Salfords Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching in order to secure better outcomes for pupils by ensuring that:
  • all teachers plan and adapt tasks that take account of pupils’ prior learning and offer sufficient challenge for the most able
  • teachers give greater attention to pupils’ spelling, punctuation and handwriting
  • all groups of pupils make consistently good progress, particularly in key stage 2, so that more of them achieve their potential
  • pupils’ learning in the wider curriculum is strengthened.
• Strengthen leadership and management by:
  • continuing to develop the roles of middle leaders so that they contribute fully to improving teaching and learning
  • ensuring that the curriculum includes more opportunities for pupils to learn about other cultures in order to prepare them well for life in modern Britain.
• Improve the quality of teaching and learning in the early years by ensuring that:
  • additional good-quality resources are available to children in order to support learning more effectively
  • teachers plan activities which meet children’s interests and needs so that children make good progress in all aspects of their learning, particularly in writing
  • children with low starting points progress rapidly
  • adults strengthen their questioning to build more effectively on children’s responses.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The co-headteachers lead the school well. In the short time that they have been in post, they have brought about significant improvements to all aspects of provision. They are ambitious and determined and, together with the MAT, have brought stability and direction to the school. There are clear plans to enable the school to continue on its journey of improvement.
• Leaders have built a motivated and hard-working staff team. Staff are fully behind the positive changes that leaders are making. There is a strong sense of teamwork and staff feel that they are supported well.
• Leaders have a secure understanding of the school’s strengths and areas of weakness. They keep all aspects of provision under review, including the quality of teaching. They have rightly identified that, although improving, the quality of teaching is currently too variable.
• Leaders’ well-judged decision to appoint a senior member of staff with responsibility for the quality of teaching is helping to secure further improvement. Their non-negotiables for teachers are leading to greater consistency in classroom practice. Nevertheless, leaders acknowledge that the many changes in staffing have hampered their good work to improve the quality of teaching. As a result, some of the positive changes that have been introduced are not yet embedded fully across the school. Some parents commented that the many changes of staff have been unsettling for their children.
• Many of the middle leaders are relatively new to their roles, having only been appointed at the beginning of this academic year. As a result, it is too soon to see the full impact of their work. Senior leaders are supporting and training middle leaders well so that they can contribute more fully to school improvement.
• In 2015, at the time that the school became an academy, the school had not developed and implemented its own assessment system to record pupils’ attainment and progress. Leaders have worked hard to quickly implement a new assessment system to enable them to keep track of pupils’ attainment and progress. However, leaders are aware that there have been some anomalies in the school’s assessment information, which, at times, has needed to be amended following a review and moderation.
• Leaders make effective use of additional funding for pupils who have special education needs (SEN) and/or disabilities and for those who are disadvantaged. A wide range of extra support, including provision to meet pupils’ emotional and social needs, is in place to help these groups. The funding for disadvantaged pupils is now beginning to have more impact on improving pupils’ progress and their attendance.
• The curriculum is suitably broad and pupils have opportunities to experience many different subjects. However, pupils’ learning in some subjects is superficial. This is, at times, due to the design of learning tasks.
• A wide variety of out-of-school clubs enrich the curriculum offer for pupils. Leaders make good use of the sport premium funding to broaden and extend the range of sporting opportunities for pupils.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is catered for well and the school’s values of ‘respect, courage, excellence and kindness’ are promoted strongly. This is evident in pupils’ positive attitudes and the way that they value each other’s unique qualities. One pupil commented: ‘Our differences make us who we are.’ However, opportunities for pupils to learn about other cultures are less well developed.
• Leaders have worked hard to increase parents’ involvement with the school. They have successfully gained the trust and support of parents, who are full of praise for the good communication and improvements that leaders have made. As one parent commented: ‘Both the headteachers are amazing! They engage beautifully with the children, are friendly, approachable and are positive role models for the children.’ There is also a thriving parents and teachers association that has worked hard to raise additional funds for new equipment.

Governance of the school

• The MAT has played a key role in leading the school successfully through a period of turbulence and change. Since becoming a sponsored academy in 2015, trustees acted swiftly to stabilise leadership and enable the school to improve from a low starting point.
• Leaders from across the MAT continue to provide a high level of support and challenge. They visit the school regularly to monitor and evaluate all aspects of the provision, and write detailed reports of their findings. This enables trustees and members of the school’s strategy board to remain well informed.
