Hindley All Saints CofE Primary School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 3–4 March 2009 Inspection number 324407 Hindley All Saints Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 106471 Local Authority Wigan Inspection number 324407 Inspection dates 3–4 March Reporting inspector Paul Bamber

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This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 under pilot arrangements; it was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act . The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number on roll School (total) 229 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs S Sargent Headteacher Mr K Ward Date of previous school inspection June 2006 School address Chapel Fields Lane Hindley Wigan WN2 3QS Telephone number 01942 255577 Fax number 01942 254581 Email address enquiries@admin.hindleyallsaints.wigan.sch.uk Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk 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

This pilot inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors. The inspectors visited 12 lessons or parts of lessons and held meetings with the Chair of the Governing Body, staff, groups of pupils and parents. They observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documentation linked to pupils’ progress, the curriculum, safeguarding procedures and actions for improvement. Thirty one parents’ questionnaires and 16 staff questionnaires were analysed.

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Introduction

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school’s work. It looked in detail at the following.

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Introduction

 How well pupils achieve and the degree to which they enjoy school.  How good is behaviour, pupils’ attitudes and their awareness of global issues.  The overall effectiveness of teaching, especially in promoting purposeful learning and in meeting the needs of all groups of pupils.  How effective leaders and managers are in driving improvement, promoting community cohesion and meeting requirements to safeguard pupils.

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Information about the school

Pupils who attend this average size school come from a wide range of social backgrounds. They are predominantly White British. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is almost twice the national average as is the percentage that are eligible for a free school meal.

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Information about the school

The school’s Early Years Foundation Stage consists of a Nursery, which children attend in the mornings, and a Reception class. The school is an Investor in People, has been awarded the Activemark and holds Healthy Schools and Eco Bronze awards.

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Inspection judgements

Grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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Main findings

Hindley All Saints is a good school which is well led and managed. Pupils make good progress in lessons and over time. The school acknowledges that there are still improvements to be made to provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage, where progress is satisfactory, and inspectors agree. In Years 1 to 6, pupils make good progress: from entering Year 1 with skills below those expected, they leave Year 6 with broadly average standards. In the time since the last inspection, standards in Year 6 have improved considerably, especially in writing and mathematics. This is the result of good teaching and of effective actions taken by leaders and managers.

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Main findings

Pupils thoroughly enjoy their lessons and very much appreciate the wealth of opportunities they have to go on trips and to contribute positively to the school and to the local community. The high participation rate in after school sports clubs has been a significant factor in the school gaining the Activemark. Pupils’ enthusiasm for learning results from some pacey and innovative teaching. It was evident from several lessons observed that the use of active learning methods, drama and the precise teaching of letter sounds and grammatical conventions are having a very positive impact on raising pupils’ standards in writing. While the overall quality of teaching is good, consistently so in Key Stage 2, the quality of teachers’ marking is no better than satisfactory. This is because, in some cases, work is not regularly marked and some teachers’ comments tend to be positive and sum up what has been achieved, rather than help the pupils understand what they need to do to

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Main findings

Pupils behave well because they are very well cared for. The excellent pastoral care provided for the more vulnerable pupils and their families has a significant impact on these pupils’ good achievement and improving attendance. Pupils’ positive attitudes also contribute well to their good academic progress and the very positive ethos which is characteristic of this school. One area, however, in which they do not display quite such a positive response, is in the weaker presentation of their work and in the poor quality of their handwriting. There is little evidence of teachers supporting pupils to improve these areas.

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Main findings

The senior leadership team has driven improvement well over the three years since the last inspection. Staff morale is high and the senior leaders’ ambition to consistently improve all aspects of the school’s work is clearly understood by all members of staff. The analysis of a questionnaire reveals that pride in being valued as a member of a strong team is the aspect that staff prize most. Senior leaders ensure that pupils are well cared for and that the school meets requirements on safeguarding, child protection and assessing risks. The school knows itself well and, as a result, is in a strong position to plan actions to further improve standards and provision. However, there is a relative weakness in the way in which the school measures pupils’ progress shortly after they start in a new year group. The evidence of good improvement since the last inspection, effective teaching and of a creative and innovative curriculum, means that the school has a good capacity for sustained

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage by: - using the assessments made of children’s progress more effectively to plan for the next steps in their learning - giving children more opportunities to choose when and where they will carry out the activities planned for them - making better use of the outside play area - providing staff with opportunities to participate in training which will up-date their own practice and enhance their skills

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the presentation of pupils’ work, especially their handwriting, by: - implementing a consistent approach throughout the school and giving a higher priority to teaching handwriting - having higher expectations of the care with which pupils present their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of assessment by: - ensuring that all teachers mark work regularly - making sure that marking consistently provides pupils with guidance on how to improve their work - making sure that the assessments made to test pupils’ progress shortly after they start in a new year group are more accurate.

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A key feature of pupils’ learning is their evident enjoyment in lessons. The school has effectively changed its approach to teaching writing in response to pupils’ relative underachievement in this subject. As a result pupils throughout the school are now developing their language skills well through role-play and drama, which provide them with a richer range of vocabulary to use in their writing. This approach has been particularly effective for boys in Key Stage 1 and for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and has been instrumental in lifting standards in writing by the end of Key Stage 2. Because pupils respond so well to the active learning which typifies many lessons, their overall standards have risen significantly since the last inspection and they now make much better progress. Pupils’ attainment in mathematics and science has also improved well over the last three years to above

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average. Currently, standards in Year 6 are broadly average overall. With a higher proportion than average of Year 6 pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, this represents good achievement and reflects some very effective support for these pupils. In Years 3 and 4, year groups which have experienced some weaker teaching in the past, progress is now good as a result of well focused support and precise teaching to improve some areas of particular weakness.

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Pupils feel safe and parents overwhelmingly endorse this. Despite the occasional incident of bullying, which pupils report are dealt with promptly and fairly, they are confident that relationships are good and that they are comfortable both in lessons and in the playground. The Healthy School and Eco Bronze awards are testament to the pupils’ awareness of, and attention to, the benefits of a balanced diet and of regular exercise, and of the necessity to care for their environment. Pupils contribute well to school life and play a part in decision making, by taking responsibility for leading play, participating in a range of activities and through membership of the school council. Their fundraising and choir singing in the locality reflect their contribution to communities outside school. Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is good. Because they get little first hand knowledge of the way of life

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of people from different ethnic backgrounds, their cultural development is no better then satisfactory. Pupils have a good understanding of enterprise, particularly as a result of the visits made by representatives of local businesses who work alongside them during the Industry Week. The effective basic skills pupils acquire equip them well for their future life.

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These are the grades for pupils’ outcomes Pupils’ attainment 1 3 The quality of pupils’ learning and their progress 2 The quality of learning for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and their progress How well do pupils achieve and enjoy their learning? 2 To what extent do pupils feel safe? 2 How well do pupils behave? 2 To what extent do pupils adopt healthy lifestyles? 2 To what extent do pupils contribute to the school and wider community? 2 Pupils’ attendance 3 How well do pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being? What is the extent of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development? 2

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The quality of the school’s work

Teaching is typically good, consistently so in Key Stage 2. It is well planned, being based on perceptive day-to day observations of pupils’ learning. It meets the needs of all learners well, from the brightest to those with the most significant learning difficulties. Active learning is a key factor in promoting pupils’ good progress and

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The quality of the school’s work

1 Grades for attainment are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; 4 is low evident enjoyment in lessons. The sudden appearance of a ‘thief’ and of a breathless ‘policeman’ in a Year 5 literacy lesson provoked much excitement and rapt attention, leading to some excellent learning about the skills of questioning a witness. Teaching assistants are well deployed to support groups of pupils of all abilities or to prompt and encourage the least able to play a full part in lessons.

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The quality of the school’s work

Overall, the quality of assessment is satisfactory. This enables the school and individual staff to plan pupils’ next steps appropriately and triggers necessary interventions if individuals appear to be falling behind. The tools used to assess pupils’ attainment do not always provide a fully accurate picture of their progress because pupils are sometimes tested on work they have not covered. The school is aware of this and is planning a more refined approach to this aspect of assessment.

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The quality of the school’s work

The good curriculum plays a significant role in widening pupils’ horizons and in increasing their awareness of the links between subjects. Many trips and visits promote pupils’ enjoyment and add value to their learning in a range of subjects. Spanish is taught throughout the school, an initiative implemented in response to a request from parents. Eye-catching displays around the school reflect the diverse range of pupils’ learning and activities. Pupils in Year 4 have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument and for those who show a particular talent, support is provided for them to pursue their interest further. The provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and for promoting pupils’ personal development both contribute significantly to the good outcomes.

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The quality of the school’s work

These are the grades for the quality of provision High quality teaching and purposeful learning 2 Effective assessment 3 An appropriate curriculum which meets pupils’ needs, including, where relevant, provision through partnership with other organisations Support, guidance and care 2

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How effective are leadership and management?

Senior managers provide strong leadership and promote close teamwork. All staff feel valued and share the leadership’s ambition to continue raising standards and improving provision. The very positive ethos of the school promotes pupils’ confidence and sense of well-being and is at the heart of the school’s work. Leaders are successful in ensuring that pupils have equality of opportunity to enjoy the benefits of the school’s provision. Every effort is made to eliminate discrimination. The child and family coordinator, who works full time in the school, has been instrumental in enabling persistent absentees to attend more regularly. This coordinator also supports families going through difficult times so that pupils have full access to all that the school offers.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The school promotes community cohesion satisfactorily. The effective pastoral work with families and the opportunities the school provides for the local community to be involved in the school’s work and in using its facilities is good. However, the governors have not reviewed and measured the impact of the school’s actions to promote community cohesion. Governance is satisfactory. Governors provide good support and financial acumen, but their evaluation of the work of the school is less effective, because few can visit during school time.

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How effective are leadership and management?

There are appropriate checks made on all adults who work in the school and effective health and safety checks are carried out. There are sufficient staff trained in first aid and named persons for child protection.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for leadership and management Communicating ambition and driving improvement 2 Promoting equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination 2 Ensuring that safeguarding procedures are effective 2 Ensuring that the governing body provides effective challenge and support so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities are met Promoting the school’s relationship with parents and carers, including their involvement in decision making about matters relating to learning and well-being Developing partnerships with other providers, organisations and services 2 Ensuring the school contributes to community cohesion 3 Deploying resources to achieve value for money 2

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Children enter the Nursery with skills that are below those normally expected for their age. They make at least satisfactory progress in all areas of their learning, but still enter Year 1 with skills below those expected. In their personal, social and emotional development they often make good progress and this is reflected in pupils’ good behaviour and positive attitudes further up the school.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Parents appreciate the good relationships with staff and report their children settling down happily and enjoying school. The close partnership with parents supports children’s first experiences of school well. Welfare requirements are met and children are encouraged to develop effective personal hygiene habits satisfactorily, although staff are not always rigorous is reminding children to wash their hands before eating snacks.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The quality of teaching to enable children to develop and to progress is satisfactory. Children are active and inquisitive, they are encouraged to use information and communication technology and they enjoy playing word, counting and sorting games on the computer. At times however, restrictions are placed on the children’s independence, for instance, opportunities to choose when and where they will learn are limited. Children get on well together and staff successfully encourage them to share, take turns and to listen to each other respectfully. Opportunities for children to learn and play outside are satisfactory, but offer rather limited creativity and are weather dependent. The leadership and management are satisfactory. The Early Years Foundation Stage manager is knowledgeable and monitors provision regularly. However, the lack of a manager who works permanently in the setting restricts overall effectiveness. Some

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Early Years Foundation Stage

staff lack sufficient training in the most up-to-date practice in this Key Stage, which also restricts their ability to improve provision.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

How good are the outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage? 3 What is the quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage? 3 How effectively is the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage led and managed? Overall effectiveness: how well does the setting/school meet the needs of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

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Views of parents and carers

The vast majority of parents who returned questionnaires and those who met with inspectors were very supportive of the school’s work. Nearly all feel that the school is well led and managed, that their children are safe and that the school helps their children to maintain a healthy lifestyle. There were no areas of the school’s work that provoked a negative response.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. In 2007-8, 15% of schools were judged to be outstanding. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. In 2007-8, 49% of schools were judged good. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. In 2007-8, 32% of schools were judged satisfactory. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves. In 2007-8, 5% of schools were judged inadequate.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a Key Stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: an overall measure of the pupils’ success in their academic learning. The term combines attainment and progress. Pupils might make good progress, for example, but if their attainment remains low, inspectors may judge that their achievement is only satisfactory.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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WN2 3QS

May I thank you on behalf of the other inspector and myself for the warm welcome you gave us when we inspected your school recently. This letter is to let you know the results of the inspection.

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WN2 3QS

Yours is a good school which helps you to make good progress in your work. It has improved a lot since its last inspection, especially in the writing skills you now have. This is because you do a lot of drama and acting out stories in lessons before you begin to write, which helps you to develop and prepare your vocabulary. For those of you in Key Stage 2, your standards in mathematics and science have improved as well. Most of you behave very sensibly and get on well together. You are well looked after, especially those of you who find learning a bit more difficult, and you obviously enjoy your lessons. The adults who run the school know very well what needs to be done to make it even better and they work very well together to do this. There are some things that do need to improve and you can help with some of them.

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WN2 3QS

I have asked the school to make sure that the children in the Nursery and Reception classes get a better start to their schooling and more opportunities to choose for themselves which activities they want to do. In addition, I want teachers to mark some of your work more often and to make sure the feedback they give you helps you understand how you can improve your work. Sometimes, when your teachers give you tests, you have to try and answer questions about things you have not yet learned. I have asked that in future they only test you on what you should already know and can do. I think that you are all capable of taking greater care about how you present your work in your books and I have asked the staff to make sure that you all practise your handwriting to help with this.

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WN2 3QS

Thank you again for your help with the inspection.

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WN2 3QS

Mr Paul Bamber Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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