Stalmine Primary School

Inspection Report Stalmine Primary School

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119147 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 291335 Inspection number 9 °10 November 2006 Inspection dates John Heap 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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Mill Lane School address Primary Type of school Stalmine, Poulton-le-Fylde Community School category Lancashire, FY6 0LR 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01253 700284 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01253 702081 Fax number 75 Number on roll (school) Mrs Ann Ralph Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Christine Hallett Headteacher 1 June 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 291335 9 °10 November 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This below average-sized school includes mainly White British pupils and a very small number from other minority ethnic backgrounds. The area has little social and economic disadvantage and the entitlement to free school meals is below average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is broadly average. On entry to the school, children’s attainment is broadly average. The headteacher has been in post since April 2006.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Stalmine Primary School, 9 °10 November 2006

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Grade: 3

This school provides a satisfactory standard of education and sound value for money. This differs from the school’s belief that it is a good school. There have been satisfactory improvements since the last inspection. Provision and standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are much better, but the quality of writing continues to show weaknesses, particularly among the boys. Curriculum planning is now more coherent and meets the majority of pupils’ needs. The leadership of the new headteacher is strong and ambitious and she has quickly recognised most of the areas that need to be improved. Important changes are already under way, but it is too soon to see tangible gains. Given the determination of the headteacher and the good role model that she is providing, the school has satisfactory capacity to improve. The school benefits from the support of parents. One parent put it this way: ‘I wish my school had been as welcoming, friendly and supportive as Stalmine

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Grade: 3

School.’ Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Pupils clearly enjoy school because they feel safe and secure, and develop very strong relationships with each other and the staff. Attendance and punctuality are very good. The satisfactory curriculum and school’s caring ethos have a strong influence on pupils, helping them especially to lead healthy lifestyles and make an important contribution to their local communities and further afield. Children have a sound start in the Foundation Stage that enables them to reach broadly typical standards for their age as they enter Year 1. Standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 in reading, mathematics, science and ICT are broadly average and achievement is satisfactory. Teachers provide clear academic guidance and challenging learning targets in these subjects in Years 1 and 2 unlike in writing where standards have been weak for some time. Across the school, boys do not do as well as girls. Pupils with

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Grade: 3

learning difficulties benefit from good support from staff and outside agencies and so make good progress. As a result of this overall picture, pupils have a satisfactory preparation for their future education and beyond. The school’s self-evaluation is satisfactory. It is able, therefore, to appraise correctly the quality of teaching and learning and highlight strengths such as classroom management and weaker areas like the quality of marking and use of assessment to set challenging targets for improvement, especially in writing. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall, including governance. Governors are hard-working and supportive but not proactive enough in identifying priorities for improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in writing, particularly for the boys. • Use assessment to set challenging targets for pupils’ learning in writing. • Improve marking so that pupils know how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve further. 2 Inspection Report: Stalmine Primary School, 9 °10 November 2006

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Grade: 3

Pupils' achievement and progress are satisfactory, although pockets of underachievement, for example by boys and in writing, have been identified through the improving tracking systems. In the Reception class, children make satisfactory progress and reach expected standards. By the end of Year 2, standards in 2005 were broadly average and pupils made satisfactory progress. Results are similar in 2006. Achievement is strongest in reading and mathematics, but writing is much weaker. Standards at the end of Year 6 are broadly average. Results in 2006 dipped because there were many pupils with learning difficulties and some who had arrived at the school comparatively recently. Pupils who had always been at the school successfully reached the targets set for them. Although progress in reading is good, it is weak in writing. Across the school girls do better than boys. Pupils with learning difficulties make good progress and a grateful parent wrote, ‘He is now doing well thanks to the

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Grade: 3

ongoing support. We cannot thank the school enough for supporting our family through a very worrying time.’

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The majority of pupils have good attitudes to learning and they behave well. The behaviour of a very small minority of boys is a concern to staff and any inappropriate behaviour is properly dealt with in a quick and fair manner. Pupils say that staff are good role models. As a result, pupils feel safe and secure, and know that there is always someone to talk to if the need arises. Pupils enjoy their own and others’ achievements and contribute well to the school and local community. The school council is at an early stage of development, but pupils are beginning to contribute to improving their school. Pupils are keen to help others. Older pupils are a great help to younger ones and, more broadly, they recognise the needs and benefits in raising funds for charities. They have competent skills in reading, mathematics, science and ICT, although they are weaker in writing, to ensure

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Grade: 2

satisfactory preparation for secondary school and future economic well-being. Pupils have a strong understanding of the need for safe play, regular exercise and healthy eating. The school is working towards achieving 'Healthy School' status.

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Grade: 3

Across the school, typical features of teaching and learning include: 3 Inspection Report: Stalmine Primary School, 9 °10 November 2006 • good relationships between staff and pupils, which mean that pupils enjoy school and feel that they can readily turn to teachers for help • satisfactory subject knowledge and understanding that promote sound progress • lesson planning that is extensive, objectives that are shared and consideration given to the differing needs of all pupils • teaching assistants who give good support to pupils, clarifying discussions and helping them make good use of resources. In the lessons observed, the best teaching was seen in the Year 1/2 group. Here, pupils made good progress because the learning objectives were challenging and pupils made good progress. Pupils' work is regularly marked and strengths are highlighted, but there is some inconsistent practice across the school, particularly in writing. As a result,

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Grade: 3

marking does not point out frequently enough how well pupils are meeting their individual targets and what they need to do to improve.

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Grade: 3

The broad and balanced curriculum is enriched by a good range of out-of-school activities, visits and visitors. Useful links have been forged with the local secondary school that further broadens pupils’ experiences in subjects such as modern foreign languages, physical education and ICT. The new headteacher is actively developing ways of working that will increase children’s choices of activity and their independent learning skills in the Foundation Stage. Good provision is made in Years 3 to 6 for the development of reading skills and numeracy. There is plenty of evidence that reading, number and ICT skills are used in other subjects, such as geography and science. Less strong is the use of writing across the range of subjects and this is one of the reasons why pupils do less well in their written work. Provision for ICT is satisfactory and much better than at the time of the last inspection. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties is good. Pupils with extra

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Grade: 3

needs, such as those identified as gifted and talented, receive satisfactory support and opportunities from external sources.

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Grade: 3

This is a caring school. As one parent put it, ‘My son suffers from allergy problems and needs a care plan. School has been very supportive and given him extra care. First class!’ The school manages pupils' welfare and safety well, for instance, in its effective systems for safeguarding pupils. The governing body has robust procedures to ensure that the environment is safe and very secure, and potential dangers are avoided through careful risk assessments. Pupils make a smooth and happy transition to and from school because of good liaison with outside agencies and parents. Academic guidance is satisfactory. It is stronger for reading, mathematics and ICT and this has led to better achievement. The progress pupils make is well tracked in these subjects. This is not so well developed in writing where, for example, the quality and 4 Inspection Report: Stalmine Primary School, 9 °10 November 2006 use of learning targets and marking are patchy across the school and lead to weak

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The new headteacher provides strong leadership and benefits from the helpful support of the governing body. There is a clear understanding of some areas for improvement, such as raising standards in writing and improving boys’ progress, but these have been long standing challenges for the school. The sound school development planning identifies key priorities. The success criteria in some of the plans lack clarity and are difficult to measure. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties is managed well. Finances are managed well. Governors play a sound part in school self-evaluation through the detailed work of the committees. This includes receiving reports from members who have monitored classroom practice. However, this information is not used sufficiently by governors to set priorities for the school. 5 Inspection Report: Stalmine Primary School, 9 °10 November 2006

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Stalmine Primary School, 9 °10 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? 3 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 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

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 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 2 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 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?

3 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: Stalmine Primary School, 9 °10 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: Stalmine Primary School, 9 °10 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Stalmine Primary School Mill Lane Stalmine Poulton-le-Fylde Lancashire FY6 0LR 9 November 2006 Dear Children I thoroughly enjoyed my time in your school this week. I am particularly grateful for your warm welcome, courtesy and the help you provided. A special thanks is due to those who talked with me at different times. What I really liked about your school • The support for pupils with learning difficulties. • Your good behaviour and attitudes to school and the very strong relationships you develop. • The setting up of the school council and your keenness to be involved in it. • The caring ethos in the school and the contribution that you make to it. • The good range of activities that enrich your curriculum, such as the visit to Winmarleigh Hall. • The effective links set up with partners, like those with the secondary school, that support your learning in French and ICT. • Parents of the youngest children are pleased with the arrangements to bring their child

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

into school. I have asked your teachers to make sure that your writing improves, especially boys’ writing. You can be a great help by always doing your best work and following the advice from your teachers. I have also suggested that you should be given challenging learning targets and that marking should tell you clearly how well you are meeting them and what you need to do to improve further. I wish you well and good luck for the future. Yours sincerely John Heap Lead inspector 9 Inspection Report: Stalmine Primary School, 9 °10 November 2006

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