St Hilda's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of St Hilda’s Church of England Primary School Whittaker Lane, Prestwich, Manchester, Lancashire M25 1HA

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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 29–30 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff, pupils and parents and carers form a harmonious school community. All members of this close-knit school show the utmost respect for each other. Pupils said that they are happy to be in the school because they learn new things and teachers look after them. Leaders expect a lot of their pupils’ achievement and behaviour. This is a shared vision across the whole school community. Pupils respond well to these high expectations. They behave well and are prepared for the next stage in their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff and pupils form warm relationships built on shared school values. Pupils try hard in lessons. They concentrate on their learning. This includes children in the Reception class. Pupils know who their trusted adult is in the school. They can use the ‘chill and chat club’ to discuss their worries with adults in the school. Pupils know that adults will listen to their concerns. Bullying is rare. Leaders put a stop to the very small number of incidents that occur so that they do not happen again. This helps pupils to feel safe in the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils keenly take on extra responsibilities. They take these responsibilities seriously. They are keen to be part of the pupil-voice committee, which helps to improve the school. They are proud of their Peaceful Place and school library bus.

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better?

Leaders have carefully thought about the curriculum so that it is ambitious for all, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum aims to develop curiosity, knowledge, skills, independence and enrichment. Leaders ensure that pupils’ learning is well sequenced across the school. In each subject, they have identified the important knowledge that pupils must acquire and remember. Overall, pupils achieve well in most subjects.

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better?

Teaching helps to build up knowledge as pupils move up the school. Teachers are knowledgeable about the subjects that they teach. They regularly check that pupils understand their learning. They pick activities which allow them to recall previous learning through the ‘check in and check out’ approach designed by leaders. However, in some subjects, leaders’ checks on how well teachers are implementing the curriculum do not give them enough information about how well pupils are learning. As a result, in these subjects, the teaching of some aspects of the curriculum does not allow some pupils enough opportunities to revisit key knowledge.

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better?

Pupils with SEND achieve well across the curriculum. Leaders and staff identify their needs as early as possible. They work with precision to provide the most effective support for them. Staff include them in every aspect of school life through careful adaptations. 29–30 March 2023

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The teaching of reading is central to the school. From the early years, there is a sharp focus on ensuring that pupils learn to read well. Staff are well trained to teach phonics. They follow the school’s phonics programme meticulously. Leaders ensure that the books that pupils take home match closely the sounds that they know. Staff help pupils who are falling behind to catch up with their peers. This helps to make them confident, fluent readers. Older pupils show a love of reading. They talk about different books which they have studied in class, including classics and books to develop their understanding of diversity.

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St Hilda’s Primary is a serene environment for all pupils to learn in. Teachers establish clear expectations and routines for children’s behaviour from the early years. Children in early years concentrate well on tasks. They adapt quickly to the school’s routines. When moving around the school, pupils conduct themselves well. They follow the school rules. They develop positive learning habits because of staff’s clear expectations. They rarely disrupt lessons.

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The curriculum enhances pupils’ wider development particularly well. Pupils demonstrate high levels of respect for and tolerance of different religions, faiths and opinions. They learn about different aspects of equality. They show a deep understanding of the importance of British values. They get opportunities for their learning to come to life through well-thought-out visits or from visitors to the school. For example, Year 6 had the opportunity to interview an Antarctic explorer as part of their topic. Pupils understand how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. They recognise that both aspects are important for their well-being.

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Leaders, staff and governors work together to ensure that pupils achieve all they can. Governors hold leaders accountable for standards and quality in the school. Leaders work with staff to ensure that their workload is manageable. They take staff’s well-being into account when making changes. Staff value the opportunities that leaders give them for training and development. They are proud to work in the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have created a strong safeguarding culture in the school. They know their safeguarding responsibilities. They do everything they can to keep pupils safe. Everyone is vigilant. Leaders ensure that staff are well trained and receive regular updates. They have made staff aware of who they need to report any concerns to. When needed, leaders work with a variety of external partners to ensure that pupils get the support they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn through a carefully thought-out curriculum about different aspects of safety. They are knowledgeable about how to keep themselves safe online and when near roads and are able to spot dangers in their local community. 29–30 March 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders’ checks on the implementation of the curriculum do not tell them enough about how well pupils are learning. As a result, in these subjects, occasionally some pupils do not get enough opportunity to revisit prior learning. Subject leaders should check that staff implement the curriculum effectively in all subjects so that all pupils have enough opportunities to revisit prior learning and achieve well.

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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. 29–30 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10226278 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 15 February 2017 under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection.  A new chair of governors has been appointed since the previous inspection.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative provider.  This Church of England school is part of the Diocese of Manchester. The last section 48 inspection took place in November 2015.

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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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. They met with a range of leaders who are responsible for the school’s personal-development programmes. 29–30 March 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, they met with subject leaders, visited lessons, talked to pupils and looked at pupils’ work. They also reviewed one other subject in the curriculum.  The lead inspector met with a group of governors, including the chair of the governing body. He also met with a representative of the Diocese of Manchester and a representative of the local authority.  The lead inspector observed some pupils in Year 1 to Year 3 reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors reviewed leaders’ policies and procedures for keeping pupils safe. They discussed safeguarding arrangements with leaders and staff.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at lunchtimes and as they moved around the school. They scrutinised leaders’ records of pupils’ behaviour.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at the school.

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They spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff and pupils.  Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day. They also took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Stuart Perkins, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lindy Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 29–30 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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