Eastway Primary School

Inspection Report Eastway Primary School

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105001 Unique Reference Number Wirral Local Authority 287088 Inspection number 14 °15 February 2007 Inspection dates Derek Aitken 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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Eastway School address Primary Type of school Moreton, Wirral Community School category Merseyside CH46 8SS 3 °11 Age range of pupils 0151 6771235 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0151 6061619 Fax number 215 Number on roll (school) Mr A Bestwick Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Miss Deborah Marchant Headteacher 14 January 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 287088 14 °15 February 2007 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This school is of average size. Most pupils live in the adjoining Eastway estate. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is high. The vast majority of pupils are White British. Almost half of all pupils have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. This number includes 18 pupils with statements of special educational need. The school houses two designated units, which 17 pupils attend, for the local authority. These are the Education Inclusion Base (EIB) for pupils with moderate learning difficulties and the Social and Communication Difficulties Base (SCD). The headteacher and deputy headteacher took up their posts in September 2006. In November 2006, the school achieved National Healthy School Status with enhanced status for physical activity, healthy eating and drugs education. The school has effective partnerships with community organisations including the Salvation Army.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Eastway Primary School, 14 °15 February 2007

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Grade: 3

Inspectors agree with school leaders that this is a satisfactory school with good features. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory. Children enter school with below average levels of knowledge and skills for their age, especially in language and literacy. They get off to a successful start in the Foundation Stage through carefully planned learning that develops their oral and social skills well. Pupils make satisfactory progress thereafter, but standards remain below average by the end of Year 6. Intervention programmes are successful in raising standards in pupils' reading and mathematical skills, but are less developed in writing where standards need improvement. Pupils enjoy school and get on well with each other and their teachers. They are keen to learn because of the interesting tasks and activities they are given. They have the confidence to approach their teachers for help and to answer questions because

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Grade: 3

teachers are skilled both in managing them and in encouraging them to take part in lessons. They have good opportunities to work in pairs or groups to develop independence. However, despite these good aspects, teaching and learning is satisfactory because work in class is not consistently adapted to the full range of learning needs of pupils, and individual day-to-day target-setting is not used consistently enough to ensure all pupils are involved in assessing their work. Moreover, the quality of teachers' marking is inconsistent and does not regularly provide pupils with indications on how they can improve their work. The curriculum makes a satisfactory contribution to pupils' learning. It supports their personal development well by enabling them to achieve an active understanding of how to live healthily, for example, through the projects organised by the specialist health committee and the good range of sporting activities. Pupils' learning experiences

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Grade: 3

are enriched by a good range of visits and visitors from their own and other cultures. The school develops pupils' reading skills successfully, but has until now placed less emphasis on ensuring pupils do their best in writing. Pupils receive good pastoral care. They say that bullying is a rarity and this is because, 'everyone is friendly here, no-one is left out'. Parents and carers are also pleased with the standard of education provided and commend the care and attention their children receive from the staff. Tracking and target-setting systems are at various stages of development and effectiveness, and consequently do not fully support pupils' academic progress. The school has made satisfactory improvement overall since its last inspection. This academic year, many positive changes have been made as a result of a sharper focus on improving standards and the school now has the basis for good improvement in

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Grade: 3

the future. The school's evaluation of its work is largely accurate. The improved monitoring and evaluation systems have yet to become embedded, especially at subject leader level, or to impact fully on achievement. Consequently, leadership and management are satisfactory. Partnerships with other establishments have improved and are now good. The school offers satisfactory value for money. 2 Inspection Report: Eastway Primary School, 14 °15 February 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve standards in writing. • Ensure work is consistently planned to meet the needs of all learners. • Share good practice in marking and the setting of personal targets to ensure all pupils know how they can improve their work. • Embed monitoring and evaluation systems with a rigorous focus on raising standards.

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Grade: 3

On entry to Nursery, children's skills and knowledge are below the levels expected nationally for three-year-olds. They make good progress in the Foundation Stage, especially in personal and social education. This is because work is well planned to develop children's confidence in using their language skills. By the time pupils join Year 1, most of the children are working towards attaining the expected early learning goals. Thereafter, pupils build satisfactorily on their earlier attainment. Results at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 in 2006 were below average overall, but with some variation in Year 6 between the subjects. Pupils reached average standards in mathematics, but results in English were well below average, largely due to weaknesses in pupils' writing skills. This is still the case. Few pupils gained the higher level in their English and science tests. The school is aware that further improvements are needed to raise

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Grade: 3

standards and has put in place some well-considered strategies to address these weaknesses. School data and inspection findings indicate that these are now starting to have a positive impact on standards. The vast majority of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including those in the bases, make satisfactory progress in all areas of learning, except reading, where progress is good, due to successful intervention strategies.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and well-being are good. Pupils are keen to learn and take part fully in lessons, with a confidence that grows steadily as they get older. Their enjoyment of school is reflected in their behaviour, which is good, and in their enthusiastic participation in musical and sporting activities. There is a strong bond of mutual respect between pupils and the staff who offer them very good models of behaviour. This, in turn, is reflected in pupils' polite and cooperative attitudes and real sense of concern for anyone who is troubled. Attendance is satisfactory. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They feel secure in school, are well aware of how to stay safe and know how to seek help if needed. Through the school council, play leader scheme and health promoting schools committee, they have good opportunities to develop a sense of pride in their community and contribute to the work of the

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Grade: 2

school. Pupils are knowledgeable about healthy lifestyles and most take part in a range of sports. The good opportunities they have to work independently and collaboratively 3 Inspection Report: Eastway Primary School, 14 °15 February 2007 in lessons help them to develop the teamwork skills they will need in later life, but their readiness for transition to secondary school is only satisfactory due to their weaker writing skills.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teachers manage pupils' behaviour well, relationships are good and, as a result, pupils are responsive. Teachers' good subject knowledge, careful exposition and growing expertise with interactive whiteboards maintain pupils' interest and ensure that they know what is expected of them. There is a varied mix of activities, and pupils work hard. In the better lessons, time is well used and work is more carefully adapted to pupils' needs. When teaching is less good, it is generally because the pace of learning is not brisk enough, work is less precisely adapted and teachers do not make enough use of learning objectives or assessment opportunities to reinforce pupils' understanding. Consequently, pupils, especially the most able, are not stretched to achieve their full potential. Teaching assistants and other staff contribute well to pupils' learning, show initiative in managing

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Grade: 3

them and develop their ideas through effective follow-up questions. Teachers mark pupils' work regularly, but both the quality of marking and the use of individual targets are not consistent enough to provide sufficient help for pupils to take the next steps in their learning.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory, with good features. The Foundation Stage provides for all areas of learning so that children learn to play and share well together. Older pupils know how to stay safe and make healthy life choices because these aspects are well covered in personal, social and health education lessons, and reinforced effectively across the curriculum. Pupils have good opportunities to make connections between subjects in their learning, for example, through art and information and communication technology and to develop their reading skills, but the school has, until now, not placed an equal emphasis on strategies to boost their writing skills. Some are now being implemented but are at an early stage. The curriculum is well enriched through visits within the surrounding area and a wide range of visitors, including the Salvation Army and former pupils, which give pupils a better understanding and enjoyment of their work.

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Grade: 3

Arrangements for safeguarding the health, safety and welfare of pupils, including child protection are in place and the school has good strategies to support vulnerable pupils 4 Inspection Report: Eastway Primary School, 14 °15 February 2007 through partnership with other agencies. There is a good range of opportunities for pupils to feel valued and have their achievements recognised, which builds their confidence and self-esteem. Pupils are well cared for so that they feel happy and secure in school. The school makes good efforts to involve parents and is now laying the foundations of wider partnerships with them. Intervention strategies to improve the reading skills of all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities have a good track record of success. Pupils in the SCD base are well supported. New, improved procedures and systems for tracking the progress of pupils are now being introduced and more challenging targets being set. These new measures

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Grade: 3

have still to have a significant impact on pupils' achievement, especially for the most able at the higher levels.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. New leadership has set an effective course for improvement by establishing the key priorities that need to be addressed to improve weaker areas in pupils' academic standards and is putting in place the procedures and strategies to effect this. Although systems are not fully embedded, the progress of pupils is being more closely tracked in English, mathematics and science. The quality of monitoring and evaluation at subject leader level has been uneven, but this is now improving as the headteacher and her deputy headteacher are ensuring staff are more accountable for the academic progress their pupils make. There are some encouraging signs of positive impact but more work remains to be done, for example, in increasing the rigour of the monitoring of teaching and learning. Good use has been made of external support in planning for school development. The school

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Grade: 3

development plan is good and provides clear criteria against which progress in key areas can be measured. Resources are used effectively to boost pupils' motivation and enjoyment of school but have yet to impact fully on achievement. Governors are supportive of the work of the school and offer satisfactory challenge in their role as 'critical friends'. 5 Inspection Report: Eastway Primary School, 14 °15 February 2007 .

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Eastway Primary School, 14 °15 February 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 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

3 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 3 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 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?

3 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: Eastway Primary School, 14 °15 February 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? 8 Inspection Report: Eastway Primary School, 14 °15 February 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

My colleague and I visited your school this week to find out how well you were learning. Please thank all the pupils for making us welcome and being helpful when we asked you questions. I was especially lucky in being able to talk to you, some of the play leaders and members from the health committee at some length. I could see how responsible you are and how proud you are of helping the school gain its recent Healthy Schools (Enhanced) Award. We judge that you are receiving a satisfactory education. We agree with you that your teachers care for you and work hard to make your learning fun. They manage you really well and give you lots of encouragement to take a full part in lessons. You have a high regard for the teachers and you follow their lead in being polite and considerate to others, making sure no-one is left out. All of these things help you in your learning. You take part well in sporting activities which

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

help you keep fit and you appreciate the trips you go on and the contribution other visitors make to your learning. Your reading and mathematical skills are coming along nicely. There are a few things which we have asked the headteacher and the staff to do to make your learning better. First, we want them to improve your writing skills because these are important for helping you succeed in the future. Second, we want them to ensure that all of you get work in lessons that is exactly matched to what you need to learn. We have also asked them to ensure that marking is consistently good and that you all get individual targets to help you assess your work and learn faster. Finally we have asked the headteacher to check the work of the school very thoroughly to ensure everything is in place to raise standards. You can help by always doing your best. Thank you for helping us with the inspection of your school. We hope you will carry on enjoying

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

school and helping your teachers make Eastway an even better place to be. 9 Inspection Report: Eastway Primary School, 14 °15 February 2007

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