St Mary and St Paul's CofE Primary School

Inspection of St Mary and St Paul’s C of E Primary School Bryer Road, Prescot, Merseyside L35 5DN

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 February 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 Previous inspection grade Good 22 and 23 February 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe at this welcoming school. They are proud to celebrate each other’s achievements. Pupils said that staff care deeply for them. Pupils enjoy learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ achievement and for their behaviour. Pupils share these expectations and strive to please adults in all that they do. Pupils learn in classrooms that are calm and purposeful. Pupils, including children in the early years, achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff provide effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND are fully included in all aspects of the curriculum and of school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and well mannered. They told inspectors that they learn how to treat others with respect. Pupils appreciate the many differences between people. They explained that it is important not to judge a book by its cover. Pupils are confident that staff will tackle any incidents of bullying quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a variety of extra-curricular activities and trips. For example, they visit museums, theatres and the local residential home. Pupils care about their community. They help to raise money for charities.

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better?

Leaders have taken appropriate action to improve the curriculum. This curriculum is broad, balanced and meets pupils’ needs.

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better?

In most subjects, leaders have identified the knowledge that pupils, including children in the early years, should learn. However, in some subjects, leaders are less clear about the essential information that pupils must know and remember. On occasions, some pupils do not recall learning as well as they could.

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better?

Leaders have carefully supported staff in the development of the curriculum. Teachers typically deliver the curriculum effectively. They select appropriate activities to teach new content and they demonstrate thorough subject knowledge. Teachers explain new information clearly for pupils. They check pupils’ understanding and address any misconceptions that arise. Pupils develop a rich body of subject knowledge across all subjects. They achieve well.

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better?

Leaders identify pupils with SEND quickly. They have worked diligently to ensure that staff know how to adapt the delivery of the curriculum to support these pupils to achieve well. Leaders work with specialists, and parents and carers, to ensure that pupils get the extra support that they need and deserve. 22 and 23 February 2023

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Reading is a priority for all staff. Pupils told inspectors that this is a school where reading matters. Leaders have successfully made improvements to the way that reading is taught across each key stage. They have ensured that all staff are trained to teach reading effectively. Children begin to learn how to read as soon as they start in the Reception Year. Staff make sure that the books that pupils read match the sounds that they know. Teachers provide timely help for pupils who need extra support.

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Pupils behave well in class and throughout the school. They listen carefully to instructions from teachers. Pupils try their best in lessons and do not participate in low-level disruption. They know the difference between right and wrong. However, a small number of pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. This means that they do not always partake in some of the learning experiences from which other pupils benefit.

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Leaders have thought carefully about how to support pupils’ wider development. For example, children in the early years gain a strong sense of belonging. They feel secure in school. They learn the language of emotions. Older pupils support these children during trips, such as visits to the local Church and by acting as their reading buddies.

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Pupils can apply to join the school council, where they discuss their role in improving the school further. Pupils were excited to tell inspectors about all that they had learned on a recent trip. They develop aspirations for their futures, such as by interviewing people from different professions.

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Governors understand their roles and fulfil these well, including their statutory duties. Governors challenge and support leaders and staff to improve the quality of education for pupils. Staff morale is high. Leaders and governors are mindful of the workload and well-being of staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have made sure that the school has a strong culture of safeguarding. Since the previous inspection, leaders have improved systems to ensure that welfare concerns are logged and monitored effectively. Staff are trained in the latest government guidance on how to keep pupils safe and protected. They are alert to the signs and symptoms that may suggest that a pupil is suffering from abuse or neglect. Leaders work well with external professionals.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is covered well across the curriculum. For example, pupils learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe in the local area. This includes when they are outdoors and when they use technology and social media. 22 and 23 February 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In one or two subjects, leaders have not finalised their curriculum thinking. They have not identified all the essential knowledge that pupils must learn and when this should happen. This prevents some pupils from securing important information into their long-term memory. Leaders should finalise their curriculum thinking across all subjects so that pupils know and remember more.  Some pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. From time to time, this hinders how well they learn the curriculum and how often they participate in enrichment activities. Leaders should continue to reduce the proportion of pupils who are regularly absent from school.

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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.

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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. 22 and 23 February 2023

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School details

Local authority Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

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School details

Inspection number 10242069 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4 July 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not make use of alternative provision for pupils.  Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed.  The school is a voluntary-aided Church of England school. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in May 2018.

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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 that 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders of the school. The lead inspector met with a group of governors. He held telephone calls with representatives of the local authority and of the diocese. 22 and 23 February 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also reviewed other subjects across the curriculum.  The lead inspector observed adults reading with some pupils from Years 1 to 3.  Inspectors reviewed leaders’ policies and procedures to keep pupils safe. They scrutinised documentation, such as the single central record. Inspectors discussed safeguarding with leaders and staff.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktimes and lunchtimes, and as they moved around the school. Inspectors scrutinised leaders’ records of pupils’ behaviour.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. They spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.

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 Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey to consider.  Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day. They took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

David Lobodzinski, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Alison Lawson Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 February 2023

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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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