St George's CofE Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that an even greater number of pupils reach the higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics, particularly at key stage 1, and that this improvement is sustained over time.
• Ensure that the differences in outcomes between disadvantaged pupils and others nationally, in key stage 1 and the early years, continue to diminish
• Ensure that history and geography are taught in sufficient depth across the school.
• Improve further the leadership and management of the school by:
  • ensuring that teachers’ targets, and those set out in the school development plan, are sharp and measurable to allow leaders to monitor with more rigour the progress that the school is making
  • providing more specific feedback to teachers after formal lesson observations with regard to the progress that different groups of pupils are making
  • improving further the rigour of monitoring the provision in history and geography by ensuring that all teachers are aware of the key knowledge and skills that pupils should acquire by the end of each year group.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders, governors and staff share a strong sense of purpose and ambition. Working together, they are leading the school on a path towards excellence.
• There is a strong spirit of teamwork among the staff. Morale is high. Staff at all levels feel valued and appreciated. With the support and encouragement of both the headteacher and her deputy, many staff have felt empowered to develop their roles in education.
• The school development plan sets out the school’s aims and objectives. However, at times, the targets are not sharply focused on school priorities and are not measurable. This makes it more difficult for governors and senior leaders to monitor with rigour the progress the school is making towards achieving its goals.
• Senior leaders keep a close eye on the quality of teaching. Teachers greatly appreciate the feedback they get after formal lesson observations. However, the headteacher recognises that this feedback does not focus enough on the progress that different groups of pupils have made during the lesson. Performance management is effective. However, as with the school development plan, teachers’ targets are not always sharply focused or measurable.
• A strength of the school is the coaching system, which allows staff to learn from each other. Staff told inspectors that ‘learning from each other is better than going on any course’. Opportunities are also available for teachers to observe at other schools within the locality.
• The school works well with other local schools to support and challenge each other, for example with regard to moderating judgements about pupils’ achievement. Support is also given to students from nearby universities to help them achieve qualified teacher status.
• The learning mentor is a real asset to the school. She knows families who attend the school well. Working alongside the inclusion team, she carefully tailors help and support to ensure that pupils’ individual needs are met. This has a positive impact on pupils’ attendance and behaviour.
• The literacy and numeracy coordinators have a firm grasp on their subjects. They have a good awareness of what works well and what needs to improve. They use a wide range of evidence such as work scrutiny and data to identify the school’s strengths and where the gaps are. As a result, they are able to offer structured and clear support to colleagues to help drive forward improvements. They have done this successfully.
• The school is crafting a curriculum which gives equal coverage to all areas of the national curriculum. Subjects such as art, design technology, physical education (PE) and music are taught in depth. However, middle leaders of subjects such as history and geography are not giving teachers clear guidance about what pupils typically should know and be able to do by the end of the year in these subjects. Consequently, there is no clear progression in pupils’ key knowledge, skills and understanding in these subjects.
• There is an interesting variety of trips and visitors to the school to broaden pupils’ experiences. For example, they visit museums, farms and Tudor houses. Older pupils have spent time in London visiting key locations such as the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.
• Parents, typically, comment that they appreciate the way the school is inclusive of all faiths while upholding Christian values. All pupils are welcome at this school, irrespective of their race, gender or culture. British values are threaded through all aspects of the school’s work. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well promoted.
• Careful consideration is given to how the pupil premium money is spent to ensure that disadvantaged pupils flourish and take part in all that the school has to offer. The school is quite rightly very proud of the progress and achievements of disadvantaged pupils at key stage 2. Senior leaders and staff have a good awareness of the barriers to learning and the challenges that this group of pupils face.
• The sport premium funding is equally well spent. Specialist coaches are employed to deliver a varied range of sporting opportunities after school, such as volleyball, football and dodgeball. All clubs are well attended. Pupils also take part in a range of inter-school competitive sports, such as cricket, basketball and orienteering. Teachers work alongside specialist staff, thereby developing their own skills in delivering high-quality PE lessons.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. The additional funding for special educational needs is spent primarily on staffing and resources to ensure that the diverse range of needs that these pupils have are met well.
• The website is bright and easy to navigate. It provides a wealth of valuable information for parents. However, at the start of the inspection, some omissions with regard to the information that must be published were identified by inspectors. The school took swift action to address these issues and the website is now compliant.
• The school is held in high regard by the local authority and diocese of Chester.
• The large majority of parents are fully supportive of all aspects of the school’s work. They typically comment that the school is: ‘warm and welcoming with an open-door policy’.

