Chantlers Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Chantlers Primary School Foulds Avenue, Bury, Lancashire BL8 2SF

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Outcome

Chantlers Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

At Chantlers, everyone strives for the best. For pupils, this means ‘to be all around amazing, not all the time but most of the time’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ well-being and the care that they receive are key strengths of the school. They are the bedrock upon which pupils’ strong achievement in reading, writing and mathematics is built.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The pupils we spoke with said that they feel safe. They are happy to come into school every day. They learn from skilled and enthusiastic staff who know them well. There are high expectations of what all pupils can achieve. Pupils behave very well in lessons and around the school. They cooperate well with staff and each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Class ambassadors are proud to represent their class and share what they have been learning. Well-being ambassadors and playground leaders support other pupils. Bullying is rare. If it does happen, it is dealt with quickly by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are an important part of the school community. As one stated: ‘We are proud our children attend this school as it provides an excellent start in life.’ The school community works together to continually improve the educational experience of the pupils.

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

Pupils behave well in lessons and achieve exceptionally well in reading, writing and mathematics. In these subjects, the curriculum makes it clear what pupils will learn in each topic and each year group. Teachers follow this closely. They check pupils’ understanding carefully so that learning builds on what pupils already know and can do. In the early years, a carefully considered curriculum ensures that children quickly acquire early reading and mathematics knowledge and skills. 21–22 January 2020

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Leaders have recently reorganised the curriculum. This has resulted in some gaps in pupils’ learning. For example, in history, pupils talk about events during the Roman era. However, they are not able to compare between and across different periods of time. In geography, pupils have an accurate knowledge of countries and capitals. However, they are unable to recall specific knowledge associated with rivers and mountains. In these subjects, teachers check that pupils understand key facts. However, they do not make sure that pupils are able to make connections between key aspects of each subject in order to learn more and remember more.

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The renewed curriculum reflects the same ambition as that seen in reading, writing and mathematics. This is helping to fill the gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Leaders have carefully considered what needs to be learned and when. Teachers follow these plans closely. They pay attention to what pupils have learned previously. This is now helping pupils to know and remember more in a broader range of subjects.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Leaders understand the challenges faced by disadvantaged pupils. Tailored support is put in place to make sure that vulnerable pupils achieve well.

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Pupils rapidly gain the knowledge and skills they need to become fluent readers. Upon entry to the early years, children are taught phonics straight away. Teachers are highly skilled and make regular checks on the sounds that children and pupils know. They use this information to plan what to teach next. Pupils who fall behind receive effective support to help them to catch up. Books are well matched to the sounds that pupils are learning. This means that pupils achieve well in reading. Pupils across the school love to read and to share their views on the books that they have read.

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The ‘Chantlers Charter’ develops pupils’ leadership responsibilities. Pupils help to raise money for charity. They also take on responsibilities and contribute to the wider school community. Responsibility is more than a badge at this school. It is a source of pride and self-esteem.

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Pupils are reflective and self-aware. They are well supported to become resilient and to keep themselves healthy, both mentally and physically. Simple yet effective systems recognise when pupils need support. This support is ever present and is readily available.

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Lessons and assemblies develop pupils’ appreciation of different cultures and religions. Pupils discuss and reflect upon important issues, such as democracy. They relate these to their school experiences. Pupils understand the importance of tolerance. For example, they know that some families are different to others.

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Staff are well cared for. They are a motivated and dedicated team. The leadership team carefully considers the well-being and workload of staff. Leaders have overseen a significant improvement in pupils’ achievement over recent years. As a result, pupils are very well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 21–22 January 2020

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Leaders and staff take safeguarding seriously. There is a culture of vigilance in school. Staff are well trained. They know the signs of neglect and abuse. They know how and when to report concerns. Policies and procedures are thorough and well established. All staff go through the required checks before they start to work with children and pupils.

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Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They understand the potential dangers of using the internet and they are aware of how they can get help if they are worried. When additional support is needed, leaders ensure that partner agencies give the help that is needed.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum for reading, writing and mathematics is strong and well established. The recent change in the organisation of the curriculum for other subjects has left some pupils with gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should ensure that the new curriculum is delivered in all classrooms so that pupils can make up the gaps in their learning and remember more over time.  Teachers’ checks on pupils’ learning in reading, writing and mathematics are rigorous and informative. They help teachers to build on what pupils already know and can do. This approach is less well developed in other subjects. Leaders should ensure that teachers check pupils’ knowledge and understanding carefully in all subjects so that pupils are able to deepen their learning over time.

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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 school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the 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.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 18–19 November 2010. 21–22 January 2020

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 21–22 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10111029 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Mr Mike Cardwell

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18–19 November 2010

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Information about this school

 In September 2017, the school became a national support school.  The headteacher is a national leader of education.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, I spoke with pupils about their work and school life. I spoke with members of the local governing body, a representative from the local authority, the headteacher, senior leaders and members of staff.  I reviewed a range of documentation, including documentation about pupils’ attendance, safeguarding and checks undertaken on newly appointed staff.  I considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and responses from the online staff survey.  I looked in depth at reading, geography and history alongside senior leaders. To do this, I visited lessons with leaders, looked at examples of pupils’ work with leaders, held discussions with teachers, spoke with pupils about what they had learned and listened to pupils read. I was also presented with further information about art and personal, social, health and economic education. 21–22 January 2020

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 I spent time observing pupils during assembly, around the school and during lunchtime and playtime.

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Inspection team

Steve Kirkpatrick, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 21–22 January 2020

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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