All Saints Catholic Primary School, Golborne, Wigan

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school Leaders and governors have successfully created a culture of the highest aspiration for pupils and their teachers. They share an unwavering determination to provide the best for pupils, and to give them 'roots to grow and wings to fly'. Teachers are highly ambitious for pupils.

They have excellent subject knowledge because : leaders make sure that they have the high-quality training they need to do their job well. Meticulous, accurate assessment practices enable teachers to plan learning that meets pupils' emerging needs well, and to take swift action to address any misconceptions so that pupils do not fall behind. Pupils achieve very well... at All Saints.

Pupils in every year group, including the most able and disadvantaged pupils, make substantial and sustained progress in reading, writing and mathematics. There is scope for some lower- ability pupils in lower key stage 2 to make even better progress in writing by ensuring that they develop consistently strong skills in spelling. The curriculum that leaders and governors provide enriches pupils' learning and enables them to achieve extremely well across a range of subjects.

Pupils' learning across the curriculum contributes to the strong progress they make in reading, writing and mathematics. Excellent arrangements for supporting vulnerable pupils ensure that they thrive and flourish in school. Professionals, parents and carers agree strongly with this view.

Pupils say that they feel safe in school and know who to ask for help. Children in the early years make strong and sustained progress from their various starting points because of the outstanding provision in the Nursery and Reception classes. The proportion achieving a good level of development in time for Year 1 is above the average nationally and continues to rise.

Pupils' behaviour is impeccable because : teachers' expectations are high. Their well-developed vocabulary and speaking skills enable them to express their thoughts clearly and to appreciate each other's points of view.

Information about the attendance of current pupils, including those who are

disadvantaged, suggests that this is set to continue.

Pupils' behaviour in class and around school is impeccable. They are polite and courteous, and their respect for each other and for their teachers is a reflection of the example their teachers set. Pupils say that bullying at school is very rare, but if it does occur, teachers always deal with it very quickly and effectively.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding When children start school in the early years, their skills and development are generally lower than those typical for children their age. Published performance measures show that by the time they leave key stage 2 and over a substantial period of time, pupils attain standards consistently above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. This highlights the excellent progress they make from their starting points over their time in the school.

In 2018, the proportion of pupils reaching at least the expected standard in the key stage 2 national tests in reading, writing and mathematics was well above the national average. The most able pupils made well-above-average progress, and all reached the higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Progress overall at the end of key stage 2 in 2018 was slightly lower in all three subjects than in recent years.

A small group of pupils with a range of complex needs were unable to sustain the strong progress needed to reach the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics. However, pupils of lower ability currently in school, including those with SEND, are making strong progress. Attainment at the end of key stage 1 is similarly strong.

The proportion of pupils reaching at least the expected standard in the Year 1 national phonics screening check is above average and has risen consistently over a substantial period of time. By the time they leave Year 2, almost all pupils have reached the required standard. In the 2018 national Year 1 tests, the proportion of pupils reaching at least the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics was above the national average.

Disadvantaged pupils achieve very well across subjects. They typically attain at least as well as other pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics and make similar progress and sometimes better progress. Those currently in school are making progress that is at least as strong, and frequently stronger, than that of non-disadvantaged pupils.

Pupils with SEND also make strong progress from their individual starting points because of the excellent support they receive. Reading was found to be a strength of the school at the time of the last inspection and this continues to be the case. Pupils develop a love of reading from the early years and across key stages.

Leaders have created a curriculum which introduces pupils to a broad range of high-quality literature which supports their learning across all subjects. Pupils read widely and often, and talk enthusiastically about their favourite authors. Consequently, they make excellent progress over time.

Leaders have risen to the challenge from the last inspection to ensure that more pupils achieve higher standards in their writing. Leaders' strong focus upon vocabulary is evident in pupils' work in their writing books and in other subjects. Current pupils demonstrate a high level of technical accuracy in their work and make excellent and accurate use of more sophisticated words and complex sentences.

