Newhey Community Primary School

Inspection Report Newhey Community Primary School

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105789 Unique Reference Number Rochdale Local Authority 287329 Inspection number 17 °18 January 2007 Inspection dates George Crowther 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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Hawthorn Lane School address Primary Type of school Newhey, Rochdale Community School category Lancashire OL16 4JX 3 °11 Age range of pupils 01706 847658 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01706 882830 Fax number 195 Number on roll (school) Mr A Gibson Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mr D Case Headteacher 30 April 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 287329 17 °18 January 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

The school is smaller than most primary schools. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is just above average. Pupils' attainment when they start school is about average, but it varies from year to year. The proportion with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. Almost all the pupils are from White British backgrounds and very few are at the early stages of learning English.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Newhey Community Primary School, 17 °18 January 2007

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Grade: 2

Newhey is a good school with a very positive and productive environment for learning that supports pupils' progress very well. The school's success is evident in the way the results of the Year 6 national tests have improved steadily over recent years, with pupils now reaching high standards, particularly in mathematics and science. Pupils do significantly better at this school than average and parents feel the school is doing a good job. Children join the Nursery with average attainment overall. Good provision in the Foundation Stage helps the children to make good progress. The good progress pupils make at each stage of their education is an important strength. Their success owes much to the high proportion of good, sometimes outstanding, teaching, which helps them to learn quickly. Pupils of all abilities, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, also make good progress. Pupils enjoy school, are keen to learn and behave well. They know a lot about being

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Grade: 2

healthy and staying safe, although they cannot always explain why these things are important. Pupils contribute well to the school community, often through extra responsibilities. Their good levels of basic skills prepare them well for the future. Teaching in most lessons has many strengths which ensure that pupils learn quickly. In a few lessons, however, the work is not matched well to pupils' needs and they are not clear enough about what they should be learning. The curriculum is good, with lots of interesting activities that meet the range of pupils' needs. The positive attitudes to learning exhibited by both pupils and staff are a strong reflection of good leadership and management, which have created a school where everyone is encouraged to do well. As a result, pupils' progress and the standards they reach are improving steadily. Management has had considerable success in strengthening aspects of pupils' achievement, for example, in writing. In some areas,

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Grade: 2

however, the impact of measures to improve pupils' progress has not been evaluated carefully enough and so the school cannot be sure that the time and effort were worthwhile. Despite this, the school has an accurate view of its own effectiveness, which gives it a good capacity to make further improvements. It provides good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the consistency in quality of teaching so that pupils are clear about what they should be learning and are challenged to make good progress. • Where action is taken to improve pupils' achievement, ensure its impact is measured rigorously so that the degree of success is clear. 2 Inspection Report: Newhey Community Primary School, 17 °18 January 2007

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Grade: 2

When children join the Nursery, their attainment is average overall. Children get a good start because a wide range of interesting activities and good support from staff help them to learn quickly. They continue to improve in the Reception class, but the pace of progress is not as good because tasks are not as well matched to their needs. Nonetheless, by the time children join Year 1, their standards are above average. During Years 1 to 6, progress is good, and outstanding in some classes. The results of national tests at the end of Year 2 have been broadly average, but standards in the current Year 2 are above average. Progress from Year 3 to Year 6 has been improving steadily over the past few years. The Year 6 pupils who took the national tests in 2006, made significantly better progress than those in most schools. They reached high standards, particularly in mathematics and science, exceeding the targets set for them.

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Grade: 2

By Year 6, pupils have done well to reach high standards. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress because their learning is organised well and they receive good support.

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Grade: 2

The pupils like being at school and they enjoy activities both in and out of lessons. Everyone agreed when one pupil said, 'I like all the lessons because there are lots of fun things to do.' In most lessons, pupils are keen to learn, and relationships are very good. Older pupils act as buddies and show care and respect for the younger ones. Pupils get on well with their teachers. One pupil spoke for many when she said, 'I like the teachers because they help you if you get stuck with your work.' Behaviour is good. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. For example, the Eco Schools work helps pupils to play a practical part in considering moral issues. Poems on the theme of peace show a high level of sensitivity and thought. Pupils' understanding of different cultures is not as strong. Pupils develop a sound understanding of their own well-being. They know about making healthy choices in diet and exercise, but are less clear about why these are

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Grade: 2

beneficial. The pupils feel safe in school, and they know about dangers out of school. They make a good contribution to the school community through extra responsibilities such as being playground leaders. They have the confidence to voice their views The good level of basic skills seen in Year 6 equips pupils well for the future, and activities such as Young Enterprise give them a taste of the world of work. Attendance is satisfactory. 3 Inspection Report: Newhey Community Primary School, 17 °18 January 2007

