Well Green Primary School

Well Green Primary School Inspection report

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106293 Unique Reference Number Trafford Local Authority 287470 Inspection number 14 °15 March 2007 Inspection dates Michael Onyon 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 246 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Patrick Myers Chair Mrs Kathryn Markham Headteacher 11 July 2001 Date of previous school inspection Briony Avenue School address Hale Altrincham Cheshire WA15 8QA

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0161 9803976 Telephone number 0161 9125606 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 14 °15 March 2007 Inspection dates 287470 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This average sized school serves a mixed catchment area, with over half its pupils coming from beyond its immediate locality. The proportion of pupils entitled to receive free school meals is below average. A below average proportion of pupils have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The majority of pupils are from White British families with a small proportion from ethnic minority backgrounds. The school is part of a 'Primary Learning Network' developing the use of ICT and has a programme of modern foreign language teaching throughout the school.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Well Green Primary School, 14 °15 March 2007

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school. It provides an excellent education for its pupils and excellent value for money. This largely matches the school's view of itself. Pupils consistently attain high standards by the end of Year 6. A key feature is the determined leadership of the headteacher who has a very clear sense of direction, correct and imaginative priorities and the energy and will to get things done. The views of the majority of parents are very positive, regarding the school highly and highlighting, as strengths, the school's effective monitoring of their children's progress and the excellent results. Achievement is outstanding. This is as a result of outstanding teaching, which enables all pupils to learn at a very rapid rate. Children join the school with skills that are broadly as expected for their age. Provision in the Foundation Stage is excellent and as a consequence, children make very good progress here. All meet and a significant number

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Grade: 1

exceed the goals set for children of this age by the end of the Reception year. The results of the Year 6 national tests have been consistently high over the last five years. In 2004 and 2006, the value added to pupils' education by the school, placed it in the top 10% nationally. Less value was added in 2005, because of the disruption to learning caused by the absence of teaching staff and some pupils joining the school late in Key Stage 2, who had a lot of ground to make up. The senior leadership team has stabilised the situation and ensured that teaching is of consistent high quality. The school provides well for pupils' with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those learning English as an additional language. As a result, they achieve very well in relation to their particular needs and abilities.Pupils' outstanding personal development is enhanced by an excellent curriculum, and high quality care, guidance and support. As a result,

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Grade: 1

pupils feel very safe and well cared for. Their behaviour is excellent and they display very positive attitudes to their learning. Many pupils are involved in the school council and contribute to decisions about the running of the school. Pupils are prepared very well for the next stage of education.Overall, the school's leadership and management are excellent; its evaluation of its own effectiveness is thorough and rigorous; it focuses clearly on standards and improvement. A clear vision and sense of purpose is communicated through the excellent leadership of the headteacher whose drive and determination enables middle leaders to be actively involved in driving forward improvements. Because the school has very effective systems for evaluating its performance, it knows its strengths and weaknesses well. There has been very good improvement in the issues raised by the previous inspection and the school has dealt effectively

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Grade: 1

with its recent staffing difficulties. The governing body offers good governance. However, the talents and abilities of all governors are not always fully utilised. The school's consistent performance, its record of improvement and the school's effective management show that it has an excellent capacity to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

To sustain its excellent performance the school should: • ensure that all governors are able to play a full part in holding the school to account.

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Grade: 1

Pupils make excellent progress from their starting points. Standards are consistently well above average by the time pupils leave in Year 6. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those learning English as an additional language also make very good progress. In the 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Well Green Primary School, 14 °15 March 2007 Foundation Stage, children make at least good progress in all areas of learning and are enthusiastic, keen to learn and respond very well to classroom routines. Pupils make particularly good progress in Key Stage 1 in reading, writing and mathematics. This is reflected in the test and teacher assessment results for Year 2 pupils, which have been well above average for a number of years. The results of national tests in Year 6 have also been sustained at a high level for a number of years. The school forecast the slight dip in results in 2005. However, its

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Grade: 1

demanding targets for Year 6 were still met, despite this. Excellent tracking of pupils' progress indicates that the current Year 6 will reach their challenging targets for 2007. These pupils are making excellent progress in English, mathematics and science.

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Grade: 1

Children learn to respect and understand their own feelings well and those of others. Relationships in the school are excellent and pupils are extremely polite, friendly and courteous. Their excellent behaviour and very good attitudes to work create a happy, productive and enjoyable place to learn. Attendance is very good. School council meetings involve pupils in making decisions, such as deciding on improvement to the lunchtime facilities. All pupils show great initiative in lessons because teachers provide many opportunities for them, helping them develop confidence in being responsible for their own learning. They very successfully adopt safe and healthy lifestyles and know the benefits of regular physical activity and healthy eating. Learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Their very good grounding in social and basic skills prepares them well for future life.

