R L Hughes Primary School

Inspection of a good school: R L Hughes Primary School Mayfield Street, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire WN4 9QL

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Outcome

R L Hughes Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this welcoming school. They benefit from positive relationships with each other and with staff. Pupils told the inspector that these make them feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Governors and leaders are ambitious for all pupils to be successful both academically and as well-rounded individuals. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well in many subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Most pupils behave well around the school and are attentive in lessons. Learning is rarely interrupted. This allows pupils to make the most of their learning opportunities. There are effective systems in place to identify bullying. On the rare occasions that bullying occurs, leaders deal with it quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a range of leadership responsibilities in the school. Older pupils take pride in their roles as play leaders. They set up a range of different games at lunchtime and encourage younger pupils to take part. Members of the eco-council play an important role in ensuring that energy is used efficiently across the school.

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

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND. Across the majority of the curriculum, the key knowledge that pupils should acquire is carefully organised from the early years to Year 6.

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

Leaders ensure that teachers benefit from appropriate, ongoing training. This helps teachers to develop their subject knowledge so that they are well equipped to teach across different subjects. Teachers check on what pupils know and remember from previous lessons. They provide pupils with opportunities to revisit learning before moving on to new concepts. They introduce new learning to pupils effectively. Over time, this helps pupils build a deep body of knowledge so that pupils achieve well. 2 and 3 February 2023

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In one or two subjects, leaders have recently revised specific aspects of the curriculum. The changes are yet to be fully implemented in some year groups. Therefore, some teachers are unclear about what subject content they should teach. This prevents some pupils from learning and achieving as well as they could.

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Leaders ensure that staff teach the phonics programme consistently well. Leaders and teachers check on what pupils understand and have learned in phonics. Extra support is quickly put in place for pupils who need it. This helps these pupils to catch up with their peers.

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Developing a love of books begins in the early years. Staff read high-quality books to children regularly. This enhances children’s language development. Leaders ensure that children in the Reception Year and pupils in key stage 1 read books which are closely matched to the sounds that they are learning. This helps them to experience success and enjoyment when reading. Many pupils become confident and fluent readers by the end of Year 2.

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Leaders promote and develop a love of reading well across the school. Pupils in key stage 2 have access to a range of high-quality texts that includes novels and non-fiction. They read widely and often. Older pupils form part of the reading council, which helps younger pupils with learning to read.

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There are effective systems in place to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Leaders work effectively with external organisations to secure additional support in a timely manner. Leaders ensure that staff adapt teaching well to meet the different needs of pupils with SEND across the school. Many follow the same curriculum as their peers. Where required, leaders have put in place individual learning plans for some pupils with SEND. Staff ably implement these.

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Most pupils display positive attitudes to learning and behave well in and around the school. They show respect towards one another and staff. Children in the early years cooperate well with adults and their peers when learning. They follow adults’ instructions and are keen to help at tidy-up time.

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Pupils experience a range of opportunities that prepare them well for life beyond the classroom. Leaders and staff ensure that pupils recognise their talents and understand the important role that they play in society. Being part of the debating club is one of several opportunities that enables this.

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Leaders and governors are considerate of staff’s workload and well-being. Staff are positive about working at the school and value the support that they receive from leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff are vigilant about all aspects of safeguarding. They benefit from regular training that helps them to identify pupils at risk of harm. Leaders respond to 2 and 3 February 2023

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safeguarding concerns in a timely manner and work effectively with external agencies when needed.

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online. They understand the importance of not sharing personal information. They know how to report online bullying. Leaders ensure that the curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to learn about healthy relationships.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In one or two subjects, leaders have recently revised specific aspects of the curriculum. These changes are still to be fully implemented in some year groups. This prevents some teachers from designing learning that builds up pupils’ knowledge over time. Leaders should ensure that they fully implement these curriculum refinements so that all pupils build on prior knowledge when they are learning something new.

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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 February 2013.

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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 2 and 3 February 2023

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pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 2 and 3 February 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

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

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not make 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 this into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector completed deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and physical education. As part of the deep dives, the inspector met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited lessons, met with teachers and looked at children’s and pupils’ work. He also looked at the curriculum and pupils’ work in some other curriculum subjects. He listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher, other school leaders and members of staff.  The inspector spoke with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector checked the arrangements for keeping pupils safe. He reviewed a range

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Information about this inspection

of documentation and spoke to leaders and staff. He also spoke to pupils about 2 and 3 February 2023

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whether they felt safe in school.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons. He spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. He also considered the views of pupils shared through Ofsted’s pupil survey.  The inspector spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. He also considered the views of staff shared through Ofsted’s staff survey.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. This included the free- text responses.

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Inspection team

David Robinson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 2 and 3 February 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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