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good, but it varies from outstanding to satisfactory. Work is planned carefully to help pupils to take the next step in their learning. Good relationships help pupils to be confident learners, and staff give lots of praise, which motivates pupils to do even better. Lively whole-class teaching and interesting activities stimulate pupils' learning. Good support from teaching assistants helps pupils to do their best. Where teaching is outstanding, expectations are high and learning is rapid. The work is matched very carefully to meet the needs of pupils of varying abilities. Teachers and pupils are crystal clear about what needs to be learnt next, and so learning is very purposeful. In a few lessons, however, tasks are not planned carefully enough to provide the right level of challenge, and the pupils are not clear about what they should be learning. The school has good systems for assessing pupils' attainment and tracking their

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Grade: 2

progress. For example, the school identifies pupils who need extra, targeted support, which has been successful in boosting their progress. In lessons, ways of involving pupils in assessing their own understanding and progress are developing well, though this is not yet consistent across the school. Careful assessment of pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and the setting of precise learning targets, help these pupils to make good progress.

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Grade: 2

A wide range of relevant experiences meets the needs of all pupils well, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. For example, special activities for small groups of pupils boost their skills successfully. Children in the Foundation Stage enjoy a practically based curriculum, with good opportunities for learning both indoors and out. In Years 1 to 6, an emphasis on English and mathematics helps pupils to make good progress in developing basic skills. This is enriched successfully by an increasing variety of themes and special activities, such as work about being healthy and caring for the environment. Pupils enjoy their learning and talk about the exciting and fun things they do. Provision for personal, social and health education is good. High quality and varied out-of- school activities, ranging from circus skills through to art and music, are very popular and help to promote pupils' enjoyment, health and contribution to

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Grade: 2

the community. Specialist sports coaches, artists, musicians and theatre groups further enrich the curriculum.

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Grade: 2

Levels of care are first rate and much appreciated by parents. They extend beyond the school day to the Breakfast and After-School Clubs, which parents like and their 4 Inspection Report: Newhey Community Primary School, 17 °18 January 2007 children enjoy. Good relationships between staff, pupils and parents help to ensure that each child is happy, safe and ready to learn. Pupils know that, if needed, help is always available. Child protection procedures are effective and assessments of any risks to safety are conducted regularly. Procedures for safeguarding learners are good. Good provision is made for the transfer of pupils to local secondary schools. The school tracks pupils' academic progress very closely. Teachers' good marking of pupils' work usually identifies the next steps they should take in their learning. In some lessons, however, pupils do not have sufficient challenge or guidance to improve. Good links

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Grade: 2

with a wide range of external agencies help the school to provide specialist support, when needed.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management of the school are a team effort. The headteacher and senior colleagues have a clear view about how they can improve standards further and they take concerted action to achieve success. Self-evaluation is accurate. The school has good systems for checking on the quality of pupils' learning. Lessons, teachers' planning and pupils' work are monitored carefully, and action is taken to improve learning. For example, an evaluation of teaching and learning in English has enabled the school to improve aspects of pupils' writing. In some instances, however, managers do not check rigorously enough on the impact of measures to improve pupils' progress, and so they are not absolutely certain they have been worthwhile. Likewise, the school improvement plan contains appropriate initiatives, but does not always make a clear statement about their desired impact on pupils' achievement. Governors are making

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Grade: 2

a good contribution to the leadership of the school. They have a clear picture of what the school does well and are gradually improving their overview of planned developments. The views of parents, pupils and other members of the school community are sought and acted upon. The school is very successful in ensuring that all children are fully involved in learning and school life, whatever their background, ability or particular needs. 5 Inspection Report: Newhey Community Primary School, 17 °18 January 2007 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Newhey Community Primary School, 17 °18 January 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? 2 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 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 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. 7 Inspection Report: Newhey Community Primary School, 17 °18 January 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: Newhey Community Primary School, 17 °18 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making us feel so welcome, and for being helpful, when we visited your school to find out how well you are doing. There are lots of good things about your school. The strengths we found are: • you are keen to do your best in lessons and you are making good progress • the standard of work in Year 6 is very good • you are making a good effort to improve the quality of your writing • we enjoyed seeing the good variety of your work around the school • you are well behaved, friendly and polite, which makes your school a happy place • many of you make a good contribution to the school community • the skills you are developing at school are a good preparation for the future • we saw lots of good teaching, which helped you to learn quickly • you enjoy going to the Breakfast and After-School Clubs • we are impressed by the rapid progress you have made as an Eco-School • you like the way the staff take care to make sure you are safe and happy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• the teachers are very keen to keep improving the way you learn. There are ways the school can be made even better. We would like you to work with your teachers to improve the way you learn. • We think that in some lessons you will benefit from clearer, more careful explanations about what you are going to learn and why, and from work which helps you learn quickly. You can play your part by following these explanations carefully, and trying hard at the work and do well. • Your school tries new ways of helping you to learn quickly, such as the work you have been doing to improve your writing. We have asked the school to make sure that when they try a new idea, they check that it really does help you to learn more effectively. Thank you for helping us with the inspection of your school. 9 Inspection Report: Newhey Community Primary School, 17 °18 January 2007

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