Cheadle Heath Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Cheadle Heath Primary School Edgeley Road, Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire SK3 0RJ

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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 December 2021

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Outcome

Cheadle Heath Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this welcoming and caring school. Leaders ensure that pupils follow the school’s values to ‘aspire, believe, achieve’. Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils. As a result, they achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong sense of community at the school. Pupils feel safe at Cheadle Heath. They said that the staff and their friends look after them well. Leaders support pupils’ social, emotional and mental health needs effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Classrooms are calm. This allows pupils to do their best in lessons. Pupils know what bullying is. If it were to happen, pupils know that their teachers would help them to stop it quickly. Pupils behave well across the school. Teachers’ high expectations for behaviour are there right from the start of children’s entry into the Nursery class.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ learning is enhanced with a range of trips. For example, pupils visit a local theatre and museum. This helps them to gain a deeper understanding of British culture. Pupils have a well-developed understanding of diversity. They know that everyone is different, but that all will be included in their school. Older pupils enjoy supporting others, for example with their early reading.

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

Leaders have built a curriculum that reflects their high aspirations for all pupils. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is planned so that pupils extend their vocabulary in each subject. In most subjects, learning builds on what pupils already know and understand in well-ordered steps as they move through the school. The curriculum in early years provides secure foundations for children’s future learning. Effective support from staff in all classes enables pupils to learn effectively. 9 and 10 December 2021

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Leaders have made sure that teachers know what their pupils need to learn and understand. However, some subjects are at an earlier stage of development. It is less clear what pupils should know in these subjects. This sometimes prevents teachers from revisiting earlier learning to ensure that pupils’ previous knowledge is secure. As a result, pupils do not remember the important knowledge that they need in order to be successful in future learning.

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The delivery of the phonics curriculum is well organised by leaders to meet the needs of pupils. Teachers check pupils’ recall of phonics before introducing new sounds and letters. Where pupils’ recall is not as secure, they are given effective additional support to make sure that they can keep up with their classmates. By the end of key stage 1, most pupils can read fluently and confidently.

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Teachers help pupils to develop their reading and comprehension skills. They check that pupils build their knowledge in logical steps. As a result, pupils understand the range of texts that they read. Older pupils read fluently, with expression, intonation and a real sense of understanding.

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Across subjects, teachers check how well pupils learn. These checks help to identify which pupils need more help or guidance. For example, in mathematics, some pupils are given additional support to help them understand fractions.

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Leaders have effective systems to identify the specific needs of pupils with SEND. Staff are well trained in the support that they give these pupils. They ensure that pupils with SEND can enjoy the same learning as other pupils.

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Pupils behave well. They listen carefully in class and concentrate on their learning. Pupils are keen to do their best. In early years, children know and follow the class routines. This helps them to learn and play together well.

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Leaders provide many opportunities for pupils to develop their interests and talents, for example by participating in swimming, cycle training and a wide range of after-school clubs. Pupils are taught to keep themselves safe and healthy. They enjoy the opportunity to develop leadership skills and responsibility. Pupils flourish in leadership roles, such as mental health leaders.

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Staff talked positively about the strong teamwork and supportive relationships that exist in the school. They know that leaders are considerate of their workload. They appreciate leaders’ understanding of their work–life balance. Staff said that they are proud to work at the school.

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Governors have a wide range of experience and knowledge. They supported leaders in their help for the local community, families and pupils during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have kept a careful check on the important work leaders have done to help the pupils to make up for missed learning due to the pandemic. 9 and 10 December 2021

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Parents and carers speak positively about the support and care provided to their children and families. As one parent said, ‘The school is amazing.’ Parents know that their concerns will be listened to by leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

School leaders and staff take their responsibility for the safety and care of pupils very seriously. Leaders are keenly aware of issues within the local community that have an impact on school life and learning. Staff know the pupils very well. They have received appropriate training, so that they are well equipped to raise any concerns about a pupil’s well-being.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught about the dangers associated with smoking, drugs and alcohol. Road safety is given a high priority by leaders, given the school’s location on a busy road.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the curriculum is not fully developed. This stops teachers from revisiting pupils’ earlier learning so that they can embed and deepen their knowledge before they tackle new concepts. This means that pupils do not remember some of the important knowledge that they need in order to be successful in the future. Leaders should review and improve the curriculum in these subjects so that pupils are able to achieve the high expectations that staff have of them.

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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 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 in July 2016. 9 and 10 December 2021

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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.

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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. 9 and 10 December 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199958 Type of school Primary School category Maintained

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Samantha Donigan

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Date of previous inspection

19 and 20 July 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A number of new governors, including a new chair, have been appointed since the last inspection.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school had 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 his evaluation.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector spoke with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator and numerous members of staff. He also spoke with a group of governors, including the chair of governors. The inspector also spoke with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector looked at a range of documents, including the school’s central record of checks undertaken on staff and visitors and safeguarding records. 9 and 10 December 2021

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. He talked with curriculum leaders of these subject areas. The inspector also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils. The inspector also observed pupils reading to teaching assistants.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in class and as they moved around the school. He also observed pupils in the dining hall and playing outside at lunchtime.  The inspector spoke with a group of pupils about their experiences at school. He also spoke to a small group of pupils who have been trained as mental health leaders.  The inspector looked at the responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, including the free-text responses. He also met with parents before school to find out their views of the school. The inspector also considered the responses to Ofsted’s pupil

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Inspection team

Ian Shackleton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 9 and 10 December 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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