Bacup St Saviour's Community Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the impact of teaching on outcomes for pupils by:
  • ensuring that the effectiveness of teaching is at least consistently good
  • sharing the good practice in the school to further develop the skills of other staff
  • increase the proportion of pupils attaining the expected level in phonics by the end of Year 1
  • ensuring that a higher proportion of pupils achieve the expected level for their age in reading, writing and mathematics by the time they leave the school in each year.
• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:
  • ensuring that pupils are more aware of fundamental British values and current affairs
  • rebuilding relationships with parents and reducing the detrimental impact of changes to staff on pupils’ learning
  • ensuring that middle leaders’ skills are used more effectively to support staff to raise standards and improve outcomes across subjects in key stages 1 and 2.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Leadership and management require improvement because although leaders took decisive action to improve the quality of teaching and learning throughout the school, this resulted in turbulence in staffing which has had a detrimental effect on the progress and attainment of pupils.
• Leaders’ actions have now begun to reverse the decline in pupils’ outcomes and in the quality of teaching since the previous inspection, but the improvements evident in this inspection are too recent to confirm that the standards of pupils’ work and the quality of teaching are consistently good.
• Leaders acknowledge that the lack of consistency in teaching and a varied quality of education for some pupils has led to a breakdown in the relationships between the school and some families. Leaders are determined to reverse this and the headteacher and governors are committed to developing strong relationships with all families for the benefit of pupils.
• Leaders’ plans for improvement have identified the key priorities and there is now capacity within school to drive forward the new initiatives designed to bring about rapid and sustained improvements for all.
• Systematic checks are made on the quality of teaching and there is a direct link made between teachers’ performance management targets and pupils’ progress. Middle leaders are developing their areas of responsibility, but there has not yet been enough time for these new strategies to embed and have full impact. Leaders have had some success, for example in continuing to improve the teaching of phonics in the early years and in maintaining pupils’ personal development and good behaviour.
• Leaders have created a cohesive and engaged team of staff who are all working to improve pupils’ attainment, progress and life chances. Staff collaborate and support each other well and are appreciative of the training provided for them. Newly qualified teachers in particular speak highly of the support and training they have received.
• The curriculum is balanced and varied, and reflects the new national curriculum. Teachers plan work around interesting themes and pupils enjoy their learning. The school offers a wide range of activities which complement the curriculum well. For example, pupils enjoyed a visit by the local fire brigade during the topic of fire safety and keeping safe.
• Staff promote the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively through the curriculum and through assemblies, circle time and other activities. Pupils are taught about diversity, other cultures and religions and are being prepared well for life in modern Britain. There is still some work to be done on raising pupils’ awareness of current affairs and the British democratic system. Leaders are aware of this and are addressing this issue with immediate effect.
• Leaders use the pupil premium funding carefully to provide bespoke support for individual disadvantaged pupils, including educational support and their social and emotional development.
• The physical education and sport funding is used effectively to improve pupils’ participation in and enjoyment of sport. There are a wide range of extra clubs on offer throughout the school year; as one parent stated, ‘the opportunities for extra-curricular activities are the best they’ve ever been’.
• The local authority provides valued support to the school. It provides support for leaders and governors through to newly qualified teachers, for example in the teaching of mathematics. Local authority staff are regular visitors to the school and have every confidence in the headteacher and her new team at Bacup St Saviour’s School to improve the progress and attainment of current pupils.

