Egerton Primary School

Inspection of Egerton Primary School Bexton Road, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 0EE

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 January 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 11 and 12 January 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Warm, respectful relationships are at the heart of Egerton Primary School. Pupils are nurtured and thrive during their time at this school. They are proud to be members of their school community. Leaders know pupils and families well. If bullying happens, staff deal with it effectively. As a result, pupils feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff follow the school motto and make sure that ‘every day matters’. Pupils do not need to be reminded to maintain the high standards of behaviour that leaders expect. They strive to live up to the school’s values, which are threaded through all aspects of school life. Pupils care deeply about each other. They stand up to any unkindness rather than stand by and let it happen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ achievement, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). By the end of Year 6, they are ready for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders value pupils’ opinions and take on board their suggestions. Pupils relish taking on additional leadership responsibilities. For example, they enjoy becoming happy and safe ambassadors. Pupils and staff spoke enthusiastically about the link with their partner school in Kenya. This enriches the personal development opportunities offered to pupils

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils experience an impressive range of enrichment activities. They contribute wholeheartedly to their local community through a range of links, including singing for local residents. They enjoy taking part in clubs, including ‘try something new’ activities. Pupils explained that these activities help them to keep physically and mentally healthy.

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better?

Leaders have constructed an ambitious and carefully thought out curriculum. The curriculum excites, engages and promotes learning from the moment that children join the early years until they leave at the end of Year 6. As a result, pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well.

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better?

Teachers have a good knowledge of the subjects that they teach. Leaders ensure that teachers have the resources they need to deliver the curriculum well. In most subjects, teachers use assessment strategies well to establish what pupils know and remember. However, in some subjects, teachers’ checks are not clearly focused on the key knowledge pupils need to support their future learning. This leads to gaps in their learning and prevents pupils from achieving all they could.

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better?

Leaders promote a love of reading, which is central to the school’s curriculum. Teachers read regularly to their class and choose books to inspire pupils. Children in 11 and 12 January 2023

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the early years look forward to their weekly sessions with their Year 6 reading buddies.

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Children start to learn how to recognise sounds and letters through daily phonics lessons as soon as they start in the Reception class. Leaders and teachers make sure that they quickly identify pupils who find reading difficult. These pupils receive effective support from adults so that they become confident and fluent readers. However, some of the books that pupils read do not match the sounds that they know. This makes it harder for some pupils to practise and consolidate their phonics knowledge.

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Leaders provide expert guidance to help staff identify and meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Teachers adapt their delivery of the curriculum well. This enables pupils with SEND to learn alongside their classmates and to access the same curriculum.

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The exceptionally calm and purposeful school environment means that pupils learn without interruption. Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. They are focused and motivated to achieve well. They take pride in their work and manage their own behaviour extremely well. Pupils are polite, friendly and eager to talk about school life.

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The opportunities that leaders provide, both within and beyond the taught curriculum, make a considerable difference to pupils’ personal development. Pupils become well-rounded, active and respectful members of the school community. They are very well prepared to be understanding and empathetic citizens in modern Britain. Pupils think deeply about their own beliefs, experiences and opinions, as well as those of others. They have a mature and extensive understanding and appreciation of the world and its people. Leaders and staff ensure that pupils’ talents and aspirations are celebrated and developed. Staff place great importance on developing pupils’ emotional and social well-being. Pupils experience a wealth of visits, trips and visitors, which further extends their understanding of their contribution to society.

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Trustees and governors know the school well. They carry out their statutory roles fully and provide effective support and challenge to leaders. Leaders at all levels understand the importance of staff well-being. They consider staff workload when making decisions about the school. Staff feel appreciated and valued and, as a result, are proud to work at the school.

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Leaders communicate well within the school and local community. Parents and carers hold the school in high regard. They appreciate the care and opportunities provided for their children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 11 and 12 January 2023

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Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff receive regular safeguarding training and understand their important role in keeping pupils safe. Staff act promptly to report any concerns that arise. Leaders take appropriate action in a thorough and timely manner. They work well with a range of agencies to support pupils and their families.

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Pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe, including how to manage risks when online. Pupils, and children in the early years, learn about healthy relationships. They know what to do if they have a concern about their safety or well-being.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some of the books that pupils read do not match their phonics knowledge. This prevents them from practising and consolidating what they know so that they can read with confidence and fluency. Leaders should ensure that pupils read books that match the sounds and letters that they know.  In some subjects, the checks that teachers make on pupils’ learning are not clearly focused on the key knowledge that pupils need to know to support their future learning. This leads to gaps in some pupils’ learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers’ checks in these subjects focus on whether pupils know and remember more of the intended curriculum.

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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. 11 and 12 January 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10256097 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website http://www.egerton.cheshire.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Egerton Primary School converted to become an academy school in July 2018 and is part of The Learning Alliance multi-academy trust. When its predecessor, Egerton Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The governing body operates a breakfast club and after-school club.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

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 conducted deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, music and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders and teachers. They visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ and children’s 11 and 12 January 2023

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work and talked with groups of pupils about their learning. The lead inspector observed pupils from key stage 1 and key stage 2 read to a familiar adult. Inspectors also spoke with pupils about their learning and evaluated their work in some other subjects.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other school leaders. The lead inspector spoke with representatives from the Trust, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors talked with staff about their workload and well-being.  Inspectors met with the leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour, early years, SEND and pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors reviewed leaders’ policies and procedures to keep pupils safe. They discussed safeguarding arrangements with leaders and staff. Inspectors also checked the single central record.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about safeguarding and their wider experience of

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school. Inspectors looked at a range of policies and documents related to pupils’ and children’s welfare and education. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.  Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day and took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Jewitt, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jenny Jones His Majesty’s Inspector 11 and 12 January 2023

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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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