Heald Place Primary School, located in Rusholme, Manchester, has been recognized for its good overall effectiveness following an inspection in March 2019. The leadership and management of the school have shown significant improvement since previous challenges that led to a decline in standards. The headteacher and governing body have effectively addressed these issues, ensuring that the quality of education provided is now good. Leaders have implemented strategies that have enhanced the quality of teaching, learning, and assessment, resulting in good progress for pupils across various subjects, including English and mathematics.
The curriculum offered at Heald Place is broad and engaging, contributing positively to the personal development of pupils. The governing body has a clear understanding of the school's standards and actively challenges leaders to strive for further improvement. A strong culture of safeguarding is evident, with pupils feeling safe and knowledgeable about how to maintain their safety. The school promotes a sense of responsibility among pupils through various roles and responsibilities, fostering a supportive and respectful environment.
Pupils generally exhibit good behavior in class and throughout the school, demonstrating respect towards adults and peers. The early years provision is also rated as good, with children making significant progress and being well-prepared for Year 1. However, there are areas identified for further improvement, particularly in embedding strategies to enhance progress in reading, writing, and mathematics. While teachers are providing challenging work for the most able pupils, there is still a need for more pupils to attain higher standards.
The inspection highlighted that pupils sometimes do not take pride in their work, and there is a need to close the achievement gap between boys and girls in the early years. To further enhance the effectiveness of leadership and management, the school is encouraged to strengthen recent actions aimed at improving pupils' progress in core subjects. Additionally, there is a focus on ensuring that teaching is closely matched to pupils' abilities and needs, allowing for sustained concentration and engagement in learning.
The quality of teaching, learning, and assessment is good, with leaders having made notable improvements since the previous decline in standards. Teachers are generally effective in planning lessons that engage pupils, utilizing their subject knowledge to create stimulating learning experiences. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive, contributing to a conducive learning environment. However, there are instances where tasks do not align perfectly with pupils' abilities, leading to occasional distractions.
Pupils' personal development and welfare are well-supported, with a range of activities promoting their spiritual, moral, social, and cultural growth. The school has established effective measures to manage bullying and promote a safe environment. Attendance rates are above the national average, and there have been no exclusions, indicating a positive school climate.
Overall, Heald Place Primary School has made commendable progress in providing a good quality of education. The leadership team is focused on continuous improvement, with a clear understanding of the areas that require further development. The school is well-positioned to build on its successes and address the challenges identified during the inspection, ensuring that all pupils achieve their full potential.