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Grade: 1

The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. It enables pupils to achieve very well indeed. A particularly strong feature is the high quality tracking and analysis of learners' needs which guide teachers' planning. As a result, the work provided is particularly well suited to the needs of pupils of all abilities. Teachers expect and ensure that pupils work exceptionally hard and learn at a very brisk rate so that they make excellent progress. Conscientious teaching assistants play an important role in this. Excellent relationships promote learners' willingness to try hard. Teachers' classroom management is very good and pupils display excellent behaviour and attitudes to work. They are encouraged to work independently, and also cooperatively, often with pupils of differing abilities. Thoroughly marked work helps pupils know what to do next to improve. Teachers set challenging literacy and numeracy targets with pupils and ensure

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Grade: 1

individuals are aware of what they are trying to achieve. This is having a particularly strong impact on learning.

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Grade: 1

The curriculum provides a very good range of learning experiences that meet the needs of all pupils particularly well. The Foundation Stage curriculum is firmly based on learning through activity. There is a growing emphasis on developing creativity and linking subjects together and makes learning relevant and fun. This promotes real enjoyment in learning and excellent achievement. It also adds greatly to the health, safety and emotional development of learners, 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Well Green Primary School, 14 °15 March 2007 particularly through sport, exercise, drama and technology. A wide range of out-of-school activities, visits and visitors and theme weeks strongly enrich the curriculum. National guidelines are successfully adapted to meet the needs of all children equally, including those with learning difficulties. Good use is made of learners' literacy and numeracy skills across other subjects and

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Grade: 1

opportunities to develop their ICT skills and learn a modern foreign language are also very good. Pupils accept responsibilities maturely helping them to become young citizens, involved in how their community is run. Pupils have a good understanding of living in a multi-cultural society.

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Grade: 1

All pupils are cared for exceptionally well. The school's ethos is calm, well ordered and supportive. Staff are very well trained and are fully committed to pupils' welfare. Teachers encourage pupils to learn about healthy lifestyles and pupils say they feel safe and explain how adults help them. Pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities are supported very well by staff who give pupils time to discuss problems. Strong and positive links with the local high school aid pupils' transition to the next stage of their education. Pupils' progress is monitored very effectively and they are helped to contribute fully in planning their learning; they know what they have learned already and are very clear about what they can do in order to improve. Pupils feel valued because teachers know them individually and take a great interest in their emotional well-being. The school has very thorough systems to monitor pupils' progress and so is able to

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Grade: 1

draw very sensible conclusions. This enables teachers to know where to direct extra help if pupils are underachieving. Child protection and safeguarding procedures are in place and risk assessments are carried out rigorously.

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher is highly committed to the school. All staff share her vision of how the school can build on its excellent standards. Her strength and determination for pupils to do their best has led to a sustained high level of performance. Staff know the school's strengths and are keen to maintain high standards and raise them even higher. The school knows itself well and self-evaluation has produced positive results year on year. As a result of the outstanding leadership; expectations and aspirations are high. The established pattern of shared leadership enables subject leaders to manage their responsibilities very well. They monitor standards throughout the school and continually plan further improvement. The professional development of staff is given a high priority and the skills of all adults are used to benefit the pupils. Finances are well managed. Governors provide

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Grade: 1

high quality support for the school and hold it to account well; however, more could be done to enable all governors to contribute to this process. The school is very well placed to achieve further planned improvements. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Well Green Primary School, 14 °15 March 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. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Well Green Primary School, 14 °15 March 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 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 2 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Well Green Primary School, 14 °15 March 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Well Green Primary School, 14 °15 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for your help when we visited your school. I want you all to know how much we enjoyed looking at your books and your work. You are fortunate to attend such an excellent and friendly school where you learn and work together so very well. Your teachers work hard and help you to learn very well. Because of this, your work in English, mathematics and science is excellent. The work in your books is very neat and the work you do in other subjects like physical education and art is exciting and helps you to do very well. Pupils at Well Green have done well in tests for many years and you have to work hard to match the previous success, but in every class you are doing just that. You all know what your next target is so that you can see how you are making progress towards the very highest standards. We liked the way you explained that only your very best work is good enough and that you help your friends

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

when they don't understand things. Teachers care for you extremely well and organise lots of interesting and exciting clubs and activities. The many visitors to your school have helped to give you a better understanding of the wider world. You attend school well and your superb behaviour helps you to have fun in lessons and still complete difficult tasks very well. There are no really important things for you to do to improve your school but we have asked the governors, who look after your school, to get the best out of all their members so that together you can build on the success of the school in all that you do. 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Well Green Primary School, 14 °15 March 2007

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