Bamber Bridge St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

There is a warm and caring culture at St Aidan's Church of England Primary School.

It is a nurturing environment for pupils. Staff forge strong relationships with pupils and know their families well. Pupils describe the school as a 'family'.

Through their attitudes and behaviours, pupils demonstrate the Christian values of the school, such as truthfulness, forgiveness and compassion.

Pupils behave well. They are polite and respectful.

They learn about friendship, kindness and how to treat each other with respect. Pupils get on well together and enjoy being with their friends. Pupils comment that staff help them to rebuild their relationships when the...y fall out with each other.

Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying quickly and effectively.

Leaders have high aspirations for pupils' learning across the curriculum. Pupils strive to meet these expectations.

They have positive attitudes towards their work, enjoy their learning and work hard in class. However, there are gaps in pupils' knowledge across a range of subjects. They do not learn as well as they should.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enjoy helping to make their school a better place. They are proud of the roles that they have within school, such as school councillors, prefects, play leaders and ethos leaders.

Leaders give a warm welcome to parents and the community at the school.

Many parents appreciate the open and approachable nature of leaders and staff.

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

Leaders have successfully steered the school through a period of challenge. Their focus on improving all aspects of school life is crystal clear.

This is a school where leaders and staff hold what is best for pupils at the forefront of everything they do.

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is broad and balanced. It is suitably ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND.

In some subjects, the curriculum is well established and is understood by all staff.

Leaders have identified the knowledge that pupils will learn from the early years to the end of Year 6. They make sure that teachers introduce new content in a logical order.

This helps pupils to build on what they already know. As a result, pupils remember what they have been taught and achieve well in these subjects.

However, in some subjects, leaders have only recently started to identify the important key knowledge that they want pupils to learn.

Teachers are less certain about the knowledge that should be taught and in what order. This makes it more difficult for them to build up pupils' knowledge securely or to assess whether pupils have understood and remembered their learning. This means that pupils, including those in early years, do not build their knowledge across the curriculum as well as they should.

Leaders make checks to see how well teachers deliver the curriculum. Leaders and teachers quickly make adaptations to bring about improvements. For example, teachers now begin lessons with a recap of prior learning to support pupils to remember and apply their learning in the longer term.

Leaders have ensured that there are clear systems in place for identifying the individual needs of pupils with SEND. Teachers make thoughtful adaptations in lessons to support pupils with SEND effectively. Leaders ensure that they have positive links with outside agencies to meet the needs of pupils with complex needs.

Leaders understand the importance of reading. Teachers read to pupils every day, and classrooms have well-resourced reading areas. Pupils enjoy reading and talk enthusiastically about their favourite class authors.

Pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read use the sounds they know to read unfamiliar words from books. They enjoy their phonics lessons. Staff check how well pupils are keeping up with the phonics programme.

However, some staff are not trained well enough to deliver phonics lessons effectively. As a result, some pupils become less interested in their learning. Pupils who struggle to read do not receive regular support to help them keep up.

Pupils fall behind and do not catch up quickly enough.

Pupils are excited to learn. They demonstrate positive behaviours in lessons because of high expectations and well-established routines.

The careful focus on the school's values encourages pupils to reflect on their behaviour and actions. As a result, the school is calm and orderly. In the early years, children are polite and considerate of one another.

They play and learn together confidently, both inside and outside the classroom.

Leaders make sure that pupils have many opportunities to enrich their learning beyond the academic curriculum. Leaders place a high priority on pupils' mental health and well-being.

For example, pupils engage in initiatives like mental health week and yoga. Pupils have a good understanding of democracy and equality. They demonstrate respect for and tolerance of each other's differences.

Pupils proudly spoke to inspectors about the different clubs that they can attend, particularly sporting activities.

School leaders, supported by governors, continue to improve the school effectively. Leaders' actions in line with their improvement plans are having a positive impact on the quality of education across the school.

However, they are aware that there is still more to do. Governors are proud to be part of the school. They understand the school's strengths and weaknesses.

They keep a close watch on how the improvements are evolving. Staff feel well supported by leaders. They appreciate the way leaders are mindful of their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have robust and secure safeguarding procedures in place. All staff know how to identify concerns, including how to manage risks and provide support.

Staff are trained well and have a clear understanding of risks in the local area. Leaders work effectively with other professionals to get pupils any support needed.

Through the curriculum and assemblies, leaders ensure that pupils know how to keep safe.

This includes when they are online. Pupils have a secure understanding of what healthy relationships are.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The teaching of early reading is inconsistent, and some pupils who fall behind do not receive the effective support they need to catch up.

This means that some pupils do not learn to read accurately and fluently as quickly as they should. Leaders must ensure that the early reading programme is delivered effectively and that those pupils who struggle with reading receive appropriate support to help them catch up quickly. ? In some subjects, leaders have not identified the important knowledge they want pupils to learn or the order in which it should be taught.

As a result, it is difficult for teachers to know what to teach or to check that pupils have learned all that they should. This means that pupils are not learning in these subjects in sufficient depth. Leaders should ensure that, across the curriculum, teachers know what should be taught and when this should happen.

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