Bollington Cross CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that they are happy to come to this school every morning because their teachers are kind and staff know them well. They feel safe because they trust adults to resolve any problems that they may have.

Staff deal with any occasional acts of unkindness or bullying swiftly.

Staff expect pupils to behave very well and pupils live up to these expectations. They listen respectfully to each other and are confident in sharing their opinions with other pupils and their teachers.

Pupils said that the best day of the week is when it is their turn to play on the artificial grass at lunchtime. Pupils of different ages play together happily.

Staff want ...the best for all their pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Children in the Reception Year and pupils in key stages 1 and 2 try hard to live up to these high expectations. They enjoy their lessons and achieve well.

Pupils enjoy the many wider opportunities available to them.

For example, they spoke enthusiastically to inspectors about the forthcoming trip for the whole school to a local zoo. They like the wide range of activities provided through the school's outdoor learning area. Many pupils benefit from attending clubs, which include sports, music and drama.

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

Leaders and governors have taken steps to ensure that the curriculum is ambitious and introduces pupils to a broad range of subjects. The curriculum in the early years is very well designed. Leaders and teachers have identified what children in the early years need to know so that they are well prepared for key stage 1.

Leaders have designed most subject curriculums well so that pupils build logically on what they have learned before. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders have not defined carefully enough the knowledge that they want pupils to acquire. As a result, in these subjects, pupils do not learn some of the building blocks essential for their future learning.

Teachers deliver the curriculum well. They have strong subject knowledge and they explain topics and concepts clearly. Children in the early years benefit from well-thought-through and creative approaches to developing speech, vocabulary and an understanding of numbers.

Adults carefully choose the words that they use when they speak to children, to develop the range of vocabulary that children can use confidently.

Teachers know their pupils well. They are conscientious in checking that pupils have understood what has been taught.

However, in a few subjects, teachers do not identify across a series of lessons where gaps in pupils' knowledge remain. As a result, in these subjects, some pupils are not fully secure in their understanding of aspects of the knowledge essential for their future learning.

Leaders and governors have high aspirations for pupils with SEND.

Leaders identify these pupils' needs quickly. They provide staff with the information that they need to enable them to cater for all pupils with SEND in lessons. Staff know each pupil with SEND well and use appropriate strategies to help them to succeed.

Recently, leaders made changes to the way that the phonics curriculum is taught in the early years and in key stage 1. These changes mean that pupils, including pupils with SEND, are becoming more confident and fluent readers. Teachers identify at an early stage any pupils who need extra help to keep up with their phonics learning.

Well-trained staff support these pupils so that they catch up quickly. Pupils have responded enthusiastically to the 'top 50 recommended reads' in each year group. Teachers have ensured that there is a broad and diverse range of high-quality fiction and non-fiction texts for pupils to read.

Children settle quickly into the Reception Year. They listen well and respond quickly and efficiently to the instructions of their teachers. They make good use of the attractive indoor and outdoor learning areas.

Across the school, pupils are attentive in lessons. Staff support those pupils who find it more difficult to concentrate in lessons effectively. They help pupils to persevere even if they find their learning difficult.

Governors and leaders provide pupils with an extensive extra-curricular programme. Pupils participate in many local sports competitions and communal music events. They support local campaigns to improve the environment.

These experiences enhance pupils' learning and prepare them well for life beyond primary school.

Pupils learn to be responsible citizens. In lessons and assemblies, they learn about important issues.

Leaders have made mental health a priority following the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Pupils have the chance to consider issues, such as loneliness, deeply.

Leaders and governors work well together to promote the well-being of everyone in the school community.

Governors are very well informed about all aspects of the school. They do not hesitate to challenge leaders when they feel it necessary to do so. Staff appreciate the recent efforts that governors and leaders have made to reduce their workload in a variety of ways.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong safeguarding culture across the school. Leaders provide regular safeguarding training for all staff so that they have the skills to spot if a pupil is in difficulty.

Staff know what to do if they have concerns about a pupil. Those responsible for safeguarding are knowledgeable and draw upon links with outside agencies when required.

Pupils are knowledgeable about the potential dangers that they may encounter in the community or online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, leaders and teachers are not clear enough about the curriculum content that pupils should learn. This means that sometimes pupils are not prepared for the next steps in their learning. Leaders should develop their curriculum thinking further in these subjects to ensure that all teachers know exactly what to teach and when to teach it.

• In some subjects, teachers do not check well enough if pupils have understood and remembered what they have taught them. As a result, teachers sometimes do not build effectively on pupils' prior learning. Leaders should ensure that, in all subjects, teachers use assessment strategies well to identify and address any gaps in learning so that pupils know and remember more.