Standish St Wilfrid's Church of England Primary Academy

Inspection of Standish St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary Academy Rectory Lane, Standish, Wigan, Lancashire WN6 0XB

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 January 2022

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Ofsted has not previously inspected St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary Academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Standish St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School to be outstanding, before it opened as St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary Academy as a result of conversion to academy status. 18 and 19 January 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this happy, nurturing school. Everybody is made to feel welcome. Leaders are never complacent. Despite the many notable strengths of the school, leaders continually look to further improve on their already exceptional offer to pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have the highest expectations of pupils’ behaviour and learning. This inspires pupils to be the very best that they can be. Pupils work incredibly hard in their lessons and behave in an exemplary manner.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit greatly from leaders’ unwavering focus on the wider curriculum. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the vast array of high-quality enrichment activities on offer. For example, pupils sing confidently in the choir or play musical instruments tunefully in music lessons and clubs. Pupils in the school’s swimming team have enjoyed success in regional and national swimming competitions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very proud of their school. They are very keen to contribute to the school community. This is because leaders listen, and act upon, the ideas pupils have on how to improve the school further. Pupils relish the responsibilities that leaders trust them to carry out. These include being a reading companion, a member of the pupil leadership team or helping to look after ‘Murphy’ and ‘Kipling’, the school’s rabbits for them to read to.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy excellent relationships with their peers and the staff. Pupils know that any incidents of bullying will be dealt with swiftly by teachers. Staff are trained to help pupils to deal with any of their worries or concerns. This helps pupils to feel safe.

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better?

Leaders’ extremely high ambitions for every pupil are reflected in the excellent curriculum that children in the early years, and pupils in Year 1 to Year 6, enjoy. Much thought has gone into shaping a curriculum that meets pupils’ needs and interests. The careful construction of the curriculum means that pupils continually build on their learning until they secure a deep body of knowledge across all subjects. As a result, all pupils, including children in the early years and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve exceptionally well. Year 6 pupils are more than ready to meet the demands of their secondary school education.

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better?

Teachers are extremely well trained. They have an in-depth knowledge of the subjects they deliver. This enables them to provide pupils with highly engaging activities. Pupils are challenged in their learning. 18 and 19 January 2022

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Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. This is because leaders share a view that it unlocks the whole of the curriculum to all pupils. Pupils have a stunning knowledge of books and authors because teachers read to them widely and often. Teachers are adept at choosing books that further develop pupils’ knowledge and pleasure of the world of literature.

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Pupils rapidly become fluent readers. Children in the Nursery class are immersed in books from the start. Teachers spark children’s interest in reading through the books they share. This helps children to build an understanding of new vocabulary and sounds quickly. Staff receive regular training. They skilfully teach the phonics curriculum as soon as children enter the Reception class. Younger pupils across key stage 1, and children in the Reception class, read books that closely match the sounds that they know. Pupils who find reading more difficult, including pupils at an early stage of reading in key stage 2, receive well-planned sessions to support them. These help them to catch up swiftly.

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Pupils develop a rich and broad vocabulary. Leaders ensure subject-related terminology is promoted and understood. In the Reception class, children handling ice explained that it was ‘freezing’ and ‘slippery’. Older pupils talked knowledgeably about democracy having its origins in Ancient Greece.

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Leaders work closely with staff to quickly identify pupils with SEND. Staff are highly skilled in making sure that pupils with SEND access the full curriculum. Staff are united in their view that additional needs should not be a barrier to learning. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve exceptionally well.

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Pupils are encouraged to be aspirational about their futures. Leaders recently organised representatives from a variety of occupations, including doctors and scientists, to discuss career choices with pupils. Former pupils return to the school to talk about their experiences of the curriculum and how it helped them in their chosen careers.

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Pupils’ behaviour is exceptional. Excellent learning behaviours are established quickly. Children in the early years remain engaged and focused on tasks. Pupils across the school show high levels of engagement with their learning. They listen attentively to their teachers. Pupils show great care for one another. ‘Wellbeing warriors’ listen to any worries that their peers may have and look after each other.

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Alongside fostering excellent academic achievement, leaders ensure that pupils develop as well-rounded youngsters. Leaders’ work to promote pupils’ personal development truly stands out. Pupils display a mature understanding of human rights and equalities. Teachers encourage pupils to think about people less fortunate than themselves. Pupils act on this and organise fundraising activities for local charities. The curriculum is used effectively to help pupils learn about diversity. In history, pupils have been learning about the impact of the Windrush generation in helping to rebuild Britain after the Second World War. This is giving them a deeper understanding of diversity as well as the origins of generations who have settled in other countries. 18 and 19 January 2022

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Staff are incredibly proud to work at the school. They are appreciative of the careful consideration that is taken of their workload and well-being by leaders and governors.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff know the families in the school community very well. They work closely with outside agencies where appropriate. This ensures that vulnerable families receive the support they need in a timely manner.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained and vigilant to the signs that any pupils may be at risk of harm or neglect. They understand the importance of reporting concerns promptly. Leaders use regular training updates to ensure that safeguarding remains a high priority.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They understand the risks that can be present online as well as the dangers of drug and alcohol misuse.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 18 and 19 January 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211787 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Standish St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary Academy converted to become an academy school in July 2013. When its predecessor school, Standish St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.  The school does not make any use of alternative provision.  This is a Church of England primary academy school. The school had its most recent section 48 inspection in January 2018.  The school is part of a multi-academy trust called the Learning Together Trust.  The board of trustees manages the before- and after-school provision.  There have been many changes to the staff team since the school was last inspected. 18 and 19 January 2022

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, the chair and vice-chair of the trust and the chair of governors. They also spoke with a representative of the local authority and the Diocese of Blackburn.  Inspectors checked leaders’ safeguarding procedures. They viewed a range of safeguarding documents and looked at how incidents are recorded.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the start of the school day and considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also reviewed the responses to the pupil and staff questionnaires.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, geography, science and history. These involved visiting lessons with subject leaders,

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Information about this inspection

discussing curriculum plans, talking to pupils and teachers and looking at pupils’ work. An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also held discussions with the leader for early years and subject leaders for physical education and art and design.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at playtimes, lunchtimes and during lessons. Pupils also talked to inspectors about their views on their school.

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Inspection team

John Tomlinson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Joan Williamson Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 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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