St Mary's CofE Primary School High Crompton

Inspection of a good school: St Mary’s C of E Primary School High Crompton Rushcroft Road, Shaw, Oldham, Lancashire OL2 7PP

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 November 2022

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Outcome

St Mary’s C of E Primary School High Crompton continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to St Mary’s. They enjoy their learning. Parents and carers share their children’s positive views about the school. They appreciate the care and support that their children receive from the teachers and staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and achievement. Pupils work hard and behave very well. They are unfailingly polite and listen carefully to their teachers. They take great pleasure in being named ‘star of the week’ or receiving team points for their actions. As a result, they achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged to keep themselves healthy by following the school’s ‘five ways to well-being’ approach. Leaders provide them with a range of extra-curricular clubs such as choir, flute, badminton and drama. Older pupils enjoy many different responsibilities. For example, members of the ethos club lead assemblies on topics such as global injustice, while Year 6 ‘buddies’ look after children in the Reception class.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy strong relationships with each other. They explained that bullying and name- calling are very rare and that leaders deal with them quickly so that they do not happen again. Pupils said that their teachers will always listen to any worries that they may have. Should any issues occur, teachers deal with them immediately. These actions help pupils to feel safe in school.

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

Leaders have ensured that there is a broad and ambitious curriculum for all. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. Subject leaders’ curriculums are well thought through. They design and sequence them to build on what pupils know. They have ensured that content taught in the early years prepares children well for Year 1 and beyond. Teachers receive regular curriculum training. This provides them with strong subject knowledge. As a result, they teach the curriculum effectively, and pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well. 15 and 16 November 2022

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In some subjects, teachers can accurately check what pupils have learned. This enables them to build precisely on what pupils already know. In these subjects, pupils are able to deepen their learning. They talk about subject matter knowledgeably and with confidence. For example, in Year 4, pupils were able to explain clearly the importance of Roman influence on our lives today.

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However, in some wider curriculum subjects, teachers are not always as clear about exactly what pupils know and remember. As a result, pupils are not able to build on their learning as effectively as they should.

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Pupils behave well in lessons. Children from the early years upwards have positive attitudes to learning. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. This enables learning to take place free from interruptions. Pupils conduct themselves sensibly and respectfully in and around the school.

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Leaders have ensured that reading remains a priority. Teachers help to foster a love of reading. They regularly read well-chosen texts to pupils. This enables pupils to experience books from a range of authors. Pupils enjoy taking part in the ‘battle of the books’ challenge and writing reviews about the texts that they have read.

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Children learn phonics as soon as they enter the early years. Staff are well trained to teach the phonics curriculum effectively. They are skilled in helping pupils to build their reading knowledge. The books pupils read closely match the sounds that they are learning in class. As a result of this strong provision, pupils develop into confident and fluent readers.

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Pupils have a broad understanding of other faiths and cultures. They understand the importance of democracy and equality in society. The school council promotes monthly ‘citizenship challenges’. These challenges encourage pupils to become active citizens through activities such as helping neighbours or litter picking in the local area.

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Leaders have effective systems in place that allow them to identify quickly pupils with SEND. Staff are trained to provide the necessary support that gives pupils with SEND full access to the curriculum. Leaders work well with outside agencies to provide specialist support for pupils where required.

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Leaders and staff keep governors well informed. They use their knowledge effectively to support leaders in addressing school-improvement priorities. Staff feel valued by leaders. They are appreciative of the consideration that leaders and governors show for their well- being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff are comprehensively trained in safeguarding. This training enables staff to spot the signs of any pupils who may be at risk of harm. Staff understand 15 and 16 November 2022

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their safeguarding responsibilities and the importance of reporting any concerns quickly. Leaders have access to outside-agency expertise to support any vulnerable pupils and their families where appropriate.

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Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. Teachers use the curriculum to help them learn how to stay safe online and in the outside area. Pupils understand the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some wider curriculum subjects, teachers’ checks do not cover the precise content that pupils have learned. This prevents teacher’s from identifying accurately, and building on, what pupils should know and remember. Leaders should ensure that assessment strategies are more refined so that teachers can build more effectively on pupils’ prior learning and, in turn, help pupils to know and remember more.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 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.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 15 and 16 November 2022

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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. 15 and 16 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10226088 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.stmaryscecrompton.oldham.sch.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

 Since the previous inspection, a new deputy headteacher has been appointed.  The last section 48 inspection took place in June 2017.  School leaders do not make any use of alternative provision.

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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 his evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke to parents at the start of the school day and considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. The inspector also reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s pupil and staff questionnaires.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. These involved visiting lessons with subject leaders, discussing the subject curriculums, talking to pupils and teachers and looking at pupils’ work. The inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult. 15 and 16 November 2022

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 The inspector also held discussions with the leaders of other subjects.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders and seven governors, including the chair of governors. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour at playtimes, lunchtimes and during lessons. Pupils also talked to the inspector about their views on their school.  The inspector checked leaders’ safeguarding procedures. He viewed a range of safeguarding documents and discussed how incidents are managed and recorded.

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Inspection team

John Tomlinson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 November 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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