Melling St Wilfrid Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Melling St Wilfrid Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy, safe and secure in school. Younger children have plenty to do in their well-resourced classroom. Older pupils enjoy playing with their friends outdoors in the school's beautiful setting.

Pupils said that the school is a friendly place where everyone knows each other well.

Teachers and staff expect pupils to work hard in class. Pupils listen attentively.

They know that they can ask for help if there is something that they do not understand. This prevents them from falling behind. Pupils achieve well, including those with speci...al educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils know that bullying is not tolerated in this school. They said that if ever it occurred, their teachers would make sure that it stopped. Pupils move about school calmly.

For example, after daily worship, pupils carefully put away their own chairs and return quietly to class. Pupils try to ensure that they are kind to everyone that they meet.

There are plenty of opportunities for pupils to take on responsibilities in school.

For example, some pupils prepare the music recordings for assembly. Others help to give out equipment in class. Pupils learn how to keep themselves fit and to eat healthily.

Pupils said that one of their favourite things about school is the tasty school dinners.

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

Leaders have provided an ambitious and exciting curriculum that covers a wide range of subjects. All pupils learn this same curriculum, including those pupils with SEND.

Leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to achieve by the time they leave the school. They have shared these aspirations with all staff.

In most subjects, the curriculums contain all of the important knowledge that pupils need to learn, and the order in which they need to learn this knowledge.

This enables teachers to build up pupils' knowledge securely from early years to Year 6. Pupils achieve well in these subjects. However, in a small number of subjects, the curriculums are not designed as effectively.

This makes it more difficult for teachers to make sure that pupils are learning everything that they need to know in order to achieve well from early years to Year 6.

Pupils enjoy learning. Teachers know how to make learning memorable for pupils.

Teachers check regularly to make sure that pupils have understood new learning. When misconceptions occur, teachers provide extra help for pupils who need it.

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum.

Right from the start, children in the Reception class learn about phonics. Every day, they learn new letters and sounds in addition to practising the ones that they have already learned. Pupils in Year 1 learn more complex combinations of letters and sounds.

Over time, this enables pupils to read more and more words. Teachers make sure that the words in reading books contain only the letters and sounds that children and pupils have learned. This helps children and pupils to read these books successfully.

Pupils of all ages develop a real love of reading. Children in early years love to hear new stories, as well as their favourite ones. Older pupils talked enthusiastically about the books that they read in class with their teacher.

Pupils especially enjoy the visits from the library bus. They know that they will be able to select exciting books to take home. Pupils across the school, including those with SEND, learn to read well.

Leaders and staff work together to identify quickly any pupils who may have SEND. They make careful adaptations to enable these pupils to access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Leaders work well with parents and carers and other professionals to secure support for pupils if they need it.

Pupils with SEND achieve well.

Pupils learn about a range of faiths and cultures. They find out more through their visits to places of worship, such as the mosque and church.

Pupils have opportunities to represent their school in sports events. They learn about values such as democracy when they vote for members of the school council. Older pupils look forward to their residential trips to places such as the Isle of Man.

These experiences support pupils' wider development, including for those pupils with SEND.

Pupils are respectful towards adults and towards each other. Older pupils model sensible behaviour for younger pupils.

Pupils' mature attitudes make a positive contribution to pupils' learning.

Governors ask leaders a range of challenging questions about their work to improve the school. This helps them to understand what the school does well and where things need to develop further.

Leaders and governors are considerate of staff's workload and well-being. Staff value this support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff receive regular safeguarding training. They know how to recognise the signs of abuse or neglect. All staff know how to report any concerns that they may have about a pupil's welfare.

Leaders work well with other professionals, such as the local authority safeguarding hub, and with other local schools. This enables them to share important information and to secure timely help for pupils and families where this is needed.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, for example when they are working online.

They trust adults in school to take care of them. Pupils know whom they can speak to if ever they have any worries.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not provided staff with enough information about the smaller components of knowledge that pupils need to learn, and the order in which they need to learn these.

This makes it difficult for staff to make sure that pupils are learning everything that they need to know in these subjects. Leaders must ensure that in all subjects, from early years to Year 6, staff have the information that they need to ensure that pupils learn key knowledge in a logical order.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2012.

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