Tattenhall Park Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve outcomes by ensuring that all teachers:
  • regularly provide work that challenges the most able in all key stages to reach the higher standards
  • develop strategies to improve pupils’ accuracy in spelling, punctuation and grammar
  • are given the opportunity to gain the necessary subject knowledge to plan work which develops pupils’ skills in geography and history.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The school is no longer outstanding and is now good. Outcomes have declined since the previous inspection, particularly at the end of key stage 2, and require improvement. Pupils’ progress has not been good enough for them to achieve the standards of which they are capable. However, during the last academic year the headteacher has overseen improvements to the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. This has had a positive impact on pupils’ progress and achievement across the curriculum and throughout the school.
• There have been significant changes at the school since the previous inspection. A major building programme has taken place and new teachers have been appointed to all classes except the Nursery. The headteacher was appointed in September 2016 and the deputy in January 2017. They have worked successfully with new and existing members of staff to create a strong work ethic and positive ethos among staff, pupils and parents.
• Leaders put teaching and learning at the heart of the school’s work. They have secured improvements to the quality of teaching, learning and assessment since the beginning of the last school year. They regularly use information about pupils’ attainment to reflect on the impact of teaching on their progress. Where necessary, they ensure that pupils who are falling behind receive additional support. They are aware of the strengths in teaching and those areas that need further improvement.
• The school’s curriculum provides a wide range of learning opportunities for pupils. For example, in key stage 2, pupils have the opportunity to play a musical instrument and learn how to read music. Pupils study French and an art specialist has helped pupils to create many attractive displays at the school. She worked, alongside members of the local community, on a poppy project with pupils, to commemorate the end of the First World War. Leaders have also used the sport premium funding effectively to increase pupils’ participation in competitive sport and provide several after-school clubs.
• This is an outward-facing school and school leaders have established a strong commitment in the staff team to continuous improvement. They provide regular training and support for teachers and teaching assistants. Staff spoke positively about the many opportunities they are given to learn from others and share ideas about effective teaching, learning and assessment.
• Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is supported well through the curriculum and carefully planned whole-school assemblies. British values are woven through these learning opportunities. There is a regular focus on different values and teachers regularly encourage pupils to demonstrate their understanding of areas such as democracy and justice.
• Leaders are aware that some parents have concerns about the many changes at the school, particularly in relation to staffing. They appreciate the importance of continuing to engage with and reassure parents.

Governance of the school

• The governing body has a detailed knowledge of the school and is successful in holding school leaders to account. Governors bring a broad range of experience and expertise to their roles and have an accurate and realistic view of the school’s effectiveness. They know what the school does well and are aware of the priorities for future developments.
• Governors share the headteacher’s commitment to continuous improvement. They visit the school regularly to check on different aspects of its work and to ensure that they keep well informed about its effectiveness.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a strong culture of safeguarding at Tattenhall Park. Leaders carry out all the necessary checks on adults who work with pupils and ensure that safeguarding records are detailed and stored securely.
• School leaders ensure that staff are kept informed about any changes to safeguarding policies and procedures and that all members of staff receive training that is appropriate for their role. As a result, staff are aware of their responsibilities and understand how to share any concerns that they might have about a pupil’s welfare or safety.
• Pupils said that they feel safe at school. The pupils who met with one of the inspectors to discuss behaviour also demonstrated a good understanding of the dangers associated with the internet and social media.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Almost all members of the teaching staff joined the school since the beginning of the last academic year. Teaching has improved during this period. Leaders have provided good training and support for staff and made regular checks to ensure that teaching is effective. As a result, teaching is now good in almost every area of the school.
• There are good relationships between staff and pupils. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and conduct. Pupils have good attitudes to learning and behave well in lessons.
• The teaching of phonics is highly effective. Staff have established good routines that pupils respond to well. They teach pupils how to apply their knowledge of phonics in both reading and writing. As a result, most pupils develop into successful readers and can use their phonics knowledge to help them spell words accurately.
• The teaching of writing is improving. Pupils have regular opportunities to write at length and for different purposes. However, some teachers do not have high enough expectations for pupils’ correct use of grammar, punctuation and spelling. Inspectors saw many examples of pupils repeating simple errors in their work without challenge.
• Teaching assistants make a strong contribution to pupils’ learning, both in lessons and when supporting pupils individually or in small groups. They make good use of questioning to develop pupils’ understanding and establish how well they are learning.
• There has been a recent focus on developing pupils’ ability to calculate effectively in mathematics and this is helping to improve progress, particularly for pupils of lower and middle ability. In some classes, teachers provide pupils with regular opportunities to use their numeracy skills to investigate and solve problems. However, this is not the case in all classes and too few pupils make strong progress or achieve the higher standards as a result.
• Some teachers do not use assessment information well enough to plan lessons that build on what pupils already know. As a result, some more-able pupils do not make the strong progress of which they are capable.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are happy and feel safe in school. Pupils who spoke to the inspectors feel well looked after and cared for by adults.
• Pupils have a good understanding of bullying. Those pupils who met with one of the inspectors to discuss behaviour said that bullying rarely happens at the school. They said that if they have any concerns about behaviour, staff will resolve it promptly and appropriately.
• Pupils are articulate and confident. They get along together and support each other well. Older pupils have the opportunity to act as junior safety officers and regularly lead assemblies on different aspects of care and well-being.
• Pupils told the inspectors how much they enjoy the school and how appreciative they are of the opportunities that it provides. They particularly enjoy the regular trips out of school, including the residential visits that take place in Year 2, Year 4 and Year 6.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils behave well, both in class and around the school at playtimes and lunchtimes.
• Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. During lessons they listen carefully to staff and show respect for other people’s ideas and views.
• Pupils are confident and friendly towards each other and the adults who teach them. During this inspection they were courteous towards the inspectors and keen to share their views about the school and their learning.
• Pupils enjoy school. Few are absent or persistently absent. Overall rates of attendance have been above the national average for the past three years.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Attainment at the end of key stage 2 in 2017 was well below the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders have been successful in addressing the weaknesses in teaching which were responsible for these results. As a result, outcomes improved significantly in 2018. However, some pupils still have gaps in their learning and are yet to catch up and reach the standards of which they are capable.
• Weaknesses remain in pupils’ knowledge and understanding of mathematics. Although the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard at the end of key stage 2 increased in 2018, it remained below the national average. The work in pupils’ books shows evidence of improvements across the school but not enough more-able pupils are making strong progress and working at the higher levels.
• Pupils quickly develop good early-reading skills at Tattenhall Park. There are well-established routines in lessons and teachers ensure that pupils make good progress. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 has been above the national average for the past two years.
• Older pupils spoken to during this inspection read widely and often. They demonstrated a good knowledge of different authors and different book types. The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading and the proportion achieving the higher standard were broadly average at the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2 in 2018. However, more pupils are capable of making stronger progress, particularly across key stage 2, and of achieving greater depth at the end of Year 6.
• Outcomes in writing are improving. Most pupils start in Year 1 with the skills and knowledge required to become good writers. They are making increasingly strong progress across key stage 1 and key stage 2. However, not enough pupils are working at the higher levels. The work in books shows that pupils do not have a good enough understanding of grammar, punctuation and spelling. Too often careless mistakes are repeated and progress is limited as a result.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are well supported by teachers and teaching assistants. Staff make regular assessments of their learning and leaders evaluate the impact of any additional support that is provided. As a result, these pupils thrive and make good progress from their starting points.
• Pupils make good progress in some aspects of the wider curriculum. They have good opportunities to develop their scientific knowledge and understanding and regularly produce creative work in art. However, they do not achieve well enough in geography or history. In some classes, teachers fail to provide work which challenges pupils and helps them to develop their knowledge and skills in these subjects.

Early years provision Good

• Children start at the school with skills and abilities which are at or above those typical for their age. The proportion of children reaching a good level of development at the end of the early years has been at or above the national average in recent years. Although this figure fell slightly in 2018, children are well prepared for the next stage in their education when they start in Year 1.
• Staff develop strong relationships with parents and encourage them to contribute to the initial assessments of children’s starting points. Parents told inspectors that they value the close links that exist between home and school. Parents also said that they are kept well informed about their children’s progress.
• Leadership of the early years is effective. Leaders have an accurate picture of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision and they ensure that staff receive the necessary training and support.
• Children develop positive attitudes to learning in the early years. They quickly learn the school’s routines, for example children in the Nursery self-register each morning. Children’s good behaviour is an indication that they feel safe and secure while they are at school.
• The quality of teaching is good in the early years. Children experience a broad range of interesting activities that help them make strong progress towards the early learning goals. Leaders ensure that children who struggle to make progress are identified and provided with the support they need to move on in their learning.
• Children listen carefully to adults and each other. During this inspection children were seen paying close attention during a game of ‘pass the parcel’ and demonstrated a good vocabulary while describing what they were finding within the different layers.
• Staff make regular, detailed assessments of children’s skills, knowledge and understanding. These assessments are used to plan activities that build on what children know. However, more could be done to challenge those children who are of higher ability so that they make even better progress in their learning.
• Children are enthusiastic learners and engage well with the activities that are constructed for them by staff. However, leaders are aware that better use could be made of the outside environment and have plans in place to develop this area.

School details

Unique reference number 111108 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 10052938 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 231 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Elisabeth Oats Jo Hawkins 01244 981260 www.tattenhallpark.cheshire.sch.uk head@tattenhallpark.cheshire.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 20–21 September 2012

Information about this school

• The school is smaller than most other primary schools.
• Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups who attend the school is much lower than average and only a very small number of pupils speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is lower than the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who are supported by an education, health and care plan is around the national average.
• The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is much lower than that found in most primary schools.
• There are Nursery and Reception classes. Reception children attend full-time. Nursery children can attend either part-time or full-time.
• The school operates a before- and after-school club.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching, learning and assessment in all classes. Some of the observations were conducted jointly with the headteacher.
• Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ written work in subjects across the curriculum.
• Inspectors looked at documentation including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan, minutes of governing-body meetings, attendance information and safeguarding records.
• Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the SEN leader and the teacher in charge of the early years. The lead inspector also met with the subject leaders for mathematics and English.
• The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and spoke with a representative of the local authority and a school improvement adviser.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ conduct during breaks and lunchtimes.
• One inspector met with groups of pupils to listen to them read and discuss behaviour and other aspects of school life. Inspectors also spoke with many other pupils informally.
• Inspectors took account of the 122 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and spoke with parents before school.

Inspection team

Paul Tomkow, lead inspector Ann Dimeck Eithne Proffitt

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector