St Hugh's CofE Primary School

Inspection of St Hugh’s Church of England Primary School Wildmoor Avenue, Holts, Oldham, Lancashire OL4 5NZ

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 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 Requires improvement 21 and 22 February 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where pupils are safe and well cared for. Staff make pupils’ welfare their top priority. Pupils trust the school’s staff to help them when they have worries. Leaders and staff deal with bullying, fallings-out and any inappropriate behaviour quickly and effectively. This helps pupils to feel safe and secure.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils rise to the high expectations that leaders have of them, both in their work and their conduct. In lessons, pupils work hard and are keen to succeed. They are learning well in all classes, from early years to Year 6. Pupils behave well. They move around the school sensibly. They are kind and considerate towards each other. They are courteous and polite to adults.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They enjoy learning and they appreciate how their teachers make learning interesting and engaging. They also enjoy the opportunities that staff provide outside the classroom. Children in early years love playing in the exciting outdoor area. All pupils in key stage 2 learn a musical instrument. Sport plays an important part in the life of the school, with something on offer for all pupils.

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better?

Pupils study an appropriate range of subjects in all years. The curriculum in all subjects is well ordered. This means that pupils’ learning grows logically from year to year. The early years provision provides a good foundation for later learning. The content taught in key stage 2 builds well on what pupils have learned in key stage 1.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) study the same curriculum as their classmates. Leaders identify their needs accurately, often in early years. Teachers and teaching assistants skilfully make sure that pupils’ needs are met. They provide high-quality support, and pupils with SEND thrive in school.

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better?

The curriculum is delivered well throughout the school. Subject leaders provide effective advice and guidance. Consequently, teachers have good subject knowledge. They are clear about what pupils should learn and remember. They explain new content clearly. They check pupils’ understanding and address misconceptions effectively. They use assessment information well to plan future learning.

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better?

Pupils remember what they have been taught. In all years, pupils are learning effectively. Some older pupils are still catching up learning they missed during the pandemic. They are also improving their resilience, for example in producing longer pieces of writing. These issues were more prevalent last year. They explain the school’s disappointing published test results in 2022.

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better?

Leaders have made reading a high priority throughout the school for some time. Children learn stories and rhymes in Nursery Year. Phonics is taught each day from 21 and 22 February 2023

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the start of Reception Year. Teachers and teaching assistants have strong expertise thanks to the training that leaders have provided. Teachers regularly assess pupils’ progress. Any pupils who are falling behind are given effective extra support that helps them catch up. Consequently, pupils become proficient readers.

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Behaviour is good throughout the school. Leaders have established clear expectations and routines that begin in early years. Most pupils behave impeccably. A minority of pupils exhibit challenging behaviour at times. Staff manage this very well. They provide excellent support and ensure that disruption to learning is kept to a minimum.

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Improving attendance remains one of the school’s top priorities. Leaders and staff work hard to encourage regular attendance. Their work is beginning to bear fruit, and attendance has improved this year. However, there remains a significant number of pupils who do not attend school regularly enough. Two thirds of these are boys.

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The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development is effective. The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum shares the strengths seen in other subjects. It includes a strong focus on helping pupils to maintain good physical and mental health. It encourages pupils to develop important character traits, including resilience, kindness and tolerance.

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Leaders have overseen considerable improvement in recent years against a challenging backdrop of the pandemic. The school’s staff are a hard-working and committed team. Morale is strong. Staff appreciate the support and guidance that leaders provide. For example, leaders ensure that staff’s workload is manageable.

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The school’s governance is improving. Governors have acted on the recommendations of a recent governance review. They have improved the challenge they provide to leaders, for example around finance and safeguarding. However, the governing body lacks educational knowledge and expertise. Consequently, it is not able to scrutinise and challenge leaders about the quality of education provided by the school as well at it should.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

This is a school with a very strong culture of safeguarding and care for pupils. All staff know that this is their top priority. Leaders have trained staff thoroughly. Consequently, staff are confident in spotting the signs that indicate pupils might need extra support. Leaders are tenacious in ensuring that pupils and their families get the help they need in a timely manner.

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Safeguarding

The PSHE curriculum helps pupils in all classes to learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn about how to stay safe when online. They also learn, in an age-appropriate way, about healthy relationships. 21 and 22 February 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Too many pupils, especially boys, do not attend school regularly enough. This means that they are not learning as effectively as they could. Leaders should take further steps to improve the attendance of pupils, especially boys.  The governing body lacks educational knowledge and expertise. Consequently, it is unable to scrutinise and challenge leaders about the quality of education as well as it should. Governors should ensure that they scrutinise and challenge leaders about the quality of education in the school effectively.

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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. 21 and 22 February 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Date of previous inspection

19 and 20 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up her post in May 2021.  The chair of governors also took up her post in May 2021.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is a voluntary-aided Church of England school. Its most recent section 48 inspection for schools of a religious character took place in May 2019.

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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 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. 21 and 22 February 2023

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher and other school leaders. They held discussions with four governors, including the chair of the governing body. They met with representatives of the local authority and the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science and physical education. For each deep dive, they discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors considered the school’s work to support pupils with SEND.  Inspectors discussed safeguarding with the headteacher, who is also the designated safeguarding lead, and the family liaison officer. They scrutinised policies and records relating to child protection and examined the safeguarding checks made on staff before they join the school.  An inspector listened to pupils reading to a familiar adult and talked to them

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about their reading.  Inspectors spoke with several members of staff. They considered the responses from staff to Ofsted’s online inspection questionnaire.  Inspectors spoke informally with pupils at breaktime and lunchtime. They observed the school at these times. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for pupils.  Inspectors spoke with parents and carers at the start and end of the day and considered the responses, including written comments, to Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Alun Williams, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Peter Berry Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 February 2023

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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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