Cheadle Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say they love coming to school. They describe their school as a place where everybody is kind.

Classrooms are positive, vibrant places where pupils, including those in the early years, learn to be confident and resilient.

Pupils enjoy their learning and are keen to do as well as they can. They believe that they 'can do', even if they make some mistakes at first, because they know that they will receive the help they need. As a result, they love to learn.

Pupils know and understand the school's 'respect' values. They put them into practice daily. They are polite, welcoming and kind to each other.

Pupils are adamant that bullying doesn't happen ...at their school. They know that there is a difference between bullying and 'falling out' and that bullying is not tolerated at Cheadle Primary.

Pupils enjoy making a positive contribution to school life.

There are many opportunities for them to do so. They can become members of the school council, train to become pupil mentors or apply to be playground monitors. Year 6 pupils are excited about their upcoming residential trip.

Many children speak with enthusiasm about the clubs they attend.

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

Leaders have made sure that there is a well-planned and ambitious curriculum in place for all pupils, including those in the early years. Reading is a central pillar underpinning learning throughout the school.

Children start to learn about the sounds that letters make in the nursery. Leaders take a 'keep up, not catch up' approach to reading. It supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those with gaps in their learning very well.

This means that nearly all pupils become fluent readers over time. As a result, pupils enjoy reading. They read widely and often, both at school and at home.

The school library is popular with pupils, providing access to high-quality reading materials that they can read in school or take home.

Leaders have made sure that all subjects have a carefully planned and sequenced curriculum. However, in a few cases, subject leaders need more time to develop their understanding of curriculum improvement.

For instance, in a few subjects, leaders have not considered the learning that comes before Year 1, or after Year 6. As a result, occasionally, links to the next stage of learning are not clear.

Teachers regularly check pupils' understanding in lessons, picking up any misconceptions quickly.

Teaching assistants are well-trained. They know when to encourage and when to intervene. Formal assessment is used effectively to identify any pupils who are not making the progress they should.

There are well-established systems in place to identify and support pupils who are experiencing difficulties, including those with SEND. However, subject leaders do not use the information from assessment to improve the curriculum further.

Leaders have high expectations of behaviour and pupils are to meet these.

Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. At breaktimes, pupils play happily together, sharing playground equipment and responding rapidly to adult instructions. Positive and mutual respect between all adults and pupils is a constant.

Pupils know that staff care about them, and their appreciation is very clear to see.

Leaders and staff work hard to ensure that pupils become responsible, respectful people who play their part in the local community and beyond. Pupils develop a good understanding of fundamental British values.

They can talk about their rights and responsibilities and what it means to be fair, positive and resilient. They can give examples of how they learn about difference, tolerance, respect and equality. For instance, as one pupil said, 'It's not a disability, it's a differbility.'



Pupils are encouraged to be aspirational. They learn about ordinary people who achieve great things through activities such as 'Winter Olympics' day. This year, leaders have planned an event for older pupils to introduce them to aspirational careers.

Pupils benefit from the many visitors to school, including the local caterers who teach pupils about healthy eating.

Leaders consistently demonstrate care and concern for all. As a result, in this school, all staff go above and beyond the expected to support pupils, both in and out of school.

Leaders help staff to do this because they take account of their well-being and workload. Staff know that they are valued and supported. In return, they demonstrate enormous commitment to the school, its children and its leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is a golden thread running through everything leaders do. Staff are well-trained and alert to any signs of risk.

Those needing early help or at risk of harm are identified quickly. Leaders are very well-versed in the contextual risks because they have built highly personalised and effective relationships with parents who are happy to share their concerns.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including when online.

Leaders have completed safer recruitment training and make sure that all appropriate checks on staff are completed.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subject leaders do not use the information they have well enough to identify where improvements can be made to raise achievement further. As a result, pupils do not build on their subject knowledge as well as they could in those subjects.

Leaders should make sure that subject leaders review their curriculum area at appropriate points to inform the next steps for development. ? Not all subject leaders have the skills, knowledge and expertise to carry out their roles and responsibilities fully. Leaders should ensure that time and support is provided to help them develop these.