English Martyrs' RC Primary School

Inspection of a good school: English Martyrs’ RC Primary School Wycliffe Road, Urmston, Manchester M41 5AH

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 February 2023

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Outcome

English Martyrs’ RC Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school. Leaders and staff are highly ambitious for the achievement of all pupils, including those with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school ethos, built on values of faith, growth, respect and working together, contributes strongly to how well pupils achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are strong relationships between pupils and staff. This gives a tangible community feel to this school. Pupils feel safe and happy. Pupils said that their friends and the staff look after them well. They have a good understanding of bullying. Leaders and staff deal with the any incidents swiftly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers have high expectations for behaviour. Pupils behave well. Classrooms are calm. This allows pupils to do their best in lessons. Pupils are polite and well mannered. They speak confidently and articulately with visitors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have an understanding of diversity and children’s rights. They revel in their responsibilities, for example as members of the school council. Opportunities outside the curriculum are varied and include archery, drama and netball. Visits to museums and residential visits add to the pupils’ wider development. Pupils appreciate the guidance and support that they receive from their teachers, who, they said ‘support you to be what you want to be’.

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

Leaders have built an ambitious curriculum. It is planned well to extend pupils’ knowledge and skills in each subject. They have planned the curriculum in well-ordered steps as pupils move through the school. They have made sure that the knowledge and skills children gain in the early years provide secure foundations for their future learning. Pupils achieve well.

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

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum provides opportunities for pupils’ learning to build on their prior knowledge and understanding. In most subjects, the curriculum is 22 and 23 February 2023 implemented well. However, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum is at an earlier stage of implementation. This means that teaching does not develop pupils’ vocabulary well enough. As a result, pupils’ explanations lack detail.

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

The curriculum in the early years is also ambitious and well designed. Children in the early years know the routines to help them work and play safely and purposefully. Pupils across the school concentrate on their learning. They are keen to do their best.

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

Leaders make sure that pupils learn phonics through following a well-ordered curriculum. This begins when children start in the early years. Any pupils who are at risk of falling behind in their learning of phonics are identified early. For these pupils, additional and effective support is provided by staff. By the end of key stage 1, most pupils are successful readers.

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

Leaders prioritise reading. This can be seen in the promotion of books around school and through discussions with pupils. Teachers provide lots of opportunities for pupils to read or to listen to stories. In key stage 2, leaders ensure that pupils develop their comprehension skills in logical steps. As a result, pupils’ understanding of the texts that they read is improving over time. Older pupils read fluently with expression, intonation and a real sense of understanding.

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

Teachers make checks on how well pupils learn. These checks are effective in helping to identify which pupils need more help or guidance. Staff usually make sure that future teaching helps pupils to deepen their understanding. However, in a few subjects, these checks do not identify precisely how well pupils remember and recall important vocabulary.

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

Leaders are skilled at identifying the specific needs of pupils with SEND. Staff are well trained in helping pupils with SEND. They have adapted the teaching of the curriculum for some pupils in order to meet their needs. They ensure that these pupils can enjoy the same learning as their peers and achieve well. Pupils enjoy the many wider opportunities available to them, including visits and residential experiences. They participate in a wide range of after-school clubs. Staff teach pupils to keep themselves safe and healthy. They understand fairness and they know that everyone is equal, regardless of any differences.

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

Staff talked positively about the strong and supportive teamwork in the school. They know that leaders consider their workload when they introduce new initiatives. They said they are proud to work at the school.

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

Governors know the school well. They work productively with leaders to understand how effectively the curriculum is helping pupils to know more and remember more.

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

Parents and carers speak positively about the help that staff give to children and families. They value the harmonious, community feel. There are strong relationships across the school. Parents appreciate the workshops provided by staff to support them working with their children at home. 22 and 23 February 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, staff and governors know the school’s safeguarding procedures well. Leaders ensure that staff complete appropriate training. They provide updates which help to keep staff’s knowledge of safeguarding up to date. This helps staff to identify pupils who may be at risk from harm. They report any concerns promptly.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have established strong relationships with families and with a range of other agencies. This enables leaders to secure help for families who need it. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe. For example, pupils learn about how to stay safe when crossing roads and when working online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, teaching does not develop pupils’ vocabulary well enough. This means that some pupils are not fully secure in the vocabulary that leaders intend them to gain. Leaders should provide further guidance for staff on the delivery of the curriculums in these subjects to ensure that even more pupils successfully develop the vocabulary that leaders expect of them.

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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 March 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. 22 and 23 February 2023

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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. 22 and 23 February 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10226228 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.englishmartyrs.trafford.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 25 April 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not make use of any alternative providers for pupils.  English Martyrs’ RC Primary School is a voluntary-aided faith school. It is part of the Diocese of Salford. The school’s last section 48 inspection took place in July 2018.

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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 that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and with other leaders and members of staff. He also spoke with members of the governing body.  The inspector also spoke with representatives of the local authority and the diocese.  The inspector looked at a range of documents and spoke with leaders about the school’s arrangements to safeguard pupils.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and design and technology. He talked with curriculum leaders of these subject areas. The inspector 22 and 23 February 2023 also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils. The inspectors also observed some pupils reading to staff.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in class and as they moved around school. He also observed pupils in the dining hall and playing outside at lunchtime.  The inspector spoke with a group of pupils about their experiences at school.  The inspector looked at the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. He also met with parents after school to find out their views of the school.  He also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

Ian Shackleton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 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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