Haslam Park Primary School

Haslam Park Primary School Inspection report

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105168 Unique Reference Number Bolton Local Authority 287143 Inspection number 3 °4 May 2007 Inspection dates Kevin Johnson 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 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 212 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Pat Hall Chair Mrs Alison Howarth Headteacher 4 March 2002 Date of previous school inspection Wigan Road School address Bolton Lancashire BL3 5QL

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01204 333393 Telephone number 01204 333396 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 3 °4 May 2007 Inspection dates 287143 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Haslam Park is an average sized school on the outskirts of Bolton. It draws pupils from mixed private and council owned properties surrounding the school. The number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. More than half of the pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds and for most, English is not their first language. The proportion of pupils identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities is similar to that in most other primary schools.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Haslam Park Primary School, 3 °4 May 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school where pupils are happy and achieve well. Attendance and punctuality are good. Monthly attendance records displayed in the hall confirm that a significant number achieve full attendance. All pupils, especially the most vulnerable, are well cared for because staff are very sensitive to their particular needs. Those for whom English is an additional language are given good support. Their needs are quickly assessed and as a result of good teaching, they make good progress. The school uses the skills of the bilingual teacher and other support staff creatively to provide specific help for the increasing number of pupils from European countries who join the school at irregular intervals. They, too, make good and sometimes exceptional progress. Pupils feel safe in school and know how to keep themselves healthy. They behave well, show respect for one another and form trusting relationships with

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Grade: 2

adults. Older pupils are trained as mentors so they can listen to and help others. Opportunities to be involved in fundraising and helping to organise school events also contribute to their good personal development. As a result, pupils work hard and enjoy school because they want to do as well as they can. Children begin Reception class with below average skills for their age. Communication, language and literacy skills are very low for the high proportion from homes where English is not the first language. Good teaching and additional support for language development gets children off to a good start in the Foundation Stage and helps them to make good progress towards their expected learning goals. Good progress continues throughout the school so that standards are average by the end of Year 6. Given pupils' below average starting points, this represents good achievement. An untypical dip in attainment in 2006 has been turned around as a result

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Grade: 2

of effective analysis and setting targets, though standards in science have been identified as an area of particular concern because of gaps in pupils' investigative skills. Consistently good teaching, and an interesting lively curriculum, account for pupils' good achievement. There are lots of first hand experiences for pupils to enjoy and teachers capitalise on these well to develop skills. For example, a church visit by Year 2 stimulated new language and ideas which were helpful, especially to pupils learning English as an additional language. Teachers share their subject knowledge well by working alongside one another and discussing outcomes. This enables teachers to plan the way pupils learn and practise skills across subjects more confidently. Teachers record pupils' overall progress well but step by step guidance to help pupils assess and accelerate their own learning is not a consistent feature of their marking.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher's inclusive style means that staff, pupils and governors all contribute to the process of improvement. Parents are encouraged to support their children's education and many negotiate with the school over the timing of extended absences. The inclusion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and other vulnerable learners is outstanding. As a result, their achievement is at least good and sometimes outstanding. The headteacher has strengthened the roles of senior managers and subject leaders so there is a clear and accurate overview of the school's work. Issues from the previous report have been fully dealt with. Systems for monitoring academic progress are good and those for monitoring and improving teaching quality are highly effective and contribute well to the school's good capacity to improve. Governors are very supportive of the school and manage

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Grade: 2

finances well to ensure good value for money. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Haslam Park Primary School, 3 °4 May 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve provision for investigative skills in science in order to raise standards. • Provide clearer guidance, through marking, to help pupils assess their own progress and take steps to improve.

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Grade: 2

Pupils make good progress as they move through the school and achieve well to reach average standards by the time they leave Year 6. When children start in Reception, their skills are below average for their age. Communication language and literacy skills are very low. Good teaching and strong support for language development mean that children achieve well in all areas of learning so that their overall attainment is only slightly below expectation by the end of their Foundation Stage. Good progress is maintained throughout the school and standards at the end of Year 6 are broadly average. There was an untypical dip in attainment in 2006 due to unusually high proportions of pupils with learning difficulties and for whom English is an additional language who joined the cohort towards the end of Key Stage 2. The schools assessment data show that current standards are back on track in English and mathematics,

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Grade: 2

but there is still further work to be done to improve science. Nevertheless, challenging targets have been set in the current year, particularly for more able pupils in the drive to raise standards further.

