Parish Church of England Primary School, St Helens

Inspection of an outstanding school: Parish Church of England Primary School, St Helens Charles Street, St Helens, Merseyside WA10 1LW

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 January 2022

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Outcome

Parish Church of England Primary School, St Helens continues to be an outstanding school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this happy and vibrant school. They meet the high ambitions that leaders have for them to succeed across subjects. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils develop as highly articulate, thoughtful and resilient individuals because of the meticulously structured curriculum that leaders provide.

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What is it like to attend this school?

As they arrive at school each day, pupils are greeted by smiling staff. Pupils are well cared for and feel very safe. They appreciate the kindness and care that staff give to them. Pupils know that if they have any concerns or worries, their teachers will listen and help. Should bullying happen, pupils are confident that staff would act swiftly to stop it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In lessons and around school, pupils behave exceptionally well. They are proud to be part of the Parish family and are keen to give their very best. Through their many leadership roles, pupils are fully involved in school life. For example, ‘worship warriors’ and ‘marvellous musicians’ plan a range of events and activities for pupils to take part in and enjoy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love the wide range of ‘pots of gold’ trips and visits that their teachers plan for them. Through these experiences, pupils develop a mature appreciation of the world around them.

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

The curriculum that leaders have planned is engaging and matched precisely to pupils’ needs. Leaders have put considerable thought into how best to support pupils in understanding and remembering their learning. As pupils move through the school, they develop and deepen their knowledge across subjects extremely well. 25 and 26 January 2022

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The school’s curriculum builds pupils’ learning in logical and carefully considered steps. For example, in geography, pupils strengthen their detailed knowledge of locations across topics and year groups. Leaders have ensured that learning in the early years lays very firm foundations for children’s next steps in learning across the curriculum.

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In each class, teachers know exactly what knowledge pupils need to remember before moving on to new learning. Staff make regular checks on how well pupils are remembering important knowledge. Teachers choose activities with precision to support pupils in deepening their understanding. For example, in mathematics, teachers make sure that pupils have plenty of practice to develop their accuracy in written calculations. Pupils gain the knowledge that they need to be successful and confident learners.

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Leaders’ intentions for reading to be the beating heart of the curriculum are fully realised. Staff have expertise in the teaching of reading. From their first days in the Nursery class, children are immersed in engaging reading experiences. In phonics lessons, pupils learn to read in carefully planned and logical steps. Those pupils who need additional help receive swift, regular and effective support. The books that pupils take home are matched precisely to the sounds that they learn in class. This enables pupils to develop their reading accuracy and fluency.

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Leaders provide a wealth of books for pupils to read and enjoy. Leaders ensure that, across subjects, pupils read a wide range of high-quality texts. Pupils understand the importance of reading. As one pupil said, ‘Reading is the key to everything we do.’ Pupils, including those with SEND, develop as confident, fluent readers who read for pleasure.

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Leaders ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified quickly and accurately. Teachers understand how best to deliver lessons and plan activities so that pupils with SEND succeed in their learning. Through this range of carefully planned support, pupils with SEND make strong progress.

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Lessons are a hive of activity. Pupils show the highest level of concentration and perseverance when work is tricky. Children in the early years learn new routines quickly. They are absorbed in the exciting and interesting activities that their teachers provide for them.

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Through a range of high-quality experiences, leaders fully support pupils’ wider development. For example, pupils develop a firm appreciation of diversity through visiting different places of worship. Leaders show determination in ensuring that the curriculum addresses any challenges that pupils face in their lives. They leave the school fully prepared for their next steps in education.

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The trust, local governing body and leaders in school share a passion to provide the very best for pupils. The trust and governors provide expert support and challenge to leaders to ensure that the school continues to excel.

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The school’s dedicated staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate the wide range of steps that leaders take to support their well-being. 25 and 26 January 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide regular, high-quality safeguarding training for all staff. This means that staff are very alert to signs of possible abuse or neglect of a pupil. Staff understand the right action to take if they have a concern about a pupil.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work closely with a range of agencies to support pupils and their families. Leaders ensure that pupils benefit from the right support when needed.

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Safeguarding

The curriculum is expertly planned to help pupils understand how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn about the dangers of drug and alcohol misuse. Pupils know that they should speak to a trusted adult if they ever feel unsafe.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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, Parish CofE Primary School, to be outstanding in January 2016.

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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. 25 and 26 January 2022

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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. 25 and 26 January 2022

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Date of previous inspection

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

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Information about this school

 The school is a Church of England school. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in July 2016.  A new headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher have been appointed since the previous inspection.  The school uses no alternative providers.

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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 leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. 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 learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult. The inspector also reviewed curriculum plans and spoke to leaders and pupils about some other subjects. 25 and 26 January 2022

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 The inspector spoke with pupils about school life, including behaviour. She held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher, the school’s children and families champion and the school’s special educational needs coordinator. She spoke with governors and the chief executive officer and a director of the trust. She spoke with representatives of the virtual school and the diocese.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. She spoke with parents and carers at the start of the school day. She considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation about safeguarding. She spoke with staff to understand how they keep pupils safe. She reviewed the school’s record of checks undertaken on newly appointed staff.  The inspector spoke with a range of staff to discuss leaders’ support for them.

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Inspection team

Elizabeth Stevens, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 25 and 26 January 2022

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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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