St Andrew’s CofE Primary School, Over Hulton

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Andrew's CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy and safe in this welcoming school.

They are enthusiastic about learning and know that adults in school have high expectations of what they can achieve. This encourages them to try their best.

Pupils say that adults in school are kind and caring.

Pupils know that they can approach staff with any worries, including concerns about bullying, and they will be dealt with quickly. Pupils feel that staff know them well. They appreciate that adults notice and check up on them if they do not seem themselves.

Pupils behave well in lessons and aroun...d the school, so their learning is rarely disrupted. Pupils get on well together. They enjoy playtimes and make friends easily.

Pupils proudly explained to inspectors that they would help anyone who arrived at the school. Pupils have learned the importance of treating others with respect.

Pupils enjoy the many enrichment opportunities at school, including a range of after-school clubs.

For example, they recounted, with excitement, a recent performance of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' from a visiting theatre company.

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

Leaders have planned a broad and balanced curriculum which is ambitious for all pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). At the end of Year 6, pupils achieve well.

They are well placed to make a strong start at secondary school.

Older pupils are enthusiastic and knowledgeable when describing the types of books that they enjoy reading. Children in the early years learn sounds as soon as they begin in the Reception class.

Leaders have made sure that the plans for the early reading curriculum set out clearly what they want pupils to learn each half term. This supports teachers to keep a check on how well pupils are doing and put appropriate support in place for those pupils who fall behind. Adults select books that are well matched to the sounds that pupils know.

Staff make sure that pupils have plenty of opportunities to practise reading to develop their fluency and comprehension.

Leaders have reviewed and improved the mathematics curriculum. They have selected the important content that they want children to know and ordered it well so that pupils can build on earlier learning.

Pupils apply their knowledge confidently to reasoning and problem-solving activities. Pupils take pride in their work and value the support that they receive from staff to help them improve. Teachers are well trained and use assessment information effectively to adapt and plan future learning, including for those pupils with SEND.

Leaders' plans to develop and improve the curriculum in other subjects have been hampered by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. As a result, subjects are at different stages of development with some improved curriculums having been introduced recently. These curriculum plans outline the topics that teachers must deliver during each half term.

However, in some subjects, leaders have not identified the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember to deepen their understanding. Also, some subject leaders are not well equipped to check that the plans they have introduced are being delivered well by teachers. This prevents these subject leaders from providing subject-specific guidance for teachers on how to deliver some content effectively.

The emphasis that leaders place on the school's values, such as respect and resilience, can be seen in the strong relationships between staff and pupils and pupils' positive attitudes to learning. Pupils develop their understanding of how they can make a positive contribution to their school and the wider community through a range of activities. These include elections for school councillors and friendship leaders, as well as the school's ongoing support of an educational charity in South Africa.

The recently appointed special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) has developed the systems in place to support those pupils with SEND. This has ensured that this group of pupils benefit from appropriate support, for example staff provide extra help for pupils with SEND to enable these pupils to catch up with their phonics knowledge.

Governors have made sure that leaders' arrangements to provide an education during the pandemic were appropriate.

For example, members of the governing body have ensured that leaders paid due regard to staff workload and well-being during this time. As a result, governors have spent less time than they normally would maintaining their oversight of leaders' actions to improve the school. This means they are less well informed about leaders' work to review and develop the curriculum.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have clear and robust systems in place to check that adults in the school are suitable to work with pupils. The designated safeguarding leader has a thorough knowledge of any safeguarding issues and ensures that these pupils and their families benefit from timely and appropriate support.

Regular training ensures that staff understand their responsibilities to safeguard pupils. They know how to spot signs that pupils may be suffering from harm. Staff are clear on the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a pupil.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. For instance, they learn about online safety, road safety and appropriate relationships.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not made sure that the curriculum plans set out the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn.

This prevents teachers from easily identifying when pupils may need extra support or practice to help them know and remember more. Leaders and governors should refine the curriculum plans in these subjects so that teachers are clear about the important knowledge that pupils need to learn and when. ? Senior leaders and governors have not ensured that some subject leaders are well equipped to check that teachers are delivering the curriculum as intended.

This means that teachers are unable to benefit from appropriate support to deliver some aspects of subject curriculums effectively. Leaders and governors should ensure that subject leaders have the necessary expertise to provide guidance for teachers to deliver these curriculums well from the early years through to Year 6.

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. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a good school could now be better than good, or that standards may be declining, 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 convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 23 and 24 November 2010.