Bishop Bridgeman CofE Primary School

Inspection of Bishop Bridgeman CofE Primary School Rupert Street, Bolton, Lancashire BL3 6PY

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 September 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 27 and 28 September 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including children in the early years, are happy to attend this caring school. They are greeted warmly by their teachers as they arrive at school each morning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. They are proud of the rich variety of backgrounds the school serves. Everyone is made to feel welcome. Parents and carers are highly positive about the support their children receive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children in the early years settle well into school life quickly. Pupils throughout school achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well. They are polite and respectful to each other and adults. Pupils get on with their work without disruption and try hard. They listen attentively and respond to questions from staff enthusiastically. Pupils know what to do if bullying ever occurs, and they trust that staff will sort it out quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ kind and caring ethos permeates everything that pupils do. For example, pupils take on the responsibility of being children’s chaplains. This teaches them how to look after each other and supports them to resolve any minor friendship issues. Pupils enjoy the range of additional responsibilities available to them.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum and they make it clear to teachers what pupils should learn and when this knowledge should be taught. Staff help pupils to make connections between subjects. For example, teachers have carefully chosen reading texts to support the topics that pupils are learning. They use a range of methods to encourage pupils to remember more. For instance, teachers ensure that pupils recall information regularly that they have learned in previous years. This helps pupils to secure a rich body of subject knowledge.

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better?

Similarly, children in the early years benefit from a well-planned and ambitious curriculum. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders have not thought carefully enough about how the curriculum is organised from the early years through to Year 6.

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better?

Leaders prioritise reading from the moment that children start school. Children in the early years are surrounded by an environment where books are held in high regard. Staff read high-quality texts to pupils in every class. Leaders ensure that pupils experience stories from a broad range of authors. Pupils, including children in the early years, enjoy listening to their teachers read to them. For example, they were proud to showcase work around the school based on texts that they had read or listened to previously. 27 and 28 September 2022

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Early reading starts in the Nursery Year where children learn rhymes and songs. This helps them to learn the sounds that they need to be able to read. As children enter the Reception Year, they build on this learning well. Leaders have introduced a new phonics programme. They have ensured that all staff are trained well to deliver this programme effectively. Books are carefully matched to the sounds that pupils know. Pupils and children enjoy taking their books home to read with parents and carers. However, some older pupils do not read as fluently as they should. Leaders have put effective support in place for these pupils that is helping them to catch up in reading.

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Pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers. They are supported well by staff to keep up with their peers. Leaders have effective systems in place to identify the needs of this group of pupils. From time to time, there are some slight weaknesses in how some teachers adapt the delivery of the curriculum for some pupils with SEND. However, leaders have firm plans and effective support for staff in place to address this.

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Pupils and children in the early years behave very well in lessons and at social times. Leaders have introduced a behaviour policy which is followed consistently well by staff and is clearly understood by pupils. The members of the junior leadership team, made up of pupils in key stage 2, have contributed their ideas to the changes made to the reward system. Pupils talked with pride about how these changes had ensured a fairer approach to rewards for their peers.

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Pupils expect to be part of the solution for any problems that arise at this school. For example, they sit proudly on the ethos committee or the children’s chaplaincy group. Pupils have also renamed their house teams and welcome the opportunity to be house captains. Recent work completed in the school has encouraged pupils not to be bystanders.

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Leaders provide a range of experiences for pupils to develop socially and culturally. Pupils have access to a broad range of physical and sporting activities throughout the school day, including before school and at lunchtime. They have visited places of worship as part of their work in religious education. Added to this, leaders hosted a conference where pupils prepared and delivered speeches to pupils from other schools. Although some pupils found this challenging, they were keen to explain that they felt proud that they had overcome their fears.

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Staff feel valued and are very happy working at this school. They know that senior leaders and those responsible for governance are cognisant of their workload. Staff appreciate the consideration given to their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that staff are trained regularly to identify any signs that a pupil may be at risk. There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff know how to 27 and 28 September 2022

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report their concerns and they understand the systems that they should use to record these.

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Leaders have worked with a range of agencies to support families. Leaders also utilise the strong relationships with families to offer early help and additional support from staff when needed.

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online. They understand what to do if they need help. Pupils, including children in the early years, learn about healthy relationships and know what it means to be a good friend.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In one or two subjects, leaders have not thought carefully enough about how the curriculum is organised from the early years through to Year 6. This hinders the continuity of learning for some pupils as they move through the school. Leaders should ensure that they consider more thoughtfully how children’s learning in the early years supports their learning in other year groups.

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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. 27 and 28 September 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10226199 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.bishop-bridgeman.bolton.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 June 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of the Archbishop Temple Multi Academy Trust.  Leaders do not currently make use of alternative provision for any pupils.  The school is a voluntary aided Church of England School. The school’s most recent section 48 inspection took place in January 2017.

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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.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other leaders and members of staff. They also spoke with members of the governing body, trustees and the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust. The lead 27 and 28 September 2022

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inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority and the Diocese of Manchester.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science, physical education and history. Inspectors spoke with staff who lead these subject areas, visited lessons and spoke with teachers. Inspectors spoke with pupils about their learning and viewed examples of their work. They also spoke with staff who lead other subjects across the curriculum.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation relating to safeguarding. They also spoke with staff about their safeguarding knowledge and checked how well they understood their safeguarding responsibilities  Inspectors observed children in the early years and pupils in key stages 1 and 2 read to a trusted adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during playtimes and in lessons.  Inspectors spoke with parents and carers to gather their views about the school.

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Inspectors also spoke with staff.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Sarah Barraclough, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

David Spruce His Majesty's Inspector 27 and 28 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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