Adlington St Paul's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Adlington St Paul’s Church of England Primary School Railway Road, Adlington, Chorley PR6 9QZ

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 21 and 22 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this school. They enjoy their lessons. Pupils said that their teachers make school a fun place to be. Teachers are caring and keep pupils safe. Any incidents of bullying are dealt with swiftly by teachers and leaders.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have plenty of opportunities to shine, particularly in sport and music. For example, during the inspection, pupils were preparing for an upcoming local cross- country competition.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high ambitions for what pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can achieve in their learning. Pupils achieve well across many subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils rise to leaders’ high expectations for behaviour. Pupils conduct themselves well throughout the school day. They appreciate the chance to reach ‘silver’ and ‘gold’ status through their classroom reward systems that recognise exemplary behaviours.

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better?

Leaders and those responsible for governance have completely reversed the fortunes of this school. They have raised their ambitions for what pupils, including those with SEND, can achieve in their learning. They have ensured that pupils receive a good quality of education throughout their time at this school. As a result, pupils now achieve well across many subjects.

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better?

Leaders have overhauled the curriculum. They have introduced a new and well- designed curriculum that clearly identifies what pupils will learn in each subject from the early years through to Year 6. Leaders have clarified the specific knowledge that pupils will learn. Leaders have also provided teachers with guidance on how to deliver the curriculum using the ‘St Paul’s Way’. This approach gives pupils regular opportunities to revisit and recall the knowledge that they have previously gained. This helps pupils to remember what they have learned over the long term.

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better?

Teachers carry out effective checks on pupils’ learning in lessons. They use this information to help pupils overcome any misconceptions. Leaders use a range of effective strategies to identify pupils with SEND. Teachers adapt their delivery of the curriculum well so that pupils with SEND can access the same ambitious curriculum as their classmates.

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better?

Subject leaders carry out some checks on the delivery of the curriculum. However, leaders are still developing their systems to monitor how well subject curriculums are being implemented. This means that, at times, subject leaders’ ability to identify what is going well in their subject is limited. In addition, subject leaders are not fully aware of how they can further help teachers with their delivery of subject content. 21 and 22 March 2023

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Leaders promote a love of reading at the school. They make positive links with local authors who visit the school to read their stories to pupils. Teachers are well trained and deliver the phonics programme consistently well. Children begin this programme as soon as they start school in the Reception Year. Those pupils who need extra help with their phonics learning receive effective support. This helps pupils to catch up. Overall, pupils become fluent, confident readers.

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In the early years, teachers establish clear routines and focus on developing positive relationships that ensure children learn how to behave appropriately. Across the rest of the school, pupils behave well. This means that they can learn without disruption. Pupils have a positive attitude to their education. They attend school regularly.

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Pupils play well together at social times. They enjoy the friendships that they form with their classmates. However, some of the records that leaders keep in relation to pupils’ behaviour are not as robust as they could be. This limits how well leaders can review the impact of their actions and spot patterns that may emerge.

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Leaders help pupils to develop a strong understanding of equality. Pupils talked confidently to inspectors about the differences between people. Pupils learn about democracy through experiences such as visits to the Town Hall to learn about their local member of Parliament and his current role as speaker of the house. Pupils are well prepared for their move to high school and for their future lives in the modern world.

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Those responsible for governance understand their role and they play an active part in the life of the school. Leaders, including those at trust level, have created a supportive environment for staff to thrive. Staff appreciate the efforts of leaders to support their workload and well-being. This has led to high staff morale.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well-trained to identify any potential concerns about pupils’ welfare. They act on these concerns and record them appropriately. Leaders take suitable actions to manage these concerns. They work with a range of agencies to ensure that pupils get the help that they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught about how to stay safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subject leaders do not have sufficient oversight of curriculum delivery. This means that they are not fully able to support teachers to further improve their delivery of the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders are 21 and 22 March 2023

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equipped to evaluate what is going well and what needs to improve in the subjects that they lead.  Some of the systems that leaders use to record, report and evaluate behaviour incidents are not as robust as they could be. This means that leaders and governors miss opportunities to identify patterns in pupils’ behaviour. Leaders should develop their strategic oversight of pupils’ conduct and welfare so that they are well placed to identify and respond to any issues that may arise.

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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 March 2023

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School details

Website www.adlingtonstpauls.lancs.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Adlington St Paul’s Church of England Primary School converted to become an academy school in January 2019. When its predecessor school, Adlington St Paul’s Church of England Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate overall.  A new headteacher has been appointed since the last inspection.  The school is now part of Learning Together Trust.  This is a Church of England school. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in November 2021.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 21 and 22 March 2023

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 This was the first routine inspection the school has 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 conducted deep dives in these subjects: early reading, geography and mathematics. They met with subject leaders and teachers. They visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work and talked with groups of pupils about their learning. The lead inspector observed pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum, spoke with pupils about their learning and evaluated their work in some other subjects.  The lead inspector spoke with a group of governors and trustees. The lead inspector also spoke with the chief executive officers for the academy trust. Inspectors also talked to staff about their workload and well-being.  The lead inspector spoke with representatives of the local authority and the

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diocese.  Inspectors met with the leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour and pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about safeguarding and their wider experience of school.  Inspectors looked at a range of policies and documents related to pupils’ welfare and education. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors reviewed leaders’ policies and procedures to keep pupils safe. They discussed safeguarding arrangements with leaders and staff. Inspectors also checked the school’s records of the suitability of staff to work with pupils.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.  Inspectors met with parents and carers at the start of the school day and took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

David Spruce, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Edmondson Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 March 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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