Corpus Christi RC Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Corpus Christi RC Primary School Stanley Road, Chadderton, Oldham, Lancashire OL9 7HA

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Outcome

Corpus Christi RC Primary School continues to be an outstanding school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils grow in confidence and flourish at Corpus Christi School. They are supported exceptionally well by caring staff. Pupils told the inspector that their teachers inspire them to persevere and succeed. Pupils develop a passion for learning. They are immensely proud of their many accomplishments.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders expect all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to behave well. Pupils’ behaviour is impeccable. They are fully focused during lessons. Pupils enjoy sharing social times together. They make sure that no-one is left out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy at school. They trust staff to sort out any worries that they have. Leaders deal with rare incidents of bullying swiftly and thoroughly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are aspirational for all pupils. Children in the early years benefit from a high- quality curriculum. This expertly underpins their later learning. Older pupils build up an impressive array of knowledge across the curriculum. This helps them to achieve extremely well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make a valuable and tangible difference to their school and wider community. They diligently carry out a wide range of leadership roles, such as chaplaincy or as part of the Laudato Si’ team.

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

Many children in the early years arrive at the school with an insecure grasp of language. This includes those pupils who speak English as an additional language. Despite this, by the time they are in key stage 2, pupils develop a remarkable range and depth of knowledge. They are exceptionally well prepared for the next stages of their education.

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

Leaders have designed a highly ambitious curriculum that enables all pupils to be successful. Pupils readily build on what they have learned before. They easily make sense 29 and 30 March 2023

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of new information. This is because teachers skilfully connect new learning with knowledge that pupils have already acquired.

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Teachers use a range of effective strategies to check that pupils’ previous knowledge is secure before moving on to new learning. For example, pupils said that explaining what they have learned helps them to remember key information more easily. Pupils’ rapid recall of past learning enables them to confidently apply what they have learned to more sophisticated concepts and ideas.

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Leaders are successfully rolling out a new phonics programme. Staff have been well trained to deliver this programme to a consistently high standard. Most pupils develop secure reading knowledge as a result. Leaders make sure that pupils who need extra help to keep up with their phonics knowledge benefit from the support of skilled staff.

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Pupils across the school relish opportunities to read. They make the most of dedicated reading times. Younger pupils are keen to practise the sounds that they have learned. Older pupils enjoy developing their understanding of complex vocabulary and a wide range of different writing styles. Pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language, become accomplished readers as a result. They make excellent use of their considerable reading knowledge to fully access the wider curriculum. The carefully selected texts that teachers share with their classes enhance pupils’ learning.

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Leaders and other staff are adept at identifying when pupils have SEND. Staff provide effective support to make sure that these pupils access the curriculum equally well. Staff are experts in swiftly addressing any difficulty that pupils with SEND may be experiencing. Pupils with SEND learn exceptionally well as a result.

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In the early years, children quickly learn to respond to their teachers’ high expectations for behaviour. Pupils develop extremely positive attitudes to learning. This ensures that no moment of lesson time is wasted.

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Many pupils are keen to take part in the wide range of activities that leaders provide for their personal development. Pupils across the school enjoy contributing to the welcoming and vibrant learning community that leaders have created. Pupils become increasingly independent. By the time that they are in Year 6, pupils are highly motivated and self- reliant. They are eager to face the challenges of the key stage 3 curriculum.

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Leaders and governors work in close collaboration to make sure that all pupils receive the highest quality of education possible. Leaders are highly effective in driving forwards further developments at the school. Governors are well informed and are proficient at holding leaders to account. Staff feel very well supported with their workload and well- being. 29 and 30 March 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that all staff are well informed about how to identify and protect pupils who may be at risk of potential harm. Staff diligently pass on their concerns to leaders with overall responsibility for safeguarding. Leaders make effective use of the school’s reporting system. They are tenacious in making sure that vulnerable pupils benefit from the most appropriate support available to them.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that pupils have a clear understanding of how to keep themselves safe, including while they are online. Pupils develop a keen sense of who to trust. They know when to pass on any worries to members of staff.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in December 2015.

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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.

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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 and 30 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10199475 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Christine Maymon

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 and 2 December 2015, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Many pupils in the school speak English as an additional language. Some of these pupils have lived in other countries before attending this school.  A new headteacher, deputy headteacher and chair of governors have been appointed since the previous inspection.  The school belongs to the Diocese of Salford. The last section 48 inspection took place in March 2017.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision for pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that 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 her evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher and other leaders in the school. She also spoke with a group of governors, including the chair of governors. 29 and 30 March 2023

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 The inspector spoke with a representative of the diocese and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation relating to safeguarding. This included the school’s central record of staff and visitors, staff training records, records of safeguarding and samples of the records kept on individual pupils.  The inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, music and geography. She spoke with the leaders of these areas of the curriculum. The inspector also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils.  The inspector also spoke with leaders about other areas of the curriculum.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktimes and lunchtimes. She observed pupils’ behaviour as they moved around the school. The inspector scrutinised leaders’

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records of pupils’ behaviour.  The inspector spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.  The inspector spoke with parents and carers as they dropped their children off at school.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.  The inspector considered Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

Claire Cropper, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 29 and 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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