Great Budworth CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Great Budworth CofE Primary School School Lane, Great Budworth, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 6HQ

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Outcome

Great Budworth CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school. They appreciate the care and support that staff give to them. Leaders have high expectations of all pupils. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils in Years 1 to 6, and children in the early years, listen carefully to their teachers and follow the school rules. They try their best. Pupils know that help is on hand from staff if they find their learning tricky. Pupils are polite and welcoming. They behave well in lessons and around school. As a result, the school is a calm place in which to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from many opportunities such as clubs and educational visits. This helps pupils to develop a greater awareness of life beyond their immediate locality. For example, the links with schools around the world have helped pupils to appreciate the differences between themselves and others. Pupils ensure that everyone is treated equally, with respect and dignity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils create their own games around the extensive school site. They play very cooperatively with each other. This creates a real family feel in the school. Pupils told the inspector that everyone has at least one friend. Pupils feel safe. They learn to recognise the signs of bullying and know that staff will deal with any bullying incidents swiftly.

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

Leaders are ambitious for pupils. Since the previous inspection, they have introduced a curriculum that helps pupils, including children in the early years, to gain knowledge in a wide range of subjects. Leaders have overcome the challenges of designing a curriculum for mixed-aged classes. The curriculum is broad and balanced and reflects the national curriculum.

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

Leaders make many purposeful links across the curriculum. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders have not thought carefully enough about the knowledge that pupils 20 April 2022

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should gain. This means that pupils are not able to build new learning confidently on what has come before.

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The reading curriculum is ambitious. Staff waste no time in teaching children in the Reception class to read. Children learn to recognise sounds and begin to blend them so that they can read words. Staff check regularly to identify pupils who need extra help and they provide effective support to help pupils to keep up. Pupils in key stage 1 learn to read simple texts. Teachers make sure that the books that pupils read match the sounds that they know. However, some members of staff have not had suitable training to deliver the phonics programme as well as leaders intend. This slows the progress of some pupils.

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Pupils develop a real love of reading. They talked enthusiastically about the books that they are currently reading or have read in the past. Teachers have effective subject knowledge. They use this well to help pupils to develop their understanding of plots and characters in books. Teachers choose exciting and interesting books to read to the class. Pupils are fully engaged in the end-of-day stories that teachers read to them.

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Leaders identify pupils with SEND effectively. They work closely with teachers to ensure that the support pupils receive is well matched to their individual needs.

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Leaders have made sure that the curriculum supports pupils’ personal development. Leaders provide pupils with opportunities to learn about different cultures through art and design, music, and other exciting activities. Pupils visit temples and other religious buildings. This helps pupils to understand and respect religions other than their own.

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Pupils, including children in the early years, behave well. This ensures that little learning time is lost. Pupils in Years 1 to 6, and children in the early years, have strong attitudes to learning. They focus well on their work. Pupils respect the opinions of others and contribute confidently to class discussions.

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Leaders and governors are considerate of staff’s workload and well-being. Staff reported that they enjoy working at the school. They are proud to be part of the Great Budworth team.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff at all levels receive appropriate, regular and ongoing safeguarding training. Staff know what to do if they have any concerns about a pupil. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. This includes learning to swim and ride bikes safely. Pupils appreciate the support that they receive from their teachers. They understand how to keep themselves safe online. Leaders liaise closely with families and a range of agencies to quickly identify and manage any safeguarding issues. 20 April 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A few staff have not received suitable training to deliver the phonics curriculum with confidence and expertise. As a result, some pupils do not gain phonics knowledge as well as leaders intend. Leaders should ensure that all staff receive appropriate training so that they can deliver the new phonics curriculum effectively.  In a small number of subjects, leaders have not identified the knowledge that pupils should learn. This means that pupils cannot build new learning confidently on what has come before. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum identifies the knowledge that pupils will learn from the early years to Year 6 so that pupils know and remember more.

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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 second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2012.

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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. 20 April 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. 20 April 2022

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School details

Local authority Cheshire West and Chester

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School details

Inspection number 10226126 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.antrobusandbudworthceprimaryschool s.co.uk Date of previous inspection 8 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is a Church of England school. The last section 48 inspection took place in May 2017.  Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher and chair of governors have been appointed. New staff and governors have also been appointed.  The school is in a hard federation with Antrobus St Mark’s Church of England Primary School.  Leaders do not make use of 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other senior leaders. They also spoke with a group of governors, including the chair of the governing body. Inspectors spoke with representatives from the local authority and diocese. 20 April 2022

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 Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including the single central record and leaders’ safeguarding records.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and art and design. They talked with curriculum leaders of these subject areas. The inspectors also visited lessons, reviewed pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils. Inspectors also observed pupils reading.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms and as they moved around school. They also observed the pupils’ behaviour at lunchtime.  Inspectors spoke with a group of pupils about their experiences at the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. They also met with some parents to find out their views of the school. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire. There were no responses to the pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Ian Shackleton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Louise McArdle Ofsted Inspector 20 April 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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