Oswaldtwistle Moor End Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this friendly and welcoming school. They value their learning and they feel safe in school.

Parents and carers appreciate the care that staff provide for their children.

The school is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are keen to earn tokens for trying their best.

Most pupils behave well in lessons. The school has ensured that there is a positive culture where pupils, including those who attend the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision), feel that their successes are celebrated. Typically, pupils achieve well.

P...upils enjoy the responsibilities that they can take on in school. For example, pupils look forward to being interviewed by staff for key roles on the school or sports councils. Older pupils particularly like being buddies to younger children.

For instance, they support younger children during school trips and help them with their reading. From the early years, staff encourage children to grow in confidence. Pupils flourish as they move through the school.

The school provides a wide range of experiences for pupils, including school trips and visits to enhance their learning of the curriculum. Pupils delight in the variety of places that they have visited, such as places of natural beauty, the beach and residential trips. Through these activities, the school encourages pupils to develop further attributes such as independence and cooperation.

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum for pupils, including those with SEND. Staff are clear about what pupils should learn and how this learning builds up in small steps. The school has made some recent changes to strengthen the curriculum.

This is having a positive impact on how well pupils are remembering what they have learned. Pupils were keen to share with inspectors what they knew.

During lessons, staff use a range of appropriate strategies to check that pupils have understood earlier learning.

Teachers have sound subject knowledge and they use this to explain concepts to pupils clearly and effectively. If pupils struggle with their learning, staff provide extra help.

The school has introduced a more effective way of teaching reading which incorporates a broad range of high-quality texts.

Pupils enjoy listening to stories from a variety of authors. They spoke enthusiastically about some of the books that they have read recently.

The school has introduced a phonics programme to ensure that pupils learn phonics in a clear and logical way.

Pupils start learning to read as soon as they start school. Staff thread phonics through pupils' learning in the Nursery and Reception classes.Staff match books well to the sounds that pupils have learned.

In the main, staff support pupils who find reading more difficult to successfully catch up with their peers. Most pupils learn to read confidently and fluently by the end of Year 2. However, there are some minor inconsistencies in the way that a small number of staff deliver the phonics programme.

This hinders a few pupils in learning to read as quickly as they could.

Staff support pupils with SEND well. Highly trained staff use their expertise to identify pupils' needs early on in their school journey.

For example, staff communicate well with parents so that pupils with SEND settle quickly into school routines. Pupils who attend the specially resourced provision are supported equally well by skilled staff. These pupils are fully involved in the wider aspects of school life.

Most pupils live up to the school's high expectations of their behaviour in lessons. Occasionally, however, a few pupils struggle to maintain the high standards of behaviour that staff expect. Nonetheless, teachers deal with these incidents well and there is little disruption to learning.

During social times, there are some inconsistencies in how well staff apply the school's behaviour policy. This means that some pupils move around the school building and the playground without due consideration for their classmates.

Pupils confidently recall what they have learned about keeping healthy, including some strategies to help with having a healthy mind.

They learn how to stay safe when using the internet. While pupils participate well in the clubs on offer, they told inspectors that they would appreciate a wider selection of opportunities to hone their talents and interests.

Parents felt communication was a strength of the school.

For example, staff provide guidance for parents so that they can support their children with phonics. This is having a positive impact on encouraging pupils to read more widely outside of school. Parents also said that the school is committed to supporting the whole family when needed.

Governors know their school well. This enables them to hold the school to account fully. Staff are proud to work at the school.

They feel appreciated by leaders. For example, staff said that they have been supported well to make improvements to the curriculum.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has not ensured that some staff are sufficiently trained to deliver aspects of the reading curriculum consistently well. This means that a small number of pupils do not learn to read fluently as quickly as they could. The school should ensure that staff are equipped well to deliver the reading curriculum with confidence.

• The school has not ensured that some pupils experience a wide enough range of activities alongside the academic curriculum. As a result, some pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop further their talents and interests. The school should ensure that these pupils have enough opportunities to pursue and hone further their skills and abilities.

• Some staff do not apply the school's behaviour policy consistently well during social times. As a result, some pupils move around school without due consideration for the welfare of their peers. The school should ensure that staff are well trained to maintain the school's high expectations of pupils' behaviour.