St John's CofE Primary School Mosley Common

Inspection of a good school: St John’s CofE Primary School Mosley Common Commonside Road, Worsley, Manchester M28 1AE

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Outcome

St John’s CofE Primary School Mosley Common continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enjoy attending this friendly, caring school. Positive relationships between pupils and staff help pupils to feel happy and safe. Pupils know that adults are there to help them if they have any worries or concerns. If bullying should happen, staff are quick to tackle it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ vision to ‘aim high – believe – achieve’ is evident in their high expectations for all. Pupils strive to achieve their best. They work hard in lessons and have positive attitudes to learning. Pupils behave well. They understand and follow the ‘St John’s Way’. Classrooms are calm and purposeful places to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide a wide variety of opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests beyond the academic curriculum. Pupils have access to a range of extra- curricular clubs and activities. They enjoy representing their school in a wide range of sporting competitions. Pupils also value and appreciate the opportunities they have to contribute to their school community, such as leading the ethos group and acting as anti- bullying ambassadors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents and carers are happy with the school. The comment of one parent, typical of many, is that ‘St John’s is a welcoming school, which goes above and beyond for all children.’

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

Leaders and staff have developed a well-constructed and ambitious curriculum. The curriculum is organised so that teachers are clear about the knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils must learn and the order in which this content should be taught. Leaders make sure that, from the early years, learning builds on what pupils know and can do. From an early start, staff foster a love of learning. This helps children and pupils, including those with SEND, to achieve well. 14 and 15 June 2023

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Subject leaders are knowledgeable about their subjects. They work alongside teachers to ensure that the curriculum is delivered effectively. In lessons, staff teach the curriculum as leaders intend. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and explain new content clearly to pupils. In most subjects, they deliver learning activities which ensure that pupils consolidate their learning as they move through the school. This means that pupils learn well and can talk confidently about their current learning. Despite this, in a few subjects, some pupils are uncertain when asked to recall or explain key subject-specific content from previous years. This is because some teachers do not ensure that pupils have enough chances to revisit and recap their learning. Occasionally, this means that some pupils do not have the knowledge they need to build on to ensure that they know and remember more over time.

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Reading is at the heart of the school’s curriculum. Leaders have created interesting reading areas to encourage pupils to develop a love of reading. Older pupils talk with enthusiasm about the stories they have shared with each other. They recognise the value of reading widely.

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Pupils, including children in the early years, achieve well in phonics. Leaders are not complacent, and to improve outcomes further, they have introduced a new phonics scheme. Staff have recently received training on the teaching of phonics, and most staff are quickly learning the new approach. They identify pupils who are not keeping up with their phonics knowledge and provide extra help to make sure that these pupils catch up quickly with their peers. Some staff are still developing their understanding of the requirements of the new phonics curriculum. This means that there are a few inconsistencies in the teaching of phonics across the school, which slows down the rate at which a small number of pupils become fluent and confident readers.

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Leaders quickly and accurately identify pupils with SEND. They work well with external partners to ensure that these pupils receive high-quality support in a timely manner. Staff ensure that, when needed, curriculums are carefully adapted, including through providing additional support and resources. As a result, pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers and achieve well.

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Pupils are a credit to the school. They listen carefully in lessons and work well together. Pupils are kind and caring towards each other. They respond well to school routines. Any instances of off-task behaviour are dealt with quickly by staff. This means that there is little disruption to pupils’ learning.

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Leaders have focused on providing a programme of personal development for pupils, which is varied and age-appropriate. They have paid particular attention to pupils’ mental health. Pupils are respectful of the differences between themselves and others. They enjoy learning about religions and cultures that are different from their own. This prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.

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Leaders and governors work well together to promote the well-being of everyone in the school community. They think about how the decisions they make will affect the workload of staff. Staff thoroughly enjoy working at the school. They appreciate the way their well- being is valued and considered by leaders. 14 and 15 June 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have made sure that there is a strong culture of safeguarding at the school. Staff have regular safeguarding training and updates. They are clear about their duty of care to pupils. Highly effective processes are in place to ensure that any potential concerns about pupils are identified, recorded and acted upon.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff know families well and have established strong and supportive relationships with parents. When necessary, leaders refer their concerns to other agencies to get the support that pupils and their families need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn about the potential risks they may encounter, including online and in the wider community. Through the curriculum, pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, some pupils are unable to recall learning from previous years. As a result, these pupils do not have the depth of knowledge they need to help them know and remember more as they progress through the school. Leaders should ensure that pupils are given sufficient opportunities to recap and recall important learning from previous years.  Some staff are still developing their understanding of the requirements of the new phonics curriculum. This means that there are a few inconsistencies in the teaching of phonics across the school, which slows down the rate at which a small number of pupils become fluent and confident readers. Leaders should ensure that all staff have the necessary expertise to implement the changes to the phonics programme with consistency.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. 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. 14 and 15 June 2023

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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2014.

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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. 14 and 15 June 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10286235 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.saintjohnsmosleycommon.wigan.sch.u k Date of previous inspection 24 April 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision for pupils.  The school is part of the Diocese of Manchester. The last section 48 inspection of the school’s religious character took place in October 2022.  The school provides part-time funded places for children aged two to four years.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection 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 carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, she met with leaders, discussed curriculums, visited a sample of lessons, met with teachers, spoke with pupils about their learning and reviewed samples of pupils’ work. She also observed pupils from Year 1 to Year 3 reading to a familiar adult. 14 and 15 June 2023

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 The inspector considered other subjects in the school’s curriculum. She talked to the leaders of these subjects. She also spoke to pupils about their learning in these subjects.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher, other leaders and staff.  The inspector met with governors, including the chair of the governing body. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector spoke with different groups of pupils to gather their views of the school and talked to them about their behaviour and learning. She also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at playtime.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. She also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.  The inspector met with those responsible for safeguarding at the school. She scrutinised a range of documentation in relation to safeguarding. She also spoke with

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governors, staff, parents and pupils about safeguarding.  The inspector considered a range of documentation provided by school leaders and staff. This included the school development plan, minutes of governing body meetings, headteacher reports and leaders’ self-evaluation document.

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Inspection team

Julie Barlow, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 June 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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