All Saints Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: All Saints’ Church of England Primary School Maud Street, Rochdale, Lancashire OL12 0EL

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Outcome

All Saints’ Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at All Saints’ are clearly happy and enjoy coming to school. They say that it is easy to make friends because people are kind to each other. All pupils are treated equally. Pupils talk about how they respect one another. Pupils behave well around school. They also say that they feel safe in school. They learn how to keep themselves safe, for example when using the internet. The pupils that I spoke with said that they are not worried about bullying. They told me that it seldom happens in their school, and that teachers are good at sorting out any problems that do arise. Pupils very clearly trust the adults in school. This is because leaders have succeeded in creating a warm, nurturing ethos.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their learning. They try hard in class and are good at working together and helping each other. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and work. Pupils talk enthusiastically about things that they have learned. They particularly enjoy the opportunities to go on school trips to interesting places. They also appreciate being able to join different clubs after school, including sports clubs, science club and choir.

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

School leaders, including governors, know the school very well. They are ambitious for the pupils and want them to achieve well in their work and be well prepared for life when they leave All Saints’. They know that their pupils need to develop their language skills and vocabulary. They also recognise the importance of giving pupils a range of experiences beyond the school gates, to broaden their knowledge of the world around them.

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

Pupils learn to read well. Leaders have given reading a high profile in school. They have made sure that teachers in all year groups read regularly to their pupils. Leaders have chosen a ‘treasury of texts’ that pupils are encouraged to read or listen to. The refurbished library provides a welcoming place for pupils to choose and read books. 20–21 February 2020

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Leaders have made sure that staff are well trained in teaching phonics. Phonics lessons are well planned. Teachers are careful to make sure that pupils are given books that let them practise the sounds that they know. Any pupil falling behind in phonics gets help to catch up. As a result, outcomes in the Year 1 phonics check are in line with the national average. This good start is then built on effectively. Older pupils become keen readers and can confidently talk about the books that they are reading.

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Leaders recognised that pupils’ attainment in mathematics in key stage 1 has been typically below average. In response they have changed the way that mathematics is taught to younger pupils. There is now a greater emphasis on developing pupils’ confidence with number and mathematical fluency. This is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning.

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The curriculum for mathematics across the school is logically sequenced so that pupils build their mathematical knowledge over time. Pupils enjoy working together to solve mathematical problems. However, older pupils’ work is sometimes slowed because they do not quickly recall number facts or recognise patterns in number.

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Geography is well planned so learning from one year is built upon effectively in following years. Pupils enjoy learning about different places and understand the difference between human and physical geography. Learning in science is similarly well planned and sequenced. As a result, pupils typically know more and remember more about the topics that they cover in these subjects.

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However, these well-developed curriculum plans are not followed consistently well in all classes at all times. As a result, some learning is repeated unnecessarily while occasionally aspects of a subject are not covered in the intended detail. This means that pupils’ learning across the curriculum is not always as strong as it could be.

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Children get off to a good start in the early years. The early years curriculum is well planned and matched to children’s needs. Developing children’s language, phonics and early reading skills is given a high priority. Staff know that many children have limited access at home to outdoor space. They have therefore made sure that children are able to make good use of the school’s attractive outdoor learning area.

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Leaders and teachers work hard to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Good support for pupils with SEND is making a positive difference to their learning. Leaders have also developed good relationships with outside agencies so that pupils can get any additional, specialist help that they need.

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Leaders and governors are trying hard to improve pupils’ attendance. There are rewards in place to encourage excellent attendance, and leaders are not afraid to challenge regular absences. Despite these efforts, attendance remains below the national average. One key reason for this is that several parents continue to take their children on unauthorised holidays. This disrupts pupils’ learning. 20–21 February 2020

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Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour throughout the school. Children in early years settle in quickly and learn to play well together. Older pupils support each other well both in and out of class. Across the school, pupils’ behaviour is good.

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Staff feel valued in the school. They appreciate being able to access training, much of which is organised in collaboration with a group of local schools. Leaders manage teachers’ workload well, for example by giving them dedicated time to complete key tasks.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is given a high priority at the school. Staff receive regular training. This helps to ensure that staff know the signs that may mean a pupil is worried or at risk. Records of checks on the suitability of staff and volunteers at the school are in line with the government’s guidance.

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Safeguarding

Effective procedures are in place to record the information needed to keep pupils safe. Records show that leaders are quick to follow up any safeguarding issues. They work well with other agencies to protect pupils from harm. This ensures that pupils and their families get the support that they need.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have successfully developed plans that identify the expected progression in pupils’ learning in different areas of the curriculum. However, there are some inconsistencies in how well these plans are being implemented. To ensure that pupils get the maximum benefit from the curriculum, leaders now need to make sure that their plans are consistently well implemented across all classes.  Work to improve younger pupils’ mathematical fluency and confidence is having a positive impact. Older pupils are less secure in their recall and application of number facts. Leaders need to ensure that older pupils also benefit from work on improving mathematical fluency and reasoning.  Despite leaders’ efforts, pupils’ attendance remains below the national average. A key factor in this is parents taking their children on unauthorised holidays. This has a detrimental effect on their learning. Leaders should continue their strong work to

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

ensure that levels of pupils’ attendance are improved further. 20–21 February 2020

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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 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 second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 11–12 November 2010.

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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. 20–21 February 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10111065 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11–12 November 2010, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs a breakfast club.  In the early years, children attend Reception class full time. Some children attend Nursery part time while others attend full time.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, I examined a range of documents, including improvement plans, self-evaluation information, attendance records, curriculum planning and reports from the local authority.  I met with a representative of the local authority and had a telephone conversation with an independent consultant, both of whom have worked with the school.  I met with a group of 11 governors.  I talked with pupils, both formally and informally, about behaviour and attitudes in school. I also saw how pupils moved around the school and how they behaved themselves at breaktimes. 20–21 February 2020

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 I checked the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures and the school’s single central record. I also talked to leaders, staff, pupils and governors to check how effective safeguarding is in school.  I did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and geography. As part of these deep dives, I visited lessons and talked with leaders and teachers. I discussed pupils’ learning with them and looked at their books. I also heard a group of Year 2 pupils read.  I took account of the 15 responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey, including free- text comments. I also considered 29 responses to the online staff survey and 64 responses to the pupils’ survey.

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Inspection team

Neil Dixon, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 20–21 February 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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