Bowker Vale Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Bowker Vale Primary School Middleton Road, Higher Crumpsall, Manchester, Lancashire M8 4NB

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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 February 2023

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Outcome

Bowker Vale Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school is a happy place to be. Pupils, and children in the early years, enjoy being part of a warm and caring learning community where everyone is included. Pupils strive to live up to the Bowker Vale standard, which encourages them to be respectful, honest, fair, proud and kind. They play well together and try hard in their lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are determined for every child to succeed, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Parents and carers who shared their views with the inspector value the nurture and support that their children receive from staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff expect pupils to behave well. Pupils feel safe at school because they trust staff to take care of them and listen to their concerns. Staff deal swiftly with any bullying or unkindness. They endeavour to make sure that these behaviours do not continue.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take part in a range of activities, including gymnastics, netball and cooking club. They told the inspector how much they enjoy learning outdoors in the woodland area and spending time with Buddy, the school dog.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of how diverse their school is. For example, they have recently welcomed several families from Ukraine. They told the inspector that they learn to respect everyone ‘no matter who they are’.

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

Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum. They have ensured that all pupils, including those in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision), study the same broad range of subjects.

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

Leaders have set out the knowledge that they want pupils to learn in each subject. This knowledge is well organised from the Nursery class to Year 6. In the specially resourced provision, leaders have ensured that the curriculum also teaches pupils important life 9 and 10 February 2023 skills, such as taking turns and making positive choices. The curriculum in the early years is carefully designed to spark children’s curiosity. It prepares them well for key stage 1 and beyond.

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

Teachers deliver the curriculum well. They explain new concepts and vocabulary clearly. Pupils remember what they have learned. In the specially resourced provision, skilled staff ensure that pupils develop social skills and emotional self-regulation alongside their academic learning.

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

Recently published key stage 2 information does not accurately reflect how well pupils learn the curriculum. This information included several pupils with complex needs, and some who had only recently joined the school. Currently, most pupils, including those with SEND, learn and progress through the curriculum well.

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

In some subjects, the strategies that teachers use to check what pupils have learned are less effective. This makes it harder for teachers to know whether pupils’ knowledge is secure before moving on to new learning. As a result, on occasion, some pupils develop misconceptions and gaps in their knowledge.

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

Leaders have recently improved the phonics programme. This is helping pupils to become fluent and confident readers. Skilful support from staff ensures that pupils who fall behind with their phonics knowledge catch up quickly. Pupils in key stage 2 regularly visit the school library to change their reading books. They told the inspector that they enjoy discovering new authors recommended by their teachers and peers.

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

Leaders and governors have high aspirations for pupils with SEND. Leaders identify these pupils’ needs accurately. Staff know each pupil with SEND well and use increasingly effective strategies to help them to succeed.

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

In lessons, and at social times, pupils behave well. They are polite and follow routines with enthusiasm. Learning is not disrupted by poor behaviour. Children in the early years listen attentively and follow adults’ instructions. They make effective use of the different learning spaces that leaders have designed for them.

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

Leaders provide pupils with many opportunities to support their personal development. Pupils focus on their emotional well-being, for example through the ‘inner being’ programme. They look after their physical health by engaging in a wide variety of sports. Pupils take on positions of responsibility, such as being eco leaders or digital leaders. These experiences prepare pupils to be confident and responsible citizens.

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

Governors have ensured that learning about equality and diversity has a high priority. Pupils gave the inspector many examples of how they put this into practice, for instance by learning British Sign Language. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 confidently described their learning about tolerance and gender equality.

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

Staff feel well supported with their workload. They appreciate the steps that leaders have taken to ensure that they have time to fulfil their roles. 9 and 10 February 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, including governors, take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously. They have created a culture of safeguarding where all adults are vigilant for signs of pupils being at risk of harm. Leaders have ensured that staff are well trained to recognise these signs. This helps leaders to be assured that no concerns are overlooked.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work determinedly with external agencies to ensure that pupils and families receive the help that they may need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils understand how to report concerns. They learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they know that they should tell an adult straight away if they are worried about something online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders do not have a thorough enough understanding of how well pupils are learning the curriculum. Occasionally, some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge that teachers are unaware of. Leaders should ensure that assessment strategies are well matched to the knowledge in the curriculum so that teachers can accurately identify any learning that pupils have missed.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2017.

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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. 9 and 10 February 2023 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. 9 and 10 February 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10240769 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.bowkervale.manchester.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 July 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a specially resourced provision for up to eight pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. These pupils all have education, health and care plans. At the time of the inspection, nine pupils were attending the provision.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.

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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 his evaluation of the school.  The inspector completed deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. He met with subject leaders, visited lessons, reviewed pupils’ work and spoke with teachers and pupils. The inspector listened to pupils reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector also considered the curriculum in some other subjects.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documentation. He spoke to the headteacher and senior leaders throughout the inspection. He also met with the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator and visited the specially resourced provision. 9 and 10 February 2023  The inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of

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Information about this inspection

governors. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority by telephone.  The inspector held meetings with the staff responsible for safeguarding and scrutinised the single central record. The inspector considered leaders’ safeguarding processes and procedures. He observed pupils during social times and discussed safeguarding with them.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. He also considered the responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Ben Hill, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 9 and 10 February 2023 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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