Chinley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Chinley Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone is welcome at Chinley Primary. Pupils are happy and feel safe.

They know that the adults care about them. Pupils look out for each other too. Year 6 pupils are proud to be 'buddied-up' with new children in Reception.

As one said, 'Playing with them and seeing them happy makes us happy.' Leaders have high expectations of pupils' learning and conduct. Pupils want to do well.

They attend very well, and they try hard in lessons. Pupils learn about 'virtues' like determination and courtesy. They enjoy rewarding each other for demonstrating these.

Pupils read e...very day with their teachers. Class books are at the centre of the topics they are learning each term. Pupils enjoy choosing books from the library to read independently.

Children in Nursery listen to stories. They learn through play. For example, they learn about maps by hunting for treasure together.

Pupils enjoy contributing to their school community as leaders and helpers. They vote for each other to join the school council. They participate actively in clubs.

They make happy memories on the many educational visits the school provides.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders want every pupil to 'aim high and be the best they can be'. They have designed the academic curriculum to ensure that this can happen.

They enrich the curriculum with a broad, varied set of experiences outside the classroom. Pupils learn to value their locality and appreciate the richness of the world beyond. Leaders are working to continually improve the impact of the curriculum, building on existing strengths.

Subject leaders work closely with early years leaders to ensure that the curriculum builds from ages three to 11. Curriculum thinking in mathematics and English is particularly strong. Here, leaders have thought about the very small steps pupils will take to build secure learning.

Teachers adopt a consistent approach to teaching these subjects, and pupils learn especially well. In these subjects, retrieval of prior learning is systematic. In some other subjects, this is not yet the case, and pupils' learning is not as secure.

Across the curriculum, teachers explain new learning well. As a result, pupils know what they are doing and why. Teachers make sure that pupils develop their vocabulary and use it in their work.

They usually check that pupils have learned or practised what they need to before moving on. Leaders use assessment information effectively to review the curriculum. They identify which pupils might need some extra help, and they provide it.

In foundation subjects, teachers adopt varying approaches to assessment. In these cases, leaders need to be sure that the information they receive is reliable.Leaders are determined that all pupils get the help they need to thrive academically and personally.

They use additional support to prevent pupils from developing gaps or concerns in the future. Teachers make useful adaptations to meet the needs of individual pupils. The provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is strong.

Leaders work tenaciously with external agencies to try to secure the help pupils need.Children in Nursery and Reception get off to a strong start. Children benefit from warm relationships with adults.

Routines are well established. This means children develop independence. Staff plan play carefully to ensure that children's learning prepares them well for the next stage of school.

From Nursery to Year 6, reading is a priority. Children in Reception learn phonics from the start. They read from books that are well matched to the sounds they know.

Pupils who need help to keep up or catch up with their peers get the support they need.The provision for pupils' personal development is a strength of the school. Character education forms the basis of this programme.

Pupils learn the value of respect, diversity and good citizenship. This is reflected in how pupils treat each other with kindness and good humour. Year 6 pupils are confident about moving to secondary school because their teachers have prepared them well.

Visits to museums, cities and places of local interest add significantly to pupils' learning in lessons. Through clubs, activities and the curriculum, pupils discover and develop their interests and talents.Governors bring a diverse range of experience to their roles.

They provide valuable support and challenge to leaders. They focus on the well-being of staff. Staff feel listened to.

Staff are proud and happy to work in this school. It is a community where staff and leaders support each other and work hard together on a shared mission. The overwhelming majority of parents are very positive about the work of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong safeguarding culture at this school. Leaders ensure that staff receive effective training.

As a result, staff know their duties well. They are vigilant and report any concerns about a pupil's welfare. Leaders take prompt and effective action.

They work closely with local safeguarding partners to ensure that pupils and their families get the support they need. They also offer high-quality social and emotional support in school.Through lessons and assemblies, leaders ensure that pupils learn to stay safe, including when online.

For example, they learn about what makes a positive relationship. Year 6 pupils learn to ride their bicycles safely.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some aspects of the curriculum are at earlier stages of development than others.

Where this is the case, the impact of the curriculum is not as consistent as it is in the stronger, well-developed areas of the curriculum. Leaders must ensure that they continue with their plans to fully develop the curriculum, precisely identifying the knowledge pupils should learn, so that teachers know exactly what to teach and assess at each stage of the curriculum.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually, this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we the school to be good in November 2013.