Bolton Parish Church CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics have improved.

A higher than average proportion of pupils reach nationally expected standards by the time they are ready to move on to the next phase in education. Leaders make good use of the pupil premium funding. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils, including those who are most-able, make better than expected progress from their starting points as they move through the school.

By the end of Year 6 there are no differences between the standards disadvantaged pupils reach and those of other pupils nationally with similar starting points. Teaching is good. Leaders and governors have successfully... tackled a legacy of weak teaching.

Staff have frequent opportunities for training and their practice is continually developing and improving. The teaching of phonics continues to be strong and leads to pupils' development of good reading skills and enjoyment of reading when they reach key stage 2. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use questioning well to check on pupils' understanding.

Strong leadership in the early years ensures that children swiftly settle into school and make good progress in their learning. Most-able pupils who are capable of developing their writing to a greater depth do not always have enough opportunities to fully develop their skills. As a result, the progress of these pupils in writing is less rapid than it is in reading and mathematics.

Pupils' progress across the wider range of subjects in the curriculum is improving but is not consistently strong in every subject. This is because leaders do not apply the same rigour in monitoring other subject areas that they do to English and mathematics. Pupils' behaviour has improved and is good.

The number of fixed-term exclusions has reduced considerably over the last two years. Relationships are strong. Pupils say that they enjoy coming to school and they know that teachers will listen to any concerns and are willing to help.

Attendance and punctuality have improved as a result of the school's good support for families, working in partnership with outside agencies. Governance is a strength of the school. Governors are well informed on the quality of teaching and pupils' standards and progress.

They are effective in holding leaders to account for these.

Information about this school

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.

Children in the early years receive full-time education in the Reception class and part-time education in the Nursery class. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well above average, as is the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above average. The school meets the government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics. Four teachers are newly appointed to the school this term, including the assistant headteacher.

The school is led by an acting headteacher who has been seconded from St Paul's Church of England Primary School Multi-Academy Trust since September 2014. Over the last two and a half years, the executive headteacher of St Paul's and her team have supported the school in a number of ways. These include sharing good practice to improve the quality of teaching, and providing support to implement the revised curriculum and to improve pupils' behaviour.