Ireleth St Peter's CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Ireleth St Peter's CofE Primary School Kirkby Road, Ireleth, Askam-in-Furness, Cumbria LA16 7EY

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Outcome

Ireleth St Peter's CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and proud to attend this small, welcoming school. They are well looked after by caring staff who know them and their families well. Pupils are well mannered and polite; they are eager to talk about what they like about their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ learning and behaviour. Pupils enjoy their lessons and talk confidently about what they are learning. They are keen to learn and are focused in their lessons. This is an inclusive, supportive school where pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind to each other. Leaders deal with bullying and name-calling swiftly and effectively. This helps pupils to feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a vast array of extra-curricular activities, including clubs, trips and visits to places carefully linked to their learning. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about their participation in a national choir competition. They are encouraged to attend clubs such as chess, tennis and drama. Leaders plan opportunities for pupils to be active citizens in their local community, for example singing at a local residential home for the elderly.

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

Leaders are ambitious for every pupil and have ensured that the curriculum in all subjects starts from the early years. Leaders have carefully considered the challenges of mixed-age classes. The precise knowledge and vocabulary that leaders intend pupils to learn is clearly identified. Teachers know exactly what to teach and how to teach it. That said, in the early years foundation stage, leaders have not broken down in enough detail the precise knowledge that they want children to know and remember. Consequently, teachers are uncertain about how children should best make progress within this phase.

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

Leaders have supported teachers well so that they gain expert knowledge of their subjects. This enables teachers to design lessons that spark pupils’ interests. Teachers 19 January 2023

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revisit concepts with pupils before they teach new content. This means that pupils develop a secure understanding of key concepts over time. In most subjects, teachers use assessment strategies effectively to check what pupils know and to spot any misunderstandings.

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In this small school, subject leaders each take responsibility for a number of subjects. Leaders are honest that assessment in some foundation subjects is less developed than in others. This means that teachers are less certain about how well pupils are learning in these subjects. As a result, some pupils miss learning something important without teachers knowing.

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Leaders understand the importance of teaching pupils to read well. They have prioritised creating a culture where pupils develop the skill to become lifelong readers. As soon as children in the early years start school, leaders invite parents into school to share a ‘bedtime’ story and to model how to support with reading at home. Pupils are taught phonics through a carefully sequenced programme, which starts in the Nursery and Reception Year. Staff teach children to listen carefully and recognise sounds. They closely track the letters and sounds that pupils know, to identify any gaps in their learning. Pupils, including those with SEND, are given reading books that match the sounds they have learned. This helps pupils to practise their phonics. Teachers quickly identify pupils who need extra help with reading. Pupils receive immediate support that helps them to catch up quickly. Teachers are passionate about the books that they share with their

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classes. Pupils love being read to by their teachers.

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Leaders have clear systems in place to identify those pupils with SEND. They identify their needs quickly and accurately. This helps teachers plan effective support and adapt the delivery of teaching. Pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND, and disadvantaged pupils, thrive.

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Pupils at Ireleth St Peter’s are exceptionally well behaved. Adults’ high expectations of behaviour permeate the whole school, from classrooms to playtime. Pupils display highly positive attitudes to learning. Older pupils are excellent role models for younger pupils in the school.

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Leaders have thoughtfully designed activities that promote pupils’ understanding of other faiths, cultures and perspectives. Pupils are taught about equality, discrimination and tolerance, and they typically say, ‘No matter who you are or what you believe in, you should not be treated differently to others.’ Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to take on leadership roles, for example on the school parliament or worship council. In the early years, children enjoy a wide range of activities that help to ignite their curiosity about the wider world.

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Governors are highly committed to the ethos of the school. They support leaders well and work closely with them to ensure important decisions are made in the best interests of the pupils. Staff said that they feel proud to work at the school. They said that leaders have created a climate of professional trust. Staff appreciate leaders’ actions to help to manage their workload and look after their well-being. 19 January 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff receive regular training and understand their responsibilities in keeping pupils safe. Staff know the pupils and their families well and are quick to identify when pupils show a change in behaviour. They use school systems well to report concerns. Leaders are swift to respond when concerns arise.

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Safeguarding

Leaders use external services when needed to ensure the right support is in place for vulnerable pupils and their families.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Considering the location of the school’s proximity to open water, leaders have implemented swimming lessons for all year groups and work closely with the local water safety organisation. Pupils know who they can speak to if they are feeling worried or anxious.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not planned in sufficient detail the precise knowledge that they want children to be able to know in the early years. As a result, some children may not make the progress they should. Leaders should identify what they want children to know and remember.  In some foundation subjects, assessments do not inform teachers how well pupils are learning because they are not yet fully matched to the intended curriculum. As a result, pupils can miss learning something important without their teachers knowing. Leaders should assure themselves that pupils are learning all the essential knowledge set out in their curriculum plans.

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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 April 2014. 19 January 2023

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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. 19 January 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10240765 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.irelethst-peters.cumbria.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 5 July 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Carlisle. The school’s previous section 48 inspection was carried out in March 2019.  Leaders do not use any alternative provision for pupils at the school.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, subject leaders and other members of staff. Inspectors also spoke with members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority and a representative on behalf of Diocese of Carlisle.  Inspectors spoke to pupils about their experience of school and their views on behaviour and bullying. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes. 19 January 2023

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 Inspectors reviewed a wide range of evidence, including leaders’ self-evaluation documents, improvement plans, minutes of governing body meetings and records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors checked the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures and the single central record. Inspectors met with leaders, staff and pupils to evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and some pupils about their learning, and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Kate Bowker, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Mark Hazzard Ofsted Inspector 19 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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