Carleton Green Community Primary School

Inspection of Carleton Green Community Primary School Arundel Drive, Carleton, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire FY6 7TF

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 February 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 Good 27 and 28 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are embraced in the warmth of this school. Staff forge strong relationships with them and get to know their families well. One parent, typifying the views of many, told inspectors that their child ‘had thrived’ since going to school and cannot wait to arrive there each day. Pupils flourish academically, socially and emotionally.

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What is it like to attend this school?

From the moment that children join the early years, the school’s behaviour values are interwoven in all that they do. Pupils try their best during lessons, by listening carefully and working hard. They respond positively to the school’s high expectations for their achievements. Typically, pupils behave and learn well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff provide pupils with a wealth of experiences that deepen their learning. Classrooms across the school are filled with a purposeful buzz. Academic, musical and sports talents are all valued and celebrated.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate opportunities to take part in extra-curricular clubs, such as choir and mindfulness club. They enjoy educational visits that help to bring their learning to life. School councillors, prefects and head pupils play an active role in the school. They organise events and act as a voice for other pupils.

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better?

In the main, the curriculum for pupils in key stages 1 and 2 has been carefully thought through and is suitably ambitious. In most subjects, the school has organised the curriculum so that pupils’ learning builds on what they already know in well-ordered steps. This supports teachers in designing learning activities that help to increase pupils’ knowledge and skills. Pupils achieve well in these subjects. However, in a minority of subjects, the school is still determining the important knowledge that pupils should learn and when this will be taught. On occasions, this hampers the depth of subject knowledge that some pupils acquire.

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better?

Children in the early years benefit from an engaging and well-designed environment. Adults focus on developing children’s communication and language skills through effective questioning and strong modelling of ambitious vocabulary. However, some of the curriculum in the early years does not link children’s learning in the Nursery class to that in the Reception class. This hinders how well some children build up new knowledge.

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better?

The school develops staff expertise through effective training and support. This means that staff have the knowledge and confidence to deliver the curriculum effectively. Staff explain new knowledge clearly. Typically, in subjects where the important knowledge that pupils should know is determined, teachers use effective systems to check how well pupils are learning. This enables teachers to identify and address any area where pupils are less secure or where they have developed misconceptions in their learning. 27 and 28 February 2024

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The school is fastidious in identifying the additional needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly and accurately. Staff provide appropriate support and make adaptations during lessons, so that these pupils can access the full curriculum. As a result, pupils with SEND progress well through the curriculum.

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The school is relentless in teaching pupils to read. Staff encourage pupils to read regularly for pleasure. Pupils benefit from studying a variety of stories and texts, many of which they remember and recount. Staff plan progressive early reading lessons using the school’s phonics programme. They receive regular training and have the expertise that they need to teach early reading well. The school makes sure that pupils who need extra help receive all the support they require. As a result, the majority of pupils become fluent readers in readiness for key stage 2.

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Pupils enjoy coming to school and attendance is high. In classrooms, pupils engage and concentrate well. Even the youngest children treat each other with kindness and maturity because they are taught to respect each other’s differences.

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The school has thought carefully about the wider opportunities that it provides for pupils. The school uses the ‘Carleton Code’ to introduce values, such as kindness, responsibility and trustworthiness. These morals also help pupils to understand how to stay physically and emotionally well. Pupils take on leadership roles, including being part of the school council, which help them to learn about being a responsible citizen. They speak proudly about the positive contributions that they make to the school and the wider community.

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Governors fulfil their roles well. They work collectively with the school to ensure that ongoing development is purposeful and focused on improving the quality of education that pupils receive. Staff are extremely positive about working here. The school supports them to fulfil their roles well. Staff appreciate the consideration that is given to their well-being through initiatives, such as counselling if this is needed.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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 In some subjects, the school is still determining the precise knowledge that pupils should learn and when this should happen. Occasionally, this prevents some pupils from developing a deep and rich body of subject knowledge. The school should refine its curriculum thinking in these subjects so that staff are clear about the precise knowledge that pupils should know and remember.  Some of the curriculum in the early years does not link children’s learning in the Nursery class to that in the Reception class. This means that some of the children’s key knowledge does not build up as effectively as it could. The school should finalise its curriculum thinking in the early years so that children are even better prepared for their learning in Reception

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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). 27 and 28 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Christina Davies

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School details

Date of previous inspection 24 April 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is currently led by an acting headteacher who has been in post since November 2023.  The school does not make use alternative provision for pupils.  The school provides a before- and after-school club.

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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 educational 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. 27 and 28 February 2024

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 Inspectors met with the acting headteacher, other leaders and staff. Inspectors also held discussions with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education, computing and modern foreign languages. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons and spoke with teachers. They also spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector observed pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  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 firsts.

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in a range of situations, including in corridors, at breaktimes, at lunchtimes and during lessons. Inspectors also spoke with pupils about their views on behaviour and bullying.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation, including leaders’ improvement plans, minutes of governing body meetings and records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their wider personal development.  Inspectors considered the responses from parents to Ofsted Parent View. These included the comments submitted via the free-text facility. Inspectors also spoke with some parents.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys. Inspectors also spoke with staff about the support for their workload and well- being.

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Inspection team

James Blackwell, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sandra Hamilton Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 February 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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