Wigan Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School

Wigan Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School Inspection report

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106404 Unique Reference Number Wigan Local Authority 324391 Inspection number 1–2 October 2008 Inspection dates Bernard Jones Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 233 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Councillor Rotherham Chair Mrs Janet Tetley Headteacher 7 December 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Clifton Street School address Worsley Mesnes Wigan Lancashire WN3 5HN

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3–11 Age group 1–2 October 2008 Inspection dates 324391 Inspection number 01942 776457 Telephone number 01942 776458 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 1–2 October 2008 Inspection dates 324391 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. 3 of 12 Inspection Report: Wigan Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School, 1–2 October 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is an average sized school set in an area that experiences challenging social circumstances. The school has provision for Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). A small number of pupils in the EYFS are at an early stage of learning to speak English as an additional language. Most pupils are White British. A small minority are Asian or of mixed White and Asian background. The proportion of pupils entitled to a free school meal is above average. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is broadly average, but there are particular year groups where the proportion is high. A new headteacher took up post in Autumn 2008. The school is an Investor in People and has attained the Advanced Healthy Schools accreditation, the Activemark, the Artsmark silver award, the Eco Green flag Award, the Wigan Quality Standard for Early Years and awards relating to developments in sport and information and communication

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 12 Inspection Report: Wigan Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School, 1–2 October 2008

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Grade: 2

This good school provides good value for money. Pupils' excellent personal development is a strength. It reflects the emphasis the school places on nurturing pupils' sense of responsibility, excellent behaviour and a very positive approach to others. Parents are delighted with the support the school offers them and their children. One parent summed up the views of many by commenting, 'My son has come on in leaps and bounds since he started, not only with learning but with health and safety. He comes home every day with a smile on his face.' Another strength is the outstanding pastoral care that all pupils receive, particularly the more vulnerable, so that they enjoy coming to school. This is reflected in the much-improved attendance in recent years. Pupils' progress is checked and charted meticulously and challenging targets are mostly met. Parents and pupils say how teachers are very friendly and approachable. Pupils

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Grade: 2

with learning difficulties in literacy benefit from the good quality support they receive and they achieve well. Pupils make very well informed choices about healthy lifestyles and by Year 6 are very mature and ready to move on to secondary education. Standards are broadly average by the end of Year 6. While there is variation year-on-year, most children enter the Nursery with attainment well below that typically expected for their age. Achievement throughout the school is good overall, but standards in writing remain below average across the age range: pupils mostly enter the EYFS with lower levels in writing than in other aspects of their development. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers' use of assessment to chart and check progress is very effective. They manage their classes very efficiently and pupils like their teachers. This leads to pupils enjoying their work and displaying this in their very positive attitudes and

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Grade: 2

behaviour. Planning is good overall, but does not focus enough on meeting the needs of the highest attainers to ensure that they are challenged to achieve as well as they could. The curriculum is good and is enhanced by a variety of extra-curricular activities, including good use of visitors to school and visits out of school. This reflects the achievement of a number of external awards. As a result, pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities learn well about their local area. Excellent links with local schools and the community further enrich the curriculum. Leadership and management are good and ensure good provision and good achievement. The headteacher has a very clear vision for the school's development, based on raising achievement. A positive and highly inclusive approach ensures that all staff are very enthusiastic about the changes needed. Senior staff and middle managers have the necessary attitudes and skills to

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Grade: 2

take the school forward. Self-evaluation is realistic and accurate. As a result, the school has a good capacity to improve.

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Grade: 2

Although there is some significant variation between different years, children generally start in the Nursery class with levels of attainment that are well below those expected, particularly in communications, language and literacy and in problem-solving, reasoning and numeracy. In some years levels are higher. Children achieve well and attain levels nearer to, but still below the expected levels for their age by the end of the Reception year. Children's personal, social and emotional development is frequently more advanced. As a result children play well, are 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Wigan Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School, 1–2 October 2008 sociable with each other and readily learn routines that help them to learn. Children in the Nursery join in activities enthusiastically and make good use of the range of equipment available. In the Reception class, children respond well to adults' directions, tidying up and preparing

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Grade: 2

themselves for the next session. Due to the good care, support and teaching in the EYFS, children, including those learning to speak English as an additional language achieve well. This is helped by the carefully planned curriculum that matches children's needs well. A good mix of adult-led and child-initiated activities help to ensure that children learn well and enjoy what they do. For example, when applying plasters and bandages to a 'patient' in the 'Doctor's Surgery' children's enjoyment was tangible and they learnt about living safely. Good use is also made of the secure outdoor environment to further develop children's learning. However, on occasion opportunities to consolidate children's literacy are missed. Children make good progress because the EYFS is led and managed well, staff work in partnership with parents, work well as a team and keep abreast of current developments.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve writing throughout the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure teachers' planning challenges and improves the progress of the higher attaining pupils.

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Grade: 2

By the end of Year 2 standards are generally just below average. Pupils' standards are broadly average by the end of Year 6, which marks good achievement in relation to their earlier attainment. The school's good teaching has enabled it to reach the challenging targets set for the number of Year 6 pupils attaining the expected level for their age. However, although the school's provisional results were lower in the 2008 national tests this represent good achievement for this group of pupils relative to their individual starting points. The school's data confirms that this group made good progress towards their targets. Careful charting of progress and positive actions help to ensure the overall good achievement of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and pupils learning to speak English as an additional language. However, as the school has identified in its evaluation, higher attainers at times consolidate their learning

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Grade: 2

rather than being pushed forward rapidly. Writing remains relatively weak throughout the school. For example, pupils' low levels of skill in spelling and sentence construction hold back the speed and accuracy of writing. A carefully considered change in approach has been taken by the school to improve writing; however, it is too early for a substantial rise in the standards of writing to be seen.

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Grade: 1

Within pupils' generally excellent personal development, their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Pupils' knowledge of different cultures and their views of life in other countries are developing well; their responses are very effective in the way they think about the needs of others in the wider world. This leads to pupils making a positive contribution to the wider community in a number of different ways, for example, through their support for local and national charities. Pupils' have very positive attitudes, shown in their ability to work and play together. Their behaviour in and around school is outstanding. There is very little bullying, racism or other aggressive behaviour and pupils know who they can approach for help. 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Wigan Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School, 1–2 October 2008 They are confident, as are their parents that any incidents will be dealt with effectively. Pupils

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Grade: 1

know very well how to keep safe and live healthy lives. Attendance has improved significantly and is now satisfactory: children say that they enjoy coming to school. Members of the school council are proud of the work they do to improve the school environment and readily take on responsibilities to this end. Pupils' willingness to learn, their good rates of progress and the activities they undertake that help them to prepare for the future means they have a good foundation for their next steps in life.

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Grade: 2

Pupils like their teachers and know staff want them to do their best. They respond by mostly working hard in lessons. The mutual respect between staff and pupils supports learning very well. Classrooms are well organised and excellent routines help lessons proceed smoothly. Teachers vary the ways of introducing new work, which engages pupils and holds their interest. The school's efforts to provide learning that is well matched to the needs of each pupil is reinforced by the very good support from skilled teaching assistants. Their focus on helping pupils with language, learning or social needs is particularly effective in ensuring pupils' good progress. Well-planned practical activities motivate pupils well and teachers are generally insightful and able to move pupils on when they need more challenging work. However, lesson planning does not always identify what is expected from different groups of pupils, which limits

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Grade: 2

the expectations of the higher attainers.

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Grade: 2

The good quality of the curriculum helps pupils to make good progress. Links are established very effectively between different subjects to ensure activities are meaningful and give pupils many opportunities to use their skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology. The curriculum makes a very positive contribution to pupils' personal development and well-being so that pupils enjoy their learning. They are made very aware of how to lead healthy lifestyles and how to avoid the potential hazards of everyday life without becoming fearful. The school has identified accurately its higher attaining pupils and has implemented a programme of support. Nonetheless, planning does not consistently meet the needs of the pupils capable of attaining highly. Improvement in this respect is a current priority. A very good range of curricular enrichment adds significantly to pupils' learning and enjoyment. Additional

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Grade: 2

support for pupils with extra learning or language needs is good, boosts pupils' confidence and supports their progress.

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Grade: 1

A great concern for each pupil results in excellent pastoral support and provides a safe and secure environment in which to learn. Staff and governors are rigorous in ensuring the health, safety, welfare and protection of all pupils. The school has excellent links with different agencies. This has a strong impact on the many well-managed arrangements to support pupils, especially those with learning, language or social needs and the few pupils for whom English is not their first language. The work of the learning mentor alongside the school's leadership is a key 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Wigan Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School, 1–2 October 2008 feature in providing this level of care and improving pupils' attendance. Academic support and guidance are very effective. The systems for assessing and carefully tracking pupils' progress allow staff to intervene swiftly when this slows. It also ensures that pupils and parents are

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Grade: 1

guided well in terms of pupils' next steps in learning.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher and other senior leaders provide very strong direction for the school's work. Good teamwork ensures all members of the school community contribute effectively to school development. Governors fulfil their statutory duties and provide a good level of support, but do not challenge the senior leadership sufficiently. Monitoring and evaluation of the school's work is effective, for example, in recently closing the gap between boys' and girls' attainment in reading so that standards rose overall. The school is fully aware of its strengths and areas to develop. Teaching is monitored regularly and accurately. However, not enough attention is paid to the progress made by pupils when the quality of teaching and learning is measured. As a result, higher attainers are not always sufficiently challenged. The school is very effective in the way it involves parents and works with them and their children to improve the school and

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Grade: 2

its place in the wider community. It is also effective in promoting tolerance and understanding between the different ethnic groups, cultures and religions of its pupils, resulting in harmonious relationships. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Wigan Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School, 1–2 October 2008 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: Wigan Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School, 1–2 October 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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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? 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

2 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/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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. 10 of 12 Inspection Report: Wigan Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School, 1–2 October 2008

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 1 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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? 11 of 12 Inspection Report: Wigan Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School, 1–2 October 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you all for the welcome you extended to me and to my colleague when we inspected your school. Please thank your parents and carers for all their letters and for taking the time to talk to us. We enjoyed joining you during your lessons, talking to you and looking at your work. Yours is a good school. It is very effective in helping your excellent all-round development because it takes first-rate care of you all. You are taught to be proud of your school and you help to keep things very clean and free from litter. You help to make your school very attractive and well cared for so that your classrooms are a pleasure to be in. You are excellent in the way you take responsibility, for example, in your contribution to the work of the school council. You say you like your teachers and the way they take excellent care of you and teach you to be safe and healthy. Your school helps you to develop into very mature young people, who get

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

on well with each other and consider other people. Your behaviour is excellent. You make good progress across the school. This is because you receive good teaching, have interesting work to do and the school leaders get things right for you. It is usual after an inspection to ask schools to improve some things. To make things even better, I have asked your school to help you to improve your writing. Also to plan lessons even more carefully so that everyone can make the best possible progress. You can help by continuing to work hard and by improving your writing. 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Wigan Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School, 1–2 October 2008

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