Salesbury Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Salesbury Church of England Primary School Lovely Hall Lane, Salesbury, Blackburn, Lancashire BB1 9EQ

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Outcome

Salesbury Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this school. They enjoy learning in the calm atmosphere that leaders and staff have created. Children in the Reception class settle quickly. They delight in the opportunity to learn alongside their friends, especially outdoors. Pupils feel safe in school. They said that there is always someone to talk with if they have any worries or concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know the importance of treating people with respect and understanding. Although pupils sometimes fall out with their friends, bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that when it does occur, it is dealt with swiftly and effectively by staff. Pupils behave well. They work hard in lessons. This helps pupils to become successful learners who achieve well across many subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils try hard to live up to the high expectations that staff have of their behaviour and academic achievement. Older pupils take their responsibilities seriously as members of committees and as role models for younger pupils. Pupils appreciate the many opportunities that leaders provide, such as residential trips and representing the school in sporting events. They also enjoy performing with the school choir and working with members of an orchestra. As ‘Archbishop of York leaders’, pupils proudly support community improvements. Recently, members of the school community completed a project to develop a new garden to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum which meets the needs of all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children in the early years. The curriculum identifies what pupils need to know. Learning is ordered carefully and identifies links between subjects. This helps pupils to apply what they already know when they are learning something new. Pupils, including children in the early years, achieve well over time. 12 and 13 July 2022

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Leaders check how effectively the curriculum enables pupils to know and remember more. Leaders ensure that staff are well trained so that they deliver the curriculum effectively. For example, subject leaders work alongside staff to hone their skills and subject knowledge. This approach also ensures that subject leaders have an accurate insight into how the curriculum is being taught. This enables them to identify how to improve the curriculum further, especially where pupils are taught in mixed-age classes. That said, a few staff are new to their subject leadership roles. They have not been able to access the training that they need to carry out their roles effectively. This hinders their ability to bring about further improvement in their areas of responsibility.

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Assessment information is used skilfully by staff. Teachers quickly identify which pupils may need additional help. They use this information well to plan what pupils need to learn next and to identify any gaps in learning. This means that pupils can build on what they know and can do.

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Leaders’ accurate identification of pupils with SEND means that the needs of these pupils are understood and supported well. Teachers provide a variety of resources and equipment for pupils with SEND to use. This helps these pupils to access the full curriculum and to learn effectively alongside their friends.

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Learning to read is given the highest priority. In the early years, children enjoy listening to their favourite stories and joining in with familiar rhymes. In the Reception class, staff are skilled at developing children’s spoken language and communication skills. Children quickly learn the sounds that letters represent. The books that pupils read match the sounds that they are learning. This helps them to become confident, fluent readers. Pupils who find reading challenging, including those at the early stages of reading in key stage 2, benefit from the support that they receive.

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The wide selection of books in the school’s library helps to foster pupils’ love of reading. Older pupils enjoy listening to the novels that teachers read to them. They also enjoy reading with the children in the Reception class. Pupils talked enthusiastically about the authors who have inspired them. They eagerly recommend books that they have read.

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Pupils are polite and well-mannered. They listen carefully in lessons and focus on their work. This helps them to achieve well. Pupils who struggle to manage their emotions are supported effectively to maintain their concentration. As a result, there is little disruption to learning.

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Pupils’ personal development is promoted well. Visits to museums and fieldwork in the local community enhance the curriculum further. Pupils learn about different cultures and celebrate differences. They enjoy the many sports clubs that they join, and other activities, such as music, art and coding club.

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The training that governors receive enables them to use their knowledge effectively to hold leaders to account for the quality of education that the school provides. Leaders are mindful of staff’s workload when they make decisions about the school. Staff appreciate the importance leaders place on supporting their well-being. 12 and 13 July 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The training that staff receive enables them to recognise any changes in pupils’ demeanour. Staff know the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about a pupil’s welfare. Leaders work with other agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils and their families quickly receive the help and support that they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to use social media safely. Pupils also know how to keep themselves safe when they are out in the local community. They know what to do if they find themselves in any situations that make them feel uncomfortable.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A few subject leaders are new to their roles. They have had limited opportunity to access training to enable them to lead their subjects effectively. This hampers their ability to make any necessary refinements to further develop their subject curriculums. Leaders should ensure that they provide suitable training to subject leads to enable them to carry out their roles effectively.

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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 May 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. 12 and 13 July 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. 12 and 13 July 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 25 April 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not currently use alternative provision.  The school had its most recent section 48 inspection, undertaken by the Diocese of Blackburn, in February 2017.  A new chair of governors has been appointed since the last inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector spoke with representatives from the governing body. The inspector also spoke with the headteacher, members of the leadership team and staff.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation relating to the curriculum and safeguarding. 12 and 13 July 2022

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 The inspector held separate telephone conversations with a representative from the local authority and the diocese.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and science. She met with subject leaders, discussed the curriculum, visited lessons and spoke to staff. The inspector also spoke to pupils about their learning and their experiences of the school. The inspector looked at pupils’ work and listened to pupils read. The inspector also reviewed curriculum information for history and art and design.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including the free-text comments. She also spoke with parents and carers at the start of the school day. The inspector also considered the responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Amanda Stringer, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 12 and 13 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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