Foulridge Saint Michael and All Angels CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be members of this happy, calm and caring school.

They are greeted warmly by their teachers as they arrive at school each morning. All are welcome. New pupils make friends quickly.

Pupils make full use of the school's beautiful and well-resourced grounds. They enjoy a wide range of games and activities on the playground. For example, pupils keep themselves fit and healthy by running a mile each day around the school track.

They enjoy using the garden for prayer and reflection.

Around the school and in lessons, pupils behave well. They strive to live out the school's values, including love, respect and forgiveness.

Friendl...y relationships between staff and pupils make the school a pleasant place to learn. Pupils feel safe and happy. They know that they can share any concerns with their caring teachers.

Pupils said that leaders would take swift action to deal with any incidents of bullying.

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to achieve well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, in some subjects, there are weaknesses in how well the curriculum is planned and delivered.

Leaders' steps to improve how well pupils learn are not fully implemented, and pupils do not achieve as well as they should in some subjects.

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

Since the previous inspection, senior leaders have taken determined steps to improve how well pupils learn. They have set about organising the subject curriculums so that pupils build their learning in a logical way, starting in the Reception class.

This work is ongoing.

In some subjects, including mathematics, English and physical education (PE), curriculums are well organised. Pupils remember important learning and achieve well.

Leaders have considered how children in the early years should build their knowledge to prepare them for Year 1. However, in some other subjects, including history, improvements are at an earlier stage. Leaders are not as clear about the most important aspects of the curriculum that pupils need to learn in these subjects.

Added to this, leaders have not considered fully the steps that pupils should make in their learning as they move through the school.

Governors and senior leaders ensure that subject leaders get the training and support that they need to develop their expertise in leading areas of the curriculum. However, senior leaders' efforts to strengthen subject leadership have been slowed by turbulence in staffing.

Some subject leaders do not have the knowledge and expertise to support teachers to deliver curriculums well. As a result, teachers sometimes design activities which do not support pupils well to learn the intended curriculum. This means that in some subjects, pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

During lessons, teachers check how well pupils are learning. For example, staff ask appropriate questions and carry out mini quizzes. These checks help teachers to identify where pupils need more help to learn well.

Leaders have placed reading at the heart of the school's curriculum. Pupils enjoy reading a wide range of books and stories with their teachers. Pupils value their visits to the school library.

They understand the importance of reading and they appreciate the opportunities that their teachers provide for them to read for pleasure.

Children begin learning phonics as soon as they start in the Reception class. Leaders ensure that pupils' reading books are carefully matched to the phonics that they know.

Staff make careful checks to identify where pupils are not keeping up with their learning in phonics. A small number of younger pupils struggle to read with success. Leaders ensure that these pupils receive a range of extra support to help them catch up.

Most pupils develop as confident and fluent readers.

Most parents and carers have a very positive view of the school. They recognise the changes that leaders are putting in place to improve how well pupils learn.

Staff work closely with parents and a range of professionals to ensure that pupils with SEND are quickly and accurately identified. In lessons, staff make careful adaptations to ensure that pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. Leaders help pupils with additional needs get the support that they need for their mental health and well-being.

Staff and pupils have a shared understanding of the school's behaviour policy. In lessons, pupils strive to do their best. They listen respectfully to their teachers and to each other.

In the Reception class, children play happily alongside each other. They concentrate and persevere in their learning.

Leaders plan many opportunities to ensure that pupils develop as active, caring and responsible citizens.

For example, pupils take on a wide range of leadership activities. Reading ambassadors take on the running of the school library. The head boy and head girl are proud to lead assemblies.

Pupils are involved in the community, raising money for a wide range of charities and visiting the church. Through the many sports activities on offer, pupils develop confidence and fitness.

Governors know the school well.

They keep a careful check on the impact of leaders' curriculum improvements. Governors and leaders understand the importance of staff's well-being. They are considerate of teachers' workload when making decisions.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that all staff have regular safeguarding training. This ensures that staff are alert to possible signs of abuse and neglect.

Staff report any concerns to leaders promptly. When needed, leaders work with other professionals to ensure that pupils get the help that they need.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn how to stay safe.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe when working online. They learn about the dangers that they may encounter, such as the negative effects of drug or alcohol misuse. They learn about what to do if the actions of others make them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subject leaders do not have the knowledge and expertise to provide appropriate support for teachers to deliver some aspects of curriculum content. This hinders teachers in their efforts to design learning. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders continue to receive high-quality training to develop their expertise in carrying out their roles effectively.

• In some subjects, leaders are not clear enough about the key knowledge that they want pupils to learn and the order in which it should be taught. This means that teachers are sometimes unsure about the most important knowledge that pupils should learn and how this learning should be strengthened over time. Leaders should ensure that teachers are clear about the important knowledge that pupils should learn and how this knowledge should build in well-ordered steps.

• Some teachers lack sufficient expertise to plan activities that support pupils to learn the intended curriculum and secure important learning. This means that pupils do not have a firm enough understanding of important concepts. Leaders should ensure that the work that teachers give to pupils is closely matched to the aims of the intended curriculum.

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