Cherry Tree Primary School

Inspection of Cherry Tree Primary School Highfield Road, Farnworth, Bolton, Lancashire BL4 0NS

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 7 and 8 December 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Cherry Tree is a positive and welcoming school. Pupils enjoy attending school each day. They achieve well in different subjects because of leaders’ high expectations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud that everybody at the school is treated equally. They learn to respect and understand differences between themselves and other people. For instance, they learn about the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including by mixing often with pupils from the on-site special school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that they feel safe at school. This is because leaders and staff care for them and nurture their individual talents. Pupils explained that behaviour is good around school. They are confident that staff deal swiftly and successfully with any bullying.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn the importance of doing their best at their work and play. They learn to persevere when they encounter difficulties because of the skilful support of staff. Pupils thrive through taking part in the many extra learning opportunities at the school. For instance, they sing in the school choir, learn to ride a horse and proudly represent the school in tenpin bowling competitions with other schools.

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better?

Pupils achieve well at the school because of the broad and ambitious curriculum that leaders have put into place. In most subjects, especially in English and mathematics, the curriculum has been planned carefully. Leaders have identified the order in which staff should teach pupils new information. This helps pupils to build on what they already know and can do. Pupils talked confidently and clearly about their knowledge in many different subjects. However, the curriculum plans in some subjects are a work in progress. In part, this is due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. They are less clear about the essential knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should learn. At times, this hinders pupils from making steady progress through the whole curriculum. Nevertheless, leaders have made a good start in ensuring that all curriculum plans match the effectiveness of those that are more developed.

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better?

Teachers plan activities that motivate pupils and challenge their thinking. Teachers check how well pupils have remembered their previous learning before they introduce new knowledge. Pupils who find learning difficult, including those pupils with SEND, receive the additional support that they need to keep up with their classmates.

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better?

Leaders make certain that all staff place great emphasis on celebrating reading and teaching pupils to read. Pupils enjoy visiting the well-organised school library, including during the popular Saturday opening. They enthusiastically browse and 7 and 8 December 2021

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read books. Staff follow the school’s phonics programme closely. This is because leaders ensure that staff receive helpful training and support. Phonics is an enjoyable and ever-present feature of the school day from the first week of the Reception Year. Staff provide pupils with reading books that match the sounds that they know. This means that pupils feel successful when they practise their reading. Staff keep a close eye on pupils’ progress through the reading curriculum, providing timely and additional support for those that need extra practise. As a result, pupils read with increasing accuracy and fluency.

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Staff, including those in the early years, identify the needs of pupils with SEND quickly and accurately. Staff skilfully ensure that the curriculum meets the wide- ranging needs of pupils with SEND. This means that these pupils achieve as well as others in the school.

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Leaders plan a wide range of opportunities through the school year to promote pupils’ personal development. Staff teach pupils about the important contributions of people from different ethnic minority groups to advances in science, technology, art and politics. Pupils learn to understand cultures and beliefs different from their own. Teachers help pupils to explore current topical issues, for example global warming, deforestation and pollution, so that they can confidently explain their own viewpoint.

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Pupils behave well in classrooms and around the school. Low-level disruption in lessons is rare. This means that teachers and teaching assistants can focus fully on teaching the planned curriculum.

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The experienced governing body is ambitious for the school. Governors challenge and support leaders well. For instance, they ask leaders lots of questions about how the school is improving pupils’ knowledge of different subjects. Governors use their collective and broad expertise wisely to explore where further improvements can be made to the school. Leaders, including governors, ensure that staff have a reasonable workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, governors and staff take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously. They are vigilant for any signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. Leaders make sure that all staff have an awareness of potential safeguarding risks to pupils. Leaders keep appropriate records and engage well with external agencies to protect pupils. They gather the necessary information to ensure timely support for pupils’ well-being and safety.

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Safeguarding

Staff teach pupils how to stay safe, including when using the internet. Pupils know to report any concerns they may have for their own safety or the safety of others. 7 and 8 December 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Although leaders are well on their way to developing the curriculum plans for all subjects, some are still at an earlier stage. In some subjects, leaders have not identified the important knowledge, including vocabulary, that pupils should learn. At times, this stops pupils from making the progress that they should through the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that their work to improve the curriculum plans continues and that staff are fully trained to deliver the new approaches.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The transition arrangements were used on this inspection to confirm that the pupils benefit from a good-quality education.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 7 and 8 December 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10200792 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.theorchardsfederation.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 and 14 December 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The Orchards, a federation of three schools. Its partner schools are Orchards Nursery School and Green Fold Special School. All three schools share the same executive headteacher but are subject to separate inspections. The class for children in the Reception Year moved to the Cherry Tree school site from September 2021.  The school uses two alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation. 7 and 8 December 2021

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 Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, headteacher, leaders, teachers and support staff.  The lead inspector met with seven members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She spoke by telephone with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about behaviour at the school. Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, corridors and the library.  Inspectors reviewed leaders’ self-evaluation document and improvement plans, minutes of governing body meetings and information on the school’s website.  Inspectors examined leaders’ records in relation to safeguarding. Inspectors spoke with leaders, staff and pupils about safeguarding.  Inspectors considered responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s Parent View survey, including free-text comments. Inspectors spoke with parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors took account of the responses of staff and pupils to

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Ofsted surveys.  As part of this inspection, inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and history. During these activities, inspectors met with subject leaders and visited lessons. Inspectors also spoke with teachers and pupils. Inspectors looked at examples of pupils’ work and listened to some pupils read.  Inspectors also considered curriculum information and spoke with leaders and pupils about music, art and design, and geography.

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Inspection team

Julie Brown, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Tim Vaughan Her Majesty's Inspector 7 and 8 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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