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Grade: 2

Pupils develop good personal skills. They leave Haslam Park as polite, confident young people who look forward to the challenges of their new schools. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. During assemblies, pupils come to appreciate the qualities and achievements of others. They usually behave well and show concern for one another, although instances such as name-calling and minor squabbles have not yet been fully eliminated. In lessons they enjoy the creativity of art, music and stories from different countries. They respect others' cultural differences and show interest in the local heritage by researching the history of the Haslam family from which the school takes its name. Pupils know about healthy diets and the importance of exercise and eagerly attend after school clubs. They learn important life skills by taking part in local cultural festivals, organising charitable fundraising or carrying out

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Grade: 2

responsibilities within school. These activities, along with their solid grounding in literacy, numeracy and ICT skills, prepare them well for their role as members of a community.

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Grade: 2

The overall quality of teaching and learning is good. At times it is outstanding. Subject knowledge is good so lessons are planned well to cater for the varying abilities in classes. Objectives are made clear to pupils so all know what is expected of them. Teachers use a variety of methods to make lessons lively and interesting and help pupils to learn. Their use of interactive whiteboards is particularly effective because it provides pupils with clear visual images, helping them to understand more easily. A good example was the way in which Year 6 pupils quickly 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Haslam Park Primary School, 3 °4 May 2007 came to terms with the difference between 'ratio' and 'proportion'. Questioning skills are good and used well by teachers to probe pupils' understanding, assess learning, and promote better speaking and listening. Teaching assistants provide good support because of their wide-ranging

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Grade: 2

skills and experience and are a valuable part of the teaching team. In a few lessons, the time shared between listening and practical work is not well balanced so pupils spend too long on the carpet and have less time to finish their tasks. The quality of marking is not consistent consequently, not all pupils receive the guidance they need for day-to-day progress towards their learning targets.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is of good quality overall. It has good breadth because of the inclusion of foreign languages and the wide variety of activities to enrich pupils' knowledge and skills. Good links with local colleges means that pupils benefit from visiting teachers' expertise in sports and the Arts. Street dancing is currently a strong favourite with pupils! Visits are planned thoughtfully to support topic work and the good opportunities for pupils to practice literacy and numeracy skills has helped the school towards a second Basic Skills Achievement Award. The school recognises, however, the need to boost pupils science investigation skills throughout the school in order build on their achievements in that subject. Personal, social and health education, and citizenship are strong features of provision preparing pupils well to make informed choices about their personal well-being.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good overall. Parents agree overwhelmingly that their children are well cared for in school. Indeed, some aspects of pastoral care are outstanding, such as the support given to the most vulnerable pupils. They form very trusting relationships with the adults who help them through their difficulties and enable them to learn alongside others. Those who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities and others for whom English is an additional language are given the support they need to help them achieve well. Pupils' safety and well-being is of paramount importance to the school. Anti-bullying education helps to maintain good relationships in the playground and procedures to ensure safety inside the building, as well as the safeguarding of pupils, are in place. The schools systems for tracking pupils' progress and evaluating their academic performance are good. Assessment data are

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Grade: 2

used well to set future targets, but day-to day guidance and marking are not rigorous enough in helping pupils see the next steps towards improvement.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher's incisive analysis of the schools performance has been a crucial factor in leading the school towards high quality care, strong teaching and good achievement. With the support of staff, governors and parents, she has established a clear direction for the school. There are effective systems in place for monitoring the schools performance and the revised roles of senior and middle managers have ensured that those systems are sustainable and enable accurate evaluation of the school's work. The school improvement plan gives good guidance on how priorities are to be met, but success criteria are not always linked directly to outcomes 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Haslam Park Primary School, 3 °4 May 2007 for learners, so evaluation, though accurate, could be more detailed. Governors challenge and support the school satisfactorily in meeting its aims. They manage finances well. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Haslam Park Primary School, 3 °4 May 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. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Haslam Park Primary School, 3 °4 May 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 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 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Haslam Park Primary School, 3 °4 May 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Haslam Park Primary School, 3 °4 May 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Haslam Park Primary School, Bolton BL3 5QL As you know, Mrs Davenport and I visited your school recently to find out how well you are learning. I have to say a very big 'thank you' for the welcome you gave us. Thank you also for the lovely card you left in our room. It got us both off to a really cheerful start. We enjoyed talking to you very much because you are all so polite and had lots of interesting things to tell us. We were pleased to find out that your attendance is good and that you really enjoy school. We also found out that you work hard and make good progress. Your teachers work hard to make lessons fun and help you to do your best and all of the adults in school take really good care of you. Your headteacher leads the school well and is very proud of the way you all try to help one another. We also thought of some things we think will make your school even better. We have asked

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

your teachers to help you to achieve better standards in science. Also, we have asked them, when they mark your work, to make sure they show you how to improve the next piece of work you do. You can help by continuing to be as happy and as helpful as you already are. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Haslam Park Primary School, 3 °4 May 2007

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