Peover Superior Endowed Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the curriculum by:
  • ensuring that the recently-introduced thematic approach is fully embedded
  • evaluating the effect that it is having on pupils’ learning and progress.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• Excellent leadership and management are at the heart of the school’s success. Leaders, governors and trust board members are very ambitious for the school and are highly committed to improving the life chances of pupils. As a result of their determination and drive, the school is a happy place where pupils make excellent progress in their learning and grow in confidence.
• The work of the trust has been highly effective in securing the necessary improvements in all aspects of the school’s work. A neighbouring headteacher, who is a national leader of education, has provided effective, day-to-day support for the principal, acting as the critical friend during the school’s rapid improvement. There is a strong capacity to build upon these improvements and develop the school even further.
• In this very small school, the majority of teachers have joined the staff in the last three years. During this time, the principal and teachers have introduced new and effective systems and processes to all areas of school life. No stone has been left unturned as they strive to bring about the much-needed change. As a result, all aspects of the school have improved rapidly.
• Leaders have a very accurate picture of the strengths of the school and are relentlessly ambitious to improve pupils’ achievement even further. This is successfully linked to leaders’ work in managing the performance of staff. Teachers are encouraged to reflect on their own performance and that supports them in meeting their objectives. They base their reflections on a range of evidence about pupils’ progress. The performance of staff is very effectively managed.
• Teachers are well supported to improve their skills. They receive excellent training through their involvement in the trust. High-quality professional training and a coaching culture ensure that staff at all levels can carry out their roles effectively. They are proud of the work that they do in providing pupils with an outstanding quality of education. Staff speak highly of the ‘open’ culture of the school where everyone is valued.
• Assessment systems are designed to deliver high-quality information to the trust board, the board of governors and school leaders. Leaders have developed good links with other schools to support moderation of pupils’ work. As a result, pupils’ progress is monitored thoroughly. Accurate assessment information is analysed by staff to ensure that no pupil is left behind. There is an impressive range of carefully considered support programmes for those pupils who are at risk of not keeping up.
• The rich and varied curriculum at Peover Superior Endowed Primary School develops pupils’ creative skills, as well as securing high academic achievement. The recently introduced termly themes ensure coverage of the national curriculum. They also recognise other aspects of learning, such as enterprise skills and making links between subjects. The school development plan rightly identifies this innovation as an area to check as the year progresses. Initial observations are positive, with pupils demonstrating their ability to use and apply successfully their writing and mathematical skills in other curriculum areas. However, it is not fully embedded and it is too soon to evaluate its longer-term effect on pupils’ learning and progress.
• Parents are rightly proud of how the school helps their children to be well-rounded citizens of the future. They enjoy the ‘small family’ feel to the school and are supportive of the high status that creative subjects have at the school. For example, all pupils in key stage 2 learn to play an instrument and read music. Parents who responded to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, were unanimous that they would recommend the school to another parent.
• The promotion of the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is underpinned by the school’s values. As a result, pupils have a growing understanding of their responsibilities towards others and this helps them to develop as responsible young people, well prepared for life in modern Britain. They learn about democracy and the importance of listening to the points of view of others. Pupils feel valued and know that their views are listened to and respected.
• Effective use of the additional physical education and sport funding provides a good range of activities led by specialist teachers and instructors. These activities include football, netball, rugby, fencing and archery. The funding has also supported the school in competing with other schools in the area. Pupils love the wide range of clubs on offer.
• The school receives a small amount of pupil premium funding. Leaders spend it wisely. They ensure that high-quality interventions reduce any difference between the progress of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and other pupils nationally by the end of Year 6.
• Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities make very strong progress from their starting points. Additional funding is spent on resources that make the most difference to pupils’ outcomes, including using external agencies where appropriate. Support staff lead on adapting the learning for pupils who have learning or behavioural difficulties. As a result, the needs of these pupils are met successfully.