• The MAT holds leaders to account. Appropriate performance management arrangements are in place with clear targets for each leader. These are focused on specific aspects of the school’s performance.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Leaders know pupils and their families very well and are fully aware of the potential risks for some pupils. They are highly trained and very knowledgeable about safeguarding procedures. Leaders keep meticulous records of all concerns and follow these up rigorously. When needed, they refer their concerns promptly to relevant agencies and work very effectively with other professionals to help keep pupils safe.
• Leaders work hard to build positive relationships with parents to enable any need for early help to be recognised and put in place quickly. Through the school’s family support worker and other external professionals, such as the school nurse, leaders organise bespoke support for individual pupils and their families.
• Trustees and members of the school strategy board fulfil their responsibility to keep pupils safe. They have received timely, focused training so that they are well informed about all aspects of safeguarding. They ensure that safeguarding is always an agenda item at meetings and they visit the school regularly to check this aspect of the school’s work.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching requires improvement because it is not yet consistently good. Although there is some strong teaching in parts of the school, the overall quality of teaching is currently too variable, particularly in key stage 2. In addition, previous weak teaching has resulted in gaps in pupils’ learning, especially for older pupils.
• Where teaching is strong, teachers provide effective challenge for pupils and use questioning well to develop their understanding. Expectations are suitably high and teachers set tasks that build sufficiently on what pupils already know and can do. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and use this to good effect to develop pupils’ knowledge of grammar and mathematics. Teachers quickly identify and address any errors or misconceptions in pupils’ understanding.
• Where teaching is not strong, teachers do not take enough account of pupils’ previous learning and their expectations are not high enough. Tasks do not sufficiently build on what pupils already know and, typically, do not challenge the most able pupils. Activities are not reshaped or adapted to meet pupils’ needs, and some pupils are not moved on quickly enough. When this happens, although pupils behave well, some lose focus and attention.
• Teachers provide many opportunities for pupils to write in a wide range of genres and for different purposes. The new approach to writing is making a positive difference to pupils’ understanding of the different forms of writing and to their choice of vocabulary. Teachers now give greater attention to developing pupils’ speaking skills in order to support their literacy skills. Nevertheless, while teachers ensure that pupils develop greater stamina and use a broader range of vocabulary, other aspects of pupils’ writing are not consistently developed well. For example, weaknesses in pupils’ punctuation, handwriting and spelling are not addressed as systematically as they could be.
• In the wider curriculum, teachers do not consistently set tasks that offer sufficient challenge and enable pupils to develop a deeper level of understanding. Tasks typically limit pupils’ responses and do not cater well for pupils’ widely different abilities. Teachers’ expectations for the quality of pupils’ written work in different subjects are not high enough. As a result, pupils’ work is not consistently of good quality and does not reflect their capabilities.
• Phonics is taught well in key stage 1, and this is helping the development of pupils’ early reading skills. Across the school, teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to develop their comprehension skills. However, pupils’ learning of the more complex skills, such as inference, is sometimes not taught well enough due to weaknesses in some teachers’ subject knowledge.
• Teachers have positive relationships with pupils and have established clear routines and expectations for behaviour. Pupils settle quickly to learning and the transitions between activities are smooth. Teachers respond enthusiastically to pupils and encourage them to try their best. They ensure that pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are included fully in lessons and that many are supported sensitively by additional adults.
• The school’s new approach to mathematics is enabling pupils to have more opportunities to solve problems and develop their reasoning. There is now a greater consistency of approach to the teaching of calculation across the school. However, in some classes, particularly where there have been changes of staff, some of these improvements are yet to be fully embedded.
• Some teachers who are new to the school are still developing their knowledge of the school’s assessment system and need support to make accurate judgements about pupils’ achievements. Leaders are aware of this and are taking steps to support these teachers.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Leaders and staff have a strong understanding of pupils’ individual needs, and care for the ‘whole child’. Leaders ensure that there is good pastoral support for all pupils, particularly those who have additional social or emotional needs.
• The school’s values are embedded in its day-to-day work. Pupils explain how these values, for example respect and kindness, help them to reflect on their own behaviour.
• Pupils enjoy school and work with positive attitudes. Older pupils particularly value the opportunity to take on extra responsibilities, such as becoming a member of the pupils’ leadership team. They appreciate the chance to take part in decision making, for example by helping to choose the new equipment for the playground.
• Pupils feel entirely safe in school and are confident that on the rare occasion that there is a bullying incident, adults will deal with it quickly and effectively. Pupils also have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe when online. Pupils in Year 4 benefit from cycle-safety training. One pupil enthusiastically explained to an inspector how this training helps pupils to keep themselves safe.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. In class and around the school, pupils behave well. They are respectful and polite to their teachers and to each other. They collaborate well with each other, for example during group or paired activities. Pupils are also confident and happy to talk to visitors about their work.
• Since the school joined the MAT, leaders have significantly improved the standard of behaviour. As a result, over the last two years, the number of fixed-term exclusions has declined and there have been none during this school year. Leaders keep careful records of any behaviour incidents, ensuring that these are followed up and addressed appropriately.
• Pupils benefit from the good range of equipment and activities provided for them at lunchtimes. They join in with games, play happily with others and cooperate well.
• Leaders have worked tirelessly to improve pupils’ attendance and reduce persistent absence. They follow up stringently any absence and have introduced a whole raft of rewards to recognise and celebrate good attendance. Despite their good work, attendance has not yet improved sufficiently. Nevertheless, there has been some success and improvement with individuals and groups of pupils. Leaders are, rightly, maintaining their focus on this aspect of the school’s work.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• The progress that pupils make is too variable, particularly in key stage 2. Due to the legacy of previous weak teaching, some pupils need to make up for lost ground and some low-attaining pupils are not progressing quickly enough. The most able pupils in lower key stage 2 are not building sufficiently on their good attainment at the end of key stage 1.
• In key stage 2, scrutiny of pupils’ writing reveals that while some pupils are making good progress, others are not. Pupils are developing greater stamina for writing and some are making more adventurous word choices, but other aspects of pupils’ writing are not developing as well. Weak handwriting and errors in pupils’ punctuation and spelling limit the quality of some pupils’ written work.
• Pupils’ learning in the wider curriculum is too shallow because many of the tasks set limit pupils’ responses and offer little challenge, particularly for the most able. Typically, tasks in subjects such as geography and history offer few opportunities for pupils to explore topics in depth. Pupils’ written work in these subjects is not of a consistently good quality, as pupils do not apply their English skills well enough.
• Since 2016, leaders’ effective work has led to a rise in pupils’ attainment and progress in key stage 1. However, the proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check in 2017 was below the national average. Current pupils in key stage 1 are making good progress in reading and apply their phonics skills well. Pupils have positive attitudes to reading, and many read with confidence.
• Improvements to the teaching of mathematics are having a positive impact. However, there was some loss of momentum in pupils’ progress at the start of the academic year. This is because a few teachers needed to address gaps in pupils’ learning as a result of previous weak teaching.
• In this school year, pupils are making stronger progress in mathematics than has previously been the case. There are now more opportunities for pupils to develop their mathematical reasoning and calculation skills. Pupils’ fluency of calculation is also improving. Pupils now routinely check and correct errors in their calculations, in response to guidance in their teachers’ feedback. Nevertheless, there is still some variability in pupils’ progress, and improvements have yet to be secured in some classes in key stage 2.
• In 2016 and 2017, at the end of key stage 2, few disadvantaged pupils attained the expected standards and none attained the higher standards in the combined subjects of reading, writing and mathematics. They had not made strong enough progress from their end of key stage 1 starting points, particularly in mathematics, in which progress was well below average. Although pupils received support through the government’s additional premium, the use of this funding did not have sufficient impact on improving the attainment of this group or their attendance. However, there are now signs of improvement and disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities are making better progress. Nevertheless, there remains some variability, reflecting the general inconsistency in the rate of progress for all pupils.
• Pupils’ good attitudes, confidence and enjoyment of school mean that they are well prepared for their transition to secondary school.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching in the early years requires improvement as it is not consistently good and does not ensure that children make strong enough progress in all aspects of their learning. The learning environment is too sparsely resourced and many activities are not sufficiently engaging to sustain children’s interest or attention. As a consequence, some children flit between activities and do not deepen or extend their learning.
• Adults do not intervene in a timely manner to support and guide children’s learning during child-initiated learning time. During these sessions, adults do not all extend or enhance children’s learning well enough, for example through skilful questioning to build on children’s responses. Some activities limit opportunities for children to make choices and there are too few occasions for children to follow their interests.
• Teachers do not give enough focus to some of the prime areas of learning, such as developing children’s physical skills, including their hand strength and control. As a result, some children are not making enough progress in the development of their early writing skills. Typically, the letters written by these children lack form, as they apply very weak pressure when attempting to write.
• Children are making good progress in reading and in the development of their phonics skills. During phonics sessions, teachers make sure that children practise blending and segmenting, and build on their previous learning.
• The proportion of children who reach the expected good level of development has risen in recent years and last year it was above that found nationally. However, children who start school with skills and knowledge that are below those typical for their age are not making rapid progress and are not catching up quickly enough. The gap between the attainment of these children and that of others is not diminishing sufficiently.
• Children’s welfare needs are attended to well. The environment is safe and secure and safeguarding is effective. Children use the classroom and outdoor spaces safely and confidently. They respond positively to adults, and their relationships with adults are warm. During whole-class sessions, such as story time, children maintain their focus well. However, during ‘free-flow’ time, some children are not considerate of each other and some are over boisterous.
• The early years leader has an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses within the setting. Despite her many other responsibilities, she provides much support and valuable guidance to staff in the setting. Leaders have already made some improvements to the learning environment, particularly the outdoor spaces. However, the significant turnover of staff in the early years means that some improvements have yet to be embedded.
• Baseline assessments are accurate and leaders moderate these appropriately with other schools in the MAT. Leaders keep a careful check on children’s progress through the monitoring of the children’s learning journeys.
• Leaders have worked very positively with parents to establish good relationships and increase their involvement with the school. Parents appreciate the opportunity to contribute to their child’s learning journey, and value the approachability of staff. They also comment about how happy their child is and the good start they have made to school. Transitions are managed very well and include a home visit prior to each child starting school. The school makes good use of additional funding to support disadvantaged children and those who have SEN and/or disabilities.
• Children’s positive relationships with adults and the school’s effective transition arrangements help them to be well prepared socially for key stage 1.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 142019 Surrey 10046621 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 Academy sponsor-led 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 402 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair of the school strategy board Paul Carpenter Co-headteachers Carrie Christer, Claire Regnard Telephone number 01737 762 940 Website Email address www.salfordsschool.org info@salfordsschool.org Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• This was the first inspection of the school since it became a sponsored academy in July 2015 and joined the GLF Academies Trust. The school is one of 28 primary and secondary schools in this MAT.
• Two part-time co-headteachers share responsibility for leading the school. The school has a school strategy board, which forms the local governance level within the MAT. The MAT’s board of trustees delegate certain functions to the school strategy board.
• The school meets the government’s floor standard, which is the minimum standard expected for pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of key stage 2.
• There is a breakfast club, which is run by the school. An after-school club is run by a private company, which has separate Ofsted registration.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in all classes. During most visits to classes, inspectors were accompanied by a member of the senior leadership team. Inspectors talked with pupils about their learning and looked at work in pupils’ books. Inspectors also observed a key stage 2 assembly. Inspectors listened to pupils read and met with a representative group of pupils from Years 2 to 6. Inspectors also considered the 14 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.
• Three separate meetings were held with leaders to review the quality of pupils’ work in English, mathematics and the wider curriculum.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, during breaktime, lunchtime and as they moved around the school.
• Meetings were held with both co-headteachers, the deputy headteacher, senior leaders, phase leaders, subject leaders and other teachers. The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer of the MAT, three members of the school strategy board and the director of education from the MAT.
• An inspector met with parents at the start of the second day of the inspection. Inspectors took into account 93 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, as well as the accompanying free-text comments.
• The views of staff were gathered through discussions and 31 responses to Ofsted’s confidential staff survey.
• Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documents and policies, including safeguarding documents and records of pupils’ attendance and behaviour. Inspectors scrutinised other documents, including: the school’s development plan; leaders’ self-evaluation; policies; monitoring records and evaluations of teaching and learning; and minutes of meetings. Other documents, including the director of education’s regular reports following visits to the school, were also considered.

Inspection team

Sue Cox, lead inspector Lynn Martin Cassie Buchanan

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector