The Acorns Primary and Nursery School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve further the quality of teaching and learning and in so doing, boost pupils‟ progress and raise their attainment by:
  • consistently challenging pupils to achieve to their absolute best, especially in mathematics
  • providing more opportunities for pupils to write independently and for different purposes, particularly in key stage 1
  • developing pupils‟ understanding of what they need to do to improve their learning.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The Acorns executive headteacher (headteacher) is highly ambitious. She is responsive to challenges and requests from governors. The headteacher has set the bar high, to improve the quality of teaching and outcomes for pupils. She has been successful in harnessing the support of staff, pupils and parents to move the school forward.
• Together with senior leaders, and with the full backing of the governing body, the headteacher has implemented effective plans and successfully tackled most of the areas for improvement identified from the previous inspection and recent monitoring visit.
• The introduction of provision for two-year-olds, at the start of the autumn term 2017, has been extremely popular with parents. The provision is over-subscribed. It is part of senior leaders‟ and governors‟ plan to work with children at as an early age as possible to help them have the maximum benefit from their education at The Acorns.
• Leaders have been especially successful in raising achievement in Years 5 and 6, developing the roles of middle leaders and improving transition arrangements for children as they move from the Reception class to Year 1. Senior leaders know that there is more work to do to increase the level of challenge for some groups of pupils, particularly the most able, and to improve pupils‟ writing skills, most notably in key stage 1.
• Staff morale is high. All staff completed the inspection questionnaire and indicated that they were proud to work at the school. Teachers are appreciative of the professional development they receive, which they say helps to improve their teaching practice and strengthen their leadership roles as subject specialists. Teachers are confident to share their ideas with colleagues in this school, teachers in the school with which Acorns is federated, Whitley Village Primary School, and teachers in the local cluster of schools.
• Systems to monitor the quality of teaching are thorough. Senior leaders clearly indicate strengths and areas for development in teachers‟ practice and provide useful advice to teachers on how they can improve. Leaders set challenging targets which are closely matched to improving the outcomes for pupils.
• Subject leadership is increasingly effective, including among those leaders responsible for English and mathematics, who were eager to talk to inspectors about their responsibilities. Quite rightly, all are proud of their work and achievements.
• Mathematics is promoted well across the curriculum, including in science. There is an excitement in the school about reading. Pupils read regularly in English and subjects including religious education, history and geography. Independent writing is not promoted as widely across the curriculum as other subjects.
• The school uses additional funding effectively, including that for disadvantaged pupils. It is helping to raise standards for disadvantaged pupils. For example, in 2017 at the end of Year 6, pupils made good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Evidence, including work in these pupils‟ books and the school‟s own assessment information, indicates that differences in the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and that of other pupils nationally are rapidly diminishing. Additional funding for those who have SEN and/or disabilities, including those in the resource base, is used effectively and supports pupils‟ good and rapidly improving progress.
• The work carried out by staff to promote pupils‟ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils care about each other and staff. They see it as a moral duty to help others. Pupils enjoy playing musical instruments, especially the ukulele, and trips to the theatre and museums. Pupils in Years 2, 4 and 6 relish their annual residential experience. All pupils enjoy French, which they often speak around the school. They learn about Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam and Sikhism. In addition, opportunities are available for pupils to consider the reasons for, and the consequences of, religious and racial intolerance and prejudice-based bullying.
• Pupils know their rights and enjoy putting democratic principles into practice through the school parliament and as sports ambassadors. Pupils understand the importance of fair play. They are empathetic and raise money for worthy causes. Pupils participate in drawing up class rules, which everyone signs. The regularly celebrate, and commemorate, important dates and events, such as Remembrance Day.
• Additional funding for primary school physical education and sport is used effectively. It helps to increase participation in competitive sports through local sports partnerships and galas. Funding also helps to develop the skills of staff in teaching various physical activities. The school works with experienced trainers and provides a gymnastics club, street-dance workshops, and fitness and tennis classes. In addition, pupils enjoy basketball, football, fencing and ballroom dancing. School records show that almost all pupils in key stage 2 participate in at least one sporting activity after school.
• Almost all parents, including those who spoke with inspectors and completed the school‟s own surveys of parents‟ views, were highly positive about all aspects of the school, including their children‟s safety, progress and well-being. Parents have many opportunities to get involved in their children‟s learning, including in „speech and sounds‟ (phonics) workshops. Parents who sent in text messages typically commented that, „this is such a fantastic school, it‟s well managed and concerns are dealt with straightaway‟.
• Up until the end of the last academic year, the school received intensive support from both the local authority and independent consultants. The need for support has lessened over the last 18 months, because good leadership has strengthened the quality of teaching and improved outcomes for pupils.

Governance of the school

• Governance is strong. Governors are skilled, and they challenge and support senior leaders in equal measure. They ask leaders searching questions about the school‟s performance. The governors‟ priority is to help the school to raise standards and improve teaching. Their wide-ranging experience is serving them well in helping the school to bring about rapid improvements.
• Governors know that leadership at all levels is strong, including at subject-specialist level, and that pupils‟ behaviour and attitude to learning have been transformed. Governors are not complacent. They understand that there is more work to be done, especially in relation to raising pupils‟ attainment at the end of key stages 1 and 2.
• The governing body knows how additional funding, including for disadvantaged pupils, is spent and the impact that it is having on eligible pupils. Governors have set their sights on ensuring that all pupils participate in all aspects of school life and eradicating the differences in the performance of disadvantaged pupils and that of other pupils nationally.
• Governors are trained well. They keep themselves abreast of developments in education. Most have had „Prevent‟ duty training, which is part of the government‟s agenda to tackle radicalisation and extremism.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• All staff have a good knowledge and understanding of safeguarding matters. They know exactly what to do if a pupil approaches them with a concern relating to their safety or welfare.
• All staff are familiar with the latest government guidelines on how to keep children safe. In addition, staff are trained well to recognise all forms of abuse and spot pupils in need of help and support. Staff take prompt action on safeguarding matters and work with a range of professionals. Designated safeguarding leaders are trained to a high standard.
• The school‟s central record of checks on the suitability of staff to work with children is up to date and contains all the necessary information. This ensures that risks to pupils, especially the most vulnerable, are minimised. Leaders are successful in creating a school culture in which safeguarding is of paramount importance.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching and learning has improved since the previous inspection. Teachers are trained well and have a good understanding of their own strengths and areas for development. They are open to learning from colleagues in school and further afield.
• Teachers work well with teaching assistants, the speech and language therapist, and other adults to meet the specific learning needs of almost all pupils. Teachers use information on pupils‟ prior learning effectively to plan different activities, which ensure that almost all pupils make good progress.
• Teachers make learning interesting. They bring subjects, such as history and geography, to life through visits to places of local interest. In addition, teachers invite „Vikings‟ and „Roman soldiers‟ into school, to be quizzed by pupils. Such activities stimulate pupils‟ writing and provide them with an insight into history.
• The school‟s thematic curriculum enables teachers to develop pupils‟ appreciation of the links between various subjects. For example, to bring the subject of homelessness to life, a representative from a charity for homeless people came to school to share his first-hand knowledge of the misery of living on the streets. This theme was extended further in geography, with a study of life in the favelas (Brazilian shantytowns or slums). In design technology, the homeless theme was linked to shelter building.
• Good teaching in science provides opportunities for pupils to be involved in practical experiments and investigations. Opportunities are available for pupils to apply their knowledge in science and practise their mathematical skills when presenting their findings and recording their evidence.
• Overall, the quality of teaching in mathematics is good, including in the resource base. Teachers‟ good subject knowledge interests and engages pupils, developing their appreciation of the importance of mathematics in solving problems. Teachers‟ good questioning deepens pupils‟ understanding of the importance of using different methods and practices, such as estimating and measuring. However, on occasion, teachers set insufficiently challenging tasks. As a result, some pupils, especially the most able, do not make the progress of which they are capable in this subject.
• For the last two years, teachers have been taking a consistent approach to developing pupils‟ writing. This has been successful, as shown by the rising trend of improvement, especially at the end of key stage 2. Teachers check pupils‟ spelling, grammar and punctuation skills regularly. This was evident in an upper key stage 2 class where pupils demonstrated their good spelling of tricky words, including „immediately‟ and „queue‟, and their good ability to edit text, by checking grammar and punctuation.
• All teachers consistently apply the school‟s feedback and assessment policy. However, feedback to pupils on their work does not always help pupils to understand what they need to do to further improve their learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school‟s work to promote pupils‟ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils said that they are well cared for and staff listen to them. Those who spoke with inspectors said that they always feel safe. They know they can speak to any member of staff if they have any concerns. In addition, they can post notes in the „worry box‟, secure in the knowledge that someone will always get back to them.
• Pupils are developing into confident and resilient learners. They are increasingly sharing their ideas in class and trying out new things. Pupils know that their last port of call if they get „stuck‟ in class is their teacher. They know that they should talk to their peers first and try their hardest to find answers to questions and solve problems independently.
• Pupils like to demonstrate that they are responsible and reliable. They do this in their roles as „buddies‟ to new pupils, sports and e-safety ambassadors or school parliament members.
• A substantial proportion of pupils completed a questionnaire during the inspection. They indicated that bullying rarely, if ever, happens. All pupils who completed the school‟s recent survey said that they feel looked after well. Inspection evidence, including discussions with pupils and parents, indicates that The Acorns School is a safe place for pupils to learn.
• Pupils play sensibly and safely. Visitors from various services, including the police and the fire and rescue service, help to develop pupils‟ understanding of dangers and risks and how to avoid unsafe situations.
• Pupils know how to stay safe when using the internet. They say that cyber bullying is when, „you get bullied on an “app”, mobile phone or games console‟. Visitors address the issue of online safety during assemblies. The school gives good advice on „safe gaming‟ and helps to develop both pupils‟ and parents‟ awareness of the potential dangers of unsupervised access to electronic games.
• Pupils have a developing understanding of racism and homophobic bullying. They are adamant that neither takes place in school. Older pupils who spoke with inspectors agreed that, „we are all different but equal‟ and that we should not, „judge a book by its cover‟.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The Acorns is a calm and purposeful school where pupils are respectful towards each other and staff. Pupils were very welcoming to inspectors. They opened doors without prompting, greeted the team eagerly, and were always willing to talk about their learning.
• Pupils‟ behaviour, when moving around the school and during breaks and lunchtimes, is good. Pupils say that arguments and disagreements are rare and people always „make up‟ after a „fall out‟.
• Pupils make sure that the school is looked after well. They take care to ensure that their work is neat and well presented and wear their uniforms with pride. Pupils enjoy an element of competition and like to collect badges and awards for reading. They enjoy celebration assemblies, where their academic achievements and good attendance are recognised.
• Pupils‟ attendance has improved since the previous inspection. Senior leaders have worked successfully to reduce persistent absence by half. Through their effective work, attendance is now close to the national average. The headteacher and family liaison officer are highly effective in working with families to improve attendance. They work with a wide range of specialists and services to support families, especially where there is concern about an individual child‟s poor attendance.
• Staff in the resource base are highly skilled at working with pupils who sometimes find it difficult to manage their own behaviour. As a result, the resource base is calm and purposeful.
• Pupils regularly attend the breakfast club, which provides an excellent start to the day. Here pupils can eat a healthy breakfast, play games and catch up with their friends.
• Pupils contributed their ideas during recent proposals to amend the school‟s behaviour policy and system of rewards and sanctions. Pupils enjoy competing for „dojos‟, which are awarded for good behaviour, helping others and for their diligence in class.
• Pupils‟ behaviour in lessons is good. They are attentive. They respectfully listen to their peers‟ ideas and are eager to answer questions. Staff work consistently and effectively with pupils who find it difficult to manage their own behaviour. They are well trained to spot „triggers‟. This helps to maintain the calm and purposeful nature of the school.
• Almost all the parents who spoke with inspectors, completed Parent View, and/or sent in text messages were of the view that behaviour is good and bullying rare. The school‟s own surveys of parents‟ and pupils‟ views coincide with these findings, as do the views of all staff and governors. Inspection evidence, including a review of the school‟s records, indicates that poor behaviour and bullying are rare.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils‟ outcomes are improving rapidly. This is shown by the significant rise in attainment in 2017, especially at the end of Year 6. At this time, a far higher proportion of pupils reached the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics, and attained at greater depth, than in 2016.
• Inspection evidence, including the school‟s own assessment information and work in pupils‟ books, indicates that, between 2016 and 2017, most pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities, made good progress in a wide range of subjects, usually from low starting points. Currently, most pupils are making accelerated progress to reach at least the standards expected for their age.
• Pupils enjoy reading and are familiar with the work of a wide range of authors. Their reading records indicate that they read frequently, both at school and at home. Pupils who read for inspectors said that methods such as, „the chunky monkey‟, „stretchy snake‟ and „flippy dolphin‟ („flipping‟ the vowel sound and trying long and short sounds) all help them to read unfamiliar words.
• At the end of Year 1 in 2017, a below-average proportion of pupils reached the expected standard in the national phonics screening check. Their performance was not as good as in the previous year. However, senior leaders have reviewed teachers‟ approach to teaching phonics, which is both consistent and good. The school‟s own data indicates that most pupils currently in Year 1 are already equipped with the necessary skills to reach the expected standard when they take the phonics check in the summer term.
• Pupils say that they enjoy problem-solving in mathematics. This is because teachers make mathematics interesting. Characteristically, teachers focus on improving pupils‟ fluency, speed and accuracy when carrying out calculations. As a result, in almost every class, pupils are making at least expected progress. However, lack of challenge prevents some of the most able pupils from attaining the standards of which they are capable.
• Progress in writing is improving, as evidenced by the increased proportion of pupils in Year 6 who met, or exceeded, the expected standards in 2017. Pupils in key stage 2 write poetry and persuasive texts well. However, key stage 1 pupils‟ outcomes in writing still require improvement. They have too few opportunities to write on their own, to make, identify and learn from errors, or to write for different purposes.
• At the end of Year 6 in 2017, disadvantaged pupils made good progress in reading and mathematics. Their best progress was in reading, moving from the bottom 2% in the country to the top 50%. This improvement for disadvantaged pupils is evident across the school. Consistently good teaching and high expectations from staff are helping to continually diminish differences between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and that of other pupils nationally.
• All pupils in the resource base have SEN and/or disabilities and education, health and care plans. Teachers and teaching assistants challenge pupils to achieve to the best of their ability. Staff have a comprehensive understanding of pupils‟ specific educational needs and plan activities that pupils find interesting. This supports pupils‟ engagement and good progress in a wide range of subjects.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress. The coordinator of the provision for these pupils is trained well and works in partnership with various specialists to ensure that pupils have the support they need.
• The school has a small but increasing number of most-able pupils. The proportion attaining the higher standards in writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 in 2017 was greater than in 2016. As a result of teachers now effectively challenging the most able pupils, they are currently making good progress in all subjects.
• Pupils who speak English as an additional language are welcomed into the school. Some have little or no English. Specialist language support, and the support of senior leaders, other staff and pupils, help these pupils settle into school life. Pupils quickly grasp the English language and progress well alongside their peers.
• Consistently good teaching, in a wide range of subjects, is helping to ensure that a rapidly growing proportion of pupils are ready for the next stage of their learning in Year 7.

Early years provision Good

• All aspects of the leadership and management of the early years provision are strong; some aspects are particularly effective. The quality of teaching, learning and assessment, work with parents, children‟s behaviour, and outcomes at the end of Reception are good. The early years leader is very experienced and highly effective. Together with her team, she ensures that children are safe to enjoy learning, discover new things with their friends and realise their potential.
• Teachers, teaching assistants and other adults have an in-depth understanding of how young children learn, and they form very strong bonds with children and have very high expectations of them.
• Children join the Nursery class with skills and abilities below those typical for their age. Children‟s communication and language skills are especially weak. Similarly, two-year-old children start with little or no language. However, good teaching, care and support enable them to settle into The Acorns quickly and make securely good progress.
• Outcomes for children at the end of Reception Year have improved for at least the last three years. In 2017, a below-average proportion attained a good level of development. However, almost all made good progress from their low starting points and were ready for their learning in Year 1.
• Children learn in a very stimulating environment. During the inspection, the theme in early years was „pirates‟. Children were challenged to investigate and find things out for themselves. This was evident in the Reception class, where children developed their fine motor skills as they tried various keys in the locks of different treasure boxes.
• Excellent questioning and dialogue help to probe children‟s understanding and develop their speaking skills. Staff use various methods to reinforce the sounds of different words. This was illustrated in a teacher‟s dialogue with children who were making „wanted‟ posters. Using signs and symbols, as well as words, the teacher asked children, „why are you making a wanted poster?‟, to which they replied, „We are making it for Captain Hook‟.
• The learning environment in the Reception class is inviting and stimulating and clearly linked to the different areas of learning. Here, children engage in role-play activities, count, measure, explore various materials, practise mark-making or relax in the reading area with an enjoyable book.
• During the inspection, children were following up on work carried out on Shrove Tuesday. A small group of children worked with great concentration to create a recipe and instructions for making pancakes. Effective questioning from the teaching assistant helped children to think about, and remember, the various steps taken to make the pancakes.
• Children enjoy counting, and do this regularly. Children enjoy ordering numbers and placing them on a „washing line‟. During the inspection, they took great delight in following a Valentine‟s Day heart trail and adding up the hearts they collected along the way.
• When two-year-old children started in September, most were unable to say their first name. However, almost all were confident to speak to inspectors and were willing to say their first name. Some can say their second name. Others are even more articulate and explained to inspectors that they were „painting‟ or „going shopping‟.
• The early years leader and the leader for provision for two-year-olds have received training on teaching two-year-olds. All staff have benefited from training from early years specialists. The school‟s speech and language therapist has had a significant impact on securing the accelerated progress that children are making in their communication skills.
• As with the Nursery and Reception children, two-year-old children are looked after well. They follow instructions well, play safely and are familiar with routines, such as preparing to play outside. Children are cooperative and like to play and learn together. They enjoy playing outdoors, where they can practise balancing, engage in construction activities and do a spot of gardening.
• Children‟s learning journey books chart their development in different areas of learning. Photographs and stick-on notes are included. These serve as a record of children‟s achievements. However, evidence of children‟s early mark-making and writing is not captured as comprehensively as for other areas of learning, such as counting, playing, and moving and handling objects.
• In 2017, children eligible for additional financial support made good progress. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities. However, leaders recognise that for these children, reading and writing are areas still in need of development. In addition, following improvements in 2017, leaders place a high priority on further improving outcomes for boys and disadvantaged children.
• Parents appreciate the school‟s open-door policy. They are welcomed into early years and can join in phonics and „stay and play‟ sessions. All parents who spoke with inspectors were highly positive about all aspects of early years provision. Typically, they say that their children are making good progress and enjoy coming to school. Parents are satisfied that their children are safe and looked after well.
• Staff look after children well, making sure that all welfare requirements are met. Safeguarding is effective. The same well-established procedures in operation in key stages 1 and 2 are in operation in early years.

School details

Unique reference number 134866 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 10042446 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 Community 2 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 366 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Kevin Unsworth Executive headteacher Hannah Mansfield Telephone number 0151 355 1546 Website Email address www.theacornsprimary.co.uk head@theacorns.cheshire.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 16–17 June 2015

Information about this school

• The Acorns Primary and Nursery School is larger than the average-sized school catering for pupils and children aged two to 11. Seven places are available in the school‟s resource base, which caters for pupils who have complex learning needs. At the time of the inspection, the resource base was at full capacity.
• There is a federation arrangement in place between The Acorns and Whitley Village Primary School, a small school in Lower Whitley. The executive headteacher, deputy headteacher and business manager all took up their roles at the start of the summer term 2016. All have executive roles, covering the two schools in the federation. In September 2017, a new assistant headteacher joined the senior leadership team.
• Since the previous inspection, there have been additional staffing changes. Several new teachers have been appointed, including a newly qualified teacher. The leadership team has been restructured. The governing body has been reorganised to include several new members, including the chair of the governing body. Provision for two-year-old children was introduced in September 2017.
• A well-above-average proportion of pupils are disadvantaged.
• Almost all pupils are of White British heritage. A small but increasing number of pupils speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is well above average. The proportion of pupils who have education, health and care plans or a statement of SEN is well above average.
• Most children attend the Nursery class on a part-time basis. Provision for two-year-olds is also available on a part-time basis. Children in the Reception class attend full time.
• The school runs a breakfast club, which is managed by the governing body and formed part of the inspection. The after-school club is also managed by the governing body.
• The school meets the government‟s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils‟ outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed a range of lessons in all year groups, as well as the teaching of small groups of pupils and sessions aimed at helping pupils learn to read. Three observations were carried out jointly with senior leaders.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read and held discussions with pupils from across the school. Pupils‟ work in books was scrutinised in class and separately with senior leaders.
• Inspectors read 46 text responses submitted by parents during the inspection and met informally with parents. Inspectors considered 51 responses to Ofsted‟s online survey, Parent View, as well as the school‟s own survey of parents‟ views. Responses to the inspection questionnaires completed by 52 members of staff and 214 pupils were also considered.
• A meeting was held with eight governors, including the chair of the governing body. A telephone conversation was held with a governor. Meetings were held with various senior and middle leaders, including those responsible for English, mathematics, music, religious education, modern foreign languages, art, computing, physical education and for the promotion of pupils‟ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
• Meetings were also held with leaders responsible for assessing pupils‟ learning and progress, the early years provision and provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. A meeting was held with the family learning mentor.
• Telephone conversations were held with a representative of the local authority and the school‟s consultant.
• Inspectors examined a range of documents. These included the school‟s checks on the quality of teaching and reviews of its own performance, development plans, information about pupils‟ progress, records of pupils‟ attendance and behaviour, and safeguarding documentation.

Inspection team

Lenford White, lead inspector Michael Gaskill Maureen Hints

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector