Cop Lane Church of England Primary School, Penwortham

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils find this school a happy place to be. They are kind to one another. They feel safe and well cared for.

Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and behave well. They have lots of fun during social times because there are plenty of activities for them to do.

The school is ambitious for what pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), should learn.

Pupils attain highly in subjects such as English and mathematics. They also achieve well in some other curriculum subjects.

Each year group experiences at least one curriculum trip per year.

Year 6 pupils can also go on a residential visit. Pupils ha...ve opportunities to learn musical instruments, such as the ukulele. They can further explore their musical talents and interests through singing and guitar clubs.

Other clubs, particularly sports-focused ones, are also offered throughout the year. Some pupils benefit well from this offer.

Some pupils, especially those who are older, have some meaningful opportunities to contribute to life at the school.

For example, Year 6 pupils take on buddy roles to support others. The school also has a 'voice for change group' for pupils to arrange activities and events in support of charitable causes. Pupils are particularly proud to raise funds for a school that they are linked to in Uganda.

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

The school has developed a broad and balanced curriculum. This curriculum promotes equality and diversity particularly well. Consequently, pupils are developing a deep appreciation for fundamental British values and the differences of others.

In all subjects, the school has broadly identified what it expects pupils to learn in every year group. In some subjects, the school has broken these expectations down further by identifying the specific knowledge that pupils should learn in each topic. In doing so, teachers have a precise understanding of the curriculum content that they should teach and in what order.

In these subjects, the school delivers new learning well. In turn, pupils acquire a rich body of knowledge over time.

In a few subjects, including in the early years, the school's curriculum is not designed as well as it is elsewhere.

In these areas, the school has not pinpointed the smaller steps of knowledge that it expects pupils to learn. In some cases, the school uses curriculum guidance materials from different sources that do not complement each other well. These issues occasionally hinder the school from being clear on what knowledge to teach pupils, and at what point.

Consequently, the school sometimes designs learning activities that do not help pupils to build their knowledge securely and logically over time. In turn, pupils' knowledge is not as secure in these subjects as it is in others.

The school fosters a genuine love of reading.

It exposes pupils to a rich breadth of high-quality texts. It delivers its phonics programme consistently well. Pupils are given books that match well to the sounds that they know.

The school arranges swift 'keep-up' support for pupils who struggle with their learning of phonics. Most pupils meet the phonics screening check in Year 1.

Teachers are quick to spot when a pupil might need help during a lesson.

They often provide pupils with helpful feedback and guidance so that pupils can correct their errors and misconceptions.

The school regularly carries out checks on how well teachers are delivering the curriculum. In some subjects, these checks give the school a clear understanding of how effectively they are being taught.

However, the school's oversight of other subjects is not as incisive. As a result, the school is not alert to certain deficiencies in curriculum design and delivery that prevent pupils from building a deep, rich body of knowledge across different subjects.

The school has effective systems in place to identify pupils with SEND early.

Staff adapt the delivery of the curriculum well so that those with SEND can access new learning. Pupils with SEND typically achieve positive outcomes.

The school caters for pupils' personal development well.

Pupils learn how to maintain healthy relationships with others. They know how to stay safe online. Pupils understand how to look after their physical health.

They are prepared well for life in modern Britain.

The school is in the early stages of refining its systems and procedures related to attendance. Nonetheless, most pupils attend school regularly.

They value the importance of their education. Learning is seldom disrupted because pupils engage well in their lessons and conduct themselves well.

Governors understand their roles and carry them out effectively.

Staff have high praise for the exceptional levels of consideration that leaders have for their workload and well-being. For example, staff said that leaders' recent changes to the marking policy have had a positive impact on their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school has not clearly defined its expectations for the smaller steps of knowledge that pupils should learn, nor how this knowledge should be taught. Consequently, teachers occasionally design lessons and activities that do not help pupils to acquire the intended knowledge in a secure, logical way. The school should refine its curriculum guidance so that staff are clear on the specific knowledge that they should teach and how best to deliver such content.

• In some subjects, the school does not have rigorous processes in place to evaluate how well curriculums are designed and delivered. This sometimes means that the school is not alert to some of the curriculum deficiencies that prevent pupils from learning all that they could. The school should ensure that it has effective approaches to reviewing the design of its subject curriculums so it can evaluate how well these curriculums are being delivered in practice.