Mauldeth Road Primary School

Mauldeth Road Primary School Inspection report

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105426 Unique Reference Number Manchester Local Authority 308854 Inspection number 17 March 2008 Inspection date Julie Price Grimshaw 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 327 School The governing body Appropriate authority Ms Janice Orchard Chair Mr A Kilcoyne Headteacher 4 July 2005 Date of previous school inspection Mauldeth Road School address Withington Manchester Lancashire M14 6SG 0161 2243588 Telephone number 0161 2484462 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 17 March 2008 Inspection date 308854 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 an Additional Inspector. The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: the progress currently being made by pupils; the quality of the curriculum; and the quality of teaching and learning across the school. Evidence was gathered from published assessment data, the school's own records, parents' questionnaires, lesson observations, and interviews with staff, pupils and governors. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspector found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

This larger than average school serves a mixed intake, including pupils from areas of significant social and economic disadvantage. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is almost three times the national average, and over half of all pupils speak English as an additional language. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well above average. The school holds the Basic Skills Quality Mark, the Activemark award and the Silver Eco-schools award.

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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: Mauldeth Road Primary School, 17 March 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. Some aspects of its work are outstanding, notably the very high quality curriculum and the excellent provision for children in the Foundation Stage. The school is a friendly community where, according to the pupils, 'Everyone gets on brilliantly and we learn every day.' Parents are overwhelmingly positive in their support for the school. Comments such as 'My child wakes up every morning looking forward to school' and 'We feel very lucky that our children attend this wonderful school' typify their views. Over the past three years, pupils' achievement and standards have shown an upward trend. Having got off to an excellent start in the Foundation Stage, pupils enter Year 1 with skills that are in line with typical expectations. They make good progress across both key stages to reach standards by the end of Year 6 that are generally above average. The results in the 2007 national

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Grade: 2

tests for Year 6 pupils were the school's best to date. Achievement in science was particularly good, indicating a significant improvement in this subject. Standards in writing across the school are slightly weaker than those in other areas, but staff have recognised this and have now put strategies in place to improve pupils' writing. Although it is too early to judge the full impact of this work, early signs are encouraging. Pupils are proud to attend Mauldeth Road. They show a strong sense of loyalty to the school community, and older pupils love to spend their time taking care of the younger ones. The school council is extremely dedicated and speak with much enthusiasm about how they enjoy 'gathering everyone's views so that we can talk things through and make the school a better place'. Pupils feel very safe around school and report that bullying is not a problem. They have a good awareness of healthy lifestyles and are able to speak at length about nutritional value

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Grade: 2

of a range of foods. They also understand the importance of regular exercise, and many take advantage of the wide range of sports opportunities available to them. Behaviour is good, both in lessons and around the school. In spite of the school's strenuous efforts, attendance is below average, although there has been some improvement since the previous inspection. Pupils' social, moral and spiritual development is good, and they show a particularly good awareness of a range of faiths and cultures. The school places a good deal of emphasis on making pupils aware of the many opportunities available to them in terms of future education and the world of work, and there are clear plans to develop this further through an 'aspirations week' in the summer term. This, together with a good grasp of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills, means that they are well prepared for life after primary

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Grade: 2

school. The quality of teaching is consistently good throughout the school, and a minority is outstanding. Teachers form excellent working relationships with pupils, and this is evident through statements such as 'Our teachers are fun and very caring.' Teachers' communication skills are particularly strong. Their explanations are clear and thorough, and they take great care to ensure that all pupils understand their work. High expectations are reflected in the language used by teachers, both in lessons and in displays around the classrooms. Lessons usually move at a brisk pace. Teaching assistants and support staff work well in providing tailored support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Good quality support is also given to pupils for whom English is an additional language. As a result both these groups make good progress. The most effective lessons include plenty of opportunities for pupils to engage in independent learning,

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Grade: 2

and as a consequence they make very rapid progress. However, this very good practice is not 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Mauldeth Road Primary School, 17 March 2008 yet widespread, and progress is not as rapid in the minority of lessons that are too teacher dominated. Teachers mark pupils' work thoroughly and give good quality guidance on how to improve further. The pupils themselves really enjoy assessing their own work, and as a result all have a clear idea of how well they are doing. The outstanding curriculum provides a wealth of learning experiences for pupils. There are plenty of opportunities for pupils to practise literacy, numeracy and ICT skills across a range of subjects. Work is carefully matched to individual pupils' abilities. The curriculum is very effectively enriched through a series of themed learning days, such as art day, maths day and a number of 'super learning days', some of which are carried out in collaboration with local

