Garstang Community Primary School

Inspection of Garstang Community Primary School Oak Road, Garstang, Preston, Lancashire PR3 1HT

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected 14 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 1 and 2 March 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including children in the early years, arrive at school happy and ready to learn. Staff greet them with a welcoming smile and pupils settle to their work quickly and sensibly. Pupils feel safe at school and enjoy the family feeling there.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have designed a curriculum that interests pupils. Pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and respectful to each other and adults. During lessons, pupils behave well and learning takes place without disruption. Pupils enjoy the rewards that they can earn for positive behaviour. Pupils get along together well at playtime and they value their friendships with pupils in different year groups.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are confident that adults would sort out any incidents of bullying. Leaders have appropriate systems to ensure that staff can deal with any incidents of bullying swiftly and effectively.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take part in charity fundraising events and they understand the value of helping others. They take on responsibilities through being members of the school council, being buddies to younger pupils and helping with the composting. In the Reception class, children are taught to be helpful safety monitors.

p.2

better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious and interesting curriculum that supports teachers to design learning logically from the Reception class to Year 6. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders have not finalised the important knowledge that they expect pupils to learn. As a result, some teachers lack enough clarity about the important content that pupils should remember.

p.2

better?

Mostly, teachers use their strong subject knowledge to design learning well. They provide clear explanations for pupils. Added to this, teachers check carefully that pupils have understood earlier learning. Staff are skilled in identifying pupils’ misconceptions and adapting their teaching to address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge.

p.2

better?

Leaders have prioritised the teaching of reading. From joining the school in the early years, children are surrounded by an exciting and varied selection of books. Throughout school, pupils read widely and regularly. They enjoy talking about the range of authors that they have grown to value. Pupils understand the importance of reading and how it will help them in later life.

p.2

better?

Leaders ensure that staff are equipped well to identify those pupils who fall behind in reading. These pupils benefit from appropriate support so that they catch up 1 and 2 March 2023

p.2

3

quickly. Teachers encourage pupils to read at home frequently. Staff ensure that pupils read books that are matched well to their phonics knowledge. This helps pupils to grow in confidence. Almost all pupils can read fluently by the end of Year 2.

p.3

3

Leaders have introduced a different phonics programme in recent months. Most staff are trained to deliver this programme well. However, from time to time, some staff do not deliver aspects of this programme as leaders intend.

p.3

3

Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND are well supported by staff. Teachers are equipped to identify pupils’ needs early. When appropriate, pupils with SEND benefit from additional support from staff. Teachers adapt thoughtfully how they deliver the curriculum so that pupils with SEND learn well alongside their peers.

p.3

3

Children in the early years are immersed in their learning. They quickly settle into routines and develop their ability to sustain their concentration. Across the rest of the school, pupils listen well and join in with their lessons enthusiastically. There is very little low-level disruption during lessons.

p.3

3

Pupils are keen to welcome everyone to their school and they know that nobody should be discriminated against. Pupils learn about the importance of British values such as tolerance and respect. Through a coherent programme to support pupils’ wider development, they learn about other cultures and faiths. Leaders provide meaningful extra-curricular experiences that afford pupils new opportunities. For example, pupils enjoyed dancing at an event at The Winter Gardens and singing in Manchester.

p.3

3

Governors and leaders have made changes to policies in school that have been effective in reducing teacher workload. Teachers are proud to work at the school and said that they feel well supported by leaders.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Adults receive regular, relevant training to ensure that they understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Staff are vigilant and they check that any concerns are acted upon appropriately.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders have formed strong links with external safeguarding partners. This means that they can secure appropriate and timely support for vulnerable pupils and their families when necessary.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff teach pupils how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online and the importance of talking to trusted adults. 1 and 2 March 2023

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders are still finalising what they want pupils to learn. This means that, in these subjects, teachers lack sufficient clarity about the important knowledge that pupils should learn. In these subjects, leaders should ensure that teachers are clear enough about what pupils should be learning.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some staff are developing their understanding of the requirements of the new phonics curriculum. This means that, from time to time, these staff do not deliver some aspects of the programme as leaders intend. Leaders should ensure that staff are equipped well to deliver all aspects of the phonics programme successfully.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 1 and 2 March 2023

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10256006 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Website www.garstangcommunityprimary.co.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 21 and 22 October 2009, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Leaders do not use any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken this into account in the evaluation of the school.  During this inspection, the inspectors met with the headteacher and a wide range of other staff.  The inspectors met with members of the governing body and held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors spoke with pupils about their work and their wider school life.  The inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation relating to safeguarding. They examined leaders’ approach to safer recruitment. The inspectors also spoke 1 and 2 March 2023

p.5

6

to staff about their safeguarding knowledge and checked how well they understood their safeguarding responsibilities.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during playtimes and while in lessons.  The inspectors spoke with parents to gather views about the school. They considered the views of parents submitted through Ofsted Parent View including the free-text responses.  The inspectors carried out deep dives into early reading, science and geography. They spoke with the staff who lead these subjects, visited lessons and spoke with teachers. They also spoke with pupils about their learning and viewed examples of their work. The inspectors considered how leaders organise other subjects across the curriculum.  The inspectors observed pupils in key stages 1 and 2 read to a trusted adult.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

p.6

Inspection team

Sarah Barraclough, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Wendy Tracey Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 March 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

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

p.7