Springside Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve pupils’ achievement by:
  • making sure staff have a comprehensive understanding of how to teach children to use a wide range of vocabulary in their writing
  • providing pupils with regular, thought-provoking opportunities to write in their history, geography and science work.
• Improve teaching, learning and assessment by:
  • making sure the quality of teaching is consistently good or better across classes and subjects
  • using assessment fully within activities, so the teaching is adapted quickly to meet the needs of different individuals and groups.
• Set and reinforce high expectations for pupils’ behaviour, in order to help them remain focused on activities.
• Sharpen leaders’ reviews of the school so that identified priorities and actions lead to an even greater pace of improvement.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Leaders are not making sure that the overall quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes are improving fast enough in different subjects across the school. Some reviews of the school’s performance by leaders are not precise or thorough enough to bring about all the necessary changes quickly. For example, leaders have not led enough improvement in the quality of pupils’ writing across subjects.
• Funding is spent appropriately to enable extra staff training and the appointment of more teaching assistant support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Nonetheless, reviews of the impact of specific programmes of support are not thorough enough to be sure of how they have benefited pupils.
• Where leaders and governors have focused their attention to improve the standard of education provided, teaching and pupils’ outcomes are beginning to improve, for example in mathematics and phonics in key stage 1.
• Leaders have given adequate attention to developing the school curriculum to meet the requirements of the new national curriculum. There is appropriate consideration of promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Planned activities make relevant use of off-site visits and visitors to extend pupils’ learning. Staff are fully involved in creating new plans for each subject that are beginning to meet the needs of the pupils. Each term, helpful summary information is sent home for parents.
• The physical education (PE) and sport premium funding is used adequately by leaders to provide valuable extra activities, such as lacrosse and basketball. Pupils’ skills have improved, and there are more pupils participating in sport. Staff feel much more skilled when teaching PE. The school has recently achieved external accreditation for its improved work in PE and sport.
• The pupil premium funding is spent carefully to support the school’s priorities, and the impact on pupils’ outcomes is checked closely by leaders and governors. Because they want to see this money make an even greater difference to pupils’ achievement, they have revised planned support for pupils and tightened their checks on spending this year. These actions are having a positive impact on improving pupils’ attainment. As part of the good links with the local authority, leaders are now working with an adviser who is conducting an external review of this aspect of the school’s work.
• Pupils enjoy attending the breakfast and after-school clubs and engage well in the many activities on offer. They learn many new skills, including teamwork and collaboration. They grow hugely in their confidence and about how they feel about themselves.

Governance of the school

• Governors are committed to the improvement of the school. They debate, challenge and question what they see, hear and read about the standards achieved. They visit the school regularly and talk to pupils to hear about what is happening in classrooms. Their work is helping the school to move forward. Because they have seen clear improvement since the appointment of the current headteacher two years ago, their overall evaluation of the school is a little overgenerous. Nonetheless, they know much remains to be achieved by staff, leaders and themselves, and they are determined to help the school as much as they can.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The school gives high priority to keeping children and pupils safe and protected. Much support is given to families when they are finding parenting difficult or they face specific challenges with their children. Leaders and governors make sure policies to help staff in their work to support pupils’ welfare are clear, up to date and fully understood by teachers, teaching assistants and other colleagues.
• Child protection training for staff is regular and thorough. Staff know how to recognise the main risks to pupils and how to report any concerns they may have about pupils, families or anyone working at the school. Minor, as well as serious, concerns are recorded properly and kept under close review by leaders. Safeguarding work across the school is reviewed regularly and carefully by leaders. Links with professionals from outside the school are quick and appropriate when issues are identified.
• Arrangements for access to the school site and buildings are managed carefully, so pupils are secure.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching over time is not consistently good or better. Leaders have not succeeded in ironing out all inconsistencies in the quality of work by staff. Not all pupils are doing as well as they should across classes and different subjects. Where teaching is least successful, staff do not have enough knowledge of the subject taught. At these times, staff do not make successful use of assessment during activities to check whether pupils need extra explanation or more challenge. While the least able pupils are given lots of helpful support, some other pupils do not get enough precise help. In some activities, teachers do not plan carefully enough. For example, this results in pupils having to wait too long to share magnets in science or being expected to paint using identical resources and instructions when creating individual work in art activities.
• Staff do not always manage pupils’ learning behaviour well in classes. As a result, too many pupils lose enthusiasm for learning during activities.
• Teachers set homework in line with the school’s policy, but their feedback to pupils does not consistently follow the school’s policy. Feedback to pupils is not always helpful enough to move pupils’ learning forward.
• In key stage 1, pupils are increasingly benefiting from learning to read in small groups with an adult. Staff share books enthusiastically with pupils across the school. In Year 4, for example, pupils have been particularly enthused about the story ‘Iron Man’. Over time in key stage 2, pupils are becoming better readers. The recent changes to how the school teaches reading are still developing. This means teachers are sometimes not making the best use of time during reading activities to further develop pupils’ reading skills.
• The best teaching in the school is skilful and exciting. For example, in mathematics, pupils were given lots of well-planned challenges by the teacher about counting in twos, fives and tens. Pupils, supported by the teacher, enjoyed the chance to count a pile of socks in pairs. Meanwhile, a teaching assistant was well deployed to make assessments of how different pupils responded to the challenges set. Questions used by the teacher deepened pupils’ knowledge and provoked pupils, including the most able, to think about how they could solve the range of problems he posed.
• Pupils from the early years and across key stages 1 and 2 learn to communicate confidently through gesture and language. As a result, pupils with communication difficulties are included well within activities.
• Assessments of the progress made by pupils over time, including disadvantaged pupils, are now more thorough after leaders made use of the local authority expertise to improve arrangements in the school. As a result, staff are clear about the key priorities for pupils’ learning in different subjects this year. ,

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils have an awareness of right and wrong. They understand the need for school rules. They know how to gather the views of fellow pupils and share these with staff to help improve the school. Pupils act confidently and are very proud of their roles, such as membership of the school council.
• Pupils say they feel safe in school and know whom they can approach for support. For example, they know there are pupils nominated as ‘peer mediators’ who can help them to manage any minor concerns. Pupils say they feel listened to. They say that staff and leaders deal well with any incidents of bullying. There is regular promotion of pupils’ welfare through events such as anti-bullying week.
• Pupils with whom inspectors spoke were confident, articulate and proud of their school.
• Pupils respect differences between themselves and others. Pupils, including those from the Traveller community, mix well. The school does much to value and celebrate pupils’ skills and family heritage. Pupils understand that different points of view can be of equal merit. While they respect that individuals may have different religious beliefs, pupils’ understanding of Christianity and other religions commonly found in modern Britain is less developed.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. This means that their overall personal development, behaviour and welfare are judged to require improvement.
• Too often during the inspection, inspectors observed some pupils sitting with their feet on the chairs, while others sat half on and half off a chair. Some pupils were sitting on chairs that they rocked too frequently. When pupils worked, inspectors noted some pupils sitting unnecessarily with their head on the table. Staff did too little to challenge pupils about this behaviour. The impact of this behaviour was most noticeable in activities where teaching was weakest. While pupils were not disruptive, they did not always fully concentrate or persevere in activities, nor did they show much enthusiasm for learning.
• When pupils move around the corridors and when they spend time on the playground, their behaviour is good. They are polite and inquisitive towards visitors and kind towards one another. They listen to and follow instructions from staff.
• Where individual pupils need extra support with managing their own feelings and behaviour, the school acts quickly and links well with other services and professionals to provide the help needed.
• Over time, the rates of pupils’ absence and persistent absence have been high. However, leaders have treated this with due seriousness. They have looked at individual circumstances and worked successfully with families, and with other agencies, to improve attendance. The headteacher is also unafraid to challenge parents when needed. As a result, there has been a noticeable improvement in attendance over time for those pupils who have the greatest need to attend more regularly.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• From their starting points, pupils in key stage 1 in 2016 made good progress, but their attainment was below the national average. In particular, some less-able pupils did not do well in their writing and mathematics.
• There are examples across the school of the most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, making good progress when their learning is interesting and planned well. However, this is not consistent because the quality of teaching varies between subjects and classes. There is not always enough challenge to move pupils on in their learning.
• Over time, by the end of key stage 2, pupils have good personal skills and respect for others that will help them at secondary school and in later life. They enjoy books and stories, and their attainment in reading and mathematics is broadly in line with the national average. However, not enough pupils have the writing skills they need, because they do not use a wide range of vocabulary in their work.
• Recent improvements in the teaching of mathematics are benefiting pupils. There is much increased confidence, and enthusiasm, among pupils for mathematics. However, weaker teaching in some key stage 2 classes slows pupils’ progress in this subject.
• In history, geography and science, pupils are developing much enthusiasm for and knowledge about the topics studied. They are inspired to research more widely for themselves. Nonetheless, their work shows they are not developing strong writing skills in these subjects.
• There are examples of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities making good progress in class and during extra small-group work with staff. This is because teachers and teaching assistants are increasingly focusing their support on where pupils need specific help. Funding is used well to obtain additional advice for staff from an educational psychologist about how to meet individual pupils’ needs. However, not all of these pupils are making as much progress as they could.
• Pupils currently in Year 1 are becoming skilled readers. Their attainment in the Year 1 phonics screening check has improved year on year and is now above the national average. Parents and pupils are pleased with the wide range of high-quality reading books that are available, and pupils use these regularly to extend their reading skills across key stages 1 and 2.
• In 2016, disadvantaged pupils did not achieve well in writing and mathematics in key stage 2. This prompted leaders to review carefully the quality of support provided and to focus teaching much more on these pupils’ needs. School information shows that for disadvantaged pupils currently in the school, they are beginning to catch up quickly in their learning. Through activities funded by the pupil premium, disadvantaged pupils are developing greater confidence, self-esteem and an ability to work well with other pupils.
• School information shows that currently key stage 2 pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics is stronger than previously. Because of improvement in the quality of teaching and assessment, more pupils are expected to achieve well in key stage 2 national assessments in summer 2017. Pupils who need to catch up are supported with increasing success in smaller groups and through additional literacy and mathematics work.

Early years provision Good

• Leaders of the early years are highly knowledgeable and successful in providing children with interesting and worthwhile learning. Their strong leadership makes skilful use of the expertise of teachers and teaching assistants to give children a positive start to their education. Arrangements to keep children safe are well developed.
• Children’s learning is planned carefully and matched with high expectations for what they can achieve. The quality of teaching over time is consistently good or better. Children are challenged to become mathematicians who can solve problems, bakers of the most gorgeous smelling cakes and investigators who love to explore outdoors. There are many opportunities to learn through playing with staff and to listen to and act out stories, such as ‘The Three Little Pigs’. Throughout activities, there is a strong and successful focus on building children’s confidence, communication and independence.
• Within activities, children are well behaved and keen to learn. They are developing good relationships with one another and staff.
• By the time they complete their time in the combined Nursery/Reception unit, children, including disadvantaged children, make good progress from their starting points. The proportion of children who achieve a good level of development has improved year on year and is now above the national average. Assessments of children’s skills and achievement are thorough and accurate. Children’s individual development is captured well in the thorough records kept by staff. Leaders are ambitious to improve their work even further. They recognise that they need to review even more precisely the progress made by groups of children over their time in the unit.
• Parents who spoke with inspectors are very happy with their children’s experience in the combined Nursery/Reception unit. They point to the many benefits their children gain, such as in reading and writing. They are highly satisfied with the quality of information they receive and communication from staff.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 105316 Bury 10024266 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 267 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Jean Hinkley Gillian Thornicroft 0161 764 2348 www.springsideprimary.co.uk springside@bury.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 20–21 February 2013

Information about this school

• The school is an average-sized primary school.
• The headteacher and some staff are new to the school since the previous inspection.
• The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is above average.
• The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage. A small proportion of pupils are from Traveller backgrounds.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average.
• The proportion of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is above average.
• The school did not meet the government’s current floor standards in 2015 but did in 2014 and 2016. These standards are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about the pupil premium and the school’s curriculum on its website.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors spoke with some parents as they brought their children to school on both days of the inspection. Inspectors reviewed 38 comments made by parents in response to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View.
• The inspectors observed learning in classes, the school hall and outdoors. Several observations were made by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) jointly with the headteacher.
• Inspectors met regularly with the headteacher and with a range of staff throughout the inspection.
• Inspectors heard some children read. Inspectors looked at a range of pupils’ work, including with the headteacher.
• The inspectors spoke with a wide range of pupils in classrooms, the breakfast and after-school clubs and around the school. Inspectors met with a sample of pupils from across the school.
• One HMI met with six members of the governing body, including the chair, and spoke with two representatives of Bury local authority.
• The inspectors considered a range of school documents, including reviews of how well the school is doing, plans for the future and information about the progress of current pupils. Inspectors considered school policies and documents about the care and protection of pupils. Inspectors reviewed school records of checks on the suitability of adults to work with children and pupils.

Inspection team

Tim Vaughan, lead inspector Denah Jones Jane Holmes Linda Griffiths

Her Majesty’s Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector