High Lane Primary School

High Lane Primary School Inspection report

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106051 Unique Reference Number Stockport Local Authority 287397 Inspection number 14 February 2007 Inspection date Anna Dawson 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 201 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr R Taylor Chair Ms E McNamara Headteacher 21 May 2001 Date of previous school inspection Andrew Lane School address High Lane Stockport Cheshire SK6 8JQ

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01663 762378 Telephone number 01663 763380 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 14 February 2007 Inspection date 287397 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This is an average size school with a fully subscribed Nursery class accommodating 20 children who attend in the morning. Most children enter Reception from Nursery and other settings with broadly average attainment. There are 30% of pupils travelling from out of the catchment area. Most pupils come from favourable social backgrounds. There are 2% of children entitled to free school meals, which is well below average. Nearly all pupils are from White British backgrounds and speak English as a first language. A very small minority speak either Spanish or Bengali as first languages. There are 11% of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, which is below average. The school has achieved the following awards: the Inclusion Quality Mark, the Becta ICT Quality Mark, the Basic Skills Quality Mark, the Healthy Schools award, Investors in People and the Work-Life Balance award.

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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: High Lane Primary School, 14 February 2007

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school; better than the school's modest assessment of itself. It provides an excellent education for all its pupils and gives very good value for money. The pupils learn exceptionally well in a happy and stimulating environment. All pupils are challenged very well to develop their personal, social and academic skills to the full. The parents wholeheartedly support the school. The school works productively with the other local schools, churches and the community it serves. Children get off to a flying start and make rapid progress with the vast majority attaining or exceeding the nationally expected learning goals by the end of their Reception year. This is because of the exceptionally good provision made for them in the Foundation Stage. This very good progress is maintained throughout school. By the end of Year 2, pupils attain high standards in reading, writing and mathematics. In Years 3 to 6, the pupils achieve very well,

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Grade: 1

reaching high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6. In addition, pupils achieve exceptionally well in personal, social and health education. This is the result of high quality teaching which challenges and motivates them to achieve and enjoy learning. Pupils' behaviour and their attitudes to learning are exemplary. When asked about school they say 'they like a challenge'. They know how to stay safe and lead a healthy lifestyle. Attendance is above average and punctuality is good, reflecting the enjoyment pupils have of school. By the time they leave, the Year 6 pupils have become socially mature, responsible and caring future citizens. The excellent curriculum is broad and rich. It promotes the outstandingly good personal development of pupils, as well as their basic skills of reading, writing, mathematics, and information and communication technology (ICT). The school is successfully combining subjects

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Grade: 1

into topics and themes to make learning meaningful. Teachers' planning generally links subjects such as history, geography and the arts together effectively to ensure coherence and breadth in what pupils learn. However, there is not consistent high quality in this. The wide range of enrichment activities during and after school meets pupils' interests and contributes positively to their personal development. Care, support and guidance for pupils are outstanding. The staff make sure that pupils are included in school activities, are cared for equally well and given the help they need to succeed both academically and personally. Leadership and management are outstanding. The school is led exceptionally well by the headteacher, who has the support of a skilled and experienced deputy headteacher. The teamwork by the staff is outstanding. They work together very well in sharing expertise and improving their practice to raise standards, which is most recently evident in the improved

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Grade: 1

standards in mathematics across the school. Senior leaders, with the staff, monitor the work of the school thoroughly. The governing body is kept exceptionally well informed and supports the school very well. Since the last inspection, the school has continued to improve the quality of its provision. There is excellent capacity to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Provide increased opportunities for pupils to develop skills in history, geography and the arts through topics and themes. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: High Lane Primary School, 14 February 2007

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Grade: 1

Most children enter Nursery with broadly average attainment and make rapid progress in the exciting and stimulating environment both there and in Reception. By the time they are ready to enter Year 1 they reach or exceed the expected standards, particularly in personal, social, language and mathematical skills. This pace of learning is sustained throughout Years 1 to 6 and, because pupils' individual needs are extremely well provided for, all make the best progress possible and achieve exceptionally well. In recent years there have been some staff changes and an influx of pupils entering the school in Years 3 to 6. These interruptions have tended to depress national test results at Year 6. However, this is no longer the case. In mathematics, for example, individual support given to pupils is successfully raising standards. With such support, pupils are attaining high standards in English, mathematics and science. In Year 6, pupils are

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Grade: 1

on track to achieve or exceed the challenging targets set. High standards of work were also observed in personal, social and health education and ICT. Displays of pupils' work show high standards in art and design and technology.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is outstanding. The older children, in particular, show maturity in their personal and social skills. They make informed choices and decisions through the school council. They have, for instance, won citizenship awards for their services to the community and enthusiastically represented their views to the incoming mayor in the council chamber. Behaviour and attitudes to work are exemplary. Pupils cheerfully play and learn together in and around school. They greatly enjoy their lessons and other learning opportunities, and this is reflected in their good attendance. Pupils make very good use of the planned opportunities to reflect on and consider different cultures and traditions. For example, they were excited to take part in the Chinese New Year celebratory assembly. Older pupils take a pride in their special responsibilities, such as helping

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Grade: 1

the younger ones at lunchtimes or at playtimes. Pupils adopt healthy lifestyles and the school has received a Healthy School award for its success in this aspect of its work. By the time they leave, pupils are confident and independent learners with an appreciation of the wider world and global issues.

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Grade: 1

Throughout school, basic skills, including ICT and personal, social and health education, are taught extremely well. The quality of teaching and learning are outstanding. Teachers get the best out of pupils by planning work that challenges and interests them. They use questioning skills and a wide range of strategies and methods to promote pupils' social and thinking skills. Relationships are excellent and, as a result, pupils are not afraid to ask questions. In this way their self-esteem is encouraged and they become independent learners. Some aspects of subjects are combined extremely well to make learning meaningful and enjoyable but there is more scope for development. Teachers are skilled in ICT and make full use of the interactive whiteboards to capture the pupils' interest and to demonstrate teaching points. The teaching 5 of 11 Inspection Report: High Lane Primary School, 14 February 2007 assistants provide excellent support and use intervention programmes and resources successfully

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Grade: 1

so that pupils who need additional help do not fall behind. Those learning English as an additional language get very good support from the staff as well as specialist bilingual help. Teachers mark pupils' work thoroughly, give constructive comments and involve pupils in regular reviews of their work in order to share targets for improvement.

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Grade: 1

Provision for the development of basic skills in reading, writing, mathematics and pupils' personal and social development are major strengths. For instance, reflecting sensitively and maturely on an alternative response to the Lord's Prayer, a Year 6 pupil wrote: 'I really need a better life which involves helping those who don't.' The school is committed to a broad and rich curriculum, meeting the individual needs and interests of the pupils. This is evident in lessons and high quality displays of pupils' work. The pupils use their extremely well developed ICT skills across a range of subjects in their study of interesting and meaningful themes and topics. However, there is not yet a similarly consistent high standard in topic planning of some aspects of history, geography and the arts. The curriculum promotes problem solving and investigative learning exceptionally well, especially in mathematics, science and ICT. This

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Grade: 1

challenges and stretches the most able. Pupils experience a wide range of enrichment activities in sport and music and have the opportunity to learn French. Educational visits and visitors into school add to the enrichment of the curriculum.

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Grade: 1

The excellent quality care and support the school offers to pupils is valued highly by the parents. Great care is taken to meet the needs of all pupils both academically and socially. Good use is made of outside agencies when needed. Parents comment that their 'children are happy and confident learners that care for one another'. Robust procedures are in place to safeguard pupils and to ensure their health and safety. Pupils say they know what to do if they need help and have a good knowledge of how to stay safe. The monitoring of pupils' academic progress is a strength of the school. Pupils are thoroughly involved in the assessment of their own learning. Consequently, they have a very clear understanding of their targets and how to achieve them. There are excellent procedures for induction into school, between the Foundation Stage and Year 1 and transfer to the next phase of education.

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Grade: 1

The headteacher provides inspirational leadership. The very clear direction is built from strong self-evaluation procedures taking account of the views of pupils, parents, staff and governors. Nevertheless, the school has been over-modest in evaluating its own effectiveness. There are clear lines of responsibility which enable extremely successful leadership and management teams at all levels of provision. The senior leadership team is responsive to change and forward looking. Teamwork is particularly strong. The inclusive aims of the school are evident in practice. Performance data is carefully analysed and action plans are prepared for improvement. For example, action to improve performance in mathematics this year has successfully raised 6 of 11 Inspection Report: High Lane Primary School, 14 February 2007 standards. The governing body is very knowledgeable and supportive and holds the school to

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Grade: 1

account. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: High Lane Primary School, 14 February 2007 .

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Grade: 1

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: High Lane Primary School, 14 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? 1 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 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 2 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: High Lane Primary School, 14 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: High Lane Primary School, 14 February 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

As you know, I visited your school recently to find out if it is giving you the education you should receive. First of all, thank you very much for welcoming me enthusiastically. I enjoyed talking to you about your work and finding out about all the things you like doing. I am pleased to say that your school is outstanding and has many strengths as well as one thing to improve. Here are the things I felt were particularly good: • your school is a happy place where you really enjoy your lessons and taking part in school activities • your school has outstanding leadership and management and you benefit from extremely good teaching • you work hard and attain high standards, especially in English, mathematics and science • your school cares for you all equally well and you become confident and independent learners. I have asked your teachers to plan more opportunities to develop your skills in history, geography

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and art when you study topics. You can help to keep your school outstanding by continuing to enjoy your lessons and always doing your best. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: High Lane Primary School, 14 February 2007

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