Gorsey Bank Primary School

Inspection of Gorsey Bank Primary School Altrincham Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5NQ

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 16 and 17 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), thrive at Gorsey Bank Primary School. They more than rise to leaders’ high expectations of their academic and personal development. Pupils achieve exceptionally well. They leave the school at the end of Year 6 as well-rounded, thoughtful and knowledgeable individuals. Pupils are highly equipped to embrace the challenges of the key stage 3 curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave impeccably in lessons and at breaktimes. Their conduct helps to create a palpable sense of purpose throughout the school. Pupils trust staff to help them with any worries that they may have. When incidents of bullying occur, leaders take swift and effective action to resolve them. Pupils feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils embrace their various leadership responsibilities. For example, they enjoy acting as members of different parliamentary groups. Pupils make a highly tangible contribution to the life of the school through these roles.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy in school. They relish the wide range of clubs and opportunities available to them. These help pupils to discover and develop otherwise unexplored talents and interests.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers who shared their views with inspectors would readily recommend this school to others. They feel privileged that their community is served by this outstanding school.

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better?

Leaders have carefully constructed a curriculum that makes clear the knowledge that pupils need to know and remember from the moment they start in the Reception Year to the end of Year 6. The curriculum matches the ambition of the national curriculum. In some subjects, it goes beyond this. Pupils develop a rich body of knowledge across a broad range of subjects.

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better?

Curriculum leaders have considerable subject expertise. They make effective use of up-to-date research to underpin their curriculum thinking. Leaders provide teachers with resources of exceptional quality to support their delivery of the curriculum. They make sure that staff benefit from high-quality training. For example, staff receive frequent training on how best to identify and meet the needs of pupils with SEND. This means that pupils with SEND receive well-tailored support. These pupils, and those pupils who are disadvantaged, flourish as a result.

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better?

Leaders check that staff deliver the curriculum to a high standard. They make sure that teachers introduce new learning at exactly the right time. Teachers do this skilfully. They expertly check what pupils know and remember from the curriculum. 16 and 17 May 2023

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This prepares pupils well for what they will learn next. In this way, teachers ensure that pupils build on their knowledge successfully. Pupils talk about what they know already and their new learning with assurance.

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Leaders recognise the criticality of teaching pupils to read. Leaders ensure that all staff deliver the phonics curriculum with fidelity. Staff make sure that the books that pupils read are carefully matched to the sounds that they know. This helps pupils to gain the secure phonics knowledge that they need to be successful readers. Pupils who fall behind are given prompt help by highly trained staff. This helps these pupils to catch up quickly.

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Leaders and staff act as strong reading role models. They promote a genuine love of reading in pupils. Pupils are reading advocates. They spoke with zeal about their favourite books and authors. Pupils particularly enjoy the class novels that their teachers read to them. Over time, pupils develop into confident and highly competent readers. This helps them to access the full curriculum and contributes to their strong achievement across all subjects.

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Children in the early years settle into school routines effortlessly. Their mature attitudes belie their years. Pupils in key stages 1 and 2 build on these firm foundations successfully. They are highly respectful of each other and of adults. Pupils’ exemplary behaviour means that everyone can learn without disruption.

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Leaders provide pupils with wide-ranging opportunities to learn and develop personally. For example, they make sure that pupils access high-quality literature that introduces them to topical issues. Pupils hold dear their right to have their voice heard. They are confident and articulate when expressing their thoughts and ideas to others. Pupils show considerable sensitivity when discussing the rich and diverse lives that people live. They are well prepared to grow up in modern Britain.

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Staff, including those who are new to teaching, were overwhelmingly positive about the support and consideration that they receive from leaders. This includes how well leaders support them to manage their workload and well-being.

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Trustees and members of the local academy committee are unashamedly ambitious for every pupil in the school. Their clear vision is shared by all staff. It is reflected fully in the outstanding education that pupils receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that all staff receive appropriate training so that they know how to keep pupils safe. Staff are alert to the signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm. They follow agreed procedures diligently if they are concerned about a pupil’s welfare. Leaders follow up any concerns thoroughly. They ensure that pupils receive appropriate support. This includes highly effective support for pupils’ emotional health and well-being. 16 and 17 May 2023

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Leaders have carefully designed the curriculum to teach pupils about safety, including personal safety. Pupils feel confident to speak to trusted adults if they have any worries or concerns.

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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. 16 and 17 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10241291 Type of school Primary

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School details

Headteacher Joe Maguire (head of school) Lisa Woolley (executive headteacher) Website www.gorseybank.org.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 September 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Gorsey Bank Primary School is part of The Laurus Trust.  The executive headteacher is also responsible for leading the two other primary schools within the trust.  Leaders operate a breakfast and after-school club.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision for pupils.

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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 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. 16 and 17 May 2023

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 Inspectors spoke with the chief executive officer, the executive headteacher, the head of school, other school leaders and members of staff.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the multi-academy trust and members of the local academy council. This included the chair of the council. The lead inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors reviewed leaders’ policies and procedures to keep pupils safe. They discussed safeguarding arrangements with leaders and staff. Inspectors also checked the single central record. Inspectors spoke to pupils about whether they feel safe in school.  Inspectors conducted deep dives into early reading, mathematics, science, art and design, and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders and teachers. Inspectors also visited lessons, looked at samples of pupils’ and children’s work and spoke with groups of pupils about

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their learning.  An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also met with leaders of some other subjects. They spoke with pupils about their learning and evaluated their work in these subjects.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.  Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day. They took account of the responses to Ofsted’s Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Jackie Stillings, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Amanda Edwards Ofsted inspector 16 and 17 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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