Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke’s, Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including children in the early years, thrive in the motivating environment that leaders have created. They said that it is easy to make friends.

Pupils feel safe and happy at school. They said that adults care about them and will listen to them if they have any concerns or worries.

Pupils live up to the high expectations that the headteacher and staff have of them.

Pupils are eager to learn. They achieve well in a range of subjects. The school's motto, 'Listen, learn, love and laugh as part of God's family', is at the heart of... all that the pupils do.

Pupils treat each other with respect and kindness. Their behaviour is good. Pupils are confident that any bullying would be dealt with quickly by staff should it occur.

Older pupils contribute to the life of the school as members of committees and as playtime buddies for the younger pupils. Pupils are proud of the events that they organise to raise funds for a local hospice which helps children and their families.

Pupils value the many opportunities they have to represent the school, for example, as members of sports teams, the school band and the choir.

Residential trips help to build pupils' confidence, resilience and teamwork.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that sparks pupils' interest in learning and the world around them. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported by skilled staff to be able to access all aspects of the curriculum.

This helps most pupils, including children in the early years, to achieve well across a range of subjects.Leaders have carefully ordered the knowledge that pupils need to have from the early years to Year 6. Curriculum plans show how pupils' knowledge builds over time.

This helps pupils to apply what they know and can do when they are learning something new.

Leaders have ensured that staff have the knowledge that they need to deliver the planned curriculum well. Leaders make frequent checks on how successfully the curriculum helps pupils to know more and remember more.

Teachers use assessment information effectively to identify what pupils can do and what they need to learn next. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders have identified that some pupils struggle to recall some of their prior learning. This is because the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on how well pupils have retained their knowledge.

This is hindering the progress of some pupils in some subjects beyond English and mathematics.

Staff are skilled in identifying pupils with SEND. This ensures that pupils with SEND receive the support that they need to be successful.

A love of reading is fostered across the school. In the early years, children retell their favourite stories. In key stage 1, pupils enjoy choosing from the wide selection of books in their classrooms.

Older pupils are avid readers. They enthusiastically recommend books that they have enjoyed reading from the well-resourced school library.

The reading curriculum is delivered effectively by staff.

Pupils quickly learn the sounds that letters represent. They use their phonics knowledge successfully to read unfamiliar words. Most pupils are confident readers by the end of Year 2.

Any pupils who find reading challenging benefit from the extra help that they receive from skilled staff. Staff encourage pupils to sound out unfamiliar words. However, staff do not routinely get pupils to re-read the words that they have decoded.

This hinders pupils' fluency when reading and hampers their understanding of what they have read.

Pupils are extremely polite and well mannered. They conduct themselves well in school and during playtimes.

Pupils work hard. There are very few disruptions during lessons. This enables pupils to focus on their learning and enjoy their time in school.

The wide range of opportunities that leaders provide beyond the academic curriculum enhance pupils' personal development. These include fieldwork, visitors into school and trips in the local area. Pupils also learn to value differences, such as respecting people from different faiths and cultures.

Staff are proud to work at this school. They feel well supported and appreciate the positive culture that leaders have created. Governors know the school and the community well.

Up-to-date training enables them to use their knowledge effectively to provide appropriate challenge and support for leaders and staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Training for staff ensures that they understand the procedures that they need to follow should they have any concerns about pupils' welfare.

Staff know pupils well. They quickly identify any subtle changes in pupils' behaviour. Leaders work with other agencies to ensure that pupils and their families receive the help that they need.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. They know to report any worries or concerns that they may have. Pupils are taught how to use the internet and social media safely.

They know what makes a good friend. They also know how to keep themselves safe when they are out in the community.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A few pupils rely on decoding to read and struggle to read fluently.

Consequently, they do not always understand what they have read. Leaders should ensure that pupils have the help that they need to become competent, fluent readers. ? In a minority of subjects, some pupils struggle to recall the knowledge that they were taught during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

This hinders the progress that these pupils make. Staff should ensure that key knowledge is embedded before new learning is introduced to enable all pupils to achieve well.

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 as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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