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Grade: 2

schools. The Kiwi Club provides very high quality care to vulnerable pupils, who benefit greatly from Saturday workshops and out of school trips. During the inspection, pupils thoroughly enjoyed acquiring and developing a range of new skills during a circus skills workshop. They also benefit from an excellent variety of extra-curricular opportunities, such as samba band, gardening club, art club and cookery, as well as many sporting activities. It is little wonder that pupils say, There's so much for us to do, it would take ages to make a list!' A strong system of pastoral care ensures that pupils feel confident that there is 'always someone to share our worries with'. All statutory requirements for child protection are met. Pupils are strongly encouraged to develop high self-esteem and the school continually emphasises that everyone is a valued member of the school community. Links with parents are very strong, and

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Grade: 2

many commented that 'The teachers always have time for us.' The school regularly informs parents of their children's progress and provides good quality guidance on how parents can support learning at home. Academic guidance is good. Systems for tracking pupils' progress are effective, and enable staff to set challenging and achievable targets. The headteacher provides strong leadership and, together with other senior leaders, is very committed to providing the best for the pupils. All staff show high levels of dedication to their work. Through an established system of monitoring, school leaders have an accurate overview of the main strengths and weaknesses of the school's work. However, links between self-evaluation and development planning are not always clear, and some aspects of improvement planning are not specific enough. Governance is good overall. Governors are keen to play their part in taking the school forward and carry out some good work, for example by establishing

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Grade: 2

'linked governors' with responsibility for overseeing aspects such as literacy and numeracy. Nevertheless, the school is strengthening further some governors' understanding of data relating to standards and achievement. The school has made good progress since the last inspection and has good capacity for further improvement.

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Grade: 1

Children's skills on entry to the Nursery are well below typical expectations. As a result of inspirational teaching and excellent quality care and guidance, they make outstanding progress throughout the Foundation Stage. The curriculum is very carefully thought out to ensure that children make very rapid progress in all areas, and it is delivered in such a way as to foster a love of learning. Children were absolutely fascinated when watching an adult melt chocolate for Easter cakes, and were then delighted to play their part in mixing the ingredients. Staff are constantly on the lookout for learning opportunities, and are skilful in knowing when to intervene 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Mauldeth Road Primary School, 17 March 2008 and when to allow children to discover for themselves. The Foundation Stage is well managed, and parents are unanimous in their praise for the Nursery and Reception staff.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Increase opportunities for pupils to learn independently during lessons in Key Stages 1 and 2. ■ Establish clearer links between issues identified in the school's self-evaluation and improvement planning. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Mauldeth Road Primary School, 17 March 2008 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Mauldeth Road Primary School, 17 March 2008

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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? Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 1 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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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?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 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?

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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Mauldeth Road Primary School, 17 March 2008

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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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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: Mauldeth Road Primary School, 17 March 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for making me feel so welcome in your school. I really enjoyed talking to you, hearing your views and watching you learn. You told me that you attend a good school, and I agree with you. Some of the school's work is outstanding. You are right in saying that you are lucky to have the opportunity to try out a fantastic range of different activities. I really enjoyed listening to you talk about how much you enjoy art days, and the circus skills workshop looked like great fun - some of you were being very brave! The children in the Nursery and Reception get off to a really good start with their education, are very well looked after and make excellent progress. The standards that you reach by the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science, are above the national average. You must be very proud of this! You also make good progress throughout your time at the school. This is due mainly to the good teaching that you receive.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

It was great to hear you talk about your teachers being 'fun and very caring'. The very best lessons that I saw included lots of opportunities for you to find things out for yourselves and work independently. In lessons like this some of you make very good progress, so I've suggested that the staff think about how they can help you to learn in this way a little more often. It's good that you know your targets, and the teachers give you good advice on how to improve your work. I noticed that you also enjoy assessing your own work, which helps you to understand how well you are doing. I was so impressed with the way that you all got on well with each other, and it was good to see that the older pupils enjoy looking after the younger ones. I thought your behaviour was good, and everyone was very polite to me. Your headteacher and all of the staff want the very best for you. They look carefully at how well things are working in the school. I've suggested that they use this information to make

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

detailed plans of how the school can be made even better for you. I am delighted that you are proud to be at Mauldeth Road, and wish you well 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Mauldeth Road Primary School, 17 March 2008

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