Rishton Methodist Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

Pupils make good progress and achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics throughout the school from their different starting points. Children get a good start to their learning in the early years provision. They are well prepared to enter Key Stage 1.

Teaching is good across the school. Staff know pupils well. They set work that engages pupils effectively in their learning and enables them to make good progress.

Disadvantaged pupils, and those with a disability or who have special needs are well supported and as a result make good progress. Any gaps in their achievement are closing rapidly. Pupils' behaviour is good.
<...br/>They enjoy coming to school and are keen to learn. They say they feel very safe and are well cared for in school. School leaders and governors have a clear view of how well the school is performing and where it can do better.

They have worked well together to improve the quality of teaching and this continues to raise pupils' achievement. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Parents are appreciative and supportive of the school.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Expectations of what pupils can achieve are not always high enough. Pupils, including the most able, are not always given work that is hard enough to enable them to make the best possible progress and achieve the highest standards. Pupils have too few opportunities to use and apply their mathematical skills and knowledge to solve practical problems both in mathematics and in other subjects.

Middle leaders are not yet fully accountable for the quality of teaching and pupils' progress in their areas of responsibility.

Information about this school

The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. Pupils are taught in seven single year classes from the Reception Year to Year 6.

Children attend the early years provision full time. Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is around twice the national average.

These are pupils supported by the pupil premium, which is funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average. The headteacher joined the school in January 2014.

Three other teachers have joined the school within the last four terms. The deputy headteacher was absent during the inspection. The school does not meet the government's current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.