Stanton Road Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Stanton Road Primary School Stanton Road, Bebington, Wirral, Merseyside CH63 3HW

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 October 2021

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Outcome

Stanton Road Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils rise to the high expectations of the adults in school and proudly uphold the ‘Stanton ABC’ core values. They strive to achieve well, believe in themselves and care for each other. Pupils are motivated and enthusiastic learners. They love reading and achieve well across the broad, interesting curriculum. In class, they are attentive, keen to share their ideas and complete their work carefully. Pupils grow in confidence, as they develop their knowledge and skills. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In shared areas, pupils are respectful and considerate to each other and the staff who supervise them. Pupils of different ages are good friends and kind to each other. The ‘play leaders’ look after younger pupils and make sure everyone has a happy playtime. Pupils who spoke with the inspector said they feel safe and well looked after. They feel secure that adults in the school will listen to them and act in their best interests. Pupils are aware of different types of bullying and know what to do if they have any concerns. They said that bullying is rare and dealt with quickly and fairly if it happens.

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

Oak Trees Multi Academy Trust, leaders and governors have put an ambitious curriculum in place. It is well ordered to help pupils build their knowledge as they progress through school. The early years curriculum lays strong foundations for future learning. Pupils’ reading, vocabulary development and personal skills are promoted well across the whole school.

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

Leaders ensure that teachers have the skills to deliver the curriculum, so that pupils learn well. Practitioners in the early years are skilled at tuning into children’s interests. They have created a language rich and stimulating environment. They plan interesting activities that develop children’s knowledge in all areas of learning. Teachers across the school have good subject knowledge. They explain new learning well and ask pupils questions that 13 and 14 October 2021

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deepen their understanding. Pupils are highly motivated. Any minor disruptions are quickly resolved, so learning proceeds at a good pace. Leaders have a clear vision to develop the curriculum to add even more depth to pupils’ learning. Some subject leaders are new to the position and are at early stages of developing their role. They are all enthusiastic promoters of their subject. They have developed plans to build on the existing successful practice. Currently, some subject plans are not yet consistently put into practice in classrooms. In languages, geography and history, for example, the revised plans are just being introduced.

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Skilful teaching of early reading helps pupils to become confident, keen readers. Children in the early years are motivated by enjoyable activities and sharing quality fiction and information books. They quickly gain the phonics knowledge that they need to read accurately. Pupils’ early reading books are selected carefully to help them practise their phonics knowledge. As they get older, pupils read a wide range of texts with fluency and understanding. Pupils who struggle to keep up with their reading get effective support to help them to catch up.

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Teachers assess pupils’ learning thoroughly. They use assessment information to build on pupils’ knowledge systematically. They adapt teaching to address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Most pupils keep up with the school’s ambitious curriculum. If any pupils need help to catch up, they receive additional teaching tailored to their needs. This ensures that all pupils achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well catered for. Teachers are skilled at identifying their learning needs. They do everything possible to help pupils with SEND access the curriculum alongside their peers. Parents and/or carers value the support from the school’s special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) and support assistants.

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Leaders’ provision for pupils’ broader development is high quality. Pupils learn about diverse relationships, cultures and faiths in weekly lessons and assemblies. They reflect on global issues and moral dilemmas. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is enhanced by trips out, visitors to school and community links. Pupils have many opportunities to develop leadership skills. They are excellent play leaders, school councillors and house captains, for example.

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Staff who made their views known are positive about their work experiences. They feel valued by leaders and appreciated for the work they do. Staff are committed to continuously improving the provision for pupils. They feel their workload is manageable. Leaders provide them with the time and training they need to do their job well. Parents who made their views known are pleased with the school. They said, for example, ‘I know my child is safe and well looked after’ and ‘Children are doing well; they love going to school.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. All staff know how to identify signs of abuse and risks to pupils’ health, safety and well-being. Staff are vigilant in reporting and 13 and 14 October 2021

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following up any issues. The procedures for parents and pupils to raise safeguarding concerns are clear, including how to report allegations against staff. Leaders take swift action to protect pupils. Leaders work in partnership with outside agencies to make sure that families get the right help when they need it. Pupils’ safety is strongly promoted through the curriculum. Pupils learn how to stay healthy, have positive relationships and recognise risk, including when online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subject leaders are new to the post and some subject plans are not yet implemented fully. In languages, geography and history, for example, the curriculum is not as advanced as it is in other subjects. Revised plans are just being introduced. Senior leaders should develop subject leaders’ skills so they can help all teachers embed the revised curriculum plans.

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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 outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Stanton Road, to be good in October 2014.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 13 and 14 October 2021

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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. 13 and 14 October 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10200765 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website https://www.stantonroad.wirral.sch.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Stanton Road Primary School converted to academy status in June 2017. When its predecessor school, also called Stanton Road Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation.  The inspector met with the headteacher, two assistant headteachers and the SENCo. She met with the Oak Trees Multi Academy Trust chief executive officer, school improvement lead and chair of the trust board. She also met with governors, including the chair of the local governing body.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and science. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their 13 and 14 October 2021

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learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector heard pupils reading. These pupils were at an early stage of learning to read.  The inspector looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects. She spoke with pupils about their learning across the curriculum.  The inspector looked closely at safeguarding. This included a scrutiny of policies, records, behaviour and safeguarding logs, and the school’s checks on staff. The inspector spoke with pupils and took account of their views. She met with leaders responsible for safeguarding and talked with staff. She looked at training records. Throughout the inspection, the inspector checked adults’ knowledge and understanding of their duties to keep pupils safe.  The inspector looked at pupils’ behaviour and their wider development. She observed behaviour in lessons, outside and in shared areas, and talked to pupils about their

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experiences in school. The inspector considered the views of the parents who responded to Ofsted’s survey, Parent View, and the pupils who responded to the pupil survey.  The inspector considered the workload and well-being of school staff. She spoke with all teachers, some teaching assistants and some midday assistants, and took account of the responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Jean Olsson-Law, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 October 2021

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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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