Bishop Wilson Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Bishop Wilson Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils who spoke with inspectors said that they enjoy school and feel safe. They said that they trust adults and know that they will be helped if anything is worrying them.

Pupils work hard because they know that teachers expect them to do so. They show good attitudes to their learning. The majority of pupils learn well and remember what staff have taught them.

Pupils behave well around school and in class. They are polite and considerate. Pupils said that misbehaviour does not occur very often.

Teachers are skilful at sorting out minor behaviour la...pses if they do happen. Pupils said that bullying is rare, but that teachers deal with it swiftly.

Pupils enjoy many activities beyond the subjects that they study.

For example, they attend sports clubs, such as hockey and dodgeball. Pupils also have opportunities to visit places of interest, such as the Roman museum in Chester. They are very aware and proud of the Christian character of the school.

They talked about the importance of showing Christian values, such as kindness and respect, in everything that they do.

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

Leaders have a well-structured curriculum in place. It is clear what knowledge pupils need to learn and when.

The curriculum is ambitious and covers a broad range of subjects. It meets the needs of all pupils. Leaders adapt the curriculum effectively for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), so that these pupils learn as well as their classmates.

Teachers make sure that the large majority of pupils in the school understand what they are learning, and help them to keep important knowledge in their memory. Consequently, most pupils can confidently remember what they have learned, and can build on it.

Leaders have a well-organised curriculum for reading.

Staff have received training so that they know how to teach phonics effectively. In key stage 2, pupils learn about important aspects of reading, such as inferring meanings of words. By Year 6, pupils can read with a high degree of fluency and expression, showing that they understand what they are reading.

Children begin to learn phonics soon after they start in the Reception class. Staff ensure that the majority of children can remember and use the sounds that they learn. Teachers give children extra help if they need to catch up.

Most pupils build their knowledge of phonics well in key stage 1 to help them to read confidently. However, some pupils who have difficulty with reading occasionally cannot use their knowledge of phonics to help them to read fluently. They sometimes find their reading books too hard.

This is because teachers have not given them enough time to practise the sounds that they need to know to be able to read the books.

Across the curriculum, leaders have ensured that the knowledge acquired by pupils builds on what they have learned before. This learning starts in the early years.

For example, in the Reception Year, the science curriculum and the history curriculum are closely linked to learning about understanding the world. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and leaders provide effective training to keep this up to date. Teachers make frequent checks to ensure that pupils remember what they have learned.

They quickly explain anything that pupils find confusing. Pupils can remember how knowledge that they have gained previously relates to their current learning. Consequently, most pupils know more and remember more as they progress through the curriculum.

Leaders expect pupils to behave well at all times. Pupils who spoke with the inspectors said that there is very little misbehaviour in school. If it does happen, they said that teachers deal with it effectively.

Pupils lose very little learning time because of disruptions in class.

Pupils have experience of a wide range of activities that go beyond the subjects that they learn in the classroom. They enjoy educational trips, including visits to the local nature reserve of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Leaders have plans to reintroduce clubs, such as music and art, which had to be stopped because of the COVID-19 restrictions.

Leaders provide well for pupils with SEND. They identify pupils' needs as early as possible, so that they can give them suitable support.

Leaders regularly check that the help they give these pupils is having a positive impact.

Teachers said that leaders are supportive and mindful of the workload of staff. They said that leaders listen to them and are approachable.

They find the assessment systems in school manageable. Governors understand the school well. They receive the information that they need to enable them to check successfully that school leaders are providing effective education for pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Any concerns about pupils that staff have had to refer to the designated lead person for safeguarding are recorded thoroughly. Leaders act promptly to give help to pupils who need it.

Staff receive regular training and are alert to the signs that might indicate safeguarding issues.

Pupils spoke about the ways in which staff keep them safe. For example, they said that the premises are secure.

Pupils also spoke about ways that staff teach them to stay safe. For instance, they know not to reveal personal information when they are using the internet.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The books that teachers give to younger pupils who are less able in reading are sometimes too hard for these pupils.

Pupils have not embedded their prior knowledge of phonics before reading these books, so they do not read with confidence and fluency for their age and ability. Leaders must ensure that teachers give these pupils enough opportunities to practise the phonics they have learned to enable them to become fluent readers.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 2011.

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