Egremont Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. Staff greet them warmly at the gate every morning.

Pupils know that all staff at the school genuinely care about them. This helps them to feel safe and happy.

Pupils live up to leaders' high expectations for their learning and behaviour.

They achieve well. Pupils enjoy their learning. They try their best and are proud of their achievements.

Pupils have positive relationships with each other. They are kind and respectful to each other. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary.

They fully understand the school rules of 'ready, respectful, safe'. They make sure that they follow these each and every day. Adults deal with any... incidents of bullying promptly and effectively.

Pupils attend school regularly.

Pupils enjoy the wide variety of lunchtime and after-school clubs on offer. Staff seek pupils' opinions on the types of clubs they would like to attend so that there is something for everyone.

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

Leadership and management are exemplary. In the time since the previous inspection, leaders have taken decisive and effective action to stop the quality of education from slipping. Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders' marked improvements to the curriculum, coupled with highly effective training for teachers, mean that pupils achieve well.

They have been exceptionally well supported by the trust and the governing body on their improvement journey.

Subject leaders have designed a curriculum that meets the needs of pupils at this school. Pupils are taught the full range of national curriculum subjects.

Curriculum plans for all subjects set out in a clear and logical manner the essential knowledge that pupils must learn. These plans relate closely to the areas of learning in the early years. Most teachers plan learning that builds on what pupils already know and can do.

This helps most pupils to know more and remember more of the curriculum.

Assessment information is used well by most teachers to identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge. However, some teachers do not use this information as well as they could to identify when pupils are ready to move on to more complex learning.

This slows down pupils' progress through some curriculum subjects.

Staff teach children letters and the sounds that they represent as soon as they start in the early years. They successfully help children to get better at communicating with adults and other children.

Leaders plan children's learning in phonics carefully. By the end of the Reception Year, most children know all the sounds that they need to develop their reading in Year 1. Pupils in key stage 1 read books that are closely matched to the sounds that they have learned.

Those at risk of falling behind in phonics receive extra support to help them catch up quickly. This ensures that pupils become fluent and confident readers by the end of Year 2.

Pupils enjoy reading.

They read widely across a range of subjects. They talked fondly about their favourite authors and the different types of books that they like to read.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well.

Leaders identify pupils' needs effectively, using experts from outside school if they need advice. Staff provide extra support and additional resources to ensure that pupils with SEND can learn alongside their peers.

There is an exceptionally positive learning atmosphere in classrooms.

Staff help pupils understand the importance of trying their best at all times. As a result, pupils' behaviour in lessons is exemplary. They engage fully in the learning.

Pupils have a strong sense of respect for others. Pupils also enjoy taking on extra responsibilities. Members of the school council spoke enthusiastically about their work.

They have been involved in raising money for charitable causes and to buy new equipment for the playground. School councillors are instrumental in collecting food for a local food bank to help families facing challenging circumstances.

Members of the trust have a wide range of knowledge and experience.

They are highly successful in providing the challenge required to help bring about improvements to the teaching of the curriculum across the school. Governors receive a range of information from leaders which enables them to ask probing questions about all aspect of the school's work, including the quality of education.

Leaders ensure that highly effective engagement takes place with all staff.

Staff feel valued and well supported by leaders. They said that leaders are mindful of their well-being and help them to manage their workload. Staff are proud to work at this school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding at this school. Leaders have close relationships with the community.

They work effectively with external agencies to support those pupils and their families who need extra help.

All staff have received updated training in safeguarding. They know exactly what to do if they have any concerns about pupils' welfare and safety.

Leaders have made sure that teaching pupils to keep themselves safe is an important part of the curriculum. Leaders teach pupils about online safety regularly.Pupils understand the risks that they face when online and know how to keep themselves safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some curriculum subjects, staff do not use assessment information effectively enough to identify when pupils are ready to deepen their learning. This means that some pupils do not make the progress through the curriculum of which they are capable. Leaders need to ensure that all staff use assessment well so that pupils embed and deepen their learning over time.