St Thomas’ CofE Primary School, Leigh

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish and thrive at this lively, welcoming school. Caring staff greet pupils warmly as they arrive at school each morning. Pupils are happy.

They embody their code of conduct to be kind, listen to others and to try their best.

The school has high expectations for pupils' learning. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils typically achieve well. Children in the early years are well prepared for key stage 1, while pupils in Year 6 are ready for their next steps.

Pupils are polite and well-mannered.

They treat each other and adults with respect. They feel safe and are confident that staff ...will help them if they have any worries or concerns. In lessons, pupils are keenly focused on their learning.

Pupils of all ages excel in their various roles and responsibilities. These include acting as school councillors, subject ambassadors and lunchtime sports leaders. Pupils learn that they can make a positive difference by raising money for charities and performing in local events.

Pupils enjoy the awe and wonder that visitors to school bring. For example, they enjoyed the recent Stone Age, Mayan and bug workshops. These experiences add considerable value and enrichment to pupils' learning.

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

The school has designed an ambitious and well-ordered curriculum. This enables children in the early years, and pupils in key stages 1 and 2, to build their knowledge logically and securely in each subject.Pupils benefit from this curriculum and achieve well across a range of subjects.

However, this is not reflected in the 2024 published data. This is because a considerable number of pupils joined the school in Years 5 and 6, including several new arrivals to the country. Many of these pupils were in the early stages of learning English as an additional language.

As a result, they did not have the time to benefit fully from all that is on offer at the school to reach the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics.Staff receive appropriate professional development. This helps them to confidently design lessons and choose appropriate resources that help pupils to learn curriculum content.

Staff explain new concepts with clarity and use a range of strategies to check on pupils' understanding.

Pupils talk confidently about their current learning. However, in some subjects, staff do not ensure that pupils revise and recall their previous knowledge securely enough.

This means that sometimes pupils do not have the secure foundations on which to build their new learning.

Reading is at the heart of the school's curriculum. Pupils benefit from reading a wide range of interesting and diverse books.

Staff act swiftly to identify and support any children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 who find reading difficult. This helps these pupils to keep up with the phonics programme. Most pupils become confident, fluent readers by the end of Year 2.

The school identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND quickly. Staff receive effective guidance to equip them with the knowledge that they need to best support these pupils. They adapt their teaching well so that pupils with SEND learn all that they should.

This ensures that they achieve well.

Lessons are calm and orderly. Children in the early years develop positive learning behaviours.

Pupils across the school build on this strong start. The school prioritises pupils' regular attendance. Although the school is doing everything possible, some pupils' absence levels are still high.

This means that they miss out on valuable learning and opportunities to support their personal development.

The school provides a range of opportunities that enhance pupils' personal development. Older pupils, including those with SEND, enjoy residential trips.

Other year groups benefit from day trips. For example, they visit a local farm, coal mine and mill. Pupils know how to stay safe online and maintain a healthy lifestyle, including looking after their mental well-being.

Pupils demonstrate a mature knowledge of the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships.

Pupils learn about equality and diversity among people and families. However, their understanding of fundamental British values is limited.

This means that they are not as well prepared for their next steps as they could be.

The governing body is completely attuned to the school's strengths and areas for development. It uses its expertise to provide the school with effective support and challenge.

The governing body is committed to the success of every pupil. It checks on the school's work to achieve this ambition. Staff speak very positively about the school.

They appreciate the steps that it takes to manage their workload and enhance their well-being. Staff are proud to work in this school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to revisit what they have learned previously. This means that some pupils' knowledge does not build securely over time. The school should ensure that teaching is designed to help pupils to remember long term the content that they have been taught.

• Some aspects of pupils' wider development are not as secure as others. This means that they are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be. The school should ensure that pupils gain a deeper knowledge of fundamental British values so that they are ready for their next steps.