Tonge Moor Primary Academy

Inspection of Tonge Moor Primary Academy Brierwood, Bolton BL2 2PF

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 January 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good 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 24 and 25 January 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including children in the early years, are proud and happy to attend Tonge Moor Primary Academy. They arrive each day keen to get their learning underway. Pupils said that everyone is kind to each other and that they all become good friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show respect to all adults. They explained that leaders have high expectations for all pupils’ behaviour. Overall, pupils behave well. They feel confident to report any incidents of bullying to their teachers. Leaders deal with any bullying incidents quickly and effectively. This helps pupils to feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have spent time establishing their expectations of what pupils can and should achieve. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff have raised the bar for pupils’ learning. As a result, pupils are achieving better across a range of subjects. The provision for two-year-old children is also effective.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the extra opportunities that they get to help other people in their local community. They enjoy the chance to fundraise for the local foodbank or to be part of the ‘Worship Crew’. Pupils take their leadership responsibilities seriously. Pupils also get the chance to become a prefect before they move on to secondary school.

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better?

Leaders and staff have worked closely together to develop the curriculum, including in the early years. Across a range of subjects, the curriculum content is ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND. Beginning in the early years, leaders set out what knowledge and skills they wish for pupils and children to learn. The provision for two-year-old children is equally well designed. As a result, pupils learn well and children in the early years flourish.

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better?

Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They design activities which help to deliver the curriculum effectively. Teachers explain new learning clearly. They carefully use leaders’ assessment systems to check whether pupils have understood new knowledge and concepts.

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better?

The leadership of the curriculum is secure overall. Curriculum leaders know what needs to be taught in each year group. That said, in a small number of subjects, the checks that leaders make on how well teachers deliver the curriculum are not precise enough. On occasions, this prevents pupils from learning all that they could. Even so, many pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

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better?

Leaders use a range of strategies to identify, assess and support pupils with SEND. Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. Leaders use a range of 24 and 25 January 2023

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external agencies, when required, to help pupils with SEND to get exactly the right support that they need.

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Leaders and staff make reading central to the curriculum. They promote reading at every opportunity. Staff make regular recommendations to pupils about books that they might want to read. As a result, pupils read books by a wide range of different authors throughout their time at the school.

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Leaders have implemented a rigorous phonic programme. They ensure that reading begins at the earliest opportunity. In the Nursery class, children enjoy learning different songs and rhymes. This helps to introduce the initial sounds that they will need to begin to learn to read. Staff receive ongoing training to help them deliver the programme. They identify pupils who may not be keeping up. Staff take every opportunity to ensure that pupils can catch up with their classmates. That said, some of the books that pupils read contain sounds that they do not know securely. This affects how well some pupils understand their reading. It also hinders their fluency in reading.

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Staff and pupils show mutual respect to each other. Children in early years learn how to play well with each other. Pupils engage well in their learning. They concentrate on the activities that teachers prepare, and listen attentively. As a result, pupils, including children in the early years, can learn without interruption.

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Leaders have designed an effective programme of wider personal development for pupils. Pupils know about different religions. They show respect for all religions and for other cultures. Pupils also learn about different relationships. In the early years, children learn about appropriate friendships. Pupils get plenty of opportunities to take part in clubs outside of lessons. They learn about how to look after their mental health.

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Trustees, leaders, governors and staff form a united team. Staff morale is high across the school. Trustees, governors and leaders know what the school does well. They work effectively to improve the quality of education for pupils. Staff report that trustees, governors and leaders consider their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff are vigilant in spotting any signs that pupils may be at risk of potential harm. All staff receive up-to-date safeguarding training. This helps them to identify changes in pupils’ demeanour or behaviour. Staff know how to report any concerns to leaders and they do this in a timely way. Leaders work well with different agencies to help provide pupils and their families with the support they need. 24 and 25 January 2023

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Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe in the local area. This includes online safety. Pupils know what actions to take if they come across unwanted information or images.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In one or two subjects, curriculum leaders are not checking in sufficient depth how well teachers are delivering the curriculum. This means that, on occasions, some teachers do not deliver aspects of the curriculum as intended. This hinders the depth to which some pupils learn. Leaders should ensure that curriculum leaders establish how well the curriculum is being delivered, and advise teachers where changes should be made, so that pupils’ learning is maximised.  The books that some pupils read are occasionally not matched precisely enough to pupils’ phonic knowledge. Therefore, some pupils’ fluency in reading and their understanding of texts are not as secure as they could be. Leaders should ensure that the books pupils read are closely matched to their phonic knowledge.

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How can I feed back my views?

You can use to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school, 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. 24 and 25 January 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255931 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Tonge Moor Primary Academy converted to become an academy school in November 2018. When its predecessor school, Tonge Moor Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate overall.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative providers.  Leaders have provision for two-year-old children.  There have been several changes to the school’s leadership team, including a new headteacher and a new chair of the governing body.

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Information about this inspection

The 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 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. 24 and 25 January 2023

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. Inspectors met with a range of leaders who are responsible for the school’s pastoral system and the personal development programme.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, English, mathematics, history, and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also reviewed work in some other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Year 1 to 3 reading to familiar adults.  The lead inspector met with a group of governors, including the chair of the governing body. He also met with trustees and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors reviewed leaders’ policies and procedures for keeping pupils safe. They discussed safeguarding arrangements with leaders, staff and pupils.

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 Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff and pupils.  Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors 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

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Inspection team

Lisa Littler 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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