St Wilfrid's RC Primary School

Inspection of St Wilfrid’s RC Primary School Birchvale Close, Hulme M15 5BJ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 10 and 11 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are immensely proud to attend this happy, harmonious and vibrant school. They bask in the warmth and care that staff provide.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils describe their school as a family and a place where everyone is welcome, regardless of gender, race or religion. Pupils know that there is always someone on whom they can count if they ever feel worried or upset. Leaders act swiftly to resolve any rare incidents of bullying or unkind behaviour effectively. This helps pupils to feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff believe that all pupils deserve the best start in life. They have the highest aspirations for pupils both in terms of their academic achievement and for their behaviour. Pupils share their teachers’ aspirations for them. Their impeccable conduct embodies the school’s values. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are exemplary.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The opportunities that pupils have to become active and respectful citizens are varied and plentiful. Pupils enjoy participating in a wide variety of clubs and events. For example, they spoke proudly about being runners up in a national public speaking competition. Pupils carry out their many roles, such as school councillors, eco-council members and school amigos, with diligence and pride.

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better?

Leaders have given careful thought to their curriculum offer so that it is ambitious and meets the needs of pupils in school. Staff grasp every opportunity to provide pupils with ‘wow’ experiences to bring learning to life.

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better?

Leaders have identified the knowledge that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), will learn from early years to the end of Year 6. They have arranged this in a logical and organised manner. However, in a few subjects, leaders have not identified the key concepts that pupils will encounter frequently to deepen their understanding further.

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better?

Teachers introduce new learning to pupils, including those with SEND, clearly. They mostly use assessment methods well to identify any pupils who may need support and to shape future teaching. Pupils achieve well across a range of subjects. However, they sometimes struggle to make deeper connections in a few subjects.

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better?

Teachers benefit from regular coaching sessions from subject leaders. However, they would welcome more subject-specific training in some subjects to hone their teaching skills further.

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better?

Reading is afforded a very high priority in school. Leaders have developed an engaging reading programme in which pupils enjoy a rich array of texts and stories. Staff teach reading well. 10 and 11 May 2023

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The youngest children in early years love listening to stories and rhymes. Early readers benefit from a well-structured phonics programme. They start to learn their sounds soon after beginning school. They read unfamiliar books with increasing confidence. Struggling readers quickly receive effective support so that they keep up with the phonics programme.

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Pupils are highly enthusiastic readers. They feel that ‘reading takes you to another world or universe’. Pupils read with expression and understanding. They show strong knowledge of a wide variety of texts and books.

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Pupils with SEND get off to a good start at this school. Leaders have the same high ambition for these pupils. They swiftly identify pupils’ needs and provide them with effective support. Pupils enjoy learning alongside their peers. They participate fully in all aspects of school life.

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Pupils demonstrate exceptionally mature attitudes to their learning and conduct. This starts with the youngest children. They quickly learn to follow staff’s instructions and routines. Pupils demonstrate sustained levels of concentration in their lessons. They support each other well so that learning is not hindered by any low-level disruption.

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Pupils benefit from an exemplary personal development programme which has been extremely well considered. There is a plethora of opportunities for pupils to develop their knowledge and skills beyond the academic curriculum. Pupils spoke articulately about the clubs, trips, visits and visitors that they enjoy across the school.

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Pupils show highly respectful attitudes towards others. They have a strong understanding of British values. They show respect and tolerance for their diverse school community. As a result of the depth and richness of experiences offered to pupils, they are exceptionally well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Governors share leaders’ passion for their school. They are highly committed to ensuring that pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well. They keep a careful eye on leaders’ work. They make sure that leaders use funds effectively for the maximum benefit of pupils. Staff are very proud to work at the school. They feel that leaders care about their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have created a caring community. They know their families and pupils well. Staff have been well trained in safeguarding issues. They are highly vigilant to any slight change in a pupil’s behaviour. They act quickly when reporting a concern. Leaders engage well with external partners and agencies.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe. For example, younger pupils learn about using the internet safely. Older pupils learn about issues within their 10 and 11 May 2023

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locality in an age-appropriate manner. For example, how to avoid getting involved in knife crime and gangs.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, leaders have not clearly identified the key conceptual knowledge that pupils will gain over time. This means that pupils do not make deep connections from one unit to the next. Leaders should refine their curriculums in these subjects so pupils have regular opportunities to revisit key concepts and link their learning across the curriculum.  In a few subjects, leaders are in the early stages of providing staff with more regular subject-specific guidance to develop their knowledge and skills further. This means that some staff do not have enough advice on how to teach these curriculums. Leaders should implement their plans to provide more subject specific guidance and check the impact of that guidance so that they are assured this is making a positive difference to pupils’ learning in the long term.

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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. 10 and 11 May 2023

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Unique reference number

Inspection number 10241294 Type of school Primary

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Unique reference number

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Unique reference number

Dates of previous inspection 30 and 31 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.  Leaders offer a before-school breakfast club.

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Information about this inspection

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 spoke with the headteacher, other leaders and staff in school. They spoke with governors, including the chair of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history with the curriculum leaders of these subject areas. Inspectors also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils. An inspector listened to pupils read to familiar adults. 10 and 11 May 2023

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 Inspectors also spoke with leaders from other areas of the curriculum. They looked at pupils’ work and spoke with pupils.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktimes and at lunchtimes. They observed pupils’ behaviour as they moved around the school.  Inspectors evaluated leaders’ safeguarding arrangements and leaders’ improvement plans.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.  Inspectors spoke with parents as they dropped their children off at school. They considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. This included the free-text responses.  Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Louise McArdle, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mike Tonge Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 May 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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