Urmston Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are fond of their school.

Right from the youngest age, they strive to uphold the school's values of happiness, respect, kindness, responsibility, pride and resilience. Leaders and staff have successfully forged strong, trusting relationships with pupils and their families. This helps pupils to feel safe in school.

Leaders have successfully designed an ambitious curriculum that is grounded in the school's values and supports pupils to 'be more'. Pupils respond positively to the high expectations that leaders have for their learning and in their wider development.

Leaders ensure that pupils, including those facing complex challenges and pupils with speci...al educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are supported well by staff.

Added to this, leaders have ensured that children in the early years have an exceptionally strong start to their education.

Leaders have high standards for pupils' behaviour. For the most part, pupils respond positively to the encouraging approach adopted by leaders.

The atmosphere around school and in lessons is calm and orderly. Leaders deal with any of the very rare incidents of bulling effectively.

Parents and carers are resoundingly supportive of the school, both in terms of the education that leaders provide for their children and the support from staff.

For example, a typical view of parents is that Urmston Primary is 'a wonderful community school'.

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

Leaders have acted successfully to make considerable improvements to the curriculum in a relatively short space of time. As a result, they have ensured that subject curriculums are suitably ambitious for pupils.

Subject leaders have ensured that the knowledge they want pupils to learn is clearly identified and ordered logically so that pupils' learning builds on what has gone before. This is especially the case in the early years, where children in the Nursery and Reception classes get the best possible start. For example, leaders in the early years have worked extensively with subject leaders to identify the important knowledge that will best prepare children for Year 1.

Leaders have ensured that staff are equipped well to deliver the phonics and early reading curriculums with confidence. Staff ensure that children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 practise reading the sounds they have learned using well-matched books. As a result, pupils have a secure knowledge of their earlier learning in phonics.

Leaders make sure that any pupils who do not keep up with the phonics programme receive appropriate support from staff. This helps these pupils to catch up quickly in reading. This strong base enables them to develop quickly into fluent, confident readers.

In the main, teachers use assessment strategies skilfully to check on pupils' learning as they progress through each topic. This is particularly the case in the early years, where staff quickly reshape provision to help children make up gaps in their understanding. However, in a small number of subjects, some staff do not address pupils' misconceptions and gaps in prior learning swiftly enough.

On occasion, this hinders some pupils from connecting new learning with what they know already.

Leaders ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified by staff early. Leaders work closely with parents and, where appropriate, outside agencies, to provide appropriate support for this group of pupils.

This means that pupils with SEND can learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

Leaders' approach to managing pupils' conduct secures high standards of behaviour around school and during lessons. There is very little low-level disruption to pupils' learning.

Staff are fair and positive in their approach to managing behaviour. Pupils attend school regularly.

Leaders have ensured that pupils benefit from a rich, well-structured approach to promoting pupils' personal development.

Pupils are taught about healthy relationships. They are also supported to look after their own mental health, for example, through access to a mental health support worker.

Pupils have access to a wide range of extra-curricular activities to support their wider development.

There are numerous examples of how pupils can contribute to the life of the school. For example, pupils are keen to act as well-being ambassadors or become members of the eco-council.

Leaders have made sure that staff benefit from high-quality professional development.

Leaders are mindful of staff's well-being and they have maintained constructive and helpful relationships with staff through a period of considerable positive change.

Governors are supportive of leaders. They have an accurate view of the quality of education.

They offer appropriate levels of challenge and ensure that leaders put pupils' best interests at the heart of their decisions.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff and governors are well trained and that they receive regular updates on current safeguarding issues.

Staff are vigilant for the signs that may indicate a pupil is at risk of harm. They are diligent in reporting concerns to leaders.

Strong relationships built on trust mean that pupils are confident that they can turn to adults in school if they are worried.

Leaders work closely with families to ensure that pupils receive appropriate support. When necessary, leaders work effectively with outside agencies to provide help for vulnerable pupils and their families.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, both physically and online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, teachers do not use assessment strategies sufficiently well to identify pupils' misconceptions quickly enough. When this occurs, it prevents some pupils from making links with new learning and building securely on what they know already. Leaders should ensure that the gaps in pupils' learning are addressed swiftly by staff so that pupils can build securely on earlier learning.

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