Melling Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

Melling is a good and rapidly improving school. Outstanding safeguarding and care, guidance and support combined with good and often outstanding teaching has led to consistently above-average and in some cases high attainment. Outcomes overall and many specific personal development outcomes are outstanding.

The school has the overwhelming support of parents and carers, with whom engagement is excellent, and the community. Partnerships are outstanding. The pupils say, and demonstrate through their very active involvement, how much they feel extremely safe and enjoy working and playing in this school.

Overall, achievement is good and for some it is outstanding. The vast majority of pupils make ...at least good progress, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, given their starting points. Achievement is not yet securely outstanding because of the past in-year and between-year variations in attainment and the rates of progress made by pupils.

For example, last year, roughly two thirds of Year 6 pupils achieved the highest level in mathematics and in reading in English, an exceptional outcome, but only one third in writing. Similarly, progress for boys, the largest group last year, was outstanding whereas girls overall attained above average standards but made only the expected rate of progress. Evidence seen during the inspection indicates that a more consistent whole-school approach to the development of literacy and numeracy has tackled these variations.

Achievement for both boys and girls is now securely good or better. Pupils' enjoyment of learning is very evident particularly when they are challenged and excited by the work set and the teaching they receive. Teachers' high expectations, a persistent focus on accurate, technical responses from pupils of all ages and abilities and emotionally-engaging activities give a real 'buzz' to these lessons.

Excitement is palpable and learning is outstanding. There is a small minority of satisfactory teaching which limits the pace of learning for some when work is not always fully matched to the needs of the different ability groups in the class. While the curriculum has many strengths, it is good rather than outstanding, because the well-planned and regularly assessed progressive steps in learning now seen in English and mathematics are not fully-established in all subjects.

A curriculum review is under way and good plans are already in hand to tackle this issue. Very strong senior leadership, fully supported by a good and improving governing body have accurately evaluated the strengths of the school. This thorough self-evaluation has identified the school's many strengths and the key areas for development.

They have robust plans in place to make this good school even better. The capacity to improve is good as issues raised in the last inspection have been tackled well and a number of aspects of the school have moved from good to outstanding.

Information about the school

The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.

The ratio of girls to boys varies and is much wider than average in a number of year groups. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is very low with none with English as an additional language.

The number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is average and the number with a statement of special educational needs is below average. The headteacher took up post since the last inspection. The school has achieved Healthy School status and the Eco-Silver, International School (Intermediate) and the Financial Management in Schools awards.

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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