St Peter's Church of England Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, particularly in reading and mathematics, in order to rapidly improve outcomes for pupils by:
  • ensuring that teachers respond rapidly in lessons to pupils’ learning needs

raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving across the whole curriculum

• ensuring that learning activities have a clear focus and so move pupils’ learning forward.
• Improve leadership and management by:
  • developing further the role of middle leaders of subjects such as geography, history and computing, to ensure that they have a greater influence on the quality of teaching and the progress pupils make in their subjects
  • more carefully and regularly measuring the impact of leaders’ actions in order for leaders to identify the most effective ways to improve pupils’ progress
  • embedding systems to ensure that teachers are fairly and effectively held to account for pupils’ learning
  • ensuring that leadership roles are distributed among staff to reflect their individual strengths.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Leaders, including governors, have failed to maintain the good quality of education on offer at the school at the time of the last inspection. The quality of teaching, learning and assessment across the school is inconsistent and pupils’ outcomes in reading and mathematics have declined.
• The headteacher understands the challenges that lie ahead. Improvements that are being made, such as can be seen in the improved rates of progress of current pupils, show that he and his fellow leaders have the capacity to move the school forward again. The headteacher leads the school with honesty and integrity and has the full support of his staff and governors.
• Although leaders now have a realistic view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, and have put plans in place to address these, their plans have not been fully effective to date. Leaders are only now starting to check on the impact of their actions on pupils’ progress and attainment more regularly and rigorously, and so are becoming more able to identify what is working well and what needs further development.
• Leaders have started to address the significant decline in the progress pupils make in their learning. They have done this in a number of ways, such as undertaking lesson observations, learning walks and reviews of pupils’ progress, and so are beginning to hold teachers to account more for the quality of teaching and the amount of progress pupils make. However, these systems are not yet fully effective.
• Targets relating to pupils’ progress that are set for teachers as part of their performance management are not measurable or aspirational enough. In addition, teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of are not high enough in some year groups.
• The curriculum covers a wide range of subjects, many of which are taught through topic work. While coverage of different subjects is good, the depth of learning varies from subject to subject. This is partly because leadership of some subjects is more embedded than it is for other areas.
• Subject leaders for science, religious education, art and design and physical education (PE) monitor their areas of responsibility closely and are aware of the progress that pupils make. By contrast, leaders of subjects such as history, geography and computing are still developing their roles. They do not give teachers clear guidance about what pupils should be able to do by the end of each year in each of these subjects.
• Senior leaders have not ensured that the leadership of core subjects such as English and mathematics is distributed to reflect the strengths of members of staff. As a result, some leaders have been asked to shoulder a great deal of responsibility. Senior leaders have recognised this issue and a review of the distribution of leadership roles is currently underway.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is supported effectively by senior leaders and provides good-quality provision for the increasing numbers of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. Early help is sought for children from as young as two years old.
• Leaders now manage the pupil premium funding more effectively so that it provides targeted support for disadvantaged pupils. Pastoral and academic initiatives are delivered by well-trained teaching assistants and the outreach worker. As a result, these pupils are now making more rapid progress and the difference between the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and others nationally is diminishing.
• The PE and sports funding for schools is used well. Teachers benefit from professional development opportunities, such as training in the teaching of dance. The sports leader has a clear understanding of strengths and areas for improvement. She has provided increased opportunities for pupils to improve their health and well-being through a wider range of sports.
• The school has benefited from helpful input from the local authority. Leaders have been signposted to a cluster of schools which provide strong and purposeful support.
• The school makes good provision for developing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. Pupils also develop a good understanding of key aspects of British values, such as the rule of law and the importance of respecting people from different backgrounds and with different beliefs.

Governance of the school

• Governors bring a range of appropriate professional skills and experience to the school. Scrutiny of minutes of recent meetings shows that governors challenge and investigate the actions of leaders, while also offering good support.
• The governing body has consistently held senior leaders to account for the standards reached by pupils. They are now becoming more skilled at looking beyond attainment data and interrogating information about the progress made by groups of pupils.
• Governors keep a close eye on the budget and ensure that how additional funding, such as for the pupil premium and PE and sports, is used is also tracked carefully. Governors ensure that they meet their statutory safeguarding duties. Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The school has a tangible ethos that is positive and caring, putting the welfare and well-being of each pupil at the heart of all that it does. The well-established culture of keeping pupils safe is very evident. This is very much appreciated by parents and carers.
• Policies, procedures and records are of good quality and up to date. All staff have a secure understanding of their individual responsibilities for safeguarding as a result of regular updates and training.
• There are comprehensive procedures in place for the recruitment and selection of staff. Record keeping is comprehensive.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment across the school and within subjects is inconsistent. Some teachers do not have high enough expectations of what some pupils in their class, especially those of middle ability, are capable of achieving. Sometimes pupils are provided with activities which are not well matched to their abilities. Teachers do not always respond rapidly enough to pupils’ learning needs in lessons, so the progress they make sometimes is not as quick as it could be.

