Garston Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Garston Church of England Primary School Holman Road, Garston, Liverpool, Merseyside L19 5NS

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 September 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 13 and 14 September 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the early years quickly settle into the routines of learning. They relish exploring the outdoor wooded area, where they develop resilience and confidence in their environment. Older pupils build on this positive start. They form trusting relationships with staff and with each other. This helps to make the school a happy place to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour during lessons and playtimes is exemplary. Pupils feel safe. They know that staff will support them if they have any concerns. This includes dealing swiftly and effectively with any rare incidents of bullying.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff and leaders at all levels share a common aim to provide the best possible education for ‘each and every child’. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. They readily take part in all that the school has to offer. Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils spoke enthusiastically about the exciting range of trips and clubs available to them. They feel fully involved in school life. Leaders value pupils’ opinions and listen to their suggestions. Pupils are determined that there are no outsiders in their school. They arrange special events to celebrate diversity. This helps everyone to feel welcome.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers who shared their views with inspectors were overwhelmingly positive about the school.

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better?

School leaders have worked effectively with leaders from the multi-academy trust to design a relevant and ambitious curriculum for all pupils. The curriculum builds well from the early years. Here, leaders have carefully considered the most important knowledge that the youngest children need. Children in the early years are exceptionally well prepared for their next stage of education as a result.

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better?

Throughout the rest of the school, leaders have defined the key knowledge that they want pupils to know and remember in most subjects. In a small number of subjects, leaders continue to refine aspects of their curriculums. This sometimes hinders pupils’ ability to make connections between what they know already and new learning. Some pupils’ knowledge is sometimes uneven in these subjects as a result.

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better?

Leaders provide staff with regular training. This training, coupled with secure subject knowledge, enables teachers to deliver the curriculum consistently well. For example, they introduce new subject matter to pupils clearly. This helps pupils, including those with SEND, to build their learning well in most subjects. 13 and 14 September 2022

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Leaders are determined that all pupils learn to communicate and read confidently. Staff in the early years focus well on developing children’s language. Staff miss no opportunity to engage children in high-quality conversation as they learn and play. Children are ready to learn to read as soon as they enter the Reception Year. All staff, including those in the Reception class, deliver the phonics curriculum consistently well. Pupils practise their reading using books that closely match the sounds that they know. This helps pupils to gain the phonics knowledge that they need to be successful readers.

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Teachers enjoy sharing their love of reading with pupils. Staff immerse children in the early years in a world of much-loved stories. Older pupils are enthusiastic and knowledgeable about reading. They read widely. Pupils said that reading gives them pleasure and helps to deepen their understanding of other subjects. Pupils leave the school well prepared for the challenges of the key stage 3 curriculum.

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Leaders ensure that staff, including in the early years, know how to identify pupils’ additional needs. Teachers adapt their delivery of the curriculum effectively to support pupils with SEND. These pupils access the curriculum alongside their classmates.

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Children in the early years are highly inquisitive and keen to learn. Their behaviour is impeccable. Pupils throughout the rest of the school maintain these high standards of behaviour. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils get on with their learning without distraction.

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Pupils are highly respectful of each other and of adults. They understand what it means to be a responsible citizen. For example, they take positive action to look after the environment through taking part in community litter-picks. Pupils greatly value and appreciate difference. They said, ‘we don’t judge people, we value everyone’. Pupils’ emotional health and well-being are actively promoted by staff.

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Staff, including those who are new to teaching, feel valued. They are proud to work at the school and staff morale is high. Staff recognise that leaders do all that they can to make their workloads manageable. Staff welcome the support that they receive to help them to carry out their roles well.

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Leaders at all levels fully understand their roles and responsibilities. Governors and trustees know the school exceptionally well. Their confident, strategic leadership allows school leaders to focus on enhancing the quality of education provided by the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive regular safeguarding training. They know what to do if they have any concerns about a pupil’s welfare. Leaders are tenacious in following up any concerns raised. They work closely with other agencies to ensure that pupils are kept safe. 13 and 14 September 2022

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Leaders make sure that pupils benefit from effective pastoral support. Staff know how to identify pupils who may need help with their mental or emotional health. Leaders put this support in place quickly.

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Pupils know how to stay safe and behave responsibly in different situations, both online and when out in the community.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders’ work to refine the curriculum is at an earlier stage. Pupils do not build up their knowledge equally well across all aspects of the curriculum as a result. Leaders should ensure that, where curriculums are still being revised, changes are implemented fully.

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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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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. 13 and 14 September 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241428 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Garston Church of England Primary School converted to become an academy school on 1 April 2018. When its predecessor school, Garston Church of England Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to require improvement overall.  The leadership team has been restructured since the school converted to become an academy. The head of school is now the executive headteacher and a new head of school has been appointed.  The executive headteacher is also responsible for leading another school within the multi-academy trust.  The school belongs to the Diocese of Liverpool. It has not had a section 48 inspection since converting to an academy. The predecessor school’s section 48 inspection took place in October 2015.  Since becoming an academy, the school has opened provision for two-year-old children.  Leaders make use of one registered alternative provider for pupils. 13 and 14 September 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded 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 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 spoke with the executive headteacher, the head of school and the acting head of school. Inspectors met with other school leaders and members of staff.  An inspector spoke with the chief executive officer and chair of trustees from the multi-academy trust. She also met with representatives of the local academy council, including the chair of the local academy council.  An inspector met with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors checked the arrangements for keeping pupils safe. They looked at a range of documentation and spoke to leaders and staff. Inspectors also spoke to pupils about whether they feel safe in school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For

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Information about this inspection

each deep dive inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at samples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils. An inspector listened to pupils read with a familiar adult. An inspector also spoke with leaders and pupils about the curriculum in a small number of other subjects.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at social times. They spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. Inspectors also considered the views of staff shared through Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  Inspectors spoke with parents and carers as they dropped their children off at school. They considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. This included the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Jackie Stillings, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Margot D’Arcy Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 September 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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