St Luke's CofE Primary School

Inspection of St Luke’s CofE Primary School Albion Street, Chadderton, Oldham, Lancashire OL9 9HT

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 September 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 Requires improvement 26 and 27 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school. They, and their parents and carers, appreciate the recent improvements made to all aspects of the school. Pupils said that teaching is now much clearer and focused. The school is highly ambitious for the achievement of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most pupils who are currently at the school achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are strong relationships between pupils and staff. This gives a real community feel to this school. Pupils feel safe and happy. Pupils appreciate the guidance and support that they receive from their friends and teachers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers have high expectations for behaviour. Pupils behave well. Classrooms are calm. This allows pupils to do their best in lessons. Pupils are polite and well mannered. They speak confidently and articulately with visitors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have an understanding of diversity and fundamental British values. They revel in their responsibilities, for example as members of the school council. Opportunities outside the curriculum are varied and include sports and music. Day and residential visits add to the pupils’ wider development. A typical comment from parents describes the school as ‘fostering an environment where each child can excel and grow as a person’.

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better?

The school has worked effectively, including with a range of education professionals, to secure important improvements to the quality of education. As a result, the school is successfully reversing a legacy of underachievement. These improvements have had a positive impact on results in reading, writing and mathematics assessments at key stage 1. However, the legacy of instability of staffing and the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have affected recent national assessment results at the end of key stage 2.

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better?

The school has reviewed the curriculum. It is now ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND. The school has identified the knowledge that pupils should acquire. It has identified well-ordered steps in learning from the early years through to Year 6. The curriculum is designed to encourage pupils, including children in the early years, to extend their vocabulary. The curriculums in most subjects are organised well. However, some subjects are less well developed. In these subjects, teaching is not precise enough to ensure pupils learn more and remember more over time.

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better?

Teachers make checks on pupils’ learning. This helps them to identify which pupils need more help or guidance. In some subjects, the checks made on the curriculum and how well it is implemented are less well developed. This prevents the school from fully understanding the impact of the curriculum on how well pupils remember and recall their learning over time in these subjects. 26 and 27 September 2023

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The school has introduced a carefully ordered phonics curriculum. Teachers in the early years and in key stage 1 build pupils’ phonics knowledge skilfully. They make sure that pupils read books that are carefully matched to their phonics knowledge. Teachers are swift to spot any pupils who may be falling behind with their reading. Staff help these pupils to catch up quickly. Older pupils are developing effective reading habits. They spoke enthusiastically about the books that they have studied.

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The school ensures that pupils with SEND have their needs identified accurately. Detailed learning plans set out precisely the help that these pupils should receive in school. These plans are well implemented and this enables pupils with SEND to access the same curriculum as other pupils. The school works closely with outside agencies and specialist providers to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the support that they need.

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The school has taken swift action to improve attendance. It has created effective partnerships with families and developed clear procedures. Pupils behave well. They rarely disturb the learning of their peers.

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The school has developed a highly effective programme of learning to support pupils’ personal development. It makes sure that pupils learn about a range of important issues, such as equality and British values. Pupils understand the importance of developing respectful relationships with people who may be different from themselves. The school makes sure that pupils understand a range of important topics, such as democracy. Pastoral support for pupils is very effective.

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Children in the early years settle into school life quickly. Relationships between the school and parents are strong and provide a solid foundation for genuine and effective partnership to support children’s learning and welfare. Pupils across the school have a well-developed understanding of the classroom routines. This helps them to develop confidence and independence.

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The governing body have worked well to support the school’s improvement. The school takes staff workload and well-being into consideration when making decisions. Staff feel respected and valued.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Improvements to the curriculum in a few subjects are in the early stages of implementation. This means that teaching in these subjects is sometimes not precise enough and pupils’ knowledge is not as secure as leaders would wish. The 26 and 27 September 2023

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school should sharpen aspects of teaching, which will address gaps in pupils’ knowledge and help pupils to know more and remember more over time.

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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). 26 and 27 September 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 January 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher have been appointed since the last inspection.  There has been some instability in staffing in recent years.  The school does not make use of any alternative providers for pupils.  This school is a voluntary-aided primary school. The last section 48 inspection took place in 2016. The next inspection is expected during the next 12 months.

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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 the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 26 and 27 September 2023

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 Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and with other leaders and members of staff. They also spoke with members of the governing body. They also spoke with representatives of the local authority and diocese.  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’ interests first.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science and geography. They talked with curriculum leaders of these subject areas. Inspectors also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils. They also observed some pupils reading to staff.  Inspectors also considered other subjects. They discussed the curriculums with

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leaders and spoke with pupils about their work.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in class and as they moved around the school. They also observed pupils in the dining hall and playing outside at lunchtime.  Inspectors spoke with two groups of pupils about their experiences at school. They also spoke with pupils from the school and worship councils.  Inspectors looked at the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. They also met with parents before school to find out their views of the school.  Inspectors also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Ian Shackleton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Peter Berry Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 September 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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