St Paul's CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Paul's CofE Primary School Nevile Road, Salford, Greater Manchester M7 3PT

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Outcome

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

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those new to the school, feel happy and safe. They enjoy each weekday and value their relationships with staff and other pupils. Pupils are very well mannered and considerate of others. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn and achieve well because of the high standards set by leaders.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave calmly and sensibly, responding well to leaders’ high expectations. Pupils trust staff to sort out any incidents of bullying quickly and fairly. Pupils said that they do not use discriminatory language.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are excited by the many opportunities that the school provides. All pupils take part in weekly enrichment activities, such as gardening, coding and yoga.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders prioritise the development of pupils’ physical and emotional well-being. For example, pupils run a ‘daily mile’ around Salford City football stadium. Pupils take part in a range of sports, such as parkour and dodgeball. Pupils contribute their ideas to support the running of the school through the school council and eco committee. Through such opportunities, pupils at the school are becoming active and responsible citizens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils leave Year 6 well prepared for secondary school, keen to continue their learning.

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

Leaders know the work of the school well. They understand the strengths of the education that the school provides. Leaders identify clearly the improvements that will make the biggest difference to pupils’ learning and development.

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

Leaders have designed a broad, ambitious and interesting curriculum that helps pupils to achieve well. The curriculum builds on the knowledge and skills that children acquire in the early years. For example, in the Nursery and Reception classes children learn about 21 to 22 June 2022

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different homes and the area in which they live. In geography in key stage 1, teachers build on pupils’ previous knowledge and teach pupils about the United Kingdom before expanding their knowledge of the wider world in key stage 2.

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In most subjects, teachers have thought carefully about what they teach and the order in which they teach key information. In history, for example, pupils gain a deep knowledge of different belief systems by studying a range of ancient civilisations, such as the Mayans and Ancient Greeks. Teachers introduce new topics by linking the curriculum to what pupils have already learned. This helps pupils to make connections between different topics and to remember important information.

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Teachers have thought carefully about the words and concepts that they want to teach in each subject. They explain new words to pupils skilfully. This helps to broaden pupils’ vocabulary. Teachers carefully check how well pupils learn new information. They intervene quickly when pupils misunderstand the knowledge that staff teach.

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In a small number of subjects, leaders have not given enough thought to the exact knowledge that they want pupils to learn and remember. This results in some teaching of the curriculum being imprecise. It also makes it difficult for teachers and pupils to make connections between topics.

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Leaders have focused on improving the teaching of reading as the school’s main priority. Staff benefit from high-quality training on phonics and reading. This enables them to deliver the phonics curriculum confidently. Children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 learn new letter sounds in a logical order. They read books that closely match the letter sounds that they are learning. This helps pupils to consolidate their learning and supports them to become more fluent and confident readers. Staff provide effective additional support for pupils who struggle to read. This helps them to catch up with their classmates.

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Leaders and staff understand pupils’ needs. Staff quickly identify the needs of pupils with SEND and provide effective support to help these pupils with their learning. All pupils follow the same curriculum and work towards the same ambitious aims. Teachers provide extra support for some pupils by breaking down learning activities into smaller chunks. This helps teachers to ensure that the needs of pupils are met. Pupils, including those with SEND, learn well.

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Children in the early years and pupils in key stages 1 and 2 behave well. They show enthusiasm and resilience in their learning activities. Disruptions to their lessons due to other pupils’ behaviour are rare. Pupils are determined to succeed at school and regard learning as fun.

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Leaders prioritise the development of pupils’ character. They provide pupils with a rich and varied set of experiences that help them to become confident, determined and caring. For example, some pupils take part in debating competitions and others raise money for charities by running coffee mornings. 21 to 22 June 2022

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Staff enjoy working at the school and their morale is high. They feel that they can do their jobs well because of the training that they receive and leaders’ effective communication and organisation. Leaders act to ensure that teachers have a reasonable workload. Governors are knowledgeable about the work of the school. They are committed to upholding the school’s values. Governors provide leaders with valuable support and challenge to improve the school even further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand their responsibility to keep pupils safe. They are well trained on safeguarding matters and are alert to signs of harm, abuse and neglect. They are aware of the risks to pupils’ safety in the local area.

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Safeguarding

Leaders manage safeguarding cases well. They work with external agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils and families get the support that they need. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe online and when travelling around the local area.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders have not given enough thought to the precise information that they want pupils to learn. On occasion, teachers plan the curriculum around activities rather than the information they want pupils to know. This leads to insecure learning and makes it difficult for teachers and pupils to make links between different topics. Leaders should make sure that the curriculum specifies the important knowledge that pupils should learn.

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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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2017. 21 to 22 June 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. 21 to 22 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10226136 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 to 15 March 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act

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Information about this school

 This is a Church of England primary school, within the Diocese of Manchester. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in November 2015.  Leaders do not use any alternative provision.  A high proportion of pupils join and/or leave the school during the school year.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken this into account in his evaluation of the school.  During this inspection, the inspector met with the executive headteacher and other leaders. The inspector spoke with a range of staff.  The inspector met with three governors, including the chair and vice chair of the governing body.  The inspector spoke with parents and carers at the start of the school day. 21 to 22 June 2022

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 The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. There were no responses to the staff and pupil surveys.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documentation, including that relating to safeguarding. He spoke to staff about safeguarding and their workload and well-being.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school. He spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. He met with subject leaders and teachers and visited samples of lessons. The inspector spoke with pupils and looked at examples of their work. He considered the curriculum across some other subjects. He also observed pupils reading to trusted adults.

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Inspection team

Will Smith, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 21 to 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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