Crosslee Community Primary School

Crosslee Community Primary School Inspection report

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105412 Unique Reference Number Manchester Local Authority 287220 Inspection number 9 °10 May 2007 Inspection dates Graham Martin 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 305 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Brian Longbottom Chair Mrs Wadsworth Headteacher 14 October 2002 Date of previous school inspection 1 Crosslee Road School address Blackley Manchester M9 6TG

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0161 7958493 Telephone number 0161 7954938 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 9 °10 May 2007 Inspection dates 287220 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, which is a little larger than average, serves an area of social and economic disadvantage. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above the national average while the proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is well above the national average. The school experiences a high rate of pupil turnover. Most pupils are White British but an increasing number enter the school with English as their additional language. The school is part of the Manchester Excellence in Cities partnership and is on the local authority's Intensive Support Programme (ISP). It is part of a local Learning Network and holds the Activemark, Investor in People and Healthy Schools (Silver) awards. A Nursery provides places for children aged three and four.

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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: Crosslee Community Primary School, 9 °10 May 2007

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Grade: 3

The inspection agrees with the school's own judgement that it provides a satisfactory education for its pupils. The headteacher's good leadership skills, ably supported by her deputy headteacher, give this school good capacity to improve, as seen in improving standards and in the good quality of care, guidance and support for pupils. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory, although standards in English, mathematics and science are well below the national average. Progress varies between classes because, although some lessons are good, and occasionally outstanding, teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. The best teaching occurs when activities are planned to match pupils' differing levels of understanding, but this does not occur as frequently as it should. Teaching is also less effective when it is not clearly explained to pupils, in ways they can easily understand, what they are expected to learn.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' attitudes are satisfactory; they are polite and well mannered. Attendance has been low. The school is taking firm action to ensure pupils attend more regularly. This is having a positive impact and currently, attendance is broadly in line with the local authority's average. Pupils' behaviour is good; decisive action against pupils with poor behaviour, including exclusion, matched with good systems to ensure that good behaviour is consistently rewarded, is impacting well on pupils' behaviour and attitudes. The school council and the playground pals take their responsibilities seriously and feel proud that trust is shown in them. The result of this good work is that the majority of pupils enjoy school and this response is reflected in improving attitudes to learning. Within this climate, pupils are beginning to learn and understand the importance of personal safety and a healthy lifestyle. The school's curriculum is satisfactory,

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Grade: 3

increasingly providing opportunities for pupils to see how their literacy and number skills can be used in other subjects. Pupils value the way in which interactive whiteboards are used to excite their interest; they say that when this technology is used well, it makes learning fun and helps them to pay better attention. Similarly, when they see the connections between one subject and another, such as using their writing skills in history, their learning becomes more meaningful; this frequently happens in the good and outstanding lessons. Parents value the good level of care and support given to their children's well-being. Because staff know their pupils well, they have good empathy with pupils' personal and emotional needs. This leads to a climate of trust where positive relationships are established. Consequently, most pupils respect their teachers and the other adults in school who help them, adding value to their personal

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Grade: 3

and social development and leading to an orderly community. Arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet current requirements. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have good leadership skills, establishing a leadership team, including middle leaders, with increasing accountability for the school's performance. The governors effectively support the headteacher's leadership, recognising the importance of shared leadership responsibility. They are encouraged by the headteacher's high aspirations for the school, which match her aspirations for each pupil. The school provides satisfactory value for money. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in English, mathematics and science. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Crosslee Community Primary School, 9 °10 May 2007 • Explain learning targets to pupils in ways that they can understand to help them achieve better. • Consistently provide lessons that meet pupils' differing learning skills in order to improve the impact of teaching.

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Grade: 3

On entry to the Foundation Stage, children have skills that are very low compared to those typical for their age. Pupils' progress from entry to the end of Year 6 is satisfactory overall. For a number of years, including 2006, the results in the annual national tests and assessments in both Year 2 and Year 6 have remained consistently well below the national average. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and all staff have demonstrated their commitment to improving standards and to raising pupils' achievement. In the Foundation Stage, for example, they have rightly prioritised developing children's language and personal and social skills. As a result of this strategy, along with very skilful teaching in the Foundation Stage, most children now make good progress in these important areas of learning. All pupils from the Nursery up to Year 6 make satisfactory progress overall but the high rate of transfers into and out of the school

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Grade: 3

affects overall results. Progress is better for the group of children who remain in the school from Nursery to Year 6. It is variable where teachers do not plan lessons on the basis of clearly explained learning targets. A robust system to track progress by checking learning in all classes has already improved achievement to some degree, as seen in small improvements in test results at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. There is confirmed evidence from regular assessments that further improvement is realistically expected in national test results this year for both Year 2 and Year 6.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' personal development and well-being is satisfactory. The majority of pupils enjoy coming to school. They appreciate the rewards the school offers to secure their regular attendance. Extensive measures to improve attendance, helped by good links to outside support, have a positive impact on both attendance and punctuality. The impact of introducing consistent and fair systems to improve behaviour is seen in the reducing number of exclusions. As a result, behaviour is good in school and on the playground. Pupils' spiritual, moral and social development is satisfactory. The school is taking the right steps to improve pupils' knowledge and understanding of other cultures in an increasingly diverse community. Assemblies that promote personal development and focus on moral and social issues establish a climate of mutual respect. Relationships in the school are good. Pupils feel safe and know that they can

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Grade: 3

trust the adults in school to help them if they have any worries. Pupils make a satisfactory contribution to their community, for example, taking on responsibilities, through the elected school council and as playground pals and equipment monitors. In the wider community, they support local and national events such as the Harvest Festival and Blackley in Bloom. Pupils' understanding of how to keep safe and live a healthy lifestyle is satisfactory. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Crosslee Community Primary School, 9 °10 May 2007

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. It is sometimes good and, occasionally, outstanding. In some lessons, teachers do not vary the level of challenge enough for the different needs of learners; neither do they explain to pupils in simple terms how they can achieve their learning targets. This is seen in the variance in progress in some classes and the quality of marking, which does not always enable pupils to see the steps they need to take to improve their work. Occasionally, this leads to frustration among some pupils and they lose interest in learning. In the good and outstanding lessons, pupils engage with learning willingly. They understand how to achieve the goals set for them because these goals are clearly explained. When lessons are well matched to their needs and interests, pupils learn eagerly and make good progress. Clear learning targets are set for the key skills of literacy and numeracy and, where

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Grade: 3

good teaching and marking help pupils to meet these targets, standards in these skills are rising.

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Grade: 3

The contribution that the curriculum makes to pupils' learning is satisfactory. It is broad and balanced, with an increasing emphasis on developing the essential skills of literacy and numeracy. Teachers make appropriate links across subjects so that pupils learn the importance of making use of language and number skills in areas other than just English and mathematics. The focus on transferring the use of basic skills to other subjects to make learning meaningful and relevant to pupils is having an impact on achievement. Good links with local authority and community partners are beginning to help the school to provide a wider range of activities which increasingly give pupils better learning opportunities. This enhances pupils' enjoyment of school and, therefore, their willingness to learn. Pupils say they enjoy the different learning opportunities available; they welcome the opportunity to learn French. They particularly like to use information

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Grade: 3

and communication technology and say that they find lessons more appealing where interactive whiteboards are used to excite their interest. A successful and much appreciated breakfast club and a wide range of extra-curricular activities at lunchtime and after school are well attended and enjoyed by the pupils. These activities contribute well to the improving picture of pupils' personal development.

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Grade: 2

The quality of care, guidance and support is a strength. All staff, and particularly those with direct responsibility for pupils' well-being and inclusion, know the pupils and their families well; they are committed to their welfare. For their part, the pupils are well aware that the staff not only give them immediate care when needed but have high aspirations for them too. One child said, 'the teachers want us to do well because they want us to get a good job'. Parents, particularly those with children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, really value the school's care and appreciate the support it offers to them and to their children. Typically, parents commented on how their children feel valued and fairly treated. They also remarked on the good help their children receive if they have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Without exception, pupils say that they feel safe in school and that they know who to turn to

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Grade: 2

6 of 11 Inspection Report: Crosslee Community Primary School, 9 °10 May 2007 if they need help. Pupils' progress is monitored by a team of senior teachers on a termly basis against individual targets set in English and mathematics. The children are aware that they have targets but they are not yet really clear how these are designed to help them to progress. Similarly, the school's marking system could explain more clearly to pupils how to achieve their targets and therefore bring about further improvements in learning and standards. Policies for safeguarding pupils are in place and adhered to. Health and safety responsibilities are well met.

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Grade: 3

This school's good capacity to raise standards and achievement is the result of intensive work to improve pupils' behaviour, attitudes and learning skills. It is evident in the drive of the headteacher to bring about improvement in the shortest time possible. Accurate evaluation of the school's weaknesses by the headteacher and her deputy headteacher, and the action they have taken, ensure that all staff understand their accountability for the school's effectiveness. Overall, leadership and management are satisfactory because this accountability has not yet driven standards up far enough. However, there is sufficient evidence of an upward trend to show that good checks being made to improve teaching and learning are having an impact on pupils' achievement. Good links with community and local authority partners help the school to tap into expertise that help it to confirm the quality of its own checks on its improving

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Grade: 3

effectiveness. Day-to-day management of the school is good. Middle leaders make satisfactory use of their improving leadership skills when carrying out their responsibilities for the school's improvement. Rigorous use of assessment information by governors and school leaders raises the expectations of teachers that all pupils will achieve well, without peaks and troughs in different year groups. Governors give effective support for the diligent work of the school managers, especially in relation to priorities for improvement. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Crosslee Community Primary School, 9 °10 May 2007 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Crosslee Community Primary School, 9 °10 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

3 How well do learners achieve? 4 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?

3 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 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 3 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: Crosslee Community Primary School, 9 °10 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: Crosslee Community Primary School, 9 °10 May 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. This letter is to tell you what the inspectors found and to suggest ways that you can help your school to get better. Thank you for helping us with the inspection. You were all very polite and helpful and you welcomed us to Crosslee Primary School very well. The inspectors found that your school is steadily improving the quality of education it gives you. Here are some things that impressed us. • We were pleased to see how well behaved you are. • We liked the way that 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 and teachers 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

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

with some things to help you to learn better. • You should work hard with your teachers to make your English, mathematics and science better. We saw that, with the right help, this can happen. • We think that your teachers could give you better help to know how to reach the targets they set for your learning. You can help by asking your teacher to explain how you can reach your targets if you don't understand. • We also think that, sometimes, you need to have activities that match what you have to learn more closely. Again, you can help by showing your teacher how well you learn when your lessons are interesting and helpful to you. We enjoyed our visit to your school and wish you all well for the future. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Crosslee Community Primary School, 9 °10 May 2007

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