Kirkham and Wesham Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Kirkham and Wesham Primary School Nelson Street, Kirkham, Preston, Lancashire PR4 2JP

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 January 2023

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Outcome

Kirkham and Wesham Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Kirkham and Wesham Primary School is a warm, caring and nurturing environment for pupils. Pupils feel part of a family. Leaders expect the best from the pupils from the time they start school in Reception Year to the end of Year 6. Pupils are successful in school. They are ready for what comes next in their learning. They achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the Reception class pay attention to their teacher. This respectful attitude carries on as pupils move through the school. Pupils behave well and they are happy at school. Pupils said that teachers are kind and fair. Pupils do their best to live up to the school’s equality statement: ‘all different; all equal’. They treat each other with respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders deal with any bullying swiftly. Pupils know whom to talk to if they have any worries. They are confident that teachers and other adults in the school will take their concerns seriously. This helps pupils to feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and parents and carers love the weekly drinking-chocolate breakfast. Pupils are delighted when the school’s mascot, the Kirkham carrot, arrives at their door. This is to reward them for following the school’s rules and for upholding the school’s values. Pupils and parents appreciate the wide range of clubs on offer, including those for dance, dodgeball, craft and music.

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

Leaders have a clear overview of what they want children and pupils to know by the end of early years and key stages 1 and 2. Leaders make full use of the local area and its rich history to enhance pupils’ enjoyment of the curriculum. For example, leaders and teachers build on pupils’ knowledge of Kirkham and Wesham’s heritage. Pupils said that they enjoy learning at this school, especially the variety of activities in the woodland area.

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

Leaders have made sure that staff understand the content of the curriculum and how to deliver it well. They have ensured that staff have strong subject knowledge. This helps 24 and 25 January 2023

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pupils to learn effectively. However, in a few subjects, leaders have not thought carefully enough about the exact knowledge that pupils must learn. The prevents some pupils from developing a rich body of subject knowledge.

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Teachers explain new topics and concepts with clarity. In most subjects, teachers use assessment strategies well to identify pupils’ misconceptions. Most pupils make secure connections between previous and new learning.

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Leaders enable children to develop resilience and independence from the moment that they start in the Reception class. In early years, teachers present information clearly to children. Teachers ensure that children listen carefully to instructions. Teachers prepare children well for more complex work later on. The resources that teachers use promote children’s curiosity, concentration and enjoyment of learning. Children in early years are well prepared for the demands of key stage 1.

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Leaders ensure that all teaching staff have the training and resources that they need to be experts at teaching early reading. Teachers in early years successfully support children to build their phonic knowledge. Most pupils become fluent and confident readers by the end of key stage 2. Those pupils who struggle to read are helped to catch up quickly. Older pupils told inspectors that they love reading. They discussed the characters in the books that they are reading with maturity and used a wide range of descriptive vocabulary.

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Leaders work with parents to understand the needs of every pupil. Leaders have developed an experienced and effective pastoral team. Leaders ensure that needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified and assessed quickly. Staff have appropriate training and specialist knowledge to support pupils with SEND. Teachers adapt the delivery of the curriculum to ensure that pupils with SEND are supported well. As a result, pupils with SEND know and remember more of the curriculum.

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All pupils focus on their learning, and there are few distractions or disruptions to lessons. Pupils are proud of the work that they produce. Leaders have created a positive learning environment where appropriate behaviour is rewarded. The strategies that staff use to manage pupils’ behaviour are successful. Leaders act quickly to ensure that pupils maintain high rates of attendance.

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There is a wide range of enrichment activities for pupils of all ages. Staff recognise pupils’ achievements in weekly celebration assemblies. All pupils, including those with SEND, participate in activities that help them to develop their talents and interests. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Governors keep an oversight of teachers’ workload and well-being. Teachers said that leaders are compassionate and supportive. In their view, leaders listen to staff and solve problems when they arise. Staff morale is high. 24 and 25 January 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff benefit from regular safeguarding and child protection training. Leaders encourage all staff to have a listening ear. Staff know that safeguarding is the business of everyone. Staff know and recognise the signs and symptoms of potential abuse. Staff make timely referrals to leaders when they have concerns.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know about how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Leaders are quick to respond when a pupil may be at risk of harm. They work with other agencies to make sure that timely support is in place.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders have not defined exactly what they want pupils to learn. This prevents some pupils form developing a deep and rich body of subject knowledge. Leaders should finalise these curriculums to ensure that pupils have enough opportunities to learn the essential knowledge that they need.

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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 January 2018.

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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. 24 and 25 January 2023

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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. 24 and 25 January 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Date of previous inspection

16 January 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection.  Leaders use one registered alternative provider.

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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 her evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector spoke with representatives of the governing body, a representative of the local authority and the headteacher of the alternative provision used for some pupils. The inspector also spoke with the headteacher and members of the leadership team.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation about safeguarding arrangements. The inspector also spoke with staff to understand how they keep pupils safe.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, history and mathematics. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their

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learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector listened to some pupils reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects. She also spoke to pupils about their learning and about their experiences at the school.  The inspector considered the response to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. She also spoke with parents at the beginning of the school day.  The inspector reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Trish Merritt, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 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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