St George's CofE Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further raise the progress of boys, including the most able, in writing by:
  • ensuring that teachers check progress in lessons to ensure accurate grammar and sentence construction
  • stressing the importance of spelling accurately in all their written work
  • creating more frequent opportunities for boys to produce longer pieces of writing across a range of subjects.
• Improve the quality of activities in the outdoor learning area in the early years to provide more opportunities to develop the children’s communication and language skills.
• Improve the attendance of a small number of pupils who have significant absenteeism.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• St George’s has improved markedly since its previous inspection. The leadership and management team and the governing body have tackled the areas for improvement from the previous inspection head on. Highly effective training, good systems for monitoring the quality of teaching and regular meetings to check pupils’ progress have all helped to ensure that both the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement are now good. Although improvements have been made, leaders know that there are aspects of the school’s work that could be even better.
• The headteacher has driven improvement in the school and has galvanised all in the school community to work as an effective team. Senior leaders’ and governors’ high expectations of staff and pupils, together with the inclusive culture which nurtures and develops all children, provide a good environment for all to work in.
• Leaders’ view of how well the school is doing is accurate because robust systems are in place to check the quality of teaching and the progress that pupils make. Senior leaders have taken resolute action to address previous underperformance and, as a result, pupils now make good progress and achieve well. They are committed to further improving boys’ writing and tackling the attendance of those who are persistently absent.
• Leaders manage the high numbers of pupils who join or leave the school part way through their early years or primary education well. The new arrivals are inducted carefully and, as a result, they settle happily, quickly become part of the school community and make good progress.
• Middle leadership is improving rapidly and is a growing strength of the school. Newly appointed leaders have already had a positive impact on improved pupil progress in their areas of responsibility. Leaders of subjects, particularly English and mathematics, are engaged in systematic checking of pupils’ work and challenging all staff to ensure that all pupils make progress.
• Teachers who are new to the profession spoke extremely positively about the training opportunities that leaders provide. Experienced senior leaders act as mentors to the newer staff, and this ensures that pupils receive good teaching. Staff feel valued and respected by leaders. They described the range of initiatives introduced by leaders and said that these help them to be more effective in their work.
• Leaders and staff are committed to improving pupils’ life chances. They have created a nurturing environment which enables pupils to thrive, especially disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities. The high proportion of disadvantaged pupils in the school means that leaders have had to plan provision carefully so that the additional funding for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils enables them to achieve well. Funding has been used effectively for additional staff to carry out specific programmes, further training for staff and pastoral support for pupils.
• Leaders work hard to provide a curriculum that is exciting, rich and vibrant. Leaders are aware of the need to adapt the curriculum to ensure that some of the boys improve their writing. Pupils spoke with great enthusiasm about their after-school clubs. They appreciate the many trips and visitors. Pupils are rightly proud to be in the school choir. In assembly, they led singing beautifully.
• The way that the school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development, from the early years onwards, is effective. The promotion of SMSC is incorporated into all aspects of the school and is taught through religious education and personal, social and health education lessons. Pupils learn about other faiths and cultures and show respect and tolerance towards diversity. The school is very committed to inclusion, and pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils get many opportunities to learn about democracy. For example, reading ambassadors and playground buddies are pupils who do something commendable and are chosen democratically by their peers. Links with parents are very strong. This is summed up by one parent who said, ‘St George’s is a wonderful school, and I am lucky to be able to send my child here.’

Governance of the school

• The governance of the school has played a significant role in moving the school forward since the last inspection. Governors hold senior leaders to account and have a well-informed view of how well the school is performing. They fully understand achievement data and assessment information and know exactly how well pupils are performing in relation to other pupils nationally.
• The commitment of governors is commendable. There is a broad range of experience and expertise of its members who offer challenge and support to school leaders. Members have demonstrated a commitment and determination to help the school improve, based on their thorough and accurate knowledge of its strengths and weaknesses.
• Governors are well aware of the quality of teaching and the ways in which school leaders are bringing about improvements. They regularly visit school to find out for themselves. Governors are prepared to reward teachers for their hard work when they meet their performance targets.
• Governors keep a close eye on the school’s finances, making sure that key funding is used very well to maximise the progress of disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a strong culture of safeguarding in this school. Leaders and governors make sure that all adults are very well trained and vigilant in ensuring pupils’ welfare and safety. Adults are alert to any changes in behaviour which may indicate that a pupil needs extra support. Records show that any concerns are raised promptly and that leaders utilise outside agencies swiftly and effectively where necessary. 
• Leaders and governors make sure that recruitment procedures are robust and that appropriate checks on adults working in the school are carried out diligently. They are committed to ensuring that pupils are secure from all forms of exploitation, including radicalisation. 

• There are procedures to ensure that e-safety is threaded through the curriculum. Adults have made sure that pupils are aware of how to stay safe on the internet. Pupils can explain clearly the difference between a ‘real’ friend and someone who might say that they are a friend online. They know not to give out personal information and to report anything that makes them feel uncomfortable. Parents are grateful for the advice the school provides in helping them know how to keep their children safe when online at home. 

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Effective action since the last inspection has improved the quality and consistency of teaching across the school. As a result, the vast majority of teaching is good, enabling most pupils to make good progress.
• Typically, classrooms are positive and calm learning environments, where pupils work collaboratively with others and approach their activities sensibly. Teachers model their expectations of pupils consistently well.
• Relationships between pupils and between pupils and staff are a significant strength. Classrooms are attractive and organised effectively. Pupils’ work is displayed with care so that pupils feel their work is valued. Teachers have high expectations of presentation, and pupils mostly produce neat work in their books.
• Generally, teachers use their assessment information successfully to plan work for pupils so that they make good progress from their starting points. They build on the interests and enthusiasm of pupils so pupils usually engage well with their work. For some of the boys, including the most able, there are occasions when work is not always closely matched to their need, and this slows their learning and progress in writing.
• The teaching of reading is effective. Teachers provide a wide range of texts to promote the joy of reading. The reading ambassadors, who support reading in the school, told inspectors that they enjoy reading and read regularly both at home and school. Younger pupils read fluently and teachers ensure they apply their phonics knowledge and skills to read unfamiliar words. Older pupils read with fluency and accuracy, demonstrating a good understanding of the texts they read.
• The teaching of mathematics is good and is improving through a programme of training and support for staff. Numeracy skills are taught in a logical way so that pupils learn how to reason mathematically. This enables pupils to apply their knowledge to solving problems systematically. They draw on their understanding and choose the most efficient methods to arrive at a solution.
• Writing has improved since the last inspection and most pupils make at least good progress. However, pupils, in particular boys, do not always apply the grammar, punctuation and spelling rules they have learned to other pieces of writing. Opportunities to write at length are limited and, in particular, this impacts on the progress of a small number of boys. In addition to this, teachers’ high expectations of boys’ writing and presentation are not always replicated in other subjects, such as science, history and religious education.
• Teachers and teaching assistants work very well together to ensure that disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities make strong progress. They skilfully assess what pupils can and cannot do and plan activities to build on their understanding and give pupils confidence to attempt harder work. Leaders and teachers closely monitor these pupils’ progress, altering support swiftly if it becomes clear that a different approach is needed. This is an ongoing process as leaders strive to ensure that all these pupils make rapid and sustained progress.
• There are many pupils who speak English as an additional language, and some are in the early stages of speaking English. These pupils are taught effectively. They receive extra support to develop their understanding of new vocabulary and language structure and catch up quickly. By Year 6, those pupils who have been in the school for a considerable amount of time attain similar outcomes to those of their peers.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• The school’s welcoming and caring ethos is central to its work in raising standards for pupils. From the moment pupils enter the school each day, they are greeted with respect and a genuine sense of care from the adults in the school. The curriculum is planned with events such as the anti-bullying week to develop pupils’ awareness and ability to keep themselves safe. Pupils reported that bullying and name-calling are rare, and they are confident that adults would deal with such problems well.
• Pupils have been taught how to manage many risks. They understand the dangers associated with crossing roads and playing near water. They are clear about the need for caution when using the internet. This was demonstrated in an assembly in which pupils provided some very mature responses in respect of potential risk of contacts through social media.
• The school works hard to provide a wide range of very effective support systems. Work with outside agencies is effective and makes sure that vulnerable pupils are kept safe and well. The work of the children and families officer, which is greatly appreciated by all within the school community, ensures that pupils feel safe and secure.
• Adults know pupils very well and are alert to their different welfare needs. They sensitively provide additional support for anyone who needs extra help, for example in maintaining good mental health. Consequently, pupils feel very safe in school, and know that any adult will help them should they have any worries.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. The school is a calm and orderly place. Pupils are welcoming, friendly and courteous. They enter and leave their classrooms sensibly and move around the site safely. Pupils take pride in their school, are eager to show visitors around and play their part in keeping the school’s environment clean and tidy. On the playground, pupils show respect to each other, and the playground buddies do good work to help keep everyone happy.
• Pupils are enthusiastic to learn. They listen carefully to the adults and concentrate in lessons so that very little time is wasted managing behaviour. Most pupils are proud of their work, present it to the best of their ability and confidently explain to adults how much progress they have made.
• Leaders have established rigorous systems and procedures by which to check pupils’ attendance. As a result, attendance is now broadly in line with the national average and most pupils attend regularly. However, there are a small number of pupils who are persistently absent, and this has a negative impact on their progress.
• Overall, parents’ and pupils’ responses to school questionnaires, and in conversation with the Ofsted inspectors, indicate that the school operates in an orderly and safe manner.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, make good progress during their time at St George’s. Most children join the school in Nursery and Reception with skills and knowledge that are below those typical for their age. This means that by the time they leave most pupils are achieving the standards that are expected for their age, particularly in reading and mathematics.
• The school’s detailed tracking and analysis of pupils’ progress and achievements demonstrate that those pupils who have been at the school throughout their early years and primary education achieve more and make better progress than those who have joined part way through their school year or key stage. This is consistent across all year groups and subjects.
• Most pupils in key stage 1 make good progress from their starting points. Attainment at key stage 1 has improved year on year. By the end of Year 2, in 2017, the attainment was slightly higher in reading and mathematics than in writing.
• At key stage 2, attainment has risen. Outcomes in 2017 have built on previous gains made in 2015 and 2016. These outcomes represent good progress over time. The current progress of pupils in reading and mathematics is good. It is good for most pupils in writing but not for a small number of boys.
• Reading is an ongoing priority for the school and this is evident in the improved performance. Pupils enjoy reading and they are encouraged to read from the early years. Pupils benefit from well-organised reading sessions, which include opportunities to read with teaching assistants and volunteers. Many older pupils read confidently, fluently and with expression. The teaching of phonics is a strength, and the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard at the national phonics screening check in Year 1 in 2017 was average.
• Writing is improving and work in pupils’ books reflects good progress. Leaders recognise that some boys, including the most able, need to further improve their progress in writing so that they reach their full potential.
• Teachers and teaching assistants work very well together to ensure that disadvantaged pupils, including those who have SEN and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language make strong progress. They skilfully assess what pupils can and cannot do and plan activities which build on their understanding and give pupils confidence to attempt harder work. Leaders and teachers closely monitor these pupils’ progress, altering extra support swiftly if it becomes clear that a different approach is needed. Leaders work to ensure that all these pupils make rapid and sustained progress.
• The school’s assessment information and the work in pupils’ books show that the most able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, make good progress from their different starting points.
• Pupils experience a rich and varied curriculum and pupils’ books show some good progress in their topic work. Leaders are working hard to develop the systematic checking of progress in subjects such as science, geography and history.

Early years provision Good

• Most children enter the Nursery and Reception classes with knowledge, skills and understanding that are much lower than those typical for their age, particularly in communication and language, reading, writing and personal, social and emotional development. From their different starting points, children make good progress during the early years because of individual support and well-chosen learning activities. The school’s records show that by the end of the Reception Year the majority of pupils are acquiring well-developed skills in all areas of learning and achieving what would be typically expected for their age. Transition to Year 1 is effective and pupils who do not achieve a good level of development receive booster provision in the first term to ensure that their progress is accelerated.
• Leadership and management of the early years are effective. The leader has an accurate picture of the strengths and areas for improvement in the early years. Adults plan activities based on the children’s needs and track their achievements closely across all the areas of learning. The internal environment is well organised to provide a good range of interesting activities. However, the outdoor space is not at the same standard and does not consistently stimulate children’s interest and allow them to explore learning in an imaginative way.
• Teaching in the early years is good; a wide range of carefully planned activities ensures that children have many opportunities to develop their love of learning. The children enjoy making choices about what they would like to learn, and the curriculum is adapted to reflect their interests. The children cooperate happily with each in the indoor classroom. This was evident as they explored numbers on the computer, cutting out their favourite cartoon characters and in the role play area. Adults are skilled in choosing when to intervene and move learning forward.
• Leaders provide frequent opportunities for children to practise the English and mathematics skills they need to be ready to start Year 1. Children learn how to form letters as they make lists and write about the activities they do. During the inspection, the children made good progress in their learning of initial sounds and letter formation.
• Adults model the behaviour they wish children to display. As a result, behaviour is good. Children share resources and cooperate well. The positive relationships that children form with staff and their peers help them to gain confidence as they go about their choice of activities sensibly.
• Safeguarding and the welfare of children are a high priority and all procedures are implemented thoroughly. Children are kept safe and understand how to keep themselves safe.
• Children in the current Reception class make good progress.
• Parents and staff enjoy good relationships. Leaders provide workshops for parents, for example, on reading and phonics, to support them to help their children at home.
• Leaders make effective use of the extra funding for disadvantaged children and children who have SEN and/or disabilities. The money is targeted at an individual level to ensure that any barriers to learning are addressed.

School details

Unique reference number 105932 Local authority Salford Inspection number 10042433 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 210 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rowena Platt Headteacher Jane Tyers Telephone number 01617 376688 Website www.stgeorgescofe.co.uk Email address stgeorges.ceprimaryschool@salford.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 2─ 3 February 2016

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• This school is a smaller than average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils from a minority ethnic background is well above the national average. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average. The proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is broadly average.
• The number of pupils who join the school at times other than the normal points of admission is very high and well above that of most schools.
• The school met the government’s floor standards in 2016. These set the minimum expectations for pupils’ progress and attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in all classes as well as in small groups of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. Inspectors observed some lessons jointly with school leaders. An inspector also observed an assembly.
• Inspectors held a range of meetings with the headteacher, assistant headteacher, other staff and governors. They also considered the 16 responses to the staff survey.
• A wide range of school documentation was scrutinised by inspectors, including safeguarding records, monitoring records, governors’ minutes, self-evaluation documents and records relating to behaviour and attendance.
• Inspectors scrutinised a range of pupils’ work including during lessons and in meetings with leaders.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktime and lunchtime.
• Inspectors gained the views of pupils by speaking to them informally during lessons and at playtime. The lead inspector also met formally with a group of pupils. The inspectors listened to some pupils read.
• There were insufficient responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View. Inspectors considered the school’s parental questionnaires. In addition, the lead inspector spoke to several parents at the start of the inspection.

Inspection team

Andrew Morley, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Deborah Bailey Ofsted Inspector