Claremont Primary School

Inspection of Claremont Primary School Claremont Road, Moss Side, Claremont Primary School, Manchester M14 7NA

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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 Good 4 and 5 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils bask in the warmth, care and support that they receive from the adults in this friendly school. This helps pupils to feel safe, happy and secure. Pupils know that they will be listened to if ever they have any worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are enthusiastic about their education. They place a high value on their studies. The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement. Many pupils are reaching those expectations and learning well across the curriculum. The school instils in pupils an aspiration for the future. For example, it supports a range of pupils in attending specialist classes at the local university each weekend.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is calm and orderly. They know how to move around the school considerately, showing respect for those pupils who may be in lessons. Pupils speak kindly to one another. They enjoy learning about each other’s different cultures and faiths, celebrated through special days in school and visits to different places of worship.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils regularly visit their local area and beyond. The school ensures that pupils experience a range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests, such as playing in the steel pan band, taking part in national chess competitions and performing plays by Shakespeare. This prepares them well for life in modern Britain.

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better?

The school has created an ambitious and well-thought-out curriculum. This curriculum has been carefully organised so that pupils build a rich body of knowledge over time. Many pupils join the school part way through the year. This means that, often, groups of pupils do not learn the school’s curriculum from the early years to Year 6. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge. The school makes sure that pupils have plenty of opportunities to revisit earlier learning. This helps to ensure that those pupils who are new to the school do not miss out on important knowledge. The school also has a team of specialist staff to support those pupils who may be new to speaking English.

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better?

Pupils typically achieve well. However, the 2022 published data shows that pupils’ progress and attainment at the end of Years 2 and 6 was significantly below the national average. This is not a typical picture for this school. It was mostly the result of the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The school identified the issues that led to these results quickly and took swift action to remedy the situation. For example, aspects of the curriculum have been revised and the school has been very successful in making sure that pupils attend school regularly. As a result, current pupils are progressing well through the carefully crafted curriculum.

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better?

Reading has a high priority at the school. A number of improvements have been made to the reading curriculum. Staff have received training to enable them to teach 4 and 5 October 2023

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phonics effectively. Children in the Nursery Year learn the essential knowledge to prepare them for learning to read. Children in the Reception Year learn sounds and letters straight away. They achieve early success by reading books that contain sounds that they have learned. Pupils learn more complex letters and sounds as they move into Year 1. Any pupils at risk of not keeping up with the pace of the phonics programme are identified quickly. They receive timely and effective support to help them to catch up. Pupils, including those with SEND, learn to read well.

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Staff act as role models to promote reading. Pupils read from the rich variety of books that the school provides. This helps them to develop a real love of reading.

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Pupils enjoy their learning. The school has made sure that staff fully understand how best to deliver the learning in many subjects. In most subjects, pupils learn well because the activities that they complete help to make their learning memorable. However, at times, the activities that pupils complete do not help them to learn as effectively as they could. When this happens, pupils remember their learning less well.

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There are regular checks in place to make sure that pupils understand the knowledge that they are learning. Teachers typically use this information to ensure that pupils do not have any missing knowledge. This ensures that pupils build their knowledge securely. In a small number of subjects, however, this information is used less effectively. This means that misconceptions in pupils’ learning are not identified or addressed quickly enough.

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Pupils with SEND are identified quickly and given the support that they need to access the learning alongside their peers. The school works with a range of external agencies and specialists to meet the needs of its pupils, including those with SEND.

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Pupils work hard in lessons. They concentrate and do not distract others. They are supportive and work well together. In the early years, children learn to work together by helping tidy equipment away carefully. They sit sensibly and understand the importance of listening to others.

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Pupils take on leadership responsibilities with pride. Older pupils act as role models when helping younger pupils during their lunch break. Eco-council members help develop the school grounds. Pupils learn about how to stay safe, including when they are online. They learn about important events in their local area and discuss different viewpoints. This helps prepare them for life beyond school.

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The school ensures that it considers how any changes to the curriculum might affect staff’s workload. It is mindful of any extra tasks and makes sure that the staff are able to carry out their roles effectively without any extra time burdens. Parents and carers appreciate the regular contact and support that they receive from school. The school encourages them to play an active role in their child’s education. For example, reading meetings inform parents of how best to support their child’s reading at home to match the way it is taught in school. Parents particularly 4 and 5 October 2023

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appreciate the information that is shared with them before their children started in the early years.

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Members of the governing body know the school well. They are proficient in their roles. This enables them to support the school effectively. Governors have ensured that the school has focused on improving the curriculum so that pupils learn well from it.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, and in a small number of subjects, learning is not delivered as effectively as it could be. This means that, on occasion, some pupils do not gain the knowledge that is identified within the curriculum. The school should ensure that the curriculum is delivered consistently well so that pupils learn all that they should.  In a small number of subjects, the school does not use assessment information about pupils’ knowledge and understanding as well as it could. As a result, a small number of pupils carry misunderstandings or gaps in their learning. The school should make sure that it uses the information gathered from the checks on pupils’ learning to help pupils build a secure body of knowledge.

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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 4 and 5 October 2023

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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). 4 and 5 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 May 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, the school has appointed several new members to the senior leadership team.  The school does not use any 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.  This was the first routine inspection 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 held conversations with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and the assistant headteachers, as well as other leaders in school. 4 and 5 October 2023

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 Inspectors also spoke with members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: English, including early reading, mathematics, science, geography and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to a range of pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also spoke to pupils about their learning in some other areas of the curriculum and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector also heard a range of pupils from Year 1 to Year 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors talked with pupils in meetings and around the school at breaktimes and lunchtimes.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses. Inspectors also spoke with some parents during the inspection.

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 Inspectors held conversations with Early Career Teachers and support staff. They also reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  Inspectors looked at documentation provided by the school, including minutes from governing body meetings, information about pupils leaving and starting at the school and records relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single 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’ interest first.

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Inspection team

Sheena Clark, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Cleo Cunningham Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 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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