Padiham Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Padiham Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud and happy to be members of this exceptionally welcoming school. In lessons and around the school, pupils behave well. They learn to respect differences.

As one pupil said, 'We are all equal and all unique.' Older pupils take pride in their leadership roles and are role models for others. For example, the 'sports crew' organise playtime activities for younger pupils.

Leaders set high expectations of work and behaviour for all pupils at the school. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), behave well and achieve well.
.../>Pupils enjoy their learning, both in school and in the wider community.

For example, they take part in trips to the theatre and visit local places of interest. Pupils spoke with enthusiasm about learning to fish at the local river. They benefit from camping trips.

They particularly enjoy playtimes and the many activities that leaders provide in the school's spacious and well-resourced grounds.

Warm and friendly relationships are evident between staff and pupils. Pupils are encouraged to share any worries they may have with adults in the school.

This helps pupils feel safe and cared for. Should incidents of bullying occur, leaders take effective action.

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

Leaders have taken effective steps to strengthen the curriculum.

It is broad and balanced. In each subject, leaders have identified precisely what pupils need to learn. Subject curriculums are organised so that pupils build their learning in logical steps.

For example, in geography, pupils develop their understanding of maps and locations in a carefully ordered way. In mathematics and English, subject leaders have considered how learning in the Reception Year will support children in their later learning. However, in some other subjects, these steps in learning, from the Reception Year into Year 1 and beyond, are not fully developed.

In lessons, teachers make regular checks to ensure that pupils understand their learning. Staff are quick to provide extra help and support for pupils where needed. This helps to ensure that pupils are secure in their learning before moving on to new work.

Subject leaders keep a careful check on how well the curriculum is enabling pupils to achieve well.

Reading lies at the heart of the school's curriculum. Leaders ensure that staff have the expertise to teach early reading successfully.

Pupils enjoy their phonics lessons. They have plenty of practise in reading and writing the sounds they have learned. Reading books are well matched to the phonics sounds that pupils are learning.

Any pupils who struggle with their early reading benefit from effective support to help them to catch up. Most pupils develop as confident, fluent readers.

Staff give pupils plenty of time to enjoy reading.

This starts in the Reception Year, where they encourage children to snuggle up with a book. Pupil reading buddies take an active role in encouraging reading. For example, they listen to younger pupils read.

They organise the reading café as a place for pupils to relax and enjoy books and stories. Teachers share a wide range of carefully chosen books and poems with their classes. This widens pupils' appreciation of different authors and genres.

Leaders ensure that they identify pupils with SEND at an early stage. Staff make careful checks when children start in the Reception Year - for example, to identify speech and language concerns. Leaders make every effort to ensure that pupils with SEND can follow the same curriculum as their peers.

For instance, pupils with SEND benefit from extra help before and after some lessons to help them to keep up with their classmates.

Children in the Reception Year settle quickly into school life. They learn to play cooperatively and to use equipment safely.

Across the school, pupils try their best in lessons. They listen respectfully to adults and to each other. Teachers ensure that classrooms are calm, quiet places where pupils can concentrate on their learning.

Leaders ensure that pupils develop personally during their time at the school. For example, pupils learn important relaxation strategies, such as yoga and meditation. Where needed, adults provide pupils with support for their mental health and well-being.

Pupils keep healthy and active through the 'mile-a-day' activity. They take part in a wide range of clubs, including basketball, football and athletics. They have many opportunities to represent their school in sports events and competitions.

Governors keep a regular oversight of the provision for disadvantaged pupils. They check how well pupils are learning in mathematics and English. However, their checks on the effectiveness of the curriculum in other subjects are minimal.

Staff feel that leaders support them very well. They comment that leaders are mindful of staff well-being and workload when making decisions. As one staff member said, 'The school is a lovely place to work.'



Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong safeguarding culture across the school. Leaders ensure that safeguarding training for staff is thorough.

As a result, staff know how to spot the signs that may indicate that pupils are at risk. Leaders work well with external agencies to ensure that pupils and their families get the help they need.

Pupils are well informed about the potential dangers they may encounter, either in the community or online.

They learn about important issues such as safe relationships and the danger of drugs and knife crime.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, subject leaders have not fully considered the knowledge that children need to develop in the Reception Year to be well prepared for later learning. This means that, in these subjects, leaders cannot be sure that pupils build their learning in a well-ordered way as they move from the Reception Year into Year 1 and beyond.

Leaders should ensure that subject leaders further develop their understanding of the steps in learning that children need to make in the Reception Year in order to build firm foundations for later learning. ? Governors have not undertaken recent checks on the effectiveness of the curriculum in subjects other than English and mathematics. This means that they have not assured themselves of the quality of education in these subjects.

They should ensure that they develop their understanding of how effectively subject curriculums help pupils to achieve well. Governors should gather and use information about the effectiveness of the curriculum to challenge leaders appropriately.

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 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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 in January 2013.