Governance of the school

• Governors have a wide range of relevant expertise and are ambitious for the school.
• They have a good awareness of the school’s many strengths and priorities for development.
• Governors have a good understanding of the progress that different groups of pupils make as they move through the school.
• They are fully aware of how the pupil premium money is spent and its impact on the progress and attainment of disadvantaged pupils.
• Safeguarding duties are taken seriously and a tight rein is kept on the budget.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders ensure that safeguarding within the school is everyone’s responsibility.
• Robust checks are in place to ensure that staff are suitable to work with pupils.
• The school works very well with external agencies to help families access the help and support they need.
• All staff have completed safeguarding training at an appropriate level. They have a very good understanding of the procedures to follow, should they be concerned about a pupil’s welfare.
• They also talk with confidence about the latest national concerns of radicalisation, female genital mutilation and sexual exploitation.
• All records relating to safeguarding are kept meticulously and stored securely.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Relationships at all levels are respectful. Pupils are keen to please their teachers and their work is very well presented.
• Pupils are confident enough to seek help and check their understanding. They enjoy rising to a challenge. Pupils do not shy away from having a go and getting things wrong. As a result, they are developing into confident, resilient learners. Pupils’ progress is regularly monitored and checked during lessons.
• Most teachers have good subject knowledge and plan activities which ignite pupils’ passion for learning. However, on occasions, activities do not always challenge pupils to reach the levels of which they are capable, particularly at key stage 1.
• Younger pupils are developing a real love of reading. They make good use of their phonic knowledge to sound out unfamiliar words. Comprehension skills are developing well. For example, a Year 2 pupil eloquently explained to inspectors that ‘space’ ‘was where the planets are’. However, at times, pupils find their reading books too easy. Furthermore, the environment is not used to best effect to foster pupils’ love of reading.
• Older pupils enjoy reading and are able to talk about their reading preferences. However, teachers do not direct them to try more-challenging texts and broaden the range of books that they read.
• Some staff made good use of questioning to develop and probe pupils’ understanding. This was exemplified during the teaching of literacy at key stage 1, when questioning was used effectively to develop and deepen pupils’ understanding of adjectives and similes.
• Teaching assistants are a valuable asset to the school. They are well deployed and work well with the teachers to support and develop pupils’ learning.
• Staff consistently follow the school’s marking policy. They offer pupils praise and constructive feedback to improve their performance. Appropriate time is given for pupils to respond to marking, correct errors and edit their work.
• The delivery of history and geography is not as effective as that of art, PE and design technology. This is because both subjects are not taught in sufficient depth to ensure that pupils develop their knowledge and skills well.
• Parents believe that their children are taught well and make good progress in their learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• The Christian values of the school, ‘love, compassion, thankfulness, forgiveness friendship, hope and honesty’, shine through all aspects of the school’s work. Pupils talk openly about some of these values and what they mean to them on a personal basis.
• Elected members of the ‘ethos group’ meet on a weekly basis to discuss the different way that these values can be promoted in school. More recently the group has overseen the planning, designing and building of a spiritual garden in the playground. This ‘oasis of calm’ reflects beautifully how the school’s values can be promoted outdoors.
• The school places a great deal of emphasis on raising pupils’ aspirations to achieve well in life. Airline pilots, dentists, doctors and an Everest climber come into school and talk to pupils about their roles within society. This gives pupils confidence in the belief that there is no limit to what can be achieved. Some of these visitors are former pupils at the school.
• Pupils really do have a voice and significantly contribute to the decision-making process. For example, to help save the planet they champion the benefits of recycling. Gentle but firm reminders are given to teachers to switch off lights to save electricity.
• The school also works with parents to help boost their confidence and self-esteem. Staff have formed a group called ‘Freedom Friday’, which meets on a weekly basis to work with parents who want and need the support.
• Transition arrangements into school and onwards to secondary school are effective. For example, Year 6 pupils act as ‘buddies’ to children in Reception, helping them to settle into school life. To support the transition into secondary school, Year 6 pupils from different primary schools in the locality meet regularly and take part in a wide variety of activities, such as team-building. This ensures that pupils know familiar faces when they move on to the next stage of their education.
• Pupils are highly confident, articulate and very keen to talk about their learning.
• Pupils have a good awareness of the different forms of bullying and the distress that it can cause. Pupils told inspectors that bullying at St George’s is rare. They are confident that if it did happen, staff would soon sort it out.
• Pupils’ welfare and safety are top priority at this school. Visitors to the school, such as the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) come in and talk to pupils about healthy relationships. Pupils also have a very good awareness of how to keep themselves safe when online.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils are very polite and well mannered. They make visitors to the school feel very welcome.
• Pupils enjoy socialising and chatting to their friends at lunchtime. They queue for their lunch in a sensible and orderly manner.
• During the inspection, standards of behaviour viewed around the school, in the playground and in classrooms were, overall, impeccable.
• The overwhelming majority of pupils are punctual at the start of the school day. Any absences are diligently followed up. The learning mentor works exceptionally well with families who are struggling to get their children into school. Consequently, the small handful of pupils who previously have been persistently absent have rapidly improved their attendance.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In recent years, pupils have made good progress as they moved through key stage 1. As a result of more rigorous national testing and specific cohort-related issues, results dipped significantly in 2016. However, the school did not shy away from this and the dip has now been reversed. Recently published unvalidated data shows that the number of pupils reaching the expected and higher standards at key stage 1 in reading, writing and mathematics is now above the national average, most notably in mathematics and writing. Senior leaders recognise that to drive the school to the next level an even greater proportion of pupils need to reach the higher standards and that this must be sustained over time.
• Over the last two years, progress at key stage 2 in reading and writing has been particularly strong. The latest set of published unvalidated data shows that the progress made in writing in 2017 placed the school in the top 10% nationally. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected and higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics are above the national average. This is most notable in writing, where the proportion of those achieving the higher standards is currently more than double the current national average. This is a significant achievement.
• Over the last two years, the number of pupils reaching the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has increased dramatically and is now just above the national average. This is due, in part, to a more structured approach to the teaching of phonics, which teachers and teaching assistants have embraced.
• The school is quite rightly proud of the progress that disadvantaged pupils make at key stage 2. Current unvalidated published data shows that they perform better than others nationally. Although improving, the progress and attainment of disadvantaged pupils in key stage 1 is not quite as strong.
• The needs of pupils who learn more quickly are generally well met. For example, pupils are taught in ability groups for phonics. This ensures that activities are pitched at the required level to drive pupils’ learning forward at a good pace. However, at times, activities given to pupils do not challenge them to do their very best, particularly the most able at key stage 1.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make strong gains in their learning. The provision for this group of pupils is managed well. Their needs are identified at an early stage and supported well through targeted interventions and small-group work. Effective partnership working with outside agencies ensures that the diverse needs of this group of pupils are met well.
• The school recognises that outcomes in history and geography are not as strong as they could be. This is because both subjects are not taught in sufficient depth and pupils are not given enough opportunities to develop their subject knowledge, skills and understanding.
• Pupils make good progress in art and design technology. Their subject knowledge and understanding is well embedded. Pupils use their learning about different artists to enhance their own work.

