St Paul's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of St Paul’s Church of England Primary School Warrington Road, Goose Green, Wigan, Lancashire WN3 6SB

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act

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Overall effectiveness Good

The head of this school is Adam Rigby. This school is part of Liverpool Diocesan Schools Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Laurie Kwissa, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Margaret Swinson. There is also an executive headteacher, Alison Jackson, who is responsible for this school and one other.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected St Paul’s Church of England Primary School as an academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. 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 of the predecessor school. 11 and 12 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Treating others in the same way that you would like to be treated yourself is a school rule that pupils and staff alike embrace at this welcoming school. Many pupils are kind, polite and take pride in being part of the school community. This helps pupils to feel happy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils are keen to follow adults’ instructions and to live up to the high expectations of behaviour that the school has. Pupils trust that staff will help them with any concerns. Pupils who need extra help in managing their emotions are ably supported by caring staff. This makes pupils feel safe at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils understand the importance of being ready to learn. They make the most of the learning opportunities that the school provides for them. Many pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils willingly take on a range of responsibilities at the school. These responsibilities range from being playground leaders or members of the school council to eco-guardians. These opportunities build pupils’ understanding of responsibility and how they can influence change for the greater good.

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better?

The school’s curriculum has been carefully organised from the Reception Year through to the end of key stage 2. It identifies the key knowledge that pupils should learn and when this should be taught. The school’s curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND. The school has put effective systems in place that identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Carefully considered support and resources ensure that pupils with SEND progress well through the school’s curriculum. Overall, pupils achieve well.

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better?

All staff at the school benefit from a range of high-quality training. This training helps staff to design appropriate learning activities that deepen pupils’ knowledge in many subjects. That said, in a small number of subjects, some learning activities that pupils are provided with do not help them to build a deep body of knowledge. In these few subjects, pupils’ understanding of the important knowledge that they have previously been taught is insecure.

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better?

In most subjects, the school checks on what pupils know and remember from previous learning. This information is used well to identify and address any gaps in knowledge that pupils may have. However, in a small number of subjects, these checks on pupils’ recall of previous learning are not routinely carried out. In these subjects, some pupils are moved on to new concepts or topics too soon and do not build up their knowledge as well as they should. 11 and 12 October 2023

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The school has ensured that staff have had the training needed to teach the phonics programme well. These expert staff check on what pupils know and understand and provide extra support for those who need it. This helps these pupils to keep up with their peers. The books that pupils read closely match the sounds that they have learned. This helps pupils to develop a love of reading. Many pupils read fluently by the end of key stage 1.

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The school ensures that pupils access a broad range of books, including poetry and non-fiction. Children in the Reception Year enjoy a range of nursery rhymes and traditional tales. Older pupils read high-quality books, both classic and modern. This helps pupils to broaden their vocabulary.

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The school engages successfully with parents and carers to ensure that they have the help and information that they need. For example, families joining the school in the Reception Year benefit from workshops on supporting their children’s learning at home.

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Children in the early years quickly learn the school rules and routines. For example, they listen carefully to staff and cooperate well with their classmates. Most pupils across the school are attentive in lessons and keen to learn. Lessons generally proceed without disruption. This allows pupils to focus on the learning activities that the teachers provide.

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The school has carefully selected opportunities to enhance pupils’ wider development. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe online. They are knowledgeable about different faiths and cultures. They have a strong conviction that everyone should be treated equally and with respect regardless of their differences. Pupils benefit from opportunities to develop their talents and interests through attending clubs such as art, choir and football.

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The trust monitors effectively the quality of education provided by the school and the effectiveness with which the local governing board carries out its duties. The trust works well with external partners, who provide independent assessments of the school’s work. These help to inform further improvements.

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Staff value being part of the school and appreciate the training that they receive to help them deliver the curriculum well. The school is considerate of staff’s workload and well-being when making decisions about policies and procedures.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 11 and 12 October 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, some of the learning activities that pupils are provided with do not help them to remember the important knowledge that is set out in the curriculum. This hinders how well some pupils achieve in these subjects. The school should ensure that the learning activities provided for pupils help them to build a deep body of knowledge.  In a few subjects, the school is unaware of how well pupils have remembered and understood what they have been taught previously. This means that, in these subjects, pupils do not build up their knowledge as well as they should. The school should ensure that teachers check that pupils’ knowledge is secure before introducing new topics and concepts.

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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). 11 and 12 October 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This is a Church of England primary school in the Diocese of Liverpool. The previous section 48 inspection took place in December 2016. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place by the end of 2024.  St Paul’s Church of England Primary School converted to become an academy school in October 2018. When its predecessor school, Saint Paul’s CofE Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.  The school is part of Liverpool Diocesan Schools Trust.  Leaders make use of one registered 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 a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 11 and 12 October 2023

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors completed deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. As part of the deep dives, the inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited lessons, met with teachers and looked at pupils’ work. The inspectors also looked at the curriculum and pupils’ work in some other subjects. The lead inspector observed some pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors spoke with the executive headteacher, the head of school, other school leaders and members of staff.  The lead inspector spoke with members of the local governing board, including the co-chairs. He also spoke with the chair of the board of trustees, the CEO and

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a representative of the local authority.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record and took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils. They also considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons. They spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. They also considered the views of pupils shared through Ofsted’s online pupil survey.  The inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also considered the views of staff shared through Ofsted’s online staff survey.  The inspectors spoke with some parents. They considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. This included the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

David Robinson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ian Shackleton Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 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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