Runcorn All Saints CofE Primary School

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

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Joanne Robertson Headteacher Runcorn All Saints CofE Primary School Church Street Runcorn Cheshire WA7 1LD

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Primary School

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 29 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 a judgement of requires improvement at its previous graded (section 5) inspection.

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Primary 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, parents and carers any improvements that school leaders have made since the school’s previous graded inspection.

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Primary School

During the inspection, I discussed with you, other senior leaders, governors, the local authority and the diocese 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 spoke with pupils, met with staff, and looked at curriculum documentation and pupils’ books. I reviewed the single central record and the school improvement plan. 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. The school should take further action to:

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

 identify the important knowledge that children in the Reception Year need to know in order to be ready for the demands of the Year 1 curriculum  address the gaps in knowledge that some older pupils have as a result of the previous weaker curriculum.

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Main findings

Since the previous graded inspection, the school has appointed several new teachers. The deputy headteacher has left, and an acting assistant headteacher is now in post. Furthermore, a new chair of governors has been appointed to the governing body.

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Main findings

The school has taken appropriate action to address the areas identified for improvement. For example, a number of new subject curriculums have been introduced in key stages 1 and 2. These subject curriculums are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculums are carefully ordered and outline the important knowledge that pupils should learn and revisit. This means that teachers know what should be taught and when this should happen. As a result, many pupils are building their knowledge more securely than they did in the past. However, the school’s work to ensure that the curriculums in the Reception Year match this positive picture is less well developed. Currently, it is not clear enough what children need to learn in order to meet the demands of the key stage 1 curriculum.

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Main findings

The published data for 2022 shows that pupils in Year 2 did not attain as well as other pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. In part, this was due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the school also identified areas of the curriculum that were not enabling pupils to achieve well. As a result, a number of improvements have been made to these subject curriculums. Gaps in pupils’ learning are being addressed effectively, so they are progressing as well as they should through the revised curriculums. However, this positive work is not as well developed in some other subjects. Due to weaknesses in the previous curriculum, some older pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Not enough thought has gone into identifying missing knowledge or helping pupils to overcome their knowledge gaps. Consequently, these pupils are moved on to new concepts before their earlier learning is embedded.

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Main findings

The school has maintained the effective approach to early reading that was highlighted in the previous inspection report. Those pupils who read to me did so well, reading books that closely match the sounds that they have learned. This is helping to improve their fluency so that they experience success when reading.

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Main findings

The effectiveness of the governing body is improving. Since the previous inspection, the school has commissioned an external review of governance. Following this review, the governing body has taken appropriate actions to address the identified areas of weakness. This is helping governors to be increasingly confident in holding the school to account for the quality of education.

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Main findings

The school has improved the capacity of leadership through the professional development of leaders at all levels. There is better oversight of a broader range of subjects across the school curriculum. Staff are carrying out their roles with increasing rigour, autonomy and effectiveness.

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Main findings

The school has introduced a new personal, social, health and economic curriculum. This is beginning to improve the quality and depth of learning and experiences that support pupils’ personal development. The pupils that I spoke with had a secure understanding of equality, fundamental British values and online safety. This means that pupils are being increasingly well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Main findings

The school is making the most of all the support available from the local authority and the diocese. This has helped the school to improve the quality of education that current pupils receive. The school has managed this support effectively to ensure that staff receive the right help at the right time.

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Main findings

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

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