Lostock Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Lostock Primary School Glengarth Drive, Lostock, Bolton, Lancashire BL6 4PS

p.1

Outcome

Lostock Primary School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a vibrant and welcoming school where pupils are eager to learn. The motto, ‘aim high, together we will fly’, is truly at the heart of school life. Pupils love coming to school. They speak about Lostock Primary School with immense pride.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders expect pupils to behave well and achieve highly. Pupils, including children in the early years, develop the confidence and curiosity that will help them to become lifelong learners. Pupils are remarkably well prepared for their future lives.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They are incredibly respectful towards each other and to adults. Pupils relish celebrating their positive behaviour. For example, pupils talked excitedly about ‘WAGOLL’ (what a good one looks like) assemblies and the Friday afternoon tea treat for award winners. Bullying rarely occurs, but if it does, leaders take swift and appropriate action. Pupils comment that they feel safe in school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils enjoy the privilege of taking on leadership roles. They were keen to recount how they support younger pupils, organise lunchtime clubs and host fundraising events.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide for pupils’ wider development exceptionally well. A range of interesting and engaging trips, experiences and guest speakers enhance the curriculum and help bring it to life. A well-considered personal, social, health and economic education curriculum supports pupils to become self-assured, resilient individuals.

p.1

2

Leaders have created an extremely ambitious curriculum for all pupils from the early years to Year 6. Staff share high aspirations for pupils’ success, irrespective of pupils’ background or ability. Pupils benefit from an exceedingly well-thought-out curriculum. Leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge that they want pupils to learn across a broad range of subjects. By the end of key stage 2, pupils develop a deep and rich body of subject knowledge.

p.2

2

Leaders have ensured that teachers have expert subject knowledge. Teachers use this expertise to deliver the curriculum extraordinarily well. For example, teachers skilfully break challenging concepts into manageable steps for pupils. Teachers explain sophisticated ideas with clarity, helping pupils to deepen their learning over time.

p.2

2

Staff are adept at using assessment strategies to check that pupils understand key concepts. They use this information well to design learning that builds on what pupils have previously learned before introducing new knowledge.

p.2

2

Pupils are confident, fluent readers who appreciate books and enjoy reading a range of genres. Staff foster a love of reading in pupils. Pupils readily engage with high-quality, diverse texts across the curriculum. This deepens their understanding of the wider curriculum and broadens their reading repertoire.

p.2

2

Leaders’ unswerving commitment to teaching pupils to read begins as soon as children start in Reception. Children benefit from a consistently well-delivered phonics programme. They learn to read with skill and clarity.

p.2

2

Leaders identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. They furnish staff with a wealth of information to ensure that they are fully equipped to successfully meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Teachers make appropriate adaptations to the delivery of the curriculum to ensure that pupils with SEND learn well.

p.2

2

Classrooms are calm, focused environments where pupils enjoy their learning, even when they find some subjects difficult. Teachers encourage all pupils to aim as high as possible, including pupils with SEND. Pupils described how they are confident to make mistakes and learn from them. They learn without disruption.

p.2

2

Leaders encourage positive behaviour. All pupils, including children in the early years, respond by being courteous, polite and ready to learn. Leaders promote mental health and well-being, as well as academic success. Pupils have an impressive understanding of their own mental health needs and those of others. For example, they benefit from mindfulness and relaxation strategies shared by visiting therapists.

p.2

2

Leaders prioritise pupils’ personal development. They ensure that pupils have rich experiences, which contributes strongly to pupils developing aspirations for themselves. Pupils learn about many important topics and issues, including equality and diversity, positive relationships and caring for the environment. This helps them to develop an understanding of themselves, their local community and the world in which they live. 7 and 8 March 2023

p.2

3

Leaders are relentless in their drive and determination to ensure that pupils receive the highest quality of education. To this end, governors support and challenge leaders in equal measure. Staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate leaders’ consideration of their workload and well-being.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff receive regular and appropriate training. They ensure that all pupils are safe and well cared for.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff know pupils well. This enables them to spot any changes in pupils’ behaviour swiftly. Staff know what to do when they have a concern about a pupil, and they act quickly. Leaders work closely with external agencies so that families receive appropriate and timely support.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe in a range of settings and when they are online.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 2012.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 7 and 8 March 2023

p.3

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. 7 and 8 March 2023

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10256156 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 07 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Leaders do not use any alternative provision.

p.5

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 that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and deputy headteacher, curriculum leaders, staff and pupils. The inspector also held meetings with representatives of the governing body and the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, the inspector met with curriculum leaders, spoke to pupils and teachers, visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector listened to pupils read to a trusted adult. 7 and 8 March 2023

p.5

6

 The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, around the school and at playtime and lunchtime. The inspector spoke with pupils about their views of the school and their learning, behaviour and safety.  The inspector scrutinised leaders’ safeguarding records and the arrangements for keeping pupils safe. The inspector also reviewed leaders’ records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance, as well as leaders’ policies.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for parents, Parent View, including the free-text responses. The inspector also considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

p.6

Inspection team

Michelle Beard, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 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