Requires improvement

• The teaching of writing is a strength at St Peter’s. Pupils typically spell accurately and teachers ensure that they are provided with some opportunities to write at length. In one example seen by inspectors, pupils made good use of thesauruses to find exciting words when writing a character description.
• As a result of recent initiatives, the quality of reading and mathematics is improving in many classes. Pupils say that they can choose from a wider range of books, and many say how much they enjoy reading. Parents’ workshops have been instrumental in supporting a love of reading at home. Pupils read with fluency and expression. They talk about their favourite authors and the types of books that they enjoy.
• There is evidence of teachers giving more attention to developing pupils’ problem-solving and reasoning skills in mathematics. However, pupils’ books show that learning activities in English and mathematics too often lack a clear focus. As a result, it is sometimes hard for teachers to accurately judge how securely pupils’ learning has moved on.
• The teaching of science, art and design and PE is strong. As a result, pupils are becoming keen artists, scientists and sports enthusiasts. One pupil in key stage 1, when dissecting a trout, was heard to ask the teacher: ‘Can girls become scientists too?’ However, teaching in history, geography and computing is typically less strong and does not deepen pupils’ learning.
• Teachers and teaching assistants know the pupils well. When teaching assistants are deployed effectively, pupils make better progress because of the support that they receive.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils show respect and care for each other. The school’s Christian ethos is at the heart of all that they do.
• Pupils benefit from the well-ordered, positive school environment. The school’s work to ensure that pupils’ physical and emotional well-being is valued and promoted is very effective, with quotes and displays around the school to promote their resilience, perseverance and independence. Displays in the classrooms showcase the range of subjects taught at St Peter’s.
• Pupils say that they feel safe at all times, including when working online. They are clear about the dangers outside the school and who to turn to if they are worried.
• Assemblies cover a wide range of topics and are well received by pupils. Visitors to the school talk about their work and roles in the community. Pupils often find these talks inspirational and riveting.
• The school council has plenty of ideas to make the school a better place, from ideas for fundraising to widening the range of extra-curricular clubs on offer. They are keen to now develop their roles further to become play leaders. Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Strong relationships are nurtured in the school and pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and around the school. They are polite, friendly and well mannered. Playtimes are generally harmonious occasions when pupils play happily together and no-one is left out.
• Leaders take a tough line with families who take holidays during term time. As a result, pupils’ attendance is improving and is broadly in line with other schools nationally.
• Pupils are punctual and come into school ready to learn. Their attitudes to learning are generally positive, particularly when the work is matched to meet their needs. Pupils value their classmates’ opinions and are used to working happily and cooperatively in lessons, so that disruptions to learning are rare.
• Parents, staff and pupils are positive about personal development, behaviour and welfare in the school. One parent said how impressed she was by ‘the focus on friendship, caring and kindness that sits at the heart of everything the school does’.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Over the last two years, particularly by the end of key stage 2, pupils’ outcomes have worsened. In 2017, the progress that pupils made at the end of key stage 2 in reading and mathematics was in the bottom 10% nationally. Outcomes in reading and mathematics were below the national average at the expected standard and higher standards. Outcomes for disadvantaged pupils were particularly low.
• In key stage 1, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics was below the national average in 2017. However, the proportion of pupils reaching the higher standards was broadly in line.
• Leaders and staff are working hard to reverse this decline and eradicate any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills. Work in pupils’ books and the school’s own tracking data show clearly that, in all key stages, current pupils are making stronger progress in reading, writing and mathematics. New approaches to reading, and to problem-solving in mathematics, are starting to have a positive effect.
• Over time, the achievement of disadvantaged pupils has lagged some way behind that of other pupils in the school and of other pupils nationally. Evidence from the inspection shows that disadvantaged pupils’ attainment and progress across the school are improving. The gap between disadvantaged pupils and others is becoming narrower as a result.
• Leaders have supported the SENCo to ensure that the growing numbers of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress. This is as a result of appropriate use of the additional funding to support their learning.
• Outcomes in subjects other than English and mathematics are inconsistent. In subjects, including history, geography and computing, outcomes require improvement. This is because these subjects are not taught in sufficient depth and pupils are not given enough opportunities to develop their subject knowledge, skills and understanding. By contrast, pupils achieve well in other subjects in the wider curriculum, such as science, art and design and PE.
• The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check dipped to below the national average in 2017. However, this is not typical. Over time, outcomes in phonics have been positive, with the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in Year 1 being at least in line with the national average, and most of those who do not reach that standard catching up successfully by the end of Year 2.

Early years provision Good

• Children get off to a good start in the early years. Children start in the Reception class with knowledge and skills that are usually below those typical for their age. The majority of children achieve a good level of development by the end of early years and so are well prepared for their transition into Year 1. Despite a slight fall in the number of children achieving a good level of development last year, learning journals and current information show current Reception class children are on track to do well this year.
• The early years provision is a hive of activity and learning. This area of the school is well led and managed. The early years leader has an accurate picture of the strengths and priorities for development and has improved quality and standards over the last two years.
• Children are expected to learn their letters and sounds and to practise their phonics in reading and writing. One boy, labelling a rocket he had made that was obviously his pride and joy, wrote: ‘This rocket has booster jets.’ These high expectations prepare children well for a good transition into Year 1.
• Most focused teaching activities are interesting and engaging, with emerging strengths in problem-solving. Assessment is accurate and children’s independence is being developed well.
• Children’s behaviour is good. They respect each other and are able to take turns and have great fun in their learning. Safeguarding practices in the early years are highly effective and even the children get involved. The children appointed their own ‘health and safety officer’ to supervise a building activity in the outdoor learning provision. The child in question took his job very seriously, studiously noting his observations down on a clipboard.
• Teachers share their enthusiasm with the children. They are attentive to their needs. Children from Nursery and Reception interact well with each other. There is plenty of space for them to move around freely and learn and play in comfort together. One parent pointed out that in the early years, ‘They have created an environment where a love of learning, reading, art, music and creativity is allowing our son to thrive and develop into the happy and confident boy.’
• The school has developed positive relationships with parents. Transition arrangements into the early years are effective and include a home visit. Parents are kept well informed with regard to the progress their children make. The partnership between school and home is further strengthened by the support given by the school’s outreach worker. Workshops for parents are organised, covering a wide range of areas from helping a child to read to employability skills.
• Support for the youngest children in Nursery, almost all of whom come into Nursery with particular needs around speech and language and social development, is effective. The youngest children settle well because staff provide good levels of care, and they progress well from their starting points as they move through the early years.
• The arrangements for the safety and welfare of children in the early years match the good standards seen in the rest of the school. All statutory welfare requirements are met.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 105321 Bury 10045831 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 Voluntary controlled 2 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 271 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Mr Gary Cottam Mr Stephen Wedgeworth Telephone number 01617 642 017 Website Email address www.stpetersprimarybury.co.uk StPeters@bury.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 27 28 March 2014

Information about this school

• St Peter’s is an average-sized primary school.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards. These set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The school is a coasting school, according to the Department for Education’s definition of a coasting school, based on key stage 2 academic performance results in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
• The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium funding is above average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is higher than average.
• The school offers provision for two-year-olds with a number of funded places and non-funded places, including places for children with complex needs.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in 23 parts of lessons, including one lesson observed jointly with the headteacher. In addition, inspectors listened to some pupils from Years 1, 2 and 6 read. They reviewed a sample of pupils’ work alongside senior leaders.
• A range of the school’s documentation was scrutinised to gather information on leaders’ evaluation of the school’s performance, systems for managing the performance of teachers, the behaviour and safety of pupils, safeguarding, the progress and attainment of pupils and curriculum leadership.
• In addition to discussions with parents, inspectors took account of four responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View. They also took into consideration the 34 responses from pupils and 24 staff responses to the online questionnaires. The school’s website was also scrutinised.
• Inspectors held meetings with governors, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders and members of the teaching staff. Inspectors also met the office manager and held meetings with a group of pupils.

Inspection team

Maggie Parker, lead inspector David Woodhouse Julie Downing Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector