Pike Fold Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Pupils achieve well during their time in school.

From starting points that are generally below expectations for their age, pupils leave with attainment that is broadly in line with the national average. Attainment is rising for pupils of all ages. All groups of pupils do well, and those who are known to be eligible for pupil premium funding and those with disabilities and with special needs achieve particularly well.

Teaching is good. Teachers plan interesting tasks and pay attention to meeting the needs of pupils of different abilities. As a result, pupils enjoy their lessons and they learn well.

Pupils have positive attitudes ...towards school, and almost all behave well in and outside of lessons. They enjoy good relationships with each other and with adults. The new building provides an attractive, high quality environment.

Provision for the Early Years Foundation Stage has much improved, with Nursery and Reception children now on the same site. Pupils are very well cared for and they feel safe in school. The headteacher leads the school with drive and determination.

Leaders at all levels carry out their roles well. Action to improve the school, including teaching, has been effective. Areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection have been fully addressed.

As a result, the school has improved well and is continuing to do so. The governing body asks increasing challenging questions of the school to check on its effectiveness. It is not yet an outstanding school because : The way in which pupils' achievement is tracked, while thorough, is complex.

This makes it harder to identify key messages about patterns and trends in performance. Teachers do not always make full use of information about how individual pupils are getting on when planning lessons or when marking their work. The targets set for pupils are challenging for some but are not equally challenging for all.

The questions the governing body asks about pupils' achievement are not as searching as those they ask in relation to their safeguarding and pastoral care.

Information about this school

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. Pike Fold is an average sized primary school.

Most pupils are from White British Backgrounds. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is well above the national average. (The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority).

The proportion of disabled pupils and with special educational needs supported through school action is above average and the proportion at school action plus or with a statement of special educational need is below average. The school has recently opened Resourced Provision for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorders or with Specific Language Impairment. One pupil receives part of their education at Bridgelea Pupil Referral Unit.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. The school moved to a new building in February 2013, which means that the whole school is housed together for the first time. There is a breakfast club on site, which is not managed by the governing body and which did not form part of this inspection.