They have ample opportunities to practise their writing skills to similarly high standards across curriculum subjects, including in science. As a result, writing is of consistently high quality across classes and more pupils are making excellent progress towards higher standards. Pupils in key stage 2, including disadvantaged pupils, reached standards well above the average nationally in the 2018 English grammar, punctuation and spelling tests, at both the expected and the higher age-related standards.

Pupils currently in school demonstrate a high level of spelling accuracy in their writing, including across subjects. The progress in writing of some lower-ability pupils in key stage 2 is limited by their relatively weak spelling skills. Pupils make excellent progress in mathematics because teaching is of a consistently high standard across classes.

Work in their books shows that pupils use their strong understanding of numbers and calculations to tackle a range of challenging problems. They explain their reasoning clearly because they have a firm grasp of the mathematics involved. Pupils develop their mathematical understanding extremely well across other subjects, because teachers routinely require them to apply their skills in a range of ways.

Early years provision Outstanding Children at All Saints make an excellent start to their education. Leaders and managers share the highest aspirations for children and are uncompromising in their drive to improve outcomes even further. The proportion of children reaching a good level of development by the time they leave the Reception class is consistently above the average nationally and continues to rise.

Leaders and managers are accurate and incisive in their evaluations of the impact that practice has upon children's outcomes. This enables them to make astute decisions about professional development for staff and results in improvements to the quality of teaching children receive. The interactions between adults and children are inspirational.

Adults use questioning skilfully to find out more about what children have understood and allow enough time for children to formulate their thoughts before speaking. Adults challenge children sensitively in order to develop and extend their ideas and thoughts further. Consequently, children learn to be reflective and to 'think critically' in their activities.

Leaders and staff share an extremely high degree of professional knowledge and expertise about the ways in which very young children learn and develop. This enables them to make informed decisions about how and when to assess their skills and stages of development, and to plan rigorously for their next steps in learning. Children, including those who are disadvantaged, those with SEND and the most able, are making substantial and sustained progress from their starting points.

Leaders have correctly identified that children frequently start Nursery with skills below those typical for their age, particularly in communication and language development. The high-quality training leaders have provided has enabled adults to become highly effective in promoting children's speaking, listening and thinking skills, and children make excellent progress in their communication and language development. Children develop their early literacy and numeracy skills exceptionally well.

Through the excellent teaching they receive, even the youngest children develop a strong awareness of sounds, letters and numbers. By the time they leave the Reception class, most children reach at least a good level of development in literacy and mathematics. Leaders are highly successful in ensuring that parents share in their children's learning.

They allow time for staff to get to know parents and children before they start school and make excellent use of the information parents and previous settings provide. Parents of children in the early years who responded to Ofsted's Parent View and free-text questionnaires were unanimous in their praise of the early years provision. Safeguarding in the early years is effective.

Leaders and staff follow the school's rigorous policies for keeping children safe and carry out extra checks which reflect the particular health and safety needs of very young children. There are no breaches of the statutory welfare requirements. Children learn how to keep themselves safe.

They follow the simple rules and routines adults have established, for example when walking to different parts of the school or when getting out and putting away equipment. They share resources, play cooperatively and manage their own behaviour extremely well. Children have access to a wide range of high-quality resources indoors and outdoors.

Leaders and staff use their careful assessments to make accurate judgements about the activities which will appeal to children and engage them well in learning. For example, during the inspection, children were highly focused in their role play in the class 'veterinary surgery'. They waited patiently for their turn to take their soft-toy pets to be examined and took a keen interest in the treatment administered.

They developed their language skills, cooperated with each other, and developed their understanding of people's working roles in appropriate ways during this activity. School details Unique reference number 106505 Local authority Wigan Inspection number 10057965 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 248 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs Yvonne Bowden Headteacher Mrs Wendy Hughes Telephone number 01942 747655 Website www.

golborneallsaints.co.uk Email address enquiries@admin.

golborneallsaints.wigan.sch.

uk Date of previous inspection 17 January 2018