St Paul's Peel CofE Primary School

Inspection Report St Paul's Peel CofE Primary School

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105941 Unique Reference Number Salford Local Authority 287371 Inspection number 30 November 2006 Inspection date Delia Hiscock 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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Stocksfield Drive School address Primary Type of school Little Hulton, Worsley Voluntary controlled School category Manchester, Lancashire M38 9RB 3 °11 Age range of pupils

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0161 7902327 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0161 7909234 Fax number 297 Number on roll (school) Mrs E Moore Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Rose O'Gara Headteacher 26 February 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 287371 30 November 2006 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This school serves an inner city population with significant socio-economic disadvantage. Half the pupils are eligible for free school meals. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is slightly higher than average. Nearly all the pupils are of White British heritage. A few pupils are from minority ethnic families and none speaks English as an additional language. The school is larger than average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: St Paul's Peel CofE Primary School, 30 November 2006

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Grade: 1

This outstanding school provides exceptional value for money. This is because the excellent leadership and management help the staff to release the hidden potential in each pupil. As parents say, they go that extra mile to help our children to do as well as they can. To help this happen the school provides excellent quality of care and a perceptively constructed curriculum that not only develops many of the pupils' individual talents and equips them with the skills they need for the future, but also enriches their lives. This is why their personal development and well-being is outstanding. To bring this about, the school uses the expertise and talents of staff, the local community, partnerships between schools and outside agencies, and the advice of the local authority. The headteacher recognises exactly what might make a difference to each pupil's future, values what pupils, parents and the staff have to

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Grade: 1

say, and has built on the school's strengths and successes to provide the very best. The exceptionally high standards at the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science are the markers of the school's success. This is the result of outstanding quality of teaching and learning that harnesses specialist skills within the school, and makes very effective use of small teaching groups. Above all, the staff accept no ceiling on what pupils might achieve and they share the ambitions for pupils. As a result, some pupils have gone on to be talented sportsmen and women. Pupils make exceptionally good progress from their well below average stage of development on starting in Nursery to the time they leave for the high school. The school's investment in staff and their training, in family learning and in the students and the volunteers who work with them makes all the difference. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are above

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Grade: 1

average. The very good progress the pupils make enables them to acquire important skills of reading, writing and mathematics that form a robust foundation for their future achievements. These skills are learned early and in fun ways. No pupil underachieves, because of the 'catch-all' methods, the layers of support, and the tight systems and checks that the staff have in place. This starts in the Foundation Stage where the children build successfully on their well below average skills on starting Nursery to attain expected standards at the end of their Reception year. The very good progress in their personal, social and emotional development and lots of opportunities for conversation are the key features that set them off to a good start. The curriculum is outstanding in its scope and quality. It is designed to widen pupils' experiences and to equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to help them

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Grade: 1

deal with the choices open to them in the future. Pupils' achievement in gaining skills in information and communication technology (ICT) is good and they have lots of access to computers before and after school, which they enjoy. However, the constraints of the accommodation frustrate the school's plans to develop the use of computer technology in pupils' day-to-day learning. That said, the pupils say that they really enjoy school, the school really listens to their views and they get to take lots of responsibility around the school. Because of this and the respect they receive, they behave well around the school and particularly well in lessons. 2 Inspection Report: St Paul's Peel CofE Primary School, 30 November 2006 Parents and carers are really welcomed into school and have many opportunities to get to know more about their children's education. The school has a very good capacity to move forward and widen pupils' achievement even more.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Further develop pupils' use of computers as a tool in their day-to-day learning, as the constraints of the accommodation are resolved.

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Grade: 1

Standards at the end of Year 6 are very high, because the pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, make very good progress in their skills and understanding. They soak up the knowledge and the experiences they receive from the outstanding teaching, which personalises learning skilfully and culminates in pupils' outstanding achievement in English, mathematics and science. Up to 2005 the school had achieved two years of well above average standards, and three years in mathematics, and it continues to improve. The school's information and the preliminary test results for 2006 demonstrate that once again, the school has exceeded the targets set for its performance and that attainment continues to be very high. Of its own accord, the school has increased the targets for many of the pupils to attain as they move into their next year group. By the end of Reception (the Foundation Stage), standards attained are close to

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Grade: 1

average because children make good progress and very much so in their personal and social development. Pupils go on to make really good progress in Key Stage 1 to attain above average standards in reading, writing and mathematics, and a good proportion of the pupils attain the higher levels.

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Grade: 1

The personal development and well-being of pupils are outstanding, as is the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The exceptional quality of relationships pervades the school and includes all. As a result the pupils feel very much part of the school family and learn to be very well behaved in school and particularly so in their lessons. They benefit from the close relationship with the church, and the sense of faith, traditions and concern for others. As a result, they learn to empathise with those less fortunate than themselves and they develop a good understanding of what it is to grow up in multicultural Britain today. They are very well motivated to learn and very keen to take part in other activities the school provides, including the many ways through which they are encouraged to take responsibility. The school council is a forum through which the pupils learn how to air their views, record matters formally and

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Grade: 1

make decisions that benefit all. The school has worked tremendously hard to improve attendance levels, which are now very good. The school canteen plays a vital and 3 Inspection Report: St Paul's Peel CofE Primary School, 30 November 2006 additional role in encouraging the pupils to lead a healthy lifestyle and emphasises the importance of exercise, which pupils recognise. Their skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT help prepare them very well for the next stage in their education. Their qualities as individuals shine wherever possible, whatever the circumstances they might have to contend with in their lives.

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Grade: 1

The quality of teaching and learning is excellent and consistently enables the pupils to make very good progress. Very effective planning, excellent relationships and the teaching team's use of assessment are the key features ensuring that pupils know exactly what they are to learn, check how successful they are in their work and know that they are achieving. Detailed knowledge of pupils' needs and abilities means that the teaching teams set work precisely by personalising learning. This moves pupils on swiftly. The systems and organisation for teaching feature specialist teaching, strong subject knowledge and small teaching groups. Teaching assistants make a professional contribution to learning, including that of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Here too, differences are catered for but are often unseen. Teachers do not accept underachievement. They have high expectations for their pupils. These are

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Grade: 1

the reasons why there are no perceived barriers to learning in this school. Typically, the pupils smile a lot and really enjoy their lessons: they are absorbed in their work and many of them thrive on challenge. They use well the strategies they develop as learners.

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is outstanding. This is because the needs of all pupils are met exceptionally well, and the activities provided are carefully tailored to enrich their lives and to widen the scope of their knowledge. The school's many layers of additional and extension activities include plenty of educational visits, sports and arts, and many extra-curricular activities that are taken up with much enthusiasm. Vital knowledge about how to keep healthy and stay safe is taught thoroughly through the school's programme of personal, social and health education and pervades the day-to-day life of the school. Preparation for life is a high priority in the school's work. This is why the pupils make very good progress in their personal development and in acquiring the skills they need for life. There is excellent personal and social development for the youngsters in the Foundation Stage, and a strong curriculum. Family learning, the use

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Grade: 1

of volunteers, and transition links to the high schools make another valuable contribution to provision. The accommodation for the lower junior pupils in particular is barely adequate in space and natural light. The school combats these drawbacks by creatively organising the location of activities. 4 Inspection Report: St Paul's Peel CofE Primary School, 30 November 2006

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Grade: 1

The care, guidance and support provided are excellent. The school's pastoral care is exceptionally good. The requirements for the care, safety and protection of pupils are fully met, including those for risk assessment. There is also very good support provided for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and particularly effective background support for pupils facing difficulties, and for those who have to learn how to behave in the ways the school expects. Guidance for academic progress and the support provided are thorough, systematic, and are notably effective in dismantling barriers to pupils' engagement in learning early in their school life. This is how they become ready and eager to learn in lessons and able to sustain their interest. They benefit greatly from knowing exactly what they are to learn and from the discussions about their work which tell them how well they are doing.

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher provides an excellent role model and has built seamlessly on the successful work of the previous leadership. Leaders at all levels have very effective skills to bring about improvement and high aspirations for the pupils. When asked what is at the heart of the school, they respond unequivocally with the words: 'Love, faith. we want to do the best for the pupils.' This is why the climate for learning in the school is exceptional. Leadership, including strong governance, not only fosters these high aspirations, it puts in the strategies, management systems, initiatives and professional training that enable the staff to transform these intentions into action. These features are so successful in their impact on pupils' achievement that a high proportion of the staff become trainers themselves. Professional discussion in the school is based on the premise: 'We can and will improve.'

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Grade: 1

Monitoring is in the bloodstream of the school's work. It is purposeful and highly effective. Middle leaders have refined skills to make that critical difference to develop provision further. Leadership and governance invest hugely in the staffing, families and the school community. It is the people that make the difference rather than the physical resources. 5 Inspection Report: St Paul's Peel CofE Primary School, 30 November 2006 .

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Grade: 1

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: St Paul's Peel CofE Primary School, 30 November 2006

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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 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 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

1 How well do learners achieve? 1 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 1 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 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?

1 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: St Paul's Peel CofE Primary School, 30 November 2006

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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: St Paul's Peel CofE Primary School, 30 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you so much for all the help you gave me on my visit to your school. I would like to thank the school council for its help too. I really enjoyed talking with you all and listening to your views. This letter is to tell you that I found your school to be an outstanding one. One of the reasons for this is that you listen and behave really well in your lessons and are very interested in learning more. You are very lucky to be in a school where everyone cares so well for each other and steps in when someone needs help or finds something a little hard. This is one of the things that helps you to work together so well. There is one thing that the school might do to help you to study even better, and prepare you for when you are working to earn a living. When I saw some of you in the computer suite before school, I could see that you really enjoy learning this way! I have asked the school to help you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

to use computers even more for learning (when the arrangements can be made to make this possible). This will help you to learn more for yourself and is a really important skill for life. I could see that you know a lot about how to keep safe and healthy and that lots of you eat sensibly when you can. I really enjoyed the privilege of sitting at the Captain's Table, the healthy and tasty lunch (and the lovely choice of fruit!). Perhaps you would be so kind as to thank your school cook for me. Keep up your super work! Good luck for the future. 9 Inspection Report: St Paul's Peel CofE Primary School, 30 November 2006

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