All Souls Church of England Primary School

Inspection of All Souls Church of England Primary School Rye Street, Heywood, Lancashire OL10 4DF

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the act since April 2011. 5 and 6 December 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school is a happy learning community where pupils thrive. Teachers are aspirational for pupils’ achievement. They equip pupils with highly effective learning behaviours that help them to succeed. Pupils take pride in their learning, and they enjoy sharing their vast knowledge. The school has created a strong climate for learning that enables all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to excel.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including children in the early years, behave impeccably and they treat each other with unwavering kindness and respect. Any disagreements are swiftly resolved with expert help from staff or those pupils on the anti-bullying council. Pupils recognise and celebrate the diversity within the school community. They have a deep appreciation of, and respect for, the differences between people.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make a positive and tangible contribution to the promotion of the school’s values. The support that they provide for each other is exceptional. For example, pupil leaders and pupil governors work closely with the school to enhance pupils’ experiences. Staff make sure that all pupils can participate in, and make the best of, the vast array of clubs and activities on offer to them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils act successfully to bring about improvements within the school environment and beyond the school gates. For example, pupils campaigned to have litter bins installed in the local area after carrying out a litter clean-up.

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better?

Leaders and governors have an unswerving commitment to providing the best possible education for pupils at this school. Governors are exceptionally knowledgeable about the school. This enables them to support the school well and hold it to account effectively.

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better?

Beginning in the early years, the school has meticulously designed an ambitious curriculum that equips pupils with a deep and rich body of subject knowledge. Extensive careers information and enrichment opportunities are woven seamlessly through the curriculum to raise pupils’ aspirations and enthusiasm for future learning.

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better?

Teachers develop strong expertise in how pupils learn. This enables them to design consistently effective learning activities that help to deepen pupils’ understanding of concepts. The strength in the school’s curriculum design enables teachers to know precisely what pupils should learn, and how it connects to their previous knowledge. This empowers teachers to accurately pinpoint and swiftly address any gaps in pupils’ understanding. As a result, pupils build up an impressive and comprehensive body of knowledge over time. 5 and 6 December 2023

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A love of reading permeates the school. Leaders have identified an ambitious canon of texts that pupils will encounter over their time at All Souls. Children in the early years regularly take home their favourite books to enjoy with their parents and carers. Older pupils relish opportunities to choose and read books from the welcoming and well-stocked library.

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Staff have a strong understanding of the early reading curriculum, and they deliver the phonics programme with considerable flair and expertise. Pupils regularly practise their reading using suitable texts that match their phonics knowledge. Staff quickly identify any pupils who find it more difficult to remember the sounds that they have been taught. These pupils receive the extra help that they need to keep up with their peers. This enables pupils to rapidly develop into confident and enthusiastic readers.

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Staff are vigilant to the signs that may indicate that pupils require additional help, for example those pupils with SEND. The school swiftly identifies the most suitable support so that these pupils can learn the curriculum successfully. Staff are appropriately trained to adapt the delivery of the curriculum. This helps staff to remove any barriers to learning that pupils with SEND may have. Consequently, pupils with SEND achieve very well.

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The school has designed a highly effective programme of learning to support pupils’ wider development. For example, pupils develop a strong understanding of the importance of equality and respect. Their learning about different cultures and religions is enhanced by the school’s careful consideration of the authors and visiting speakers that pupils encounter. A variety of trips and visits are thoughtfully selected, to enhance pupils’ knowledge of the curriculum, and to broaden their social and cultural experiences.

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In the early years, well-trained staff help children to settle in quickly. Staff prioritise supporting children to develop those behaviours, such as concentration and cooperation, which help them to develop into successful learners. In lessons, pupils concentrate diligently on their learning. They are highly resilient and eager to improve their work. The school has well-designed systems to tackle any instances of unsatisfactory behaviour. However, these systems are rarely needed as pupils are adept at managing their own behaviour.

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Staff benefit from many opportunities to develop their knowledge and expertise. They value the high level of support that they receive from leaders and governors. This equips staff well to carry out their current roles with confidence and to continue to develop professionally.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 5 and 6 December 2023

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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). 5 and 6 December 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Gaynor Rennie Lisa Pearson Website www.allsoulsce.rochdale.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 April 2011, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The governing body provides childcare in the form of breakfast and after-school clubs which are open to all pupils.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is part of the Diocese of Manchester. The school’s last section 48 inspection took place in July 2016. The school’s next section 48 inspection is due to take place within the next year.

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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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 5 and 6 December 2023

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 Inspectors met with senior leaders, including the head of school, and a range of staff. The inspector also spoke with representatives of the local governing body, including the chair of governors.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the local authority and of the diocese.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of evidence, including leaders’ self-evaluation documents, improvement plans, and minutes of meetings of the governing body. Inspectors also reviewed records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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 spoke to pupils about their experiences of school and their views on behaviour and bullying. They observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and social

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times.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, they discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some teachers and pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors discussed the curriculum in some other subjects with leaders.  The lead inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Charlotte Oles, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Phil Dickson Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 December 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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