St Philip's Church of England Controlled Primary School

Inspection of St Philip’s Church of England Controlled Primary School Church Road, Litherland, Liverpool, Merseyside L21 8NZ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 5 and 6 July 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils arrive at school happy and excited for the day ahead. New pupils settle in quickly because they are made to feel welcome. Pupils said that everyone is accepte in their school community. They understand that they should treat other people with kindness and be respectful to everyone that they meet.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have created a supportive environment where pupils are eager to learn. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can and should achieve. This includes children in the early years. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn well in most subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. On the rare occasions when pupils do not behave as they should, teachers manage this well. Pupils respond positively and maturely to the high expectations that leaders and teachers have of their behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told inspectors that if bullying happens teachers sort it out quickly. Pupils commented that playtimes are great fun. They said that teachers create an environment where pupils can confidently be themselves, including at social times. Pupils said that they feel safe at St Philip’s.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take great pride in their work, which is displayed around the school. Pupils access a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and activities. They said that they enjoy attending this school.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for pupils in key stages 1 and 2. Leaders have also taken time to create an early years curriculum that prepares children well for the demands of key stage 1. In the main, the curriculum enables pupils, including those with SEND, to achieve well. Most pupils successfully build on their prior learning and they deepen their understanding of topics and concepts as they move through the school.

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better?

In most subjects, leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge that underpins the curriculum. This helps pupils to learn well. Leaders have also thought about the order that new knowledge and concepts should be delivered. However, in one or two subjects, leaders have not finalised their curriculum thinking. In these subjects, some learning is not set out in the most logical way. On occasions, this prevents a few pupils from achieving all that they could in these subjects.

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better?

Most teachers use leaders’ assessment systems well to check whether pupils have learned the content of the curriculum. Teachers are skilled in identifying any gaps in pupils’ learning. They successfully make sure that the activities that they prepare help pupils to recap and revisit important information. 5 and 6 July 2022

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Leaders identify pupils, and children with SEND, swiftly and effectively. Leaders and teachers make sure that pupils with SEND access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers, through the effective support that they provide.

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Leaders ensure that all staff understand the importance of teaching pupils to learn to read. Teachers read to pupils and children every day. Children in the early years enjoy learning songs and rhymes. Older pupils learn about classic playwrights and poets. Pupils talked enthusiastically to inspectors about the books that they have read in class or for pleasure.

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Leaders have ensured that staff are well trained in the teaching of phonics. Teachers ensure that children get off to a flying start in learning to read in the Reception Year. Leaders and teachers make sure that pupils and children know the sounds in their reading books. Leaders make suitable checks on how well pupils are progressing through the reading curriculum. Leaders make sure that the pupils who are not keeping up with their reading receive timely support to catch up quickly with their peers.

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Pupils and children in the early years focus well on their learning. Learning is rarely disrupted. Leaders and teachers have positive relationships with pupils, based on mutual trust and respect. Pupils and children in the early years play well together, they learn to take turns, and they are polite and well mannered. On occasions, however, a small number of pupils do not attend school as often as they should. This is despite leaders’ efforts to improve these pupils’ overall rates of attendance.

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Leaders ensure that pupils’ wider personal development is successfully integrated into the curriculum. Pupils learn the importance of caring and supporting each other, including for citizens in the local community. Pupils also discuss current affairs. They talked confidently about global issues, such as refugees and plastic pollution. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Leaders and teachers provide pupils with an appropriate variety of after-school and lunchtime activities, such as yoga, craft, gardening and sports clubs. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe and healthy.

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Governors know the school well and they successfully hold leaders to account for the quality of education that pupils receive. Staff appreciate how leaders and governors are mindful of their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have clear safeguarding procedures in place to identify pupils who may be vulnerable or at risk. Leaders know their pupils and families well. Teachers are aware of who they need to go to if they are concerned about a pupil’s welfare. Equally, pupils know who to go to if they are worried about anything. Children in 5 and 6 July 2022

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the early years use worry monsters to help them talk about their concerns and worries.

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Leaders ensure that all staff have regular safeguarding training to keep their knowledge up to date. Leaders work well with external agencies when required.

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Pupils learn to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils have taken part in different workshops, including how to keep themselves safe from gangs. The school council has worked on a local project on parking around school to make it safer for all pupils.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In one or two subjects, leaders have not finalised the knowledge and skills that pupils must learn. This prevents some pupils from achieving all that they should. Leaders should complete their curriculum thinking in these few remaining subjects to ensure that pupils learn all that they can.  A few pupils do not attend school as often as they should. This means that these pupils sometimes miss out on important aspects of their learning. Leaders should ensure that all pupils attend school regularly so that they benefit from all that is on offer.

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How can I feed back my views?

or 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. 5 and 6 July 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10210934 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.stphilipsprimaryschool- litherland.co.uk Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 June 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.  The school is part of the Diocese of Liverpool. It was inspected last under section 48 in June 2016.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that the school has 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 met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. They also met with a range of leaders who were responsible for the school’s pastoral and personal development programmes. 5 and 6 July 2022

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 The lead inspector met with a group of governors, a representative of the local authority and a representative of the Diocese of Liverpool.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and music. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited lessons, talked to pupils and looked at pupils’ work. Inspectors also reviewed other subjects in the curriculum. The lead inspector observed adults reading with pupils in Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff and pupils.  Inspectors reviewed the leaders’ policies and procedures to keep pupils safe. They discussed safeguarding arrangements with staff and pupils.  Inspectors met with parents and carers at the start of the school day. They took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Stuart Perkins, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Louise Smith Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 July 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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