Governance of the school

• Governors work exceptionally well to support and challenge the work of senior leaders. Well supported by the trust board, they bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the role. Governors have a detailed knowledge of the predecessor school’s past performance and share the leaders’ clear vision for how they wish the school to develop in the future.
• Governors benefit from the highly effective leadership of the chair of the governing body, who sets high expectations for all their work. Roles and responsibilities are clear and governors seek out appropriate training to improve their own skills. Minutes of meetings of the governing body show that governors ask very challenging questions to hold leaders to account and continually support the school’s improvement.
• Governors have an in-depth knowledge of the quality of teaching in the school. They manage the appraisal of the headteacher’s work extremely efficiently. They ensure that the pupil premium and the physical education and sport funding is used wisely to benefit all pupils.
• During the current academic year, the local governing body has been given increased autonomy by the trust as a result of the school becoming increasingly successful. Governors have managed this transition well and benefit from the guidance and advice that the trust still provides.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders ensure that pupils are well cared for and safe. Staff training has covered the government’s current requirements. Staff know how they should raise any safeguarding concerns to senior staff and governors.
• Leaders, including governors, ensure that that the school’s recruitment processes are rigorous. All the appropriate staff checks are carried out and recorded.
• The safeguarding lead ensures that all staff are aware of their statutory responsibilities in keeping children safe. Pupils understand the work the school staff do in keeping them safe, including how to assess risks when using online devices.
• Leaders work effectively with parents and outside agencies to ensure that pupils are safe and secure. Parents say that they are very confident that their children are safe and extremely well cared for when they are at school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Hard-working teachers and support staff share the high aspirations of school leaders. They welcome the guidance that they receive to improve their practice. As a result, pupils benefit from teaching that is consistently of the highest quality.
• Teachers plan highly stimulating lessons that draw out pupils’ understanding. Staff ask probing questions that deepen pupils’ learning throughout their lessons. High expectations are evident in the quality of pupils’ responses and in the work that they complete in their books.
• In mathematics, teachers explain clearly calculation methods and assess accurately levels of pupils’ understanding. All pupils are taught in mixed-aged classes and, because they know pupils so well, teachers set appropriate work to meet individual pupil’s needs. For example, the most able pupils respond successfully to challenging ‘think’ questions providing them with additional opportunities to develop their reasoning skills. They enjoy being left with a question or proposition that they need to answer mathematically.
• The teaching of phonics is highly effective. Pupils develop their early reading skills quickly. Those pupils heard reading talked confidently about their favourite authors. They read fluently and with expression. Pupils read widely across the curriculum and this supports their learning in other subjects. The most able readers enjoy texts which are above the level expected for their age.
• Work seen in pupils’ books reflects the outstanding progress that they are making, especially in writing. This has been a school priority and pupils talk confidently about how the teaching has helped them to become more proficient writers. ‘I really enjoy trying to persuade people with my writing, such as why fireworks should be banned. I’m much better at it now because we have learned how to build up an argument’, is typical of the comments made by older pupils.
• Extremely positive relationships between adults and pupils across the whole school are a strong feature. Well-trained teaching assistants provide excellent support for all pupils. They are used effectively to provide additional interventions for pupils when gaps in learning are identified.
• Accurate assessment systems track pupils’ progress in all subjects, not just English and mathematics. Using this information, pupils’ performance is discussed at regular meetings between teachers and school leaders. Action is taken promptly if pupils are at risk of not making the expected progress. The accuracy and rigour of the system is checked and moderated within the school and when teachers meet with their counterparts across the trust.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities achieve well because of the excellent teaching and support they receive. Accurate assessments of individual pupils pinpoint exactly where extra work is needed. As a result, pupils make strong progress from their starting points. Teachers make sure that all pupils’ contributions are valued and celebrated equally in activities both inside and outside the classroom.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils actively participate in their lessons, showing huge enjoyment. Extremely positive relationships are nurtured throughout the school, resulting in pupils being fully involved in their learning.
• Pupils are articulate and confident. They are at ease when talking about their work and give honest insights into areas of their work that they know need to improve. In this small school, pupils take the care and responsibility for others very seriously. For example, they are invariably kind and considerate with younger pupils who work and play alongside them.
• Pupils show a deep respect for their teachers and additional adults. They have complete confidence in the adults to help them if they have any worries. A typical comment was: ‘If I have any concerns, I’ll tell a trusted adult. It’s what we are told to do and it always works.’
• Pupils appreciate the wealth of training that they have to help them keep safe. They know how to stay safe online and are very knowledgeable about strategies to combat cyber bullying. Pupils say that any bullying is rare but, should it occur, is always dealt with quickly. This results in the happy and harmonious atmosphere around the school.
• The school offers a well-attended after-school club to all pupils and their families. This benefits many pupils by providing a productive and relaxing end to the school day.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• The beginning of the day is calm and orderly. Pupils enter school ready and eager to learn. This sets the tone for the rest of the day and is the case across the school.
• All staff set high standards for pupils’ behaviour. In lessons and around the school the behaviour of pupils is exemplary. They listen attentively to their teachers and other pupils, ensuring that no time is wasted in lessons. This contributes to their excellent progress. Pupils wear their uniforms with pride and are keen to lend a hand. They are extremely engaging and polite to everyone they meet.
• Pupils’ enjoyment of the school is reflected in their excellent attendance. Pupils understand the importance of regular attendance and why it is rewarded. This makes them eager to come to school. Parents say that even when their children are ill they do not want to miss their lessons.
• The school supports a very small number of pupils with challenging behaviour. The high-quality provision offered and excellent classroom management by teaching staff have helped all of these pupils to improve their behaviour significantly.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• There are small numbers of pupils in each year group at Peover Superior Endowed Primary School so outcome data needs to be treated with caution. Therefore, as well as analysing published data, the inspector took careful consideration of a range of other evidence. This included the school’s own recording and assessment systems for individual pupils, discussions with pupils, observations of pupils’ learning, and scrutiny of work in their books, both past and current.
• Children enter the Reception class with typically average abilities for their age. This varies from year to year because cohort numbers are so small. Children get off to a flying start so that most move into Year 1 at or above the expected standard. Leaders make sure that momentum is not lost as pupils move through the school. At every stage, pupils make strong progress and the proportion of pupils achieving above the expected standard for their age is well above the national average. Pupils quickly secure their basic skills, and the proportion of pupils working at greater depth and reaching high standards continues to increase.
• Pupils in key stage 1 build on the firm foundations laid in the early years to quickly secure their phonic knowledge. The number of pupils achieving the expected standard in the Year 1 national phonic check has continued to improve yearly from 2015. In unvalidated test results for 2017, pupils’ performance was well above the national average.
• By the end of key stage 1, from their different starting points, pupils make strong progress with the proportion exceeding the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics above the national average.
• High-quality teaching and carefully deployed support ensures that almost all pupils reach, and many exceed, the expected standard by the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics. This was confirmed by the unvalidated 2017 test results as well as scrutiny of pupils’ books both past and present.
• Pupils read widely and often. They talk enthusiastically about the authors and types of books they enjoy reading. Pupils thrive as they develop the skills needed to access more ambitious texts. Consequently, reading is one of the strengths of the school.
• Across the curriculum and in each of the year groups, pupils achieve well. The overwhelming majority of pupils are at or above the expected standard in subjects other than English and mathematics. Excellent subject leadership, together with an exciting curriculum and first-rate staff development, lead to pupils receiving high-quality teaching. This underpins pupils’ strong progress in all subjects, including geography, music and computing.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make strong progress, often from low starting points. This is because staff identify pupils’ needs swiftly. Additional funding is spent well, which means that highly effective support is provided. This proves successful in enhancing pupils’ progress.
• Pupils leave the school at the end of Year 6 very well prepared for secondary school.

