Buxworth Primary School

Inspection of Buxworth Primary School Station Road, Buxworth, High Peak, Derbyshire SK23 7NJ

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 October 2022

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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 18 and 19 October 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

The pupils at Buxworth Primary School live and breathe ‘Project 25’. As one pupil told inspectors: ‘It’s great here because of our values – these are the things you need by the time you’re 25. It tells us how to be successful adults.’ Leaders have involved the local community in setting the 10 parts of this ambitious vision. ‘Project 25’ is made up of respect, resilience, friendship, thankfulness, trust, compassion, keeping safe, entrepreneurial spirit, being environmentally aware and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).’ Pupils are very proud of their ‘golden books’ in which they record all the work they do on the ‘Project 25’ values.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being at school. They behave well in lessons and in the playground. Every classroom has a coloured chart to encourage the best behaviour and attitudes. Pupils know how to report any worries they might have on their class’s ‘feelings chart’. Pupils told inspectors, ‘The teachers are always there for us’ and ‘they always put us first’. Pupils report that bullying does not occur at Buxworth.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Along with pupils, staff and governors, they recognise the dedication of the headteacher, and the improvements leaders have brought about.

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better?

The school’s curriculum has been planned in a logical way. All subjects begin in the early years and progress through to Year 6. This means that pupils add step by step to the knowledge and skills that they have learned before. Developing pupils’ vocabulary is an important part of the curriculum at Buxworth. Pupils express themselves using precise, technical language. In science, for instance, a Year 5 pupil explained their work on the circulatory system by saying: ‘The more exercise you do, the more your heart beats and your pulse increases. This is to get more oxygenated blood around your body to your muscles.’ However, in a small number of foundation subjects, some parts of the curriculum are not clear enough about what pupils need to know and remember. Where this is the case, pupils do not develop a deep understanding of what they are learning.

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better?

Teachers present information clearly. They revisit the things that have been taught in previous lessons. This helps pupils remember and connect important knowledge. In science, for example, pupils explain how their work on the circulatory system follows on from learning about digestion and absorbing nutrients into the blood. Teachers make changes to their lessons so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the same things as their classmates. The leader responsible for pupils with SEND knows the needs of these pupils well.

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better?

Children begin learning to read as soon as they start school. Phonics is taught consistently well by all adults. All staff have a clear understanding of the school’s phonics scheme. They know what pupils should be able to do week by week. 18 and 19 October 2022

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Teachers ensure that pupils are given immediate support to keep up if they need it. The books that younger pupils take home to read are matched to the letter sounds they know. Adults model reading fluently to pupils. This is helpful for pupils who have to sound words out to read them. They get to hear what the sentence should sound like and then re-read it fluently for themselves.

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Leaders make the most of the school’s surroundings by running outdoor education sessions. Pupils see the benefit in this. One pupil commented: ‘We have forest schools – we build dens, light fires, and cook. It challenges us and teaches us how to do things safely.’ There are many opportunities for pupils to be physically active before, during and after the school day. As well as several sports clubs, pupils can play in team events against other schools. The school’s trophy cabinet takes pride of place in the entrance hall. In addition, pupils can take on a range of leadership responsibilities. These include being sports leaders, house captains, prefects, school councillors and High Peak councillors.

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Teachers make links to ‘Project 25’ throughout the curriculum. However, while this means that pupils have a clear understanding of their school’s values, they are far less knowledgeable about British values and matters of equality.

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The headteacher provides enthusiastic and motivating leadership. Subject leaders value the support and guidance they have been given to develop their curriculums. Staff appreciate the time they are given to make changes and bring about improvements. As one teacher commented: ‘The headteacher is so positive, and he keeps our morale up. We’re a team here.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that pupils’ welfare is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Governors understand the vital importance of safeguarding. They told inspectors, ‘If a child is safe, they make progress – they’re safe here.’ Governors make sure their training is up to date. They carry out frequent checks to make sure their safeguarding policy is implemented by staff. Staff are knowledgeable about safeguarding issues. They know how to report any concerns they may have. Record-keeping is detailed and accurate. Leaders work well with other agencies so that pupils get the support they need promptly.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of foundation subjects, curriculum thinking is not as clear as it needs to be. This means that pupils do not reliably develop a deep understanding in these subjects. Leaders need to continue to refine their curriculum thinking so 18 and 19 October 2022

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the key knowledge that pupils need to remember is precisely defined and checked in all subjects.  Pupils do not have an age-appropriate understanding of fundamental British values or protected characteristics. This means that when they leave primary school, they are not as prepared as they need to be for the next stage of their lives and future learning. Through their approach to the curriculum and pupils’ wider development, leaders should ensure that pupils acquire the knowledge they need about British values and equality.

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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. 18 and 19 October 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227267 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.buxworthprimaryschool.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 February 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The current headteacher was appointed in 2018.  Buxworth Primary School is part of the Peak Edge Group of Schools.  This school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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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 the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, science and history. For the deep dives, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 18 and 19 October 2022

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 Inspectors also spoke to leaders and considered subject planning for religious education, geography, art and design, and personal, social, health and economic education.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, curriculum leaders and a sample of teaching and support staff. Inspectors met with the leader responsible for behaviour, personal development and disadvantaged pupils, and the leader with responsibility for pupils with SEND.  An inspector met with the designated leader for safeguarding to discuss the actions taken to keep pupils safe. The lead inspector reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s single central record.  Inspectors examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, improvement plans, records of governance, and documentation relating to attendance and pupils’ behaviour.  An inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 read to a

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familiar adult. Inspectors met with groups of pupils from across the school.  One inspector met with governors, including the chair of the governing body. The lead inspector also had a discussion with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, and considered the results of the Ofsted staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Shaun Carter, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ben O’Connell Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 October 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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