Cadishead Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Short inspection of Cadishead Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 24 April 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in May 2014. This school continues to be good.

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Many significant changes have taken place. Leaders have dealt effectively with fluctuating numbers of pupils on roll and the loss of an external provider who shared the premises.

Consequently, you have adapted the school building to provide ex...tra working areas, a vibrant library and a dedicated music room. There have also been many changes to the staff team. This period of time has not been without its challenges.

These have hindered the rate of school improvement you would have liked in some areas. However, you have established a knowledgeable team of leaders who are making many changes to their areas of responsibilities and this is having a positive impact in relation to pupils' outcomes. Leaders' evaluation of how well the school is doing is accurate.

While pupils' progress in key stage 2 was in line with the national average in 2016 and 2017, aspects of provision in the early years and key stage 1 have not been as effective. You have rightly prioritised these areas and galvanised staff to bring about improvements. Governors know their school and community well.

They are knowledgeable and reflective. Over the last few years, they have reviewed their own strengths and areas for development and recruited new governors who have specific skills. As a result, they challenge and support you admirably.

Governors are highly supportive of the school and determined that achievement will continue to improve even further. There is a warm and inclusive culture at the school that welcomes visitors and new pupils. Pupils settle quickly into school and make many friends.

They are proud of their school and value their education because of the excellent relationships that they have with each other and the staff. They enjoy lessons and said that teachers 'make learning fun'. The majority of parents and carers who responded to Parent View, Ofsted's online survey, were supportive of the school.

The previous inspection report identified the need to raise the quality of teaching further so that the standard of writing for all pupils, especially the most able, improves. Since the last inspection, progress in this area has been slow, mainly because of the changes to staffing and leadership. Consequently, published assessment information on writing is inconsistent across the school.

The English leader monitors the teaching of writing and the work in pupils' books regularly. There has been a range of whole-school training to help teachers improve their teaching and ensure that the teaching of writing is consistent across the school. Staff also work closely with a number of schools to moderate writing samples and share good practice.

As a result, teachers are now confident teaching and assessing writing, especially at the higher standard. Over the last two years, improved teaching strategies have ensured that pupils are challenged in their learning. Information that pupils receive shows clearly what they have achieved and the next steps in their learning.

In all classes, pupils have access to, and are encouraged by staff to use, a wide range of resources to help them improve their writing, for example thesauruses, dictionaries, phonic mats and vocabulary lists. Pupils write at length across different subjects and develop their vocabulary because of the interesting learning activities that teachers plan. Progress information for current pupils shows that most pupils are making good progress and a greater proportion are now reaching the higher standards across the school.

A further area for improvement from the last inspection was to improve the quality of pupils' handwriting and presentation. Handwriting has been an area of improvement for a number of years. Consequently, work seen in most pupils' books is generally of a good standard.

However, you are fully aware that standards of writing for some boys are not as good as for girls. Leaders have analysed the reasons why and implemented targeted support so that the boys can catch up. Nevertheless, you agreed that this is still at an early stage and boys' writing, especially their handwriting and presentation, needs to remain as a school priority.

During the inspection, we discussed the next steps required to enable the school to improve further. You agreed that the progress that disadvantaged pupils make in reading and mathematics needs to improve further, so that a greater proportion achieve at the expected and higher standard by the end of key stage 1. In addition, we discussed the need to improve systems to track attendance, especially for specific groups of pupils.

Safeguarding is effective. Safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and records are detailed and of high quality. Staff and governors have received comprehensive training and are clear about what to do if they have any concerns about pupils' safety or well-being.

The checks that leaders undertake on the suitability of adults to work with pupils are robust. Leaders have a good knowledge of the support that different agencies provide to children and families. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in different situations, including when they are online.

This is because of the effective teaching that they receive. The pupils that I spoke to said that they feel safe and value the relationships that they have with each other and staff. Parents and carers who responded to Ofsted's online survey, Parent View, said that their children are safe and happy.

Inspection findings ? This inspection focused on a number of key lines of enquiry. The first of these looked at the achievement of boys in Reception. This is because the proportion of boys who achieve a good level of development has been consistently below the national average.

There has been a period of instability in teaching within the early years and you have taken appropriate action to address this. You have identified achievement in the early years as an area for school improvement. Over the last two years, leaders have evaluated the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and made many improvements.

The indoor and outdoor learning areas are well resourced and provide exciting and skilfully planned opportunities for children to read, write and record numbers. Teachers have had relevant and targeted training. As a result, they not only plan from children's interests but ensure that learning activities address children's next steps.

Current school assessment information indicates that a greater proportion of children, especially boys, are on track to achieve a good level of development. ? We also looked at the progress that the disadvantaged pupils are making in reading and mathematics across key stage 1. Over the last two years, they have achieved below the national average at the expected and higher standards.

You have addressed this and taken action to raise their achievement earlier. As a result, by the time disadvantaged pupils leave the school, the progress that they make is good and achievement is in line with the national average. The school's statement on the use of the pupil premium is clear and sets precise criteria by which success can be measured.

Assessment systems have been improved and pupils' progress is analysed effectively. Consequently, timely and well-targeted support is implemented and pupils' different needs are being met. The school's most recent assessment information and the work in pupils' books show that they are now making good progress.

However, you agreed that their progress needs to be accelerated so that a greater proportion achieve at the expected and higher standard by the end of key stage 1. ? The last key line of enquiry considered the attendance and persistent absence for disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. This was because their attendance has been low and their persistent absence high.

Leaders have improved their systems for checking pupils' attendance, some of which are effective. However, you agreed that your systems for tracking groups of pupils need to be further refined. Your work with other schools to raise the profile of attendance within the local community is bearing fruit.

Leaders work closely in partnership with external agencies and the school's education welfare officer to provide help and support for families if their child's attendance becomes a concern. As a last resort, you now fine parents when necessary. As a result of actions taken by leaders, attendance is beginning to improve for some pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged.

Next steps for the school Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that: ? they improve boys' writing across the school so that a greater proportion achieve at the expected and higher standard ? disadvantaged pupils make accelerated progress in reading and mathematics, so that a greater proportion achieve at the expected and higher standard by the end of key stage 1 ? systems to track the attendance of groups of pupils are improved further. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Salford. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

Yours sincerely Julie Barlow Her Majesty's Inspector Information about the inspection During the inspection, I observed teaching and learning and scrutinised examples of pupils' work. I met with you, senior leaders, the English leader and the office manager. I spoke with six pupils in key stage 2 and with pupils informally in lessons and around the school.

I also spoke with five governors, including the chair of the governing body, and with the representative of the local authority. I evaluated the 26 responses to Ofsted's online questionnaire, Parent View, and took account of the 25 free-text responses from parents. I also took account of 21 responses to Ofsted's staff questionnaire and 40 responses to Ofsted's pupil questionnaire.

I reviewed a range of school documents. These included: the school's self-evaluation; the school's development plans and assessment records; minutes of the governing body meetings; safeguarding documentation; and records relating to pupils' behaviour and attendance. I also considered information posted on the school's website.

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