Chorley New Road Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve pupils’ outcomes by ensuring that teachers in all classes, including in the early years, use assessment information more effectively to set work that challenges pupils, particularly the most able, to reach higher standards across all curriculum subjects.
• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by providing greater clarity for middle leaders about their role in monitoring, evaluating and improving their subject areas.
• Develop pupils’ understanding of the different cultures that have influenced modern Britain.
• Improve the quality of pupils’ handwriting and presentation skills.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders ensure that the school’s mission statement, ‘Challenge, Nurture, Respect’, is at the heart of the school’s work. They have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and these are shared by staff and governors. The positive relationships which exist between leaders, staff and parents help to ensure that pupils thrive and achieve well.
• Leaders have worked effectively to improve pupils’ standards in reading, writing and mathematics across the school. This is reflected in the quality of work seen in pupils’ books and the increase in the proportion of pupils achieving the expected level in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 in 2017.
• Senior leaders ensure that regular checks are made on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. They know where teaching is strongest and where further improvements are required. Teachers regularly engage in discussion about the impact of their work on pupils’ progress. Teachers also value the training and support school leaders provide. Every member of staff who responded to the staff survey agreed that the school was well led and managed.
• Parents spoken with during this inspection, and those who responded to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View, were overwhelmingly supportive of the school. They are appreciative of how staff ensure that their children are safe, happy and ready to learn.
• The school provides good opportunities for pupils to develop their abilities in music. Pupils in Year 4 have percussion lessons each week from a specialist music teacher, and many other pupils have individual music tuition. The school has two choirs and pupils often perform in school and in the local community. During this inspection, children were heard singing beautifully during a performance of the Christmas nativity.
• Although standards in reading, writing and mathematics are improving, in other subjects progress is not as strong. The work seen in science, geography and history, in some classes, lacked challenge and checks from subject leaders have not ensured that teaching is consistently good in all year groups. School leaders are aware of these weaknesses and have plans in place to develop the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in the wider curriculum.
• The school works successfully to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development. However, weaknesses in the wider curriculum mean that pupils do not learn enough about different cultures, and as a result, pupils’ understanding of the diversity of life in modern Britain is limited.
• Leaders make effective use of the pupil premium funding to support disadvantaged pupils. The funding has been used to employ additional support staff, who work with and support groups and individual pupils. Leaders regularly review this support to ensure that it is having the required impact.
• The school makes good use of the additional physical education (PE) and sport funding it receives. It has led to increased participation in inter-school sports and a wider range of clubs provided. Teachers also benefit from working alongside specialist coaches during PE lessons.

Governance of the school

• Governors have a good knowledge of the school’s strengths and a broad understanding of where further improvements are required. They know what the assessment information on pupils’ performance reveals about attainment and progress in English and mathematics. They support school leaders well and also offer a good level of challenge.
• Governors maintain a good overview of the school’s appraisal system. They keep a close eye on the school’s budget and ensure that leaders are held to account for the effective use of the additional funding the school receives.
• Governors receive detailed and accurate reports from the headteacher. They ensure that they are fully informed about pupils’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. However, governors are not as well informed about the impact of the school’s work in the wider curriculum.
• Governors fulfil their statutory duties well, including those relating to safeguarding pupils. They undertake regular visits to the school to ensure that they see the impact of agreed policies and procedures.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Clear and precise measures are in place to ensure that appropriate checks are made on staff appointed to the school. Detailed records are kept of staff safeguarding training and the staff fully understand their role in protecting pupils.
• Leaders and staff take appropriate action to identify pupils who may be vulnerable or at risk of neglect or abuse. Any concerns are dealt with in a timely manner and the school works well with external agencies, when necessary, to ensure that pupils are protected. Governors keep an appropriate overview of the school’s safeguarding arrangements by making regular checks on the school’s policies and procedures.
• Pupils say they are well looked after and well cared for while in school. Parents agree with this view. All of those who responded to Parent View, and the school’s own surveys, said that their children feel safe and secure in school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• There are many strengths in the quality of teaching, particularly in English and mathematics. Pupils focus well on their learning because teachers constantly reinforce expectations regarding behaviour and provide good feedback to pupils about how to improve their work.
• Senior leaders and teachers share a determination for pupils to achieve well. Teachers encourage pupils to try hard in lessons, recognise their efforts in the written and verbal feedback they provide and ensure that pupils develop good attitudes to learning.
• In many of the lessons seen during this inspection, teachers demonstrated that they had good subject knowledge. Teachers also used questioning skilfully to explore what pupils already knew and challenge them to think more deeply. Teachers provided good verbal feedback to pupils about how to improve and move on in their learning.
• In some year groups, teachers successfully embed reading, writing and mathematics into subjects across the curriculum. For example, there was some excellent poetry and report writing in Year 5 and Year 6 history books. However, in too many classes pupils are not given enough opportunities to develop their writing or use their mathematical skills and knowledge in other subjects.
• Regular assessments are made of pupils’ work in reading, writing and mathematics. This information is used to help teachers and school leaders understand the impact of teaching on pupils’ progress. However, some teachers do not use this information well enough to set work to challenge pupils, particularly the most able, to move on in their learning and make more rapid progress.
• Teachers do not challenge pupils to use clear handwriting and present their work neatly. There was little evidence of pupils improving their handwriting skills in the books seen during this inspection.
• Teaching assistants are highly skilled and make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning, as part of the teaching team. They provide good support, whether working with individuals or groups of pupils. Their work with pupils who start at the school during the school year, and often with little or no English, is particularly effective.
• Parents are given regular guidance about how to support children’s learning. They appreciate the regular updates they receive about their child’s progress and attainment and how this relates to the expected standards.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school's work to promote pupils' personal development and welfare is good.
• Leaders ensure that there is a strong focus on developing pupils’ physical and emotional well-being. Pupils who are vulnerable or are experiencing difficulties in their home lives receive excellent support to help them deal with the issues they are facing.
• From a very early age, pupils show respect and care for each other. They develop good friendships and are respectful to their classmates and the adults who teach them. They work happily and cooperatively during lessons.
• Pupils develop good attitudes to learning at Chorley New Road. Pupils are keen to succeed and try hard to produce their best work. However, their handwriting and presentation skills are not as good as they could be, which sometimes limits progress.
• Staff regularly give clear messages about the impact of bullying on pupils’ well-being, and pupils spoken with had a good understanding of the different types of bullying, including the risks associated with social media and texting. Pupils said bullying is extremely rare and this is confirmed in school records, which show that there have been few instances of bullying over time.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils enjoy school. They attend regularly and behave well throughout the day, in lessons and during breaks and lunchtime. During this inspection, a major building programme was taking place on the school site, which significantly reduced the amount of space available at break times. Nevertheless, pupils played happily together and made the best of the space available.
• All of the pupils who responded to the pupils’ survey and those spoken with during this inspection said they feel safe in school. They have confidence in adults and know they will be listened to if they have any concerns or worries.
• During the course of this inspection, both staff and parents expressed confidence in school leaders to deal with any incidents of poor behaviour. Pupils also said behaviour is good and adults quickly sort out any issues or concerns they might have.
• School leaders have been successful in improving attendance. Current information shows attendance has risen and is now around the national average.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• School information and evidence seen during this inspection show that current pupils are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their various starting points.
• Pupils make good progress in developing their early reading and writing skills. This is because teachers use their good subject knowledge of phonics to plan learning that is well matched to pupils’ needs. The proportion of Year 1 pupils who reached the expected level in the national phonics screening check was around the national average in 2017. Good progress is being made by the current Year 1 pupils.
• Improvements in the teaching of reading are reflected in pupils’ good attitudes and the frequency with which they read. Older pupils read widely and often and demonstrated a good knowledge of children’s authors. The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading at the end of key stage 2 in 2017 was around the national average.
• Improvements have been made to the teaching of mathematics. There has been a whole-school focus on developing pupils’ reasoning skills and a renewed emphasis on pupils recalling times tables. There are signs in pupils’ books that teachers are providing more opportunities for pupils to use and apply their mathematical knowledge to solve problems, and this is helping to raise standards in many classes. However, in some classes, teachers provide work which involves too little challenge and too much repetition. Progress in these classes is weaker. Nevertheless, overall attainment at the end of key stage 2 improved in 2017, and was broadly average.
• There has been a clear and successful focus on improving reading, writing and mathematics across the school. However, pupils’ progress in science, history and geography is inconsistent. This is because these subjects are not planned for or taught effectively. Good progress is made in some of these subjects in some year groups, but in too many classes teaching is poorly planned and teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low.
• Although there was an increase in the proportion of pupils achieving at greater depth at the end of key stage 2 in 2017, this proportion remains below the national average in reading, writing and in mathematics. This is because some teachers fail to provide enough challenge in lessons, particularly for the most able. This results in pupils spending too much time going over what they already know or can do instead of being challenged to move on in their learning.
• Many pupils start at the school at different points during the school year. These pupils often have limited English and have difficulty accessing the curriculum. However, the school ensures that they are given the necessary support so they are quick to settle and very soon make good progress from often low starting points.
• There is a strong focus on the progress that disadvantaged pupils make. The additional support that these pupils receive has been effective in improving rates of progress and attainment.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress. Staff track their progress meticulously and provide support, which is effective in boosting both pupils’ achievement and confidence. As a result, these pupils make good gains in their learning.

Early years provision Good

• Improvements in leadership and the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in the early years has led to an increase in the proportion of children who reached a good level of development in 2017. Although this proportion was just below the national average, it represented good progress for the majority of children, most of whom started school with skills and abilities which were below, or well below, those typical for their age. Most children were well prepared for the next stage of their education when they joined Year 1 in September of this year.
• Staff have developed good working relationships with parents, who are encouraged to contribute to the initial assessments the school makes regarding children’s interests and development. This helps to ensure that staff quickly get to know children once they start school. Parents say that they are made to feel welcome in school and they appreciate the regular opportunities they have to discuss children’s progress and establish what they can do to support their children’s learning at home.
• Staff ensure that effective safeguarding procedures are in place and the learning environment is safe and secure. Children are well cared for and enjoy school. They develop friendships and learn to be kind and considerate towards each other when working together. They quickly learn school routines and develop positive attitudes towards learning.
• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good in the Nursery and Reception classes. Staff provide a range of activities each day, aimed at developing children’s skills, knowledge and abilities in each area of learning. Children learn to play confidently and cooperatively together, often sharing and taking turns.
• Teachers and other adults make regular observations of children and the activities in which they are involved. This information provides leaders with a good overview of the progress that children are making. However, these observations are sometimes not used well enough to assess what the children are capable of doing or to plan challenging activities. In mathematics, for example, some of the most able children who have a good understanding of number are not regularly challenged to use and apply their knowledge and make more rapid progress in their learning.
• Children are generally confident speakers and are keen to share their experiences. They regularly talk about what they are doing and their reasons for doing it. They are also provided with many opportunities to develop their writing skills. For example, an inspector saw a group of children engrossed in letter writing and addressing envelopes in the ‘post office’, while others were writing Christmas cards in the home corner.
• Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported by adults, who know children well and understand their needs. This has contributed to these children making good progress from their various starting points.
• The proportion of disadvantaged children achieving a good level of development has increased over the past two years. Staff monitor their progress carefully and ensure that they receive additional support, where necessary, to enable them to make more rapid progress. This has resulted in a narrowing of the gap in achievement between these children and other children nationally.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 105178 Bolton 10037748 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Maintained 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 299 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Kevin McKeon Linda Burrows 01204337046 www.cnr.bolton.sch.uk office@cnr.bolton.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 19 February 2013

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average.
• A much higher proportion of pupils than the national average leave or join the school at other than the usual times.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is well above the national average. The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan or a statement of special educational needs is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is below the national average, as is the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching, learning and assessment across a range of subjects and age groups. They scrutinised a wide range of pupils’ written work. Some of the observations were conducted jointly with the acting headteacher.Inspectors observed pupils’ conduct at break and lunchtime.Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including minutes of governing body meetings, development plans, improvement plans, attendance and behaviour data, safeguarding documents and the school’s review of its own performance.
• Inspectors held meetings with the acting headteacher, middle leaders and the safeguarding lead. Meetings were also held with members of the governing body, including the chair. The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.
• Inspectors met with the school council and groups of pupils formally to discuss behaviour. They also spoke with many other pupils informally.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read in Year 2 and Year 3, and spoke with pupils in Year 5 about reading.
• Inspectors spoke with parents in the playground before school. They also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, the school’s own surveys, and the staff and pupils’ questionnaires.
• At the time of this inspection, the headteacher was absent due to ill health and the school was led and managed by the acting headteacher.

Inspection team

Paul Tomkow, lead inspector Maureen Hints Maria McGarry Her Majesty's Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector