Pownall Green Primary School

Inspection of Pownall Green Primary School Bramhall Lane South, Bramhall, Stockport, Cheshire SK7 2EB

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 October 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 15 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection. 17 and 18 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pownall Green Primary School encourages pupils to ‘love learning, love life!’. The school has high expectations of what pupils should achieve. Pupils respond with positivity to the work that their teachers prepare for them. Most pupils achieve well across a range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the school’s ‘Golden Values’. Many of them strive to follow these in all that they say and do. They look forward to the weekly golden assemblies and take great pride in being celebrated on their class recognition boards.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told inspectors how much they enjoy playing together with their friends. Any arguments between pupils are sorted out quickly by staff. Pupils said that they feel happy that staff in school know them well. They trust staff to respond sensitively to any worries or problems that they may have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make a difference to their school community through a variety of leadership opportunities, for example as members of the school council or as house captains. They are proud to make a positive difference to their local community, such as collecting food donations at harvest time for a local food bank.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils spoke enthusiastically about extra-curricular activities such as sewing, chess, choir and art. They are especially proud of their sporting achievements.

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better?

Much thought has been given to the design of an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has identified the knowledge that they wish pupils to learn and when this should be taught.

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better?

Staff receive regular curriculum training to develop their skills in a range of subjects. As a result, staff feel confident in delivering the curriculums that they teach. In many subjects, staff provide regular opportunities for pupils to revisit the most important knowledge and vocabulary from their previous learning. They check what pupils know and can remember and use this information to shape future teaching. Staff design activities that help pupils to build on what they know and deepen their knowledge over time.

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better?

In a small number of subjects, pupils’ knowledge of some aspects of their learning is not as secure. Pupils have had fewer opportunities to revisit and strengthen their learning in these subjects.

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better?

Parents and carers spoke positively about the opportunities they have to share learning with their children in school, for example shared lessons about the Great Fire of London and phonics workshops. This helps them to support their children’s 17 and 18 October 2023

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The school has placed reading at the heart of the curriculum. Children in the early years begin learning phonics at the earliest opportunity. Pupils across school are provided with many opportunities to read, share and enjoy a diverse range of books and stories. They enjoy using the well-stocked school and class libraries.

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Staff have been trained to have the expertise to support pupils well in their phonics learning. They deliver the phonics programme effectively. Staff check on the progress that pupils make regularly. They provide extra support when needed, so that pupils who struggle to learn to read can catch up. Books are closely matched to the sounds that pupils have learned. Almost all pupils read fluently by the time they enter key stage 2.

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The school has ensured that there are effective systems in place to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND. These pupils access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. This is most effective when adaptations made to the curriculum are well matched to pupils’ needs. This supports pupils with SEND to develop their independence and achieve well. However, the school has not provided staff with the guidance they need to successfully adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of some pupils with SEND. This means that, on occasion, these pupils do not get the support that they need to achieve as well as they could.

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Pupils understand the importance of treating everyone fairly. Children in the early years learn to follow established routines. They learn how to share resources and learn well together. Most pupils engage well in their learning. On occasions, learning is interrupted and some pupils require extra support to focus. However, the school ensures that these pupils are provided with timely and effective help. Any interruptions to learning are dealt with swiftly.

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Leaders make sure that children and pupils experience a wide range of activities to develop their understanding of the wider world. This begins in the early years, where children learn about different festivals such as Diwali and Chinese New Year. Pupils also benefit from links with a partner school in Kenya. This further develops their global awareness. Pupils learn how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. They understand what a healthy relationship is and how to keep themselves safe online.

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Governors know the school well. They provide an appropriate balance of challenge and support. The school has taken positive action to reduce staff workload with regard to changes to marking policies. Staff are provided with the time they need to fulfil their roles.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 17 and 18 October 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the most important knowledge and vocabulary from prior learning is not revisited with enough frequency to strengthen pupils’ long-term memory of the curriculum. This means that sometimes pupils cannot remember what they have been taught and struggle to apply their learning in a new context. The school should ensure that the most important knowledge and vocabulary in these subjects is revisited regularly so that pupils are supported to strengthen their learning.  The school has not ensured that staff receive the guidance that they need to adapt the delivery of the curriculum to meet the needs of some pupils with SEND. On occasions, this hinders how well some pupils with SEND achieve. The school should ensure that staff are provided with guidance to ensure that each pupil with SEND receives the support that they need to achieve well.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding ( this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 17 and 18 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8 October 2008, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, a new headteacher and a new chair of the governing body have been appointed.  The governing body is responsible for a breakfast and after-school club.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.

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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

 Inspections are point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education, history, art and design. For each deep dive, 17 and 18 October 2023

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inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke with subject leaders, spoke to pupils about their learning and evaluated their work in some other subjects.  The lead inspector observed pupils from key stages 1 and 2 reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other school leaders.  The lead inspector spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors talked with staff and leaders about their workload and well-being.  Inspectors met with the leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour, early years, pupil premium, SEND and pupils’ personal development.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single

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central record, took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their wider experience of school. They looked at a range of policies and documents related to pupils’ welfare and education. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  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 and during parent visits to the school. They took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Jewitt, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mark Hazzard Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 October 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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