St Mary’s Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.

From their various starting points, pupils make outstanding progress and reach above average standards by the end of each key stage. In 2014, all Year 6 pupils attained the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics combined and almost half reached above average standards. Disadvantaged pupils are exceptionally well supported and achieve at least as well as other pupils in school.

Some attain higher standards than their peers. The quality of teaching is outstanding, as shown by the progress pupils make. Teaching focuses on pupils' individual learning needs and work is set at just the correct level of difficulty to ens...ure that all pupils make excellent progress.

Children in the early years settle in well and make excellent progress as the result of interesting and exciting activities which capture their interest and help them to learn. Teachers mark pupils' work carefully and some pupils make regular responses to improve their work, but this is not the case consistently in all classes. High teacher expectations ensure that pupils' work is of high quality, but there are some slight variations in presentation across classes and subjects.

The school's rich curriculum, which includes opportunities for all pupils to learn how to play a musical instrument if they wish, makes an excellent contribution to pupils' spiritual, social, moral and cultural development. The headteacher is quietly determined and uncompromising in her ambition to ensure that all pupils have the best possible education and attain the highest standards. Since the previous inspection, she has continued to improve the quality of teaching and standards have risen.

The headteacher is very well supported by an equally determined deputy headteacher, a committed staff team and a highly effective governing body. Governance is excellent. Governors know the school extremely well.

They provide just the right level of support and challenge to ensure that the school continues to improve. Pupils' behaviour is outstanding because they try their best, work hard and care for each other very well. Pupils say the school is 'like a family' because : they all know each other's names and get on well together.

The school's work to keep pupils safe is outstanding because pupils are so well supported and cared for. All parents who responded to the online questionnaire, Parent View, agreed that their children feel safe at this school.

Information about this school

This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.

The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below average. A large majority of pupils are of White British heritage and very few pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below average.

These are pupils supported through pupil premium funding, which is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority. Children in the early years attend full time in the Reception class. In 2014, the school met the government's current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

The headteacher is a local leader of education (LLE) and until May 2014 was seconded to Woodbank Primary School, Bury to provide support. Before- and after-school care, called the 'Helping Hands Club', is provided in the school building. This is inspected separately and its inspection report is available on the Ofsted website.