All Saints CofE (VC) Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Charlotte Ashton Headteacher All Saints C of E (VC) Primary School Bourne Avenue Ranton Stafford Staffordshire ST18 9JU

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School

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 21 September 2023, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and took place because the school has received two successive judgements of requires improvement at its previous graded (section 5) inspections.

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School

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s overall effectiveness, but to identify and report on the school’s progress. It is to highlight to the school and parents any improvements that school leaders have made since the school’s previous graded inspection.

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School

During the inspection, I discussed with you and subject leaders, governors, the local authority and representatives of two multi-academy trusts the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also visited a sample of phonics lessons, spoke to pupils, looked at school improvement plans, governors’ meeting minutes and a range of documentation. I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

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Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is

necessary for the school to become good.

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Main findings

Since the previous inspection, the governing body has recruited three new governors. These governors bring specific expertise with them, particularly in the areas of special educational needs and/or disabilities and early years. There have been some changes to subject leadership roles and responsibilities. This has ensured that staff can fully utilise their experience and expertise when setting out the curriculum pathway through their subjects.

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Main findings

You have successfully prioritised work on developing subjects across the curriculum. You have supported staff to work effectively together, and with support from external advisers, set out clearly the content that pupils will learn. Through this work, leaders have considered the smaller units of knowledge that pupils need to learn and how they link into the ‘big questions’ that you have set out for each unit of work.

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Main findings

You have helped leaders to develop informative and appropriate learning resources that set out the smaller steps through a unit of work. This is helping staff to know what to teach and in what order. Staff have had the training they need to teach the curriculum. These learning resources are now in place for most subjects across the curriculum. You have rightly recognised that there is more to do on ensuring reading resources in phonics align closely to the school’s chosen scheme. Also, you know there is more to do to make sure that the progression for genres in writing is set out as clearly as the content is for other subjects.

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Main findings

You provide governors with clear information, which they are increasingly using to support and challenge the actions leaders take. Governors have focused on budget to ensure that resources are targeted on the right priorities for school improvement. This includes ensuring that staff access appropriate and relevant training to deliver the curriculum well. Currently, governors are developing ways to check the impact of their actions, although this work is not yet complete.

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Main findings

You have developed a culture where leaders now work collaboratively to ensure the curriculum is being implemented well, holding each other to account as necessary. This is strengthening teachers’ subject knowledge and allows appropriate curriculum refinements and adaptations to be made. These actions are contributing to enabling pupils to make better progress in their learning.

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Main findings

You have been proactive in seeking out a range of external support that directly links to the school’s priority areas. Leaders have made astute decisions about the curriculum based on accurate reflection and evaluation. These decisions, alongside targeted additional support, have been used effectively to drive improvements in the quality of education and strengthen leadership across the school.

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Main findings

I am copying this letter to the chair of the board of governors and the director of education for the Diocese of Lichfield, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Staffordshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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