Governance of the school

• The governing body has a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. Governors have reflected on past pupils’ outcomes and are now a strong team determined to support and challenge the headteacher and other leaders to bring about rapid improvement.
• Governors ask searching questions of leaders and are willing to take decisive action when necessary. They use performance management rigorously to drive progress.
• Governors are proud of the pupils at this school and are a strong force for change. They work closely with the headteacher to ensure that current pupils benefit from high-quality teaching.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Safeguarding is an unequivocal strength of the school. All adults, governors and staff are well trained and clearly understand their role in keeping pupils safe. All staff know what to do if they have any concerns and are proactive in making sure that pupils are safe.
• When concerns are passed on to the headteacher, they are rigorously followed up until she is satisfied that the pupils in her care are safe. Robust and effective systems protect the most potentially vulnerable pupils at this school.
• Procedures for recruiting and appointing staff are rigorous and all appropriate checks are carried out. Training is up to date and all staff have knowledge of protecting pupils from the dangers of extremism and radicalisation.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Over time, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment has been inconsistent and has not been good enough to help pupils to make consistently good progress. Some pupils are unclear what they should do to improve their work. Some teachers miss opportunities to capitalise on developing pupils’ next steps in their learning, which hinders pupils’ progress. Teaching in phonics in Year 1 has not been effective enough in building on children’s attainment at the end of Reception. The transition between Reception and Year 1 has stalled rather than accelerated pupils’ learning. However, actions taken by leaders are bringing about swift improvements.
• The school is receiving additional support from the local authority to improve the teaching of mathematics. A consultant is also working closely with newly qualified teachers to help them to further develop their classroom skills quickly.
• Teachers and teaching assistants now work together as a strong team. They plan work together and ensure that work and activities are well matched to the needs of pupils.
• Strategies to improve the quality of teaching are having a positive impact and this is evident in the improvements in the progress of pupils. Effective planning of a wide range of interesting activities, coupled with highly effective questioning, is evident across the wider curriculum. This promotes pupils’ understanding and also enables them to reflect on their own work and improve it for themselves.
• Teachers’ assessments are checked for their accuracy both in school and externally and used effectively to inform planning. High expectations from all staff ensure positive attitudes to learning in lesson. Creative strategies are employed to keep pupils focused on their work; for example, the use of ‘critters who are scared of noise’ effectively kept the working buzz in the classroom at a suitable level conducive to learning.
• Relationships between staff and pupils are caring and positive. Teachers provide a lively and engaging learning environment for pupils. Wall displays reinforce learning and celebrate pupils’ good work. Pupils feel safe with staff, are willing to offer answers and are comfortable when any misconceptions are used as learning points for others.
• New teachers and new systems need time to embed and show impact in improving outcomes for pupils.

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 confident, articulate and friendly. They display good manners, and are respectful to each other and to adults. Pupils care about each other and the school. The school motto is seen in action throughout the school; as one pupil told the inspection team, ‘we really are a small school with a big heart’.
• Pupils learn cooperatively together and support each other in the learning. In a reading session, pupils were helping each other to spell and read tricky words so that all pupils in the group understood the text and could answer challenging problems.
• Pupils take pride in their work and are keen to show off what they are doing and talk clearly about their learning.
• Leaders work relentlessly to ensure that pupils are safe. There is a culture of safeguarding around the school resulting from regular and appropriate training and an in-depth knowledge of pupils. Pupils feel safe and are taught how to keep themselves safe personally and online.
• Pupils are adamant that bullying rarely occurs, and are confident that if it did occur, it would be dealt with swiftly. Parents expressed a less positive view about bullying but no supporting evidence was seen during the inspection or in discussions with pupils to endorse this view. This in part could be because of strained relationships with leaders in the past.
• Leaders’ effective work to promote personal development and welfare is reflected in the warm and caring atmosphere and environment which permeates the school. The inclusive nature of all staff and pupils leads to a school where pupils feel safe, valued and supported.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are a credit to the school and their families.
• Pupils are well behaved in lessons and during social times, including lunchtimes. Pupils manage their own behaviour well and their attitudes to learning are positive across year groups and classes.
• In class, the majority of pupils are attentive and extremely eager to participate. A small cheer arose, for example, when pupils were told they were going to punctuate a paragraph, demonstrating an excellent work ethos and desire to participate.
• No incidents of poor behaviour were seen during the inspection and school logs show that there are relatively few incidents of such behaviour. Pupils themselves state that they enjoy coming to school and that they are keen to learn.
• As a result of leaders’ actions, attendance has improved for all pupils and there is a significant reduction in the numbers of pupils regularly absent from school. Leaders are proactive in promoting attendance; letters are sent home, home visits are carried out and parents are supported to work closely with the school to overcome any barriers to regular attendance. There is still work to be done in continuing to improve the attendance of disadvantaged pupils, but leaders’ actions are beginning to improve the overall attendance of this group of pupils.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Over the last two years, standards at the end of key stages 1 and 2 have been below national averages and progress has been slow. This has been due in the main to a lengthy period of staff turnover, which has resulted in some classes taught by up to three teachers in a year.
• The headteacher and governing body have taken decisive action to address these issues. As a result, a talented team of teachers are now in post and are committed to raising standards as a matter of urgency. The school’s own assessment information of the progress of current pupils shows improvement. More pupils are on track to reach or exceed expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics. The work seen in pupils’ books and in lessons confirms this more positive picture.
• The proportion of pupils achieving a good level of development in all areas of learning by the end of the early years is continuing to rise and is above the national average. This represents excellent progress during their time in the early years and prepares them very well for key stage 1.
• At key stage 1, pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has been below the national average. The proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in phonics in Year 1 has been low.
• However, the progress of current pupils in school is rapidly rising. There is an improving picture across the school, as the impact of a stable staffing team and recent initiatives begin to have an impact. For example, pupils make good progress in phonics in the early years and progress for the most able pupils is strong.
• The progress made by pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is inconsistent. Leaders are well informed about the progress made by these pupils and support is in place to make sure that they do as well as they possibly can. The progress of older pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is in line with that of their peers in reading and mathematics.
• The new middle leaders for phonics and mathematics are beginning to make a positive difference to pupils’ outcomes. Progress can be seen in the work being produced by pupils, in displays throughout the school and in the school’s own assessment data. Incisive plans for improvement are beginning to bear fruit.

Early years provision Outstanding

• The early years provision is outstanding due to exceptional teaching and leadership. This results in children making rapid progress from their starting points. Leaders work very well with parents, other local providers and agencies to make sure transition into the early years is smooth and effective.
• Leaders of the early years are very clear about the children’s strengths and weaknesses and their individual starting points. Leaders shape learning activities to maximise the progress of all children.
• As a result of highly effective teaching, children make very strong progress in all areas of their development. This includes children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged.
• Children are exceedingly well prepared for key stage 1 through an exciting and engaging curriculum, which catches the interest and imagination of children and rapidly drives their progress.
• The passion of all staff is clear to see and this passes to the children through their enthusiastic and infectious love of learning. From entering to leaving the classroom, children are fully absorbed in their learning through a variety of thoroughly planned and well-matched activities designed to promote deep learning.
• Wherever children turn, there are activities to capture their interest and fire their imagination. When learning how to describe a character, children were entranced by a sequence of lessons involving Goldilocks being caught on camera stealing porridge and breaking a chair in the early years classroom. From this, children drew ‘wanted’ posters, provided a description for police and wrote a description to warn the public about the ‘thief’. Children could barely contain their excitement when explaining their learning to the inspector.
• Children are caring towards each other, take turns and work cooperatively with each other. Teaching assistants provide strong support for individuals and groups, helping children to develop their reading, speaking and physical skills.
• Assessment and tracking of children’s learning is excellent and highly detailed. Children are given many opportunities to practise their skills and teachers and leaders have high expectations for all. Teachers seize learning points at every opportunity.
• Children are safe both inside the classroom and outside. Healthy snacks are provided, children are well supervised and there are no breaches of statutory welfare requirements.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 119191 Lancashire 10024345 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 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 97 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Mrs E.M. Hood Mrs D. Marsh 01706 877900 www.bacupstsavioursprimary.co.uk/ bursar@bacup-st-saviours.lancs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 18–19 April 2013

Information about this school

• This school is smaller than the average primary school.
• The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is lower than average, as is the proportion who speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is higher than average. There are no most-able disadvantaged pupils in the school.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average, but the proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is above average.
• The early years provision comprises one Reception class. Children in Reception attend full time.
• The school runs a breakfast club and after-school club, which are valued by parents.
• There have been significant staff changes since the last inspection. A new headteacher has been appointed and a large proportion of staff have been replaced. A new deputy headteacher was appointed in September 2016 and a new chair of the governing body has also been appointed since the last inspection.
• The school receives general support from the local authority and support from the monitoring and intervention team.
• The school meets the requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school does not meet the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for the attainment and progress of pupils in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed learning throughout the school. All observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher. In addition, pupils’ work was scrutinised formally and in lessons.
• The inspector listened to pupils read.
• The inspectors met with pupils, both formally and informally, to listen to their views.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, other leaders, newly qualified teachers, groups of pupils, governors and representatives from the local authority.
• The inspector scrutinised a wide range of documentation that covered: information about pupils’ attainment and progress; the school’s self-evaluation and its improvement plan; minutes of governing body meetings; records relating to teaching and learning, pupils’ attendance and behaviour, and safeguarding of pupils.
• The inspector considered the views expressed by parents in the 17 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, as well as comments received via the free text facility on Parent View. The inspector also took into account the seven responses to a questionnaire for staff. Inspection team

Helen O’Neill, lead inspector

Her Majesty’s Inspector