Early years provision Good

• Children join the early years with skills and knowledge that are below those typical for their age. Some children face specific challenges in relation to their social and language skills. From their different starting points, children make strong progress. The number of children achieving a good level of development is rising year on year. This ensures that more children are ready for their transition into Year 1 as happy, confident youngsters. However, the number of disadvantaged pupils achieving a good level of development, although improving, is still stubbornly below the national average.
• The quality of teaching and learning in the early years is good. The learning environment indoors is inviting, attractive and well resourced. Children have ample space to move around freely and play in comfort.
• Learning in the early years is fun. Activities cover all areas of learning and take account of children’s interests. Children are happy, confident and busy. They show good levels of cooperation as they learn and play. The progress that children make is carefully monitored and tracked.
• Good levels of support from bilingual teaching assistants ensure that those who speak English as an additional language settle well. Baseline assessments for this group of pupils are done in children’s home language.
• Throughout early years, a strong emphasis is put on developing children’s language skills. Staff spend all of their time interacting with the children, and conversation flows freely as children play. New and exciting words are constantly introduced, such as ‘itsy bitsy bumble bee can you rhyme your name for me’. Such effective practice helps to promote children’s acquisition of language.
• The early years provision is led well. The early years leader has a clear understanding of what works well and what needs to improve. For example, she has ensured that those pupils moving into Year 1 who did not achieve a good level of development still have access to a play-based early years curriculum.
• Adults are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities and take them seriously. Standards of behaviour are very good.
• Positive relationships have been established with parents, which helps to promote security and consistency in children’s lives. The school runs regular ‘stay and play’ sessions, which parents enjoy attending. Advice and support are also given to help parents develop their children’s learning at home.
• At the time of this inspection, there were no breaches in the welfare requirements.

School details

Unique reference number 106236 Local authority Tameside Inspection number 10041390 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 230 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs J Taylor-Riley Headteacher Mrs Patricia Walker Telephone number 0161 368 2848 Website www.st-georges-hyde.tameside.sch.uk Email address admin@st-georges-hyde.tameside.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 23–24 October 2012

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school is smaller than the averaged-sized Church of England primary school.
• Over half of the pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and speak English as an additional language. Bangladeshi pupils form the largest single group in the school.
• The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils receiving special educational needs support is slightly above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan or a statement of special educational needs is below the national average.
• The school meets the current government floor standards.
• In the last few years a significant number of experienced teachers have joined the school.
• Since the last inspection a new chair of governors has been appointed.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning across all classes and in a range of subjects.
• Meetings and discussions were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, staff, parents and pupils. Inspectors also met with seven governors, a representative from the local authority and a representative from the Diocese of Chester.
• Observations were made of pupils’ behaviour at the beginning of the day, at lunchtime, breaktime and in the classroom.
• Inspectors examined a wide range of documentation, including that relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance, the school’s information on pupils’ outcomes and reports on the quality of teaching.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read and looked at examples of their work in books.
• Account was taken of the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire completed by 33 parents, 11 staff and 38 pupils.

Inspection team

Sheila Iwaskow, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Pippa Jackson Maitland Her Majesty’s Inspector