

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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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This school, above average in size, serves an area of Kirkby with significantly high socio-economic disadvantage. Over half the pupils are eligible for free school meals. The number identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities or vulnerable is well above average. Most pupils are of White British heritage. Children's skills on entry to the Nursery are well below those expected at this age, particularly in speaking, listening and social skills, which are poor. The school has gained the Healthy Schools Award and the ActiveMark.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Eastcroft Park School, 18 °19 June 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good and improving school. Teamwork has recently been strengthened to include a leadership team and, led ably by the headteacher, is the key factor in the school's good improvement since its last inspection. The school is very welcoming, values what parents have to say and responds firmly and sensitively to the needs of each and every pupil. This is the result of good quality pastoral care. A typical comment from parents is, 'Eastcroft has given my children more confidence, brought them on academically and helped them enjoy school.' The climate of respect and recognition for the social and emotional needs of each pupil has brought a calmness to the school in which good relationships flourish. Pupils work and play together harmoniously and behaviour is excellent. They learn how to make choices, develop good levels of independence and know how to keep themselves safe. They enjoy many aspects

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Grade: 2

of their school life and have a say in how their school is run. Equally, they learn what it is to take responsibility through many jobs, including playground leadership and the work of the school council. This prepares them well for their future lives. The school provides good value for money and has good capacity to move on. The effective leadership of the headteacher, coupled with good subject management, has driven realistic developments forward. For example, good teaching and learning and effective tracking of, and guidance for, pupils in their work have halted a pattern of low standards. The school has not been content to settle for low standards and, in partnership with the local authority, has acted swiftly to raise standards through putting in place rigorous monitoring and tracking of pupils' progress. The school's data and evidence from pupils' work show that standards are now rising. Current standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 are generally below average, particularly in

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Grade: 2

writing, reading and mathematics. However, given the very high number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities or facing a range of social and emotional challenges on a daily basis, the progress they make during their time in school is good. The achievement of higher attaining pupils has also begun to rise as a result of improved planning to meet their needs. However, although the overall quality of teaching is good, in some lessons, higher attaining pupils are not always provided with enough challenge to achieve the best they can. Children in the Foundation Stage get off to a good start because of good teaching and curriculum provision. Consequently, they progress well. The curriculum is satisfactory. There is an adequate emphasis on basic skills in literacy and numeracy lessons, but pupils do not have enough opportunities to extend their writing skills in the other subjects which they study. Good teaching ensures that all pupils experience a

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Grade: 2

stimulating, well organised and structured learning environment that supports their personal development well. Children make good progress because, in most lessons, teachers make effective use of assessment information to plan activities in which pupils of all abilities want to be involved. Governors are well informed and support and challenge the school effectively. The school's links with outside agencies, including the local authority, are extremely supportive of pupils' learning and have been influential in improving their academic and personal development. The school's evaluation of its own effectiveness is generally accurate, if a little cautious in some areas. 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Eastcroft Park School, 18 °19 June 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that teaching and learning in all lessons provide enough challenge to enable the higher attaining pupils to achieve their best. • Extend opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills across the curriculum, for example, in history, science and geography.

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Grade: 2

The achievement of pupils is good. From a low starting point on entry to the Nursery, children make good progress during the Foundation Stage. Children quickly settle into school and make especially good progress in developing personal and social skills. However, given their low starting point, standards on beginning Year 1 are often still well below average. Standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 have been well below average for a number of years, but have begun to rise in response to improved provision resulting from rigorous monitoring. Current standards by the end of Year 6 are below average overall. However, given children's earlier attainment and the barriers to learning that many face, for example, because of their learning difficulties and/or social and emotional difficulties, pupils' work shows that their achievement is good. Pupils are in line to reach the challenging targets set for them in 2007.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and well-being are good. Pupils are proud of their school and say, 'staff boost you up based on what you can do'. A feature of all lessons is how much pupils enjoy their learning, which is reflected in their exemplary behaviour. They are eager to take part and they work particularly well together in small groups. This is evidence of their well-developed social skills. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They show a strong sense of responsibility, talking avidly about what they do to help others. As one explained, 'we try our best to make everyone feel welcomed and involved'. A strong sense of community awareness extends from within the school to the wider world. In practical terms, this is seen in raising funds for those less fortunate than themselves. Pupils' understanding of how to keep safe and live a healthy lifestyle is good. The school has worked hard to improve attendance which is now

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning throughout the school are good and occasionally outstanding. Typically, teachers show high expectations of how hard pupils should work, what they should achieve and give good support to pupils who need it. As a result, pupils enjoy their lessons and are keen to work hard and do their best. Classroom management is excellent and promotes exemplary behaviour. In most lessons, teachers display good subject knowledge and, consequently, pupils are provided with interesting and exciting learning experiences, which hold their attention and enable them to make good progress. In less successful lessons, higher attaining pupils are not always provided with challenging enough activities. Very thorough assessment of pupils' progress starts in the Foundation Stage and continues through the school, helping to keep pupils 'on 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Eastcroft Park School, 18 °19 June 2007

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Grade: 2

track'. Teaching assistants are managed to best effect in supporting the needs of vulnerable pupils and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, enabling them to make good progress.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory in meeting the needs of pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. However, although the curriculum places appropriate emphasis on developing literacy and numeracy skills, it does not provide enough opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills in subjects other than English. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage gives pupils a good introduction to learning, laying the basis for the development of key social and emotional skills that are nurtured well throughout the school. A lively programme of out-of-school activities and an exciting range of visitors to the school provide more opportunities for pupils to develop their skills and knowledge and support their personal development well. Extra-curricular sporting and creative activities promote pupils' fitness, health and enjoyment and are very popular. Pupils with special gifts or talents are provided

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Grade: 3

with additional activities to help them to develop their skills further.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. This is evident in the happy faces seen all around the school, where pupils say they feel safe. Procedures for safeguarding pupils are in place. The work of the 'Quiet Place' and its staff is very influential in providing beneficial emotional support for pupils and staff and, in particular, for those many pupils who are most vulnerable. Good personal and academic support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are firmly grounded in detailed intervention strategies that ensure pupils' well-being is promoted and that any who have fallen behind in their learning make up lost ground. Strong links with support agencies further enhance the support provided. Very detailed tracking of pupils' progress leads to the development of individual learning targets that help pupils improve their work.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides strong leadership and she is ably supported by staff and governors. They share a clear vision for the future success of the school. Teamwork is productive and there is a commitment amongst staff to provide the best possible learning environment for all pupils. Parental support for the school reflects their recognition that it is well run and managed for the benefit of their children. Good relationships throughout the school ensure that all contribute to school improvement. A strong focus on the principle that 'Every Child Matters' ensures a rounded view of school development and a successful focus on ensuring equality of opportunity for all pupils. Subject leaders are knowledgeable and use a wide range of procedures to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of teaching in terms of how pupils' learning has improved. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Eastcroft Park School, 18 °19 June 2007

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Eastcroft Park School, 18 °19 June 2007

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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 2 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? 3 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 1 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Eastcroft Park School, 18 °19 June 2007

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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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Eastcroft Park School, 18 °19 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Recently, three inspectors came to check the work of your school. Thank you for helping us with the inspection. You were all very friendly and helpful and you welcomed us to your school very well. We found that yours is a good school. Here are some things that impressed us. We were pleased to see how very well behaved you are. We liked the way you are keen to try new things and share the responsibility for helping your school to improve. We learned that you feel safe and well cared for and we saw how well you get along together in class and on the playground. You told us that you know that your headteacher, teachers and other support staff want you to do the best you can. Mostly, your teachers are helping you to do this but we have asked them to try a little harder with some things to help you to learn better. • We have asked your teachers to give you more opportunities to improve your writing skills

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

in a range of subjects, as well as in English, for example, in history, science and geography. • We also think that in some lessons more able pupils are given work that is a bit too easy for them. We really enjoyed our visit to your school and wish you all well for the future. 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Eastcroft Park School, 18 °19 June 2007

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