Linden Road Primary School Ofsted Report June 2013

School report

Linden Road Primary School and Hearing Impaired Resource Base Linden Road, Denton, Manchester, M34 6EF

Inspection dates

25–26 June 2013 Previous inspection:

Inadequate

4

This inspection:

Requires improvement

3

Achievement of pupils

Requires improvement

3

Quality of teaching

Requires improvement

3

Behaviour and safety of pupils

Good

2

Leadership and management

Good

2

Overall effectiveness

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because  Although pupils’ attainment is rising and their  Teaching is not consistently good across all rates of progress improving, there is more year groups, and there are insufficient lessons catching up to do before their overall in which it is outstanding. achievement can be judged good.  Some teachers take too little account of pupils’  More-able pupils do not always reach the different abilities when planning tasks, so that highest levels they are capable of in English pupils’ learning is not moved on at a fast and mathematics. enough rate.  Despite significant improvements in teaching,  Despite the school’s best efforts to improve these have not yet impacted to the same attendance, this is below average and affected extent on the quality of teaching in by a minority of families taking children on mathematics as in reading and writing. holiday in school time.

The school has the following strengths  This is a happy school in which all pupils are valued and included in all it has to offer.

Pupils behave well and have very good attitudes to learning. They enjoy school and feel safe and cared for well.  Hearing-impaired pupils who access the additional resource provision make good progress in their academic learning and excellent progress in their personal development and confidence.

 Good leadership and management have been the key factors driving significant improvements in teaching, learning and behaviour since its previous inspection. The willingness of all staff to embrace change and strive for improvement has also made a positive contribution.  Children get a very good start to their schooling in the Early Years Foundation Stage and make good progress in their learning and development.

Inspection report: Linden Road Primary School and Hearing Impaired Resource Base, 25–26 June 2013

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Information about this inspection  Inspectors observed 13 lessons across the school and the majority of teachers were seen twice.  Meetings were held with leaders, teachers and other staff, three members of the governing body and a group of pupils.  There were insufficient responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) to take into account.

However, inspectors noted the school’s own recent survey of parents’ views.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of policies and other documents, including the school’s own data on current pupils’ progress, improvement plans and monitoring information, records relating to behaviour and attendance, minutes of recent governing body meetings and safeguarding arrangements.  As the school’s sports day took place on the afternoon of the first day of inspection, inspectors scrutinised samples of pupils’ work in English and mathematics.

Inspection team Marguerite Murphy, Lead inspector

Her Majesty’s Inspector

Lynne Read

Additional Inspector

Inspection report: Linden Road Primary School and Hearing Impaired Resource Base, 25–26 June 2013

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Full report In accordance with section 13 (5) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement.

Information about this school  This is an average-sized primary school.  The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium is well above average. The pupil premium is additional funding based on the number of pupils in local authority care, from service families and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  An above average proportion of pupils has additional needs that are supported through school action. The proportion that is supported at action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum standards expected for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school has specially resourced provision for hearing impaired pupils, with six pupils currently accessing this. The pupils spend much of their time in mainstream lessons.  When the school was last inspected in March 2012, it was judged inadequate and given a Notice to Improve. Significant improvement was required in leadership and management, including aspects of governance. The school received a one-day monitoring visit by HMI in December 2012 to check on its progress.

What does the school need to do to improve further?  Build on the more recent improvements made to the quality of teaching to ensure it is consistently good and that a higher proportion is outstanding by: - remedying any remaining variability in teaching and sharing best practice more widely - pushing forward with plans to enhance staff training in mathematics, extending teachers’ subject knowledge and providing more opportunities for pupils to apply their skills in investigative and problem-solving activities - ensuring that the high quality of marking and feedback evident in some classes is applied consistently across the school to provide all pupils with clear guidance on their next steps in learning.  Raise further pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by: - making sure that a higher proportion of pupils make better than expected progress - enabling those pupils who are capable of reaching above average standards at the end of each key stage to achieve this by always providing tasks of appropriate challenge and difficulty - improving attendance across the school to reduce the number of learning days lost by a minority of pupils.

Inspection report: Linden Road Primary School and Hearing Impaired Resource Base, 25–26 June 2013

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Inspection judgements The achievement of pupils

requires improvement

 Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with below average starting points, particularly in their communication and early literacy and mathematics skills. They make good progress overall, most notably in their personal and social development, understanding of the world and expressive arts and design. The beaming smiles of children in the Nursery class reflected their enjoyment of an excellent ‘dough disco’ session as they explained confidently that ‘it makes our fingers strong so that we can write better!’  From broadly typical starting points on entry to Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 2 was below average in 2012. However, pupils’ current work shows that they are now back on track to reach national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. This is because pupils’ achievement across the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 is now mainly good and sometimes outstanding.  Pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 was below average in 2012, in both English and mathematics. Some pupils did not make the progress expected of them, because their learning across Key Stage 2 was too variable. The current Year 6 pupils are on track for results in line with national averages, although fewer than average are achieving at the highest levels.  Leaders are aware that there is still variability in the rates of progress made by pupils in some classes, and this remains a key priority for improvement. Also, the push to improve pupils’ writing has taken some of the focus away from the need to develop the mathematics curriculum and raise achievement further in that subject, too. This is being addressed in the school’s action plans for the next academic year.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make similar progress to their peers and sometimes make good progress. This is also an improving picture from previous years, particularly in reading and writing.  Hearing impaired pupils achieve well. They are very effectively supported by skilled staff who know their individual needs and encourage them to tackle activities as independently as possible  The gap between the attainment of those supported by pupil premium funding and other pupils was similar to that typically found in 2012. The school’s most recent data show that the gap is narrowing significantly in the current Year 6 and across other year groups.  The school’s work to improve resources and provision to accelerate pupils’ learning in reading and writing is having a positive impact on their progress. Pupils enjoy their lessons and are keen to develop their writing skills, especially when the teaching is most enthusiastic and engaging.

This is leading to improvements in pupils’ spelling, grammar and punctuation, although the quality of handwriting and presentation is variable.  Phonics (linking letters and the sounds they make) is taught particularly effectively from the nursery to Year 2 and this is helping to narrow the gaps in pupils’ early reading skills. Pupils make good use of their knowledge of phonics to make plausible attempts at more difficult, unfamiliar words.  Reading is promoted well across the school and an increasing number of pupils are reading more widely for enjoyment within and beyond the school day. Some less-able readers lose motivation if they feel limited to particular reading scheme books, and leaders are aware of the need to monitor teachers’ use of the full range of reading material for all abilities.

The quality of teaching

requires improvement

 The improvements in pupils’ achievement over the past year reflect the actions taken to develop the skills of teachers and teaching assistants, who work effectively together to improve pupils’ learning and progress. Teaching in the majority of lessons is now good, although this is not yet secure and consistent enough across the school.  A key aspect that the school is rightly keen to develop is the way in which teachers take account

Inspection report: Linden Road Primary School and Hearing Impaired Resource Base, 25–26 June 2013

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of pupils’ previous learning to move it on quickly enough for pupils of all abilities. When this is happening successfully in the best lessons, pupils make accelerated progress.  For example, Year 2 pupils made outstanding progress in telling the time on analogue and digital clocks because of the teacher’s exceptionally clear explanations and well-targeted tasks. Higher attaining pupils were confidently tackling very challenging work, which the teacher maintained through regular checks and amendments to the lesson according to pupils’ needs.  Year 4 pupils enjoyed the ‘buzz’ and excitement of a science investigation in which all ability groups made excellent progress in understanding a number of basic scientific principles when mixing solids with water. All were engrossed in their work and chatting to each other and the teacher about what they were learning. Hearing impaired pupils and those who find some work difficult were similarly engaged and fully involved in the lesson due to the support of skilled assistants.  Teachers’ marking and feedback to pupils, most notably in English, have improved since the previous inspection although it is not yet consistent across the school. Where it is particularly strong, there are detailed comments in pupils’ books about how well they have done a piece of work and what they should do next to further improve. Additional questions or challenges are sometimes added for pupils to respond to, although these are not always followed up in subsequent lessons.  Teachers’ subject expertise and confidence have been well developed in English as a result of the school’s emphasis on this. Mathematics has taken a back seat to some extent and there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to use and apply mathematical skills in problem-solving activities. However, there are well-considered plans in place to remedy this in the near future.  Lessons are well managed and teachers place sufficient emphasis on developing pupils’ teamwork, collaboration and independent skills. Where teaching requires improvement, there are fewer opportunities for pupils to learn independently or express their ideas clearly and ask questions to further their understanding.

The behaviour and safety of pupils

are good

 Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning and their behaviour is good. There is an ethos of mutual respect and pupils know they are valued and cared for well. Pupils show courtesy and good manners in lessons and around the school.  Pupils have a good knowledge of different forms of bullying and the importance of telling adults if there is a problem so that it can be dealt with quickly. They know about ways in which they can keep themselves safe and are supportive of each other.  In the few instances when a small number of pupils find it difficult to manage their own behaviour, they are given effective help and guidance by support staff and teachers so that potential problems do not escalate.  Parents, staff, governors and pupils themselves are positive about the significant improvements that have been made in pupils’ behaviour in the last year. It has helped to lift everyone’s spirits and contributes to the school’s good promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Most pupils attend regularly, although overall figures are affected by a small number whose attendance is not high enough, sometimes through taking holidays in term time. Plans for the work of the parent liaison officer are being put in place for next term to work with families to reduce absences.  Pupils understand and follow the school’s expected behaviour code and enjoy the recognition and rewards they receive for doing so, for example, the ‘You’ve been spotted!’ scheme and merit points.  Many pupils are using signing and are keen to understand and fully communicate with their hearing impaired classmates. Reading ‘buddies’ help younger children with their reading and pupils take on a range of responsibilities, such as being members of the active school council.

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 Pupils safely enjoy the school’s outdoor environment and know they are fortunate to have such things as the woodland area, mini allotment, planters and chicken coop to enhance their knowledge of science and nature. These are maintained on a voluntary basis by the school’s dedicated site manager who is clearly well respected by staff and pupils. As one child put it ‘he is kind, makes us feel safe and helps make school a fun place!’

The leadership and management

are good

 The vision and drive of the headteacher and deputy headteacher have brought about a clear and shared determination to improve. Expectations have been raised and leadership roles are distributed appropriately. Key subject and aspect leaders have a better understanding of their responsibilities for ensuring that standards continue to rise.  Rigorous and regular monitoring of teaching has identified individual and whole-school strengths and areas for development. These are addressed through training and coaching programmes for staff and the beneficial partnership with another school to facilitate the sharing of ideas. The profile of the quality of teaching and its impact on pupils’ achievement has improved as a result of this determined leadership.  The school has a clear commitment to equalities and the inclusion of all learners. Leaders make regular checks on pupils’ progress and analyse the performance of all groups so that action can be taken if any underachievement is identified.  Self-evaluation and improvement planning are concise and focused on the school’s key priorities.

Staff are held to account for pupils’ progress through performance management procedures.

These are also under review to ensure that teachers’ performance and targets are commensurate with the expectations for their particular responsibilities and salary scales.  The curriculum meets pupils’ needs and provides a good range of additional activities to enhance their learning. There are plans to develop the curriculum in a more creative way now that there is better capacity to build on pupils’ improving literacy skills through a wider range of themes and subjects.  Pupil premium funding is used effectively, for example, in ensuring pupils have equal access to computers through the homework club; providing staff for intervention programmes in small groups to boost learning and through the allocation of teaching assistants to work with individual pupils on their targets for improvement.  The school communicates well with parents and the local community, leading to more positive relationships and partnerships that benefit pupils. The established Parent Forum provides opportunities for parents to be involved in discussions about the school’s development.  The governance of the school: - The governing body carries out its statutory duties effectively, including those for safeguarding pupils. It is well informed about the quality of teaching in the school and how the best teachers can be rewarded. Governors understand the school’s data on pupils’ progress and hold senior leaders to account for the school’s performance, including for the use of pupil premium funding and its impact on achievement. Governors carefully consider decisions related to spending priorities, which contributed to the rigorous process of determining the school’s leadership structure for the new academic year. This is well balanced to allow for some continuity alongside new and carefully recruited appointments to meet the school’s future needs. The local authority has provided effective monitoring, challenge and support to the school’s leadership that has increased the school’s capacity to sustain future improvements.

Inspection report: Linden Road Primary School and Hearing Impaired Resource Base, 25–26 June 2013

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What inspection judgements mean School Grade

Judgement

Description

Grade 1

Outstanding

An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment.

Grade 2

Good

A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment.

Grade 3

Requires improvement

A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection.

Grade 4

Inadequate

A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

A school that requires special measures is one where the school is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

Inspection report: Linden Road Primary School and Hearing Impaired Resource Base, 25–26 June 2013

School details Unique reference number

106221

Local authority

Tameside

Inspection number

408868

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

Type of school

Primary

School category

Community

Age range of pupils

3–11

Gender of pupils

Mixed

Number of pupils on the school roll

230

Appropriate authority

The governing body

Chair

Paul Roberts

Headteacher

Alec Stephenson

Date of previous school inspection

7 March 2012

Telephone number

0161 3200002

Fax number

0161 3205603

Email address

head@lindenroad.tameside.sch.uk

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