Warren Wood Primary School

Inspection Report Warren Wood Primary School

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106083 Unique Reference Number Stockport Local Authority 287410 Inspection number 4 °5 December 2006 Inspection dates John Ashton 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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Turnstone Road School address Primary Type of school Offerton, Stockport Community School category Cheshire SK2 5XU 4 °11 Age range of pupils 0161 4568171 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0161 4830945 Fax number 304 Number on roll (school) Mr K Morton Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Ian Clarke Headteacher 8 October 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 287410 4 °5 December 2006 4°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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This larger than average school serves an area of Stockport with mainly owner occupied housing. The proportions of pupils eligible for free school meals and of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are below average. A large majority of the pupils are White British. A small number are from minority ethnic groups and a few of the younger pupils speak English as an additional language. Two years ago the school successfully absorbed 64 pupils from a closing school nearby.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Warren Wood Primary School, 4 °5 December 2006

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Grade: 2

Warren Wood is a good school with some outstanding features which accord with the school's own judgement. Chief amongst these outstanding features are: • the pupils' outstanding personal development and well-being • the excellent quality of the school's curriculum • the thorough and successful integration of the pupils from another school. Parents are very supportive of the school. 'It is always an interesting place to visit with a myriad of extra opportunities afforded to the children.all of this made possible by the very good teaching and strong leadership . they make a difference.' Pupils achieve well throughout the school. From a mainly average starting point on entry pupils leave at the end of Year 6 with above average standards in English, mathematics and science. They make good progress in Reception because of the teachers' particular knowledge of how young children learn, and the majority of the

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Grade: 2

children reach and some exceed the expected national goals by the end of the Reception Year. Pupils make good progress in most of the rest of the school because of the good match of work to their learning needs. The school's highest proportion of Level 5 grades ever were achieved in Year 6 in 2006, showing the success of the drive to stretch the more able pupils. Judged by how positively they respond to the interesting and good quality teaching, pupils most certainly enjoy their learning. They feel very safe in school because they are well cared for and because poor behaviour or bullying is so rare. Pupils are very aware of the merits of exercise and healthy eating but many of them still bring crisps to school for their morning snack. Their better than average literacy, numeracy and social skills provide a firm basis for the next stage of their lives. They serve their school and the local community well in a whole range of different ways, notably by helping

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Grade: 2

younger pupils in the school with their literacy. One Year 6 pupil said how privileged he felt at being allowed to work with the younger children. Pupils' outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is reflected in their excellent behaviour and the great respect they show to each other and to adults. The school is well led and gives good value for money. Its self-evaluation is largely accurate although, in some respects, too modest. The school's relative strengths and weaknesses are effectively diagnosed by the leadership who then take appropriate action. There has been good improvement since the last inspection and the school has good capacity for further improvement. It is aware that further work is needed to ensure greater consistency in assessing pupils' learning and matching work to pupils' needs.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the assessment of pupils' learning in lower Key Stage 2 and use the information to ensure that work is well matched to the needs of all groups of pupils. 2 Inspection Report: Warren Wood Primary School, 4 °5 December 2006

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Grade: 2

Children enter the school with average, and in some years slightly below average, levels of knowledge and skills. By the end of Year 2 standards in reading, writing and mathematics are just above average, reflecting pupils' good progress throughout Reception and Key Stage 1, due to good and outstanding teaching. By the end of Year 6 standards in English, mathematics and science are all above average, illustrating well the good matching of work in Years 5 and 6 to pupils' learning needs. The achievement of higher attaining pupils rose in 2006, when the school gained its best ever results at Level 5, exceeding its agreed targets for all three subjects. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those for whom English is an additional language achieve as well as others because of good teaching and support.

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Grade: 1

The school's motto, 'Care, Courtesy and Consideration' is at the heart of all the school provides. As a result, from day one, pupils flourish and they become thoughtful, responsible and mature young people by the time they leave. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. The caring and inclusive atmosphere plays a key role in ensuring that all pupils feel valued. The respect pupils have for each other, adults and school property shows how well the school promotes moral values. Behaviour is exemplary. Pupils respond very well to the many opportunities to develop the social skills of cooperation and team work that will stand them in good stead for future employment. Visitors share their expertise and beliefs so that pupils are fully aware of cultures and religions different to their own. Pupils say that they enjoy coming to school. This is borne out by attendance figures that are consistently above the

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Grade: 1

national average. Pupils have a very strong work ethic. One Year 2 pupil said, 'our headteacher always says be tenacious, that means sticking at it and we do'. They are very positive about what they do and particularly enjoy the extra activities such as lacrosse and playing in the school band. They act safely, take exercise and understand the need to eat healthily.

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Grade: 2

A broad range of strengths characterise the overall good quality of teaching and learning. Foundation Stage staff have a clear knowledge of how best to teach young children, particularly learning basic skills in reading and writing. In all lessons, clear explanations help pupils know what they are going to learn and how they will know if they have been successful. Interactive whiteboards are used very well to explain difficult concepts and to move the lesson on. Close relationships are a very positive 3 Inspection Report: Warren Wood Primary School, 4 °5 December 2006 feature of all lessons and pupils respond very well to their teachers' high expectations of both behaviour and academic achievement. Assessment of pupils' work is good and improving because of a focus on professional development. The school now has a rigorous system for tracking the progress of individual pupils, teachers are more aware of levels at which pupils work, and what

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Grade: 2

they can achieve. In some lessons, there is too little difference between the work given to groups of different pupils. Teaching assistants work in close partnership with teachers and make a positive contribution to lessons. Their success often lies in their effective support for pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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Grade: 1

The school provides an outstanding curriculum, especially rich in its extra-curricular provision. It caters especially well for pupils with musical and sporting talents. For instance, members of the school's excellent brass band continue to go from strength to strength long after they leave the school and the school's sporting teams have been very successful recently. Excellent community links make a significant contribution to learning; for example, an accomplished artist regularly works with pupils, emphasizing the use of water colours. Educational visits are thoughtfully planned and linked to the curriculum, such as the recent trip to the theatre by Year 5 and 6 pupils to see a play based on a recently read book written by a contemporary author. Pupils value their personal and social education. They say that it helps them to grow and mature. Provision to promote health and safety awareness is strong. For instance, a 'life

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Grade: 1

education' bus helps staff to provide health education and pupils enjoy the annual 'who wants to be a millionaire' style road safety quiz.

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Grade: 2

Support and guidance are good and pupils are rightly pleased at the good day-to-day care they receive and how much they are valued by staff. Typical comments from pupils include, 'I feel well looked after and well cared for and I am asked for my opinion in lessons and at other times.' The effectiveness of the good care and support is seen in the way both staff and pupils welcomed pupils from a closing school and ensured they felt full and valued members. Staff are well informed about their role in child protection. Procedures are secure and health and safety risk assessments are in place. Academic progress and personal development is regularly monitored and teachers and assistants understand pupils' learning needs well. A few pupils in lower Key Stage 2, though pleased about having targets for learning, are uncertain about their level of attainment and how to reach the next level in mathematics and English. Pupils with learning

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Grade: 2

difficulties and/or disabilities achieve well in lessons because of good adult support. Secondary school links aid transition and learning well. For instance, a specialist teacher from a local school leads lessons in dance and pupils take part in 'challenges' hosted by secondary schools. 4 Inspection Report: Warren Wood Primary School, 4 °5 December 2006

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Grade: 2

The school is well led and managed. There is strong and effective teamwork at all levels; a key factor in the school's success. The result is outstanding curriculum provision, good teaching and learning, excellent personal development, good achievement and above average standards. Senior leaders lead by example, are very thorough, caring and approachable. School development planning is rightly focussed on improving achievement, with a recent successful focus on raising standards in writing and mental mathematics, particularly for the more able pupils. Self-evaluation is diagnostic, well focussed and realistic, although over modest at times. Governors are particularly well informed and aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the school; they challenge as well as support it. The school rigorously tackles areas requiring development, displaying a good capacity for improvement. It makes effective use of

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Grade: 2

its resources and the different skills of its staff and gives good value for money. Monitoring of the various aspects of the work of the school is sensitively and effectively carried out in a variety of different ways including moderation and scrutiny of pupils work across a range of classes. However, leadership and management have not yet ensured that assessment practice is consistently good across the school. 5 Inspection Report: Warren Wood Primary School, 4 °5 December 2006 .

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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: Warren Wood Primary School, 4 °5 December 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 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?

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 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?

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: Warren Wood Primary School, 4 °5 December 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: Warren Wood Primary School, 4 °5 December 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We very much enjoyed our recent visit to your school. Thank you for your friendly and cheerful welcome. A very special thanks to those children who gave up some of their lunchtime to talk with us. You told us so many good things about your school, including how much you enjoyed the wide range of extra activities available to you outside of lesson times. There are many other things we particularly like about your school which do you credit. • You are well behaved and so positive about your learning. • You quickly helped the pupils from St Stephen's to feel at home in Warren Wood School. • You are very well cared for and your parents are so pleased about your school. • Your lessons are so interesting and your teachers and support assistants work so well together for your benefit. • Your school is very orderly and well managed. To make things even better we have asked the school to make sure that in all classes information

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

about how well you are learning is used to set work that is neither too hard nor too easy for any of you. We wish every one of you well for the future and hope that you will always work as hard and enjoy school as much as you do now. 9 Inspection Report: Warren Wood Primary School, 4 °5 December 2006

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