Early years provision Outstanding

• The early years provision is an excellent foundation for all children to develop early basic skills. They quickly become independent because routines are established effectively. This contributes to a calm and orderly start to the day for the children. Children’s behaviour is exemplary.
• The early years provision is led very well and leadership is highly effective. It ensures that staff provide activities which engage children’s interest. Children develop into confident learners who can work with each other extremely well.
• Leaders ensure that safeguarding is highly effective. Staff work relentlessly to ensure that all the environments are secure. As a result, staff ensure that children can play safely and encourage them to be careful.
• Teaching is extremely effective because it promotes high levels of development in children. The classroom environment is very stimulating and reflects all areas of learning. The staff team are excellent practitioners and generate highly effective planning which meets the individual needs of pupils. Work on their current target for improvement, to ensure that the outdoor provision successfully mirrors the excellent indoor activities, is having a positive impact on children’s learning. As a result of changes to the outdoor organisation and the introduction of new equipment, children’s interests are being met successfully. They particularly enjoy practical activities outside, such as when they solve mathematical challenges.
• Detailed assessments draw on a wide range of evidence. They are used to decide how to organise the setting and introduce new challenges. Assessments and tracking children’s progress confirm their excellent achievement by the time they leave the Reception class. The proportion of children reaching a good level of development is higher than national averages. Children are very well prepared for the transition to Year 1.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 141653 Cheshire East 10042419 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 Academy sponsor-led 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 66 Appropriate authority Chair Principal Board of trustees Christopher Dean Lisa Hesmondhalgh Telephone number 01625 861384 Website Email address www.peoversuperior.cheshire.sch.uk admin@peoversuperior.cheshire.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.
• This is a smaller-than-average-sized primary school. It became a sponsored academy in March 2015 and is a member of Aspire Educational Trust. This is the school’s first inspection.
• The trust is made up of six primary schools. The trust board and the Peover Superior Endowed Primary School governing body work in partnership to agree the strategic direction for the school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well below the national average.
• The great majority of pupils are White British with a small number of pupils coming from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds. No pupils speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is close to the national average. The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan related to SEN and/or disabilities is below the national average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The school provides and manages an after-school club.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed learning across the school.
• The inspector scrutinised pupils’ work, school policies, records relating to safeguarding, self-evaluation information and a range of other documentation.
• Twenty-nine responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View, and 29 free-text responses were considered. The inspector spoke with parents in the school playground before and after school.
• There were seven responses to the staff questionnaire and 15 responses to the pupil questionnaire. The inspector spoke with many pupils during lessons and at social times.
• The inspector met with representatives from the trust, members of the governing body and a local headteacher who supports the school. Meetings were also held with the principal and middle leaders from the school.

Inspection team

Mike Hewlett, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector