St Paul's Church of England Primary School, Bury Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching and learning so that pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, make at least good progress in reading, writing and mathematics by:
  • raising expectations of what pupils can achieve and setting them work that challenges their thinking
  • ensuring that staff use questioning effectively to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding.
• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:
  • improving the rigour and accuracy of self-evaluation to accelerate pupils’ progress identifying the barriers that disadvantaged pupils have in their learning and evaluating the impact of the pupil premium funding in helping these pupils to make swifter progress
  • raising the levels of attendance for those pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, who do not attend school regularly enough. An external review of pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• The school has experienced a significant number of staffing changes since the last inspection, which has had a detrimental impact on pupils’ progress. The quality of education dipped and pupils did not achieve as well as they should. The current headteacher, appointed soon after the previous inspection, has set about tackling this decline with vigour. Stability in staffing has been secured, consistent approaches to teaching are in place and staff morale is high.
• Leaders’ self-evaluation of what is working well and what needs attention is not rigorous enough. Leaders challenge underperformance in teaching and this is leading to improvements. Leaders scrutinise pupils’ work, visit classrooms to observe teaching frequently and provide feedback to teachers to help them to improve their skills. However, there are still pockets of teaching which have less impact on pupils’ learning. A comprehensive training programme supports the continuing development of all staff. However, this is not making a rapid difference in some classrooms.
• Additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is being used more effectively than in the past. In particular the funding is having a positive impact in improving attendance for a few disadvantaged pupils and supporting pupils who speak English as an additional language to make good progress. In some classes, disadvantaged pupils are making swift progress. However, this is not the case in all year groups. This is because leaders do not fully evaluate the difference that the funding is making in tackling pupils’ barriers to academic progress.
• This is an inclusive school. Pupils join at times other than the start of the year and many have arrived in the country recently. Staff go out of their way to ensure that pupils who are new to the school are welcomed and settle quickly into school life.
• Leaders have redesigned the curriculum to meet the needs and interests of pupils, and ensure that all subjects are covered in sufficient depth. Pupils enjoy a wide range of trips to theme parks and sea life centres and an annual residential trip. These experiences broaden pupils’ studies, and enhance their enjoyment of school. They are also helping pupils to build their personal and social skills as they work with others and gain a sense of the world beyond the school gates.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well through an emphasis on five core values of ‘friendship, trust, forgiveness, hope and respect’. For example, pupils have the opportunity to learn about different cultures and religions through visits to places of worship, including a synagogue, mosque and church.
• Religious festivals such as Eid, Hanukah and Diwali are celebrated annually. This work, alongside their understanding of different cultures, provides an opportunity to promote British values, including respect and tolerance.
• The leadership of provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is improving. Additional funding has been used effectively to provide specific and targeted support for this group of pupils.
• Leaders use the sports funding well to provide more sporting activities for pupils. The school employs a sports coach, who promotes enjoyment in physical activity across all year groups.
• The local authority school improvement adviser carries out regular school reviews and has developed the skills of senior leaders and governors since the last inspection. This has helped leaders to have a sharper focus on lower-ability boys, mathematics and the progress of disadvantaged pupils.
• Parents say that they receive useful information about their children’s progress and that leaders are approachable and deal with any concerns quickly.

Governance of the school

• Governors bring a range of skills to their work and provide good support and challenge to leaders. Governance has improved as a result of an external review in 2015. Governors have used their improved skills from this review and subsequent training to hold school leaders to account effectively. They know the school well through their regular visits, links with middle leaders and their knowledge of pupils’ progress. They are making a positive contribution in setting the school back on track.
• The governing body has a secure knowledge and understanding of the quality of teaching and of how pupils are achieving. The governors ask challenging questions about the deployment of staff, pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• All staff and governors are up to date with statutory training, including their responsibilities relating to the ‘Prevent’ duty. Consequently, staff understand how to identify pupils at risk of harm, and know whom to report issues to if they have concerns. The school works effectively with external agencies and parents to protect the most vulnerable pupils.
• There are appropriate filters in place to ensure the safety of pupils when they are online.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment varies across year groups and subjects.
• Pupils’ work shows that some do not move onto more challenging tasks quickly enough. This slows their progress. Expectations of what all groups of pupils can achieve are not consistently high enough. As a result, the work set does not enable enough pupils to make consistently good progress.
• Some teachers do not use questioning well enough to extend pupils’ learning and deepen their understanding. As a result, gaps in some pupils’ knowledge and understanding go unnoticed and the most able do not have the chance to develop.
• Teachers provide plenty of opportunities for pupils to talk about their work and to share their ideas. This helps pupils, particularly those who are less able, to learn from each other.
• The recently introduced reading scheme has improved the teaching of reading. Pupils enjoy reading and know how to sound and blend unknown words. Pupils are taught to develop their comprehension skills effectively.
• Pupils’ achievement in the Year 1 phonics screening check has improved because teachers match work closely to pupils’ different needs. Teaching focuses on ensuring that pupils use the correct pronunciation.
• Writing has improved since the last inspection. Teachers provide a range of opportunities for pupils to practise their written skills across a range of subjects, including history, geography and science.
• Teaching in mathematics is improving as a result of training and checking pupils’ progress carefully.
• Staff are supportive, knowledgeable and caring. Pupils have positive relationships with staff and this contributes significantly to the quality of pupils’ learning.
• Teachers set pupils homework that requires research. Parents comment positively on the homework that their children receive, and believe that it is helping them with their learning.
• Teaching assistants are increasingly effective in providing support for those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Teaching assistants also work effectively with pupils who speak English as an additional language to help them to make good progress. In a small number of lessons, some teaching assistants offer too much support for lower-ability pupils. This sometimes slows their progress.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• The school’s Christian values are at the heart of school life. Leaders encourage pupils to value diversity and to respect the views of people with different faiths. This is evident from the high-quality work on display around the classrooms and corridors.
• Pupils from different cultures and nationalities play and socialise well together. A typical comment from pupils is: ‘The school is one big family and we learn something new every day.’ Pupils say that they feel safe and enjoy coming to school. They are taught about how to keep safe. Pupils value the care and support given to them by staff in school.
• Pupils have a good understanding of what bullying is, including using racist or homophobic language. Leaders ensure that the responsibility for the approach to bullying is shared by the whole school community. The recently introduced initiative ‘stamp out bullying’ reflects the school’s commitment to pupils’ good personal development. Bullying incidents are rare and pupils and parents say that when it does happen it is dealt with quickly.
• Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe online because they are taught about risks and potential dangers.
• Pupils’ leadership skills are developed well through the ‘values council’ and ‘school council’.
• Parents say that the school is inclusive and very effective at supporting pupils with medical needs.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils behave well outside of lessons, for example during lunch in the dining hall. Pupils are respectful and polite towards their peers, other adults and visitors.
• Pupils are keen and enthusiastic to learn in lessons. They take pride in their work and the school.
• Behaviour logs show that incidents of poor behaviour have decreased rapidly over time due to pupils following the school’s three simple rules: ‘Take care of others, take care of yourself and take care of school.’ Exclusions are extremely rare.
• Pupils’ overall attendance is in line with the national average. Persistent absence has decreased due to the school’s rigorous pursuit of absences, a system of reward certificates and involvement with parents. However, some pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, still do not attend as regularly as they should.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Current information shows that pupils’ achievement is improving and is much stronger than the 2016 results suggest. Nonetheless, pupils’ achievement is not yet good because of variation between classes. Although pupils are making steady progress, in some classes pupils’ gains in reading, writing and mathematics are not as swift as they should be.
• In 2016, by the end of key stage 1, the proportion of pupils who reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics was below the national average. There were no pupils assessed at working at greater depth in writing. Boys made slower progress than girls. Disadvantaged pupils made slower progress compared to other pupils nationally in 2016. However, recent improvements to teaching are making a much more positive difference to pupils’ achievement in key stage 1. Currently, pupils are making the progress that they should from their starting points. A greater proportion of pupils are currently working at the expected standards for their age.
• Improved phonics skills are helping to improve the reading of younger pupils. They enjoy reading and are keen to do well. In 2016, the proportion of pupils achieving the Year 1 phonics screening check improved. It is now in line with the national average.
• In 2016, pupils in key stage 2 made progress that was broadly in line with that of other pupils nationally in reading and writing. They made weaker progress in mathematics. A whole-school focus on this weakness is proving to be successful. Currently, pupils in most classes are making stronger progress in mathematics. This includes those pupils who are disadvantaged.
• Leaders use the pupil premium funding with increasing effectiveness to help current disadvantaged pupils make better progress in most classes. However, this is not consistent across all year groups because support is not always targeted specifically to needs. Pupils’ progress is improving in most classes. However, some disadvantaged pupils are not making the gains that they should because leaders are not analysing the impact of the strategies that they provide.
• The most able pupils make steady progress from their starting points. In some classes their work shows that they miss the chance to make good gains in knowledge and develop their understanding. This is because they are not given the opportunity to extend their thinking and deepen their learning across some subjects.
• In 2016, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities made progress that was broadly similar to others nationally with the same starting points in reading, writing and mathematics. Current pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are making good progress in most year groups. Pupils who speak English as an additional language benefit from targeted support in class.
• Outcomes in science are improving. Pupils develop their scientific knowledge and apply their skills in well-planned investigations.

Early years provision Good

• Most children start in the early years with knowledge and skills below those typical for their age. Children have particular weaknesses in communication, language, mathematics and in their understanding of the world.
• Children are prepared effectively to make a successful start in Year 1.
• Leadership is effective, and leaders have a clear overview of the strengths and weaknesses of the early years provision. As a result, children make good progress. There has been a rising trend over the past three years in the proportion of children who reach a good level of development. Inspection evidence shows that this is likely to continue.
• Teaching is effective. Teachers use rigorous assessment and tracking systems to track children’s progress frequently. Information is used to plan activities which meet children’s needs across different areas of learning. Children receive extra support when necessary. As a consequence, outcomes are improving year on year.
• Children get on well together, willingly share resources and sensibly take turns. They respond well to adults’ questions, teaching and advice. They work well together in groups. Staff work well as a team. Teachers use questioning well to assess children’s knowledge and understanding, and develop children’s thinking and language skills.
• The reading programme is not only helping children to make good gains in their reading skills, it is also helping them to write. Opportunities to talk about stories are supporting children in their speaking and listening skills.
• Teachers have good relationships with parents. Parents say that the early years is ‘fabulous’. Parents are encouraged to contribute to children’s learning through ‘wow’ moments, including number-hunts and celebrations of pieces of work. Homework is based on topics and enables parents to be engaged with their children’s learning.
• Teaching assistants provide good support. They encourage reading with expression and model the correct sounds for phonics for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. As a result, these children make good progress.
• Before children start in the Reception class, there are effective induction arrangements in place. These include a wide range of first-hand experiences and evening meetings.
• Welfare requirements are met in full. Children say that they feel safe and enjoy coming to school.
• Leaders use additional funding for disadvantaged children effectively. As a result, disadvantaged children catch up with others quickly. For example, speech and language programmes help children to broaden their vocabulary.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 105332 Bury 10024168 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 Voluntary aided 5 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 212 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Mr Derek Burgess Mrs Joanne Morris Telephone number 0161 764 3788 Website Email address www.stpaulsbury.co.uk stpaulsbury@bury.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 27–28 February 2013

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is well above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above the national average, including those who have an education, health and care plan.
• 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 learning in each class and attended a whole-school assembly.
• A wide range of pupils’ workbooks were looked at by inspectors throughout the inspection to evaluate their learning over time.
• Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, middle leaders, a group of staff and members of the governing body, including the chair. The lead inspector also met with a representative of the local authority and the school’s improvement adviser.
• Inspectors spoke to pupils informally in class and around the school at break and lunchtimes to seek their views. Inspectors met with groups of pupils more formally to discuss many aspects of school life. Inspectors heard some pupils read in Year 3 and Year 6.
• The inspection team scrutinised a wide range of documentation, including: the school website, safeguarding information, records relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance, minutes of governing body meetings, information on the progress made by pupils, checks on the quality of teaching, external reviews by the school improvement adviser and local authority, the school’s self-evaluation and the school improvement plan.
• There were only six responses to the online Parent View questionnaire. Inspectors considered these and the responses from six free-text comments. Parents’ views were gathered through discussions at the start of the day.
• No responses were received to the questionnaire for pupils.
• No responses were received to the questionnaire for staff.

Inspection team

Ahmed Marikar, lead inspector Kathleen McArthur Doreen Davenport Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector