Glodwick Infant and Nursery School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Secure further improvements to rates of attendance for all groups of pupils, including those with SEND, by continuing to work with parents to dissuade them from taking periods of extended leave during term time.
• Ensure that leaders’ chosen system for keeping track of pupils’ outcomes is fit for purpose so that leaders can more easily evaluate the attainment and progress of different groups of pupils.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• Leaders’ mission to ‘create an oasis of calm’ has been successful in ensuring pupils get the very best from their education. The excellent relationships between pupils and staff support pupils’ personal development. Pupils typically make outstanding progress from their individual starting points during their time at the school.
• Leaders work together in an effective manner to ensure that an ambitious culture exists in school. The headteacher and senior leadership team are committed to providing staff with training and opportunities to develop their skills. As a result, several members of staff have been promoted to positions of leadership within the school.
• Support networks between Glodwick and other schools are exceptionally effective. Leaders provide opportunities for staff to benefit from sharing the good practice seen in other schools. In return, leaders provide support to other local schools in areas such as curriculum development. Staff also benefit from the expertise of leaders within their own school. For example, the school’s special educational needs leader uses her broad range of training and experience to advise staff when discussing the progress of pupils with SEND.
• Subject leadership is effective, and particularly so in English, mathematics and science. Leaders in these subjects are proactive, ensuring that they develop their subjects further to effectively challenge pupils’ thinking. For example, in reading, leaders have worked well together to develop teachers’ ability to teach inference and deduction skills. As a result, pupils have a deeper understanding of the content of the books that they read.
• Leaders provide pupils with a well-planned and engaging curriculum. They ensure that pupils receive a wide range of interesting experiences to develop their skills and understanding. The impact of the curriculum on pupils’ knowledge and enjoyment is evident in the enthusiastic way in which they talked to inspectors about things they had enjoyed learning.
• The proportion of pupils in the school with SEND is almost double the national average. These pupils typically make excellent progress from their low starting points. This is because the leader for pupils with SEND is highly effective in her role. She knows the pupils well and uses her wealth of experience to excellent effect to ensure that they receive the focused support they need to make the strongest possible progress. This represents excellent use of the school’s funding for SEND.
• Published data about the progress and attainment of disadvantaged pupils varies from year to year. This is because in some year groups, many of the disadvantaged pupils are also pupils with SEND. Checks on pupils’ books confirm that disadvantaged pupils make the same very strong progress as others in school from their different starting points. This confirms that pupil premium funding is used effectively.
• Leaders do not currently provide after-school activities, which a small proportion of parents spoken with during the inspection said they would like for their children. However, there is no suggestion that the curriculum lacks richness. For example, pupils benefit from high-quality music lessons, which are enhanced by choir and recorder activities that take place at lunchtime.
• Leaders use the primary physical education (PE) and sport premium to excellent effect, ensuring that pupils benefit from active skills during both play- and lunchtimes. Additionally, the provision of swimming lessons for pupils in Year 2 enables pupils to develop their water safety skills at a far earlier age than in most schools.
• Leaders work effectively to broaden pupils’ horizons. Many opportunities are provided to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. For example, effective links with a local Church of England school enable pupils to develop their understanding of diversity. This is typical of leaders’ commitment to high-quality provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
• Leaders know the pupils extremely well and maintain a clear focus on ensuring that each one achieves their potential by the time they move on from the school. Strong systems are in place for spotting when pupils might need extra help to sustain their progress. This ensures that pupils make outstanding progress from their starting points.
• Leaders lack confidence in the school’s current online system for checking on pupils’ data. As a result, they do not find it easy to quickly and accurately check on the progress and attainment of specific groups of pupils.

Governance of the school

• Governors share the unwavering ambition of school leaders to ensure that Glodwick continues to provide its pupils with an outstanding quality of education.
• The chair of governors is highly effective in overviewing the performance of the school. Governors bring a broad range of skills to the school, including a clear knowledge and understanding of education. Minutes of governing body meetings confirm that governors subject leaders to rigorous scrutiny and challenge their decisions. They leave no stone unturned in seeking to make the school as good as it can be.
• Governors are strongly committed to improving the quality of pupils’ lives, and to this end ensure that additional funding is spent well. For example, the governor who oversees provision for pupils with SEND works closely with leaders at school to ensure that these pupils are making the best possible progress.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have successfully created a safe culture in school where pupils receive high levels of nurture. Staff are trained effectively and kept up to date with safeguarding issues. Teachers provide pupils with very good and effective reminders to keep safe both in the real world and online. Pupils understand the importance of fire drills in making sure they know how to keep themselves safe in the event of a real emergency.
• Parents spoken with during the inspection were wholeheartedly positive about the school’s provision to keep their children safe.
• Leaders ensure that they undertake risk assessments to check the school site and ensure that pupils remain safe. Leaders’ checks on health and safety and safeguarding policies and procedures are thorough. Leaders also ensure that appropriate checks are carried out on prospective employees to confirm that they are fit to work with children.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Pupils benefit from high-quality teaching, learning and assessment. Teachers and teaching assistants use their considerable expertise to ensure that pupils are purposefully engaged in learning, and as a result, pupils develop excellent attitudes to learning.
• Teachers understand that many children enter school with knowledge and skills markedly below those typical for their age and stage of learning, and that many are at the very earliest stage of learning English. As a consequence, they work effectively to ensure that the pupils make as much progress as they can in improving their communication skills. Teachers sequence their planning carefully so that activities build well on what pupils already know.
• The classroom environments are exemplary. Teachers and teaching assistants provide pupils with a wide range of high-quality resources to support them in their learning across the curriculum. Display is used in a highly effective manner to engage pupils’ interest and support their learning. During the inspection, pupils undertaking mathematics lessons showed confidence and independence in using the information on display to help them with their problem solving.
• Pupils benefit from a learning environment that is rich in literacy. High-quality reading areas in all classrooms provide pupils with opportunities to read across a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books. Teachers have worked very effectively to develop their practice in teaching reading skills, such as inference and deduction. They use questioning confidently and accurately to develop pupils’ confidence in explaining their answers.
• Teachers have very high expectations of pupils. As a result, tasks are set at a high level. They challenge pupils’ thinking and promote strong development of pupils’ knowledge and understanding. In mathematics, for example, teaching is of a very high quality, founded on teachers’ strong subject knowledge. They provide pupils with well-crafted tasks to develop their skills in reasoning and problem solving. In one class, pupils talked with understanding about the properties of three-dimensional shapes. They were happy to show in their books how their knowledge in this area of mathematics had developed.
• There is a purposeful, calm and happy atmosphere in all classrooms. Relationships between teachers and their pupils and among pupils themselves are highly positive. As a result, pupils feel secure and are confident to ‘have a go’, knowing that full support in terms of equipment, and guidance from their friends and from staff, is always at hand.
• Teachers implement the curriculum exceptionally well. They plan carefully to ensure that pupils’ learning is meaningful to them. Subjects such as geography, writing and reading are expertly woven together to ensure that pupils understand the ‘bigger picture’. For example, in Year 2, pupils developed their writing skills and their geography skills when studying Africa. The classroom display of their work showed high-quality learning about this continent.
• Teachers and teaching assistants use assessment effectively to ensure that pupils receive the challenge they need to make sustained progress, and that pupils with SEND are well supported. Internal and external moderation ensures the accuracy of teachers’ judgements.
• Teachers develop in pupils a real love of learning. They build on pupils’ knowledge, enabling them to remember what they have learned and to talk about it with interest and understanding. For example, pupils talked with understanding about Florence Nightingale. They recounted information about her life, compared hospitals in her day with those we have now, and explained how she helped other people.
• Evidence in pupils’ writing books reflects very effective teaching. Work shows substantial and sustained progress for all groups of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND. Teachers move pupils on swiftly from writing separate simple words with poor letter formation to writing detailed sentences with a secure handwriting style.
• Teachers ensure that parents receive regular opportunities to support their children’s learning in school. Each day, parents have the opportunity to spend the first 10 minutes of the day working with their children. For example, during the inspection, parents worked with their children on tablets. They were using QR codes to access what they had learned. Parents noted that this time in school really helps them to understand what their children are doing in school.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils become self-confident and assured learners during their time at Glodwick. The strong relationships pupils have with their teachers contribute in a highly positive way to their well-being. There is trust between teachers and pupils, and pupils respond positively to this and value the guidance that they receive.
• Pupils are very caring of each other, often offering support and encouragement both in the classroom and while playing. Pupils listen to each other and happily offer help and advice to others.
• Pupils enjoy their roles as school councillors and are proud of the contribution that they make to the development of the school, such as in the creation of a sensory garden. This also typifies the way in which the school encourages pupils to become independent and to take on responsibility.
• Leaders ensure that pupils are taught how to stay safe in a variety of situations. The school’s website offers useful information to parents and pupils on topics such as how to stay safe online.
• The pupils who spoke to inspectors said that bullying is rare. They are confident that, should they ever have a concern about bullying, teachers will sort it out quickly.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils are polite and friendly and very welcoming to visitors. They talk with clear enthusiasm about their school and the things that they have enjoyed learning. Their attitudes to learning are first-rate, and this is reflected in the excellent progress they make and in the care they take with their work.
• Pupils work and play together in a very cooperative manner. Behaviour in the classrooms and around the school building is extremely strong overall. Adults provide high levels of supervision both indoors and outside, and engage pupils in a range of active play activities during breaks and at lunchtime. This ensures that pupils are very well behaved and highly engaged.
• Pupils are keen to come to school and love to learn. Leaders are working closely with families to discourage the taking of extended periods of leave during term time. Efforts made by staff to ensure that pupils’ attendance increases are showing signs of success. Overall attendance for current pupils is improving. Nevertheless, this remains a thorny issue for leaders, including governors, and the attendance of pupils, including those with SEND, stubbornly remains below that seen in other schools.
• Teachers work effectively to mitigate the effects of pupils’ absence by providing them with additional support when they return to school to minimise the impact of their absence on their learning.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Despite their excellent progress in early years, typically, no more than half of the pupils who arrive in Year 1 had achieved a good level of development by the time they left Reception. Teachers ensure that the needs of pupils who have not achieved a good level of development are addressed very effectively in Year 1. This is achieved through the careful planning of indoor and outdoor activities that are closely matched to pupils’ needs. As a result, their progress in Year 1 is exceptionally strong and provides pupils with the boost needed to be successful in Year 2.
• Across the whole of key stage 1, all groups of pupils make excellent progress from their varying starting points. This is particularly noticeable in the work of pupils who have most ground to make up from starting points, which are lower than is typical for their age. The momentum that they gain in making substantial progress across key stage 1 means that pupils are well placed to tackle the next stage of their education.
• The progress that pupils make in phonics is excellent. Inspection evidence shows that attainment is improving strongly in phonics this year in both Year 1 and Year 2 as a result of effective leadership and well-planned and consistent, high-quality teaching.
• By the end of key stage 1, pupils’ attainment remains below that seen nationally in reading, writing, mathematics and science. However, work in pupils’ books shows sustained and significant progress. Pupils are catching up quickly. The attainment of pupils currently in Year 2 is improving strongly and the number of pupils working at the standard expected for their age by the end of Year 2 is clearly rising.
• Pupils with SEND receive high-quality support. As a result, they make significant progress in their learning against their individual targets from starting points that are typically very low.
• The well-balanced and broad curriculum ensures that pupils learn successfully in a wide range of subjects beyond reading, writing and mathematics. For example, many pupils gain water-safety awards in swimming and develop an impressive knowledge and interest about themes that they have covered in history.

Early years provision Outstanding

• The great majority of children enter early years with starting points below, and often well below, those that are typical for their age. Many speak little or no English, and the proportion with SEND is much higher than in most schools. From these starting points, children make outstanding progress, especially in communication, language and literacy. Progress is substantial for all children because of outstanding teaching over time.
• Leadership of early years is outstanding. The leaders of the Nursery and the Reception provision work together effectively and are unrelenting in their pursuit of excellence. The clarity of thinking ensures that there are high expectations about what children can achieve.
• Children in early years are very happy and safe. Safeguarding is effective and remains a high priority for staff at all times. Children behave extremely well and work cooperatively with each other. They demonstrate a clear awareness of their safety and the safety of others.
• Leaders make effective use of additional funding to support the needs of children with SEND. Such funding is used to provide these children with additional support individually and/or in small groups. As a result, these children make strong and sustained progress from typically low starting points.
• The high proportion of children who arrive in early years at the earliest stage of learning English are extremely well supported by bilingual teaching assistants. They play a significant role in encouraging children to speak and take part in activities. They identify where children may have additional needs.
• Teachers use funding effectively to support the needs of disadvantaged pupils. Leaders of early years highlight that the main barrier to their learning relates to language development. Leaders ensure that specialist support is provided for these children to support their development.
• Teaching is very strong in early years. The learning environments are highly stimulating and very well resourced to enable children to access a wide range of learning experiences. Teachers ensure that learning is exciting and that children have a wide range of opportunities to work alone and with others. Adults miss no opportunities to involve children in activities that support their speaking and listening skills. Staff pose carefully crafted questions to support children’s use of words and phrases.
• Teachers work very effectively with parents. Parents are regular visitors to early years. Each morning, they take part in activities alongside their children. This is highly effective in enabling them to support their children’s progress in areas such as early reading, writing and mathematics. Parents speak highly of the progress that their children make.
• There is very strong transition for children from home to school at the start of their school life and from Nursery to Reception and on to Year 1. Leaders provide many opportunities for children to meet their new teachers and for teachers to discuss the needs of the children they will be receiving.
• Progress in books and in leaders’ electronic evidence of their activities shows that children have been as well prepared for the next stage of their education as possible, given their low starting points.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 105645 Oldham 10086861 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 7 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 341 Appropriate authority Board of governors Chair Headteacher Lynn Moran Jane Brierley Telephone number 0161 770 8585 Website Email address www.glodwick.oldham.sch.uk j.brierley@glodwick.oldham.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 20–21 January 2015

Information about this school

• Glodwick Infant and Nursery School is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The school receives additional funding through the pupil premium funding for a lower than average proportion of disadvantaged pupils.
• The majority of pupils are from the Pakistani ethnic group and almost all pupils speak English as an additional language, the vast majority of whom are at an early stage of learning English. A very small number of pupils are from White British ethnic backgrounds.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average.
• The school is split between two sites. The Nursery is a short distance from the main school building.
• The school provides a breakfast club on two mornings a week.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all year groups, including some with school leaders.
• Inspectors examined a range of documents, including information about pupils’ attendance, improvement plans, self-evaluation information, safeguarding records, and curriculum planning and staff training records.
• Inspectors spoke with parents at the start of the school day and during the inspection. They took account of 10 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire.
• An inspector met with two representatives from the local authority.
• An inspector met with the chair of the governing body and two other governors.
• Inspectors talked with pupils informally at playtimes, visited the dining hall at lunchtime, and observed pupils’ movement around the school. Formal meetings also took place with pupils.
• Inspectors looked at behaviour at the start and end of the school day and during breaks and lunchtimes.
• Inspectors undertook a detailed scrutiny of pupils’ work and talked with them about their learning. They listened to pupils read and talked to them about the books they enjoyed and those that they are currently reading.
• Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy and assistant headteachers, senior and middle leaders, staff, and the leader of the provision for pupils with SEND.
• An inspector reviewed the central record of recruitment checks.
• Inspectors carried out a detailed scrutiny of current progress, attainment and attendance information for all groups of pupils.

Inspection team

Gill Pritchard, lead inspector Michelle Joyce Gill Burrow Neil Dixon

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector