Samlesbury Church of England School

Inspection of a good school: Samlesbury Church of England School Potters Lane, Samlesbury, Preston, Lancashire PR5 0UE

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Outcome

Samlesbury Church of England School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff and pupils describe this happy and friendly school as being ‘like a family’. Pupils enjoy spending time with their friends. Playtimes are fun for pupils. They enjoy the many activities that leaders provide for them. Pupils value the school’s spacious and attractive grounds, including the school garden and a quiet area for reflection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are determined that all pupils will thrive. They have planned a curriculum that supports pupils to achieve well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school. They said that their teachers will listen to any concerns or worries that they have. Pupils are confident that if bullying were to happen, leaders would be quick to sort it out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind and caring to others. They are welcoming to visitors. New pupils settle quickly into school life and make new friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop as active and caring individuals, fulfilling the school’s aim to ‘live as a light to others’. Pupils take pride in the wide range of leadership opportunities that they undertake. For example, sports captains lead lunchtime games. Year 6 pupils are kind and caring buddies to children in Reception Year.

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

The school has undergone significant changes in leadership and staffing in recent years. New leaders and staff have worked with determination to improve and embed the curriculum. However, some subject leaders are new to their roles and are in the process of developing their expertise.

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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 broad and balanced. In most subjects, leaders have set out the key knowledge that they intend pupils to learn. Staff have 5 May 2022

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thought carefully about how pupils should build their learning in logical steps, starting in early years. In these subjects, teachers make regular and detailed checks to ensure that pupils are learning successfully. Teachers use this information to identify when pupils need extra support to keep up with their learning.

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In a small number of subjects, the leadership of the curriculum is at an earlier stage of development. Leaders are still in the process of refining the curriculums in these subjects. They have not made the knowledge that they intend pupils to remember clear enough to teachers. Pupils’ learning is less secure in these subjects.

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Leaders have placed reading at the heart of the school’s curriculum. Pupils enjoy the varied and interesting books that leaders provide. Children in Reception Year listen attentively to a range of stories that their teachers read with them. Teachers make story time fun. Across classes, pupils talk with enthusiasm about the books that they have read. Pupils read for pleasure.

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Leaders have strengthened the phonics curriculum. Children begin learning phonics as soon as they start school. Regular training has developed staff expertise in teaching phonics. Teachers ensure that pupils’ reading books are matched to their reading ability. This helps pupils to practise and develop their reading skills successfully. Staff make regular checks to ensure that pupils are keeping up with the reading curriculum. Pupils develop as confident and fluent readers.

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Leaders work closely with parents and carers and a range of professionals to ensure that they identify the needs of pupils with SEND. Leaders ensure that these pupils learn the same curriculum as their peers. Through carefully planned support, staff help pupils with SEND to achieve well.

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Pupils behave well in class and around school. For example, in Reception Year, children play happily together in the outdoor area. Teachers plan exciting activities that capture and hold their attention. Children are quick to follow teachers’ instructions. Across the school, pupils listen attentively to their teachers and each other. They strive to achieve ‘golden tickets’ for living out the school’s Christian values, such as generosity, hope and forgiveness.

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Leaders plan a wide range of opportunities to develop pupils’ understanding of the wider world. For example, pupils visit theatres, museums and exciting locations such as London. Visitors from the church develop pupils’ spiritual awareness. Pupils learn about important role models, such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King. They develop a firm understanding that all are equal.

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Governors know the school well. They visit the school regularly to check on improvements that leaders make to the curriculum. They also keep a careful check on the workload of staff.

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Staff have a very positive view of the school’s leaders and they appreciate the support that they receive from them. Staff said that leaders are considerate of their well-being and workload when making decisions. 5 May 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that all staff have regular safeguarding training that reflects the latest government guidance. This ensures that staff are alert to possible signs of abuse and neglect. Staff report any concerns to leaders promptly.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that pupils learn how to stay safe. Pupils find out about the dangers of alcohol and drug misuse. They learn how to keep themselves safe when working online. Pupils understand that they should speak to an adult in school if the actions of others make them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subject leaders do not have the necessary experience and knowledge to best support further developments relating to the curriculum. This hinders leaders in refining their curriculum thinking and providing further support for teachers in how to deliver some aspects. Leaders should ensure that new subject leaders receive high- quality training to develop their expertise in carrying out their roles.  In a small number of subjects, teachers are not clear enough about the knowledge that pupils should learn and when this should be taught. Leaders should ensure that, in these subjects, teachers understand fully what important knowledge pupils should secure before moving on with new learning. This will allow pupils to build their knowledge logically and deepen their understanding of subjects over time.

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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 second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2013. 5 May 2022

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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. 5 May 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Date of previous inspection

19 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a Church of England school. The school’s most recent section 48 inspection took place in January 2018.  The school does not use alternative provision.  Since the previous inspection, the school has undergone significant staffing changes, including the appointment of a new headteacher.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss curriculums, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors observed pupils reading to a familiar adult. Inspectors also reviewed curriculums in some other subjects. 5 May 2022

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 Inspectors spoke with pupils about school life, including behaviour.  Inspectors held meetings with a range of staff, including the headteacher and the school’s special educational needs coordinator. They spoke with governors.  Inspectors spoke with representatives from the local authority and the diocese.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View. They spoke with parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff. They also considered the responses to the pupil survey.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation about safeguarding. They spoke with staff to understand how they keep pupils safe. They reviewed the school’s record of checks undertaken on newly appointed staff.  Inspectors 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

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Inspection team

John Littler Ofsted Inspector 5 May 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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