St Peter's CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Peter's CofE Primary School Oxford Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire OL7 0NB

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Outcome

St Peter's CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well cared for and happy. The school’s values of personal growth, tolerance and kindness are lived and breathed by all in the school. Adults treat pupils with high regard. In turn, pupils treat each other respectfully. In the words of one pupil, ‘The boys and girls in the school are like my brothers and sisters’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in and out of classrooms. This is because teachers have high expectations of how pupils should conduct themselves. Pupils are confident that bullying will be treated very seriously by staff and leaders. As a result, they feel safe. Pupils are rewarded for their positive conduct and helpful deeds. They value the ‘fish’ cards that they receive when they are caught being kind and respectful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils strive to achieve well. Many reach the high standards leaders expect of them. The culture of learning is strong. Pupils read often and enjoy the wide range of books in the reading corridors and the library. Completing the ‘Reading Passport’ is a prized challenge.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are a wide variety of trips, clubs and pupil leadership opportunities in the school. The after-school clubs, such as dance, mindfulness and badminton, are popular with pupils. The ethos ambassadors lead the school’s extensive charity and community work.

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

Since the previous inspection, leaders have introduced an ambitious curriculum that helps all pupils, including children in the early years, to gain knowledge in a wide range of subjects. 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 have adapted the curriculum over time to make it more meaningful for pupils. For example, in history, pupils study early Islamic civilisation and learn about the Windrush era. Pupils achieve well. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders have not thought carefully enough about the different types of knowledge that pupils should know or how this should be ordered over time. This means that pupils do not build on their knowledge 21 and 22 June 2022

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of the methods and processes linked to these subjects term by term, or year by year, as well as they should. Leaders have not established secure systems to check how well pupils learn in these subjects. Teachers are therefore not clear about how well pupils are progressing.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported very well. Leaders have recruited specialists who carry out timely assessments to help identify these pupils and pinpoint their needs. As a result, teachers provide these pupils with the help that they need to learn, make progress and keep up with their peers.

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Reading is given a high priority in the school by leaders. When children start in the Reception class, teachers immerse them in stories and books. Teachers are highly skilled in teaching children to read. Pupils take home books that they can read independently to an adult. Pupils who struggle to learn phonics are given intensive support by staff. As a result, pupils catch up quickly. Leaders have provided reading workshops and online instructional videos for parents and carers to help them to support their child’s reading practice at home.

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Pupils read for pleasure. They have access to high-quality and exciting books in the school. The books that pupils read in class often relate to the work that they are studying in different subjects. This helps pupils deepen their understanding. Pupils’ reading skills develop well over time.

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Leaders have made sure that the curriculum supports pupils’ personal development well. Leaders provide pupils with opportunities to learn about the wider world through art and design, music and other exciting activities. Such activities help pupils to appreciate religions and cultures other than their own. The school’s outdoor learning programme is very popular with pupils of all ages. This, along with the eco club, helps to build pupils’ social skills and a sense of responsibility towards the environment.

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Pupils, including children in the early years, behave well. Pupils rarely disrupt each other’s learning. 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 help one another when needed. They have pride in their work.

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Leaders and governors are considerate of staff’s workload and well-being. Staff at all levels feel that they are listened to and respected by leaders. They informed the inspector that the professional and respectful relationships in the school help them to work effectively and ‘go the extra mile’.

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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. Leaders liaise closely with 21 and 22 June 2022

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families and a range of external agencies to identify and manage any safeguarding issues quickly.

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. This includes learning to swim and road safety. Pupils appreciate the support that they receive from their teachers. They are confident about who they should go to if they feel worried or sad. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not organised the knowledge that they want pupils to know and understand incrementally. This means that pupils do not build on their knowledge of the methods and processes used in these subject curriculums, over time. Leaders should ensure that the curriculums in these subjects identify the different types of knowledge that pupils should learn from the early years to Year 6.  In some subjects, leaders have not ensured that the assessment strategies used to check pupils’ knowledge and understanding are as effective as they could be. This means that teachers do not know how well pupils are progressing, and pupils are not sure about what it means to get better in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that meaningful and secure assessments procedures are fully in place in these subjects.

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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 March 2013.

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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. 21 and 22 June 2022

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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. 21 and 22 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10226078 Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9 February 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 July 2015.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection of the school since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher. The inspector also spoke with teaching and non-teaching staff and a group of governors, including the chair and vice-chair of the governing body. The inspector spoke with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including the single central record and leaders’ safeguarding records.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. She talked with curriculum leaders of these subject areas. The inspector also visited 21 and 22 June 2022

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lessons, reviewed pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils. The inspector observed pupils reading to a member of staff.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms and as they moved around school. She also observed the pupils’ behaviour at lunchtime and breaktime.  The inspector spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at the school.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. She also met with some parents to find out their views of the school. The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire. There were no responses to the pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Zarina Connolly, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 June 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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