New Longton All Saints CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

New Longton All Saints CofE Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and very happy at this warm, welcoming school.

They behave well and have positive, caring relationships with their teachers and other staff. Pupils told the inspector that their classmates are kind and friendly. They get along well, which means that fall outs are rare.

The school is highly ambitious for what pupils should learn. Pupils achieve exceptionally well in subjects, such as English and mathematics. For example, last year, all pupils in Year 6 achieved the expected standards in ...national end of key stage assessments for writing and mathematics.

While pupils do not reach the same lofty standards in other subjects, they do still develop a firm body of knowledge across much of the curriculum.

Pupils benefit from an excellent range of personal development opportunities. They access a broad programme of extra-curricular clubs and experiences that are constantly refreshed to suit pupils' different interests.

Pupils have various opportunities to represent the school in competitions, drama productions and music events. Those with a keen interest in music have access to further tuition to learn instruments, such as the guitar and piano. Pupils take great pride in their numerous roles and responsibilities around school.

These range widely, from playground buddies to librarians and digital leaders.

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

Leaders have taken effective action to maintain the standards of education found during the last inspection visit. For example, they have introduced a new phonics programme, which has contributed to more pupils meeting the phonics screening check in Year 1.

The school has ensured that pupils learn a balanced curriculum. It has set out its expectations for the broad knowledge and skills that pupils should learn within each topic in each subject. The school ensures that subject curriculums are typically delivered well and as they are intended.

In many curriculum areas, pupils retain much of their prior learning over time. In some subjects, their achievement is particularly high.

Regular checks are carried out on pupils' learning.

These checks often result in pupils receiving appropriate guidance to address misconceptions or to develop new skills. However, the school's assessment strategies, and how it sometimes uses other assessment information, do not consistently lead to effective actions that help pupils with their learning. Consequently, pupils have some knowledge gaps in some subjects and, at times, do not develop new skills as quickly as they otherwise could.

The school places a high priority on early reading. Staff deliver the chosen phonics programme well, and with fidelity. Pupils who struggle with the expectations of the programme receive swift, individualised support to address their gaps in phonics.

Most pupils quickly become confident, fluent readers. They enjoy reading and engage with high-quality texts and stories.

The school ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early.

Pupils with SEND are supported effectively and access the same ambitious curriculum as their classmates.

The way that the school caters for pupils' personal development is exemplary. Pupils have a deep understanding of the diverse world around them.

They have a secure knowledge of different people's faiths and beliefs. Pupils show a genuine respect and tolerance for those from different backgrounds. They have a firm grasp of how to look after their physical and mental health and know how to keep themselves safe.

Pupils' learning is significantly enhanced through a broad range of connections with community and educational partners. For example, pupils hold video conference calls with authors, professionals from different fields, and individuals from different faiths. Pupils also benefit from regular curriculum trips to support their learning.

They spoke to the inspector with great enthusiasm about a recent residential trip with a historical focus on the Vikings. Pupils are being prepared exceptionally well for life in modern Britain.

Pupils behave sensibly around school.

They are attentive in their lessons. Pupils have very high attendance. Very few are persistently absent.

The school takes appropriate action to support and challenge families on the rare occasions when there are barriers preventing regular attendance.

Governors understand their roles and carry them out sufficiently well. Leaders are very mindful of staff's well-being.

Staff feel valued and their morale is high. They reported that their workload is manageable and, when additional tasks are asked of them, leaders ensure staff get extra time to complete them.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Occasionally, the school's assessment strategies do not consistently lead to effective actions that help pupils to learn as well as they could. Consequently, pupils do not address some of their errors and misconceptions. The school should review how it checks what pupils know and can do, ensuring that these checks consistently lead to pupils receiving effective support to strengthen their knowledge and skills.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

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

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2015.