Brinscall St John's CofE and Methodist Primary School

Inspection of Brinscall St John’s Church of England and Methodist Primary School School Lane, Brinscall, Chorley, Lancashire PR6 8PT

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Inspection dates: 23 and 24 January 2024

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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 Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 11 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. 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. Primary School 23 and 24 January 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school prioritises the happiness and well-being of the pupils in its care. Pupils said that adults listen carefully to them if they have any worries. Pupils are kind to each other and they enjoy coming into school every day.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement. Pupils benefit from a broad and ambitious curriculum. They were keen to tell inspectors about how much they have learned. By the end of Year 6, most pupils achieve well across a range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils sustain high levels of concentration in their lessons. Their positive behaviour and respect for others contribute to their academic success.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In early years, children settle quickly into school routines. They learn how to share and take turns. Children are prepared well for the demands of key stage 1.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils have opportunities to take part in a range of clubs and activities, such as sports, art and music. Pupils enjoy a wealth of opportunities to contribute to school life. For example, they develop their leadership skills through acting as school councillors and buddies for younger pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to receive awards and celebrate their successes, for instance in the assemblies that their parents and carers can attend.

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better?

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In most subjects, the curriculum has been carefully ordered so that pupils build up a secure body of knowledge over time. In these subjects, most pupils achieve well.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They use this to deliver the curriculum effectively while building pupils’ communication skills. For example, staff, including those in early years, model the use of subject-specific vocabulary well. This encourages pupils to demonstrate high-level language during classroom discussions.

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better?

In the main, staff use assessment methods well to check what pupils know and remember. Teachers address misconceptions in a timely way. However, in a small number of subjects, assessment strategies are less well developed. As a result, on occasion, teachers do not identify and remedy gaps in pupils’ learning as quickly as they should. From time to time, in these subjects, this hinders how well some pupils learn.

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better?

Reading is a priority throughout the school. The phonics programme is introduced to children promptly in Reception Year. In early years, skilled staff support children to build their knowledge of letters and sounds logically. Reading books are matched Primary School 23 and 24 January 2024

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well to the sounds that children and pupils know. The school provides effective additional support for those pupils who find it more difficult to keep up with the phonics programme. This helps these pupils to catch up quickly with their classmates.

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Pupils throughout the school read regularly and often. They enjoy reading from the wide range of texts on offer. Pupils said that they are looking forward to using the new library that they have helped to design. Members of the wider school community, such as trained volunteers and local authors, have an integral role in promoting a love of reading.

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The school identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND in a timely and effective way. Staff are provided with appropriate information and training so that they can support pupils with SEND well. For example, staff are suitably equipped to identify the specific adaptations to the delivery of the curriculum required for each pupil. This helps pupils with SEND to learn well alongside their peers. Pupils with SEND are fully involved in all aspects of school life.

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Pupils display positive attitudes towards their learning. The school supports pupils to build their independence and to have pride in their work. On the rare occasions when pupils lose focus, staff are quick to redirect pupils to their learning.

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The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, both in the local environment and when learning or playing online. The school places a strong emphasis on helping pupils to understand the importance of staying physically and mentally healthy. An exciting range of trips and visits complements pupils’ learning in the classroom.

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Members of the governing body are knowledgeable and committed to the school. They offer appropriate challenge to aid its continued improvement. Staff are proud to work at the school. They are consulted regularly to share their views on initiatives, workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, some teachers do not identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge as quickly as they could. Occasionally, this hinders how well some pupils learn. The school should ensure that in these subjects, teachers are suitably equipped to check that pupils’ knowledge is secure before introducing new learning. Primary School 23 and 24 January 2024

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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). Primary School 23 and 24 January 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 and 20 April 2012, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Blackburn and the Methodist District of Chorley and Leyland. The school’s most recent section 48 inspection for schools of a religious character took place in November 2016. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place during this academic year.  The school does not make use of 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 the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. Primary School 23 and 24 January 2024

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke with leaders of music, history and geography, visited lessons and evaluated samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors observed pupils from Years 1 to 3 reading to a familiar adult.  The inspectors spoke to pupils about their experiences of school and their views about behaviour and bullying. They also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes.  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.

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 The inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other senior leaders and members of staff.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority, a representative of the Diocese of Blackburn and a school improvement partner.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. The inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

Eleanor Overland, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Tracy Beaty Ofsted Inspector Primary School 23 and 24 January 2024

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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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