Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School School Road, Eccles, Manchester M30 7BJ

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 November 2022

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. Inspectors are recommending the next inspection to be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and children enjoy coming to this friendly, welcoming school. Right from the start, they learn the ‘Pride’ values which permeate throughout the school, and always strive to live up to them. Pupils are happy and safe in school because of the relationships that exist between them and the staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well around the school and in lessons. In classrooms, they focus on their learning. Pupils share resources well with each other in lessons and on the playground. Those who spoke to the inspector were confident that if bullying did happen, staff would sort it out. The inspector agrees that leaders deal with bullying well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ achievement and behaviour, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils try to fulfil the expectations set out by leaders. However, they have not achieved as well as they should do in some subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a range of opportunities outside of lessons. They were keen to tell the inspector how they can take part in activities provided by local providers for indoor and outdoor learning, such as BMXing, trampolining, scooting and rock climbing.

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

Leaders have made several changes to the curriculum pupils receive recently, including the curriculum for children in early years. As a result, the curriculum is beginning to meet pupils’ needs more effectively. Teachers are starting to make improved choices about pupils’ experiences in lessons. Pupils are just starting to achieve better across a range of 22 and 23 November 2022

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subjects. However, these improvements are in the earliest stages. It is too soon to see the impact of this in the long term.

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In many curriculum areas, leaders have not identified precisely enough the most important knowledge they wish pupils and children to know. This means that teachers are not clear enough about what pupils should learn in these subjects. Therefore pupils’ learning does not build well on previous learning.

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Teachers check for gaps in pupils’ current learning. Pupils remember their current learning well but teachers do not check to see how much of the curriculum they have remembered in the long term. Pupils cannot recall what they have learned over time. Therefore, some pupils are not as ready for the next stage of their education as they should be.

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Leaders make reading a high priority in school. They ensure that children in nursery begin to learn sounds as soon as they come into school. This helps children be ready to start the phonics scheme when they move into Reception Year. Staff have had appropriate training. They identify any children or pupils who might not be keeping up with their peers, and make sure that these pupils receive support to catch up quickly. Leaders ensure that pupils only read books containing the sounds that they know. This helps to build pupils’ confidence in reading.

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Older pupils are enthusiastic about reading. They spoke about different books and authors that they study in class. They like coming to the school library to choose new and exciting books.

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Children in early years learn the school’s routines quickly. They settle in well. Children concentrate well on their activities. Pupils display positive attitudes throughout the school. Lessons are very rarely disrupted. Pupils respond well to the consistent expectations from staff. School is a calm environment for children and pupils to learn in. Pupils treat other pupils and adults with respect.

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Leaders address pupils’ personal development well. Pupils understand how to keep themselves physically healthy. They know what a healthy diet is. Pupils learn about different religions and families. This helps them to prepare them for life in modern day Britain. Pupils have the opportunity to work with their local police officers to learn about how to be positive contributors to their immediate area.

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Staff identify any children or pupils with any potential additional needs as early as possible. When needed, staff seek extra support for pupils with SEND from external agencies. Leaders make sure that children and pupils with SEND receive careful adaptations to the curriculum to help them better.

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Staff value the support that leaders give them. Leaders consider their well-being. Staff say that recent curriculum changes have increased their workload. However, they recognise that changes were necessary to improve the quality of education across the school. 22 and 23 November 2022

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Overall, governors are aware of what the school does well and what it needs to do to improve. But, in the past, governors have not been as challenging to leaders as they should have been to ensure the curriculum met the needs of pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff work together to create a strong safeguarding culture in school. Leaders know their families well. They use this information to make sure that they can identify any pupil or child who needs additional support. Leaders make sure they refer to outside agencies to keep everyone safe.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that staff are well trained to spot any potential signs of harm. They make sure that staff report their concerns swiftly to leaders. Leaders take effective action on all concerns.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe, including within their community, and road and water safety. Pupils understand what to do if they see something online which they do not like.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders’ curriculum thinking is still at an early stage. This means they have not set out the key knowledge that pupils, including children in early years, should learn and remember. This stops pupils from building effectively on what they know and remember. Leaders must finalise their curriculum thinking so that teachers know what should be taught and when so that pupils remember learning in the long term.  Leaders have not ensured that teachers check on pupils’ learning. This means leaders and teachers do not know how well pupils have remembered their learning. Pupils develop gaps in their understanding. Not all pupils are prepared for the next stage in their education. Leaders must ensure that teachers check on how well pupils have remembered the intended curriculum.  On occasions, the governing body does not provide a sufficient level of challenge to leaders about the quality of education provided for pupils. This means that governors

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

have not been able to check carefully enough the progress leaders have made in ensuring an effective curriculum for pupils. Governors must make sure that they provide challenge to leaders to hold them to account for the quality of education provided for pupils, including the quality of the curriculum. 22 and 23 November 2022

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in April 2017.

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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.

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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. 22 and 23 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10226226 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 and 21 April 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher and chair of governing body are new to the school since the previous inspection.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.  Leaders make provision for three-year-olds.  There have been changes to the governing body since the previous inspection.  This Church of England school is part of the Diocese of Manchester. The last section 48 inspection took place on 27 April 2017.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that 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.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. He met with a range of leaders who are responsible for the school’s pastoral system and the school’s personal development programmes. 22 and 23 November 2022

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 The lead inspector met with a group of governors, a representative of the local authority and a representative from the local diocese.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, visited lessons, talked to pupils and looked at pupils’ work. He also reviewed other subjects in the curriculum.  The lead inspector observed adults reading with some pupils in Years 1 to 3.  The inspector reviewed leaders’ policies and procedures to keep pupils safe. They discussed safeguarding arrangements with leaders and staff.  The inspector took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff and pupils.  The inspector met with parents at the start of the school day. They took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Stuart Perkins, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 22 and 23 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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