St Margaret's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of St Margaret’s Church of England Primary School Heys Lane, Heywood, Lancashire OL10 3RD

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 5 and 6 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thoroughly enjoy learning at St Margaret’s Church of England Primary School. It is a place where kindness and positive attitudes towards learning are the norm. Pupils appreciate the care and warmth shown to them by staff. They told inspectors that they feel happy and safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has established high expectations for the achievement of pupils, including for children in the early years and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils strive to do well at school. They take pride in their learning and rise to the school’s high standards. Pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary around the school. From the early years to Year 6, there is a calm and orderly atmosphere that enables pupils to focus exceptionally well on their learning. Pupils trust staff to deal with any rare incidents of misbehaviour quickly. Pupils respect adults and each other. They spoke eagerly about the values that their conduct shows, such as perseverance, resilience and responsibility.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with SEND, embrace the experiences that the school offers them, for example visiting the local market, the airport and the beach. These opportunities add considerable value to pupils’ learning and their wider development.

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better?

Pupils, including those with SEND, benefit from an ambitious curriculum that is meaningful and interesting to them. In the main, the school has carefully mapped out the key knowledge that pupils should learn in each subject from Reception to Year 6. However, in one or two subjects where curriculums are relatively new, the small steps of learning and vocabulary that pupils should learn are not specific enough. This hinders staff in creating learning that helps pupils to build a deep body of knowledge over time.

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better?

The school has ensured that professional development for staff is a priority. This is evident through staff’s strong subject knowledge and in the clear way that they present and model new learning to pupils. Staff routinely check that pupils are securing the knowledge that they require for subsequent learning.

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better?

The school has placed reading at the heart of the curriculum. Older pupils talked enthusiastically about their ‘reading rivers’. They use these to record all the different texts and authors that they encounter. The school has quickly ensured that robust measures are in place to address the recent dip in phonics attainment in Year 2. Children learn about letters and the sounds that they represent as soon as they begin in the Reception class. Pupils practise their reading using books that are carefully matched to the sounds that they know. Staff check that pupils are keeping 5 and 6 March 2024

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up with the phonics programme. If pupils struggle with reading, skilled staff provide effective support to help them to catch up quickly. As a result, most pupils become confident and fluent readers by the end of Year 2.

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The school ensures that staff are equipped to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND swiftly. Staff use a range of suitable adaptations to support these pupils effectively. This enables pupils with SEND to learn successfully. Pupils with SEND, and those who are disadvantaged, are fully involved in school life.

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Pupils behave extremely well in this school. From the beginning of the Reception Year, children learn routines that help them to settle into school quickly. Pupils are polite and well mannered. They are motivated to learn and engage enthusiastically during lessons. Pupils understand the importance of attending school each day. Where needed, the school works in partnership with external professionals and families to reduce absence.

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Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe online and how to stay physically and mentally healthy. Pupils contribute to the life of the school through their roles, for example as school councillors and reading ambassadors. Pupils are keen to attend the wide array of extra-curricular clubs that the school offers such as karate, craft, and football clubs. Pupils say that everyone is welcome in their school, regardless of any differences that they may have. However, some aspects of the school’s programme to support pupils’ personal development are less effective than others. This includes teaching pupils about the importance of fundamental British values and of religions that differ from their own. This means that some pupils are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be.

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Governors know the school community well and are dedicated to securing the best outcomes for their pupils. Governors hold the school to account for the quality of education that pupils receive.

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Staff are proud to be part of the school team. They appreciate that their workload and well-being are always considered by the school leaders. Through regular questionnaires, staff’s opinions are heard and acted on.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a minority of subjects, the school has not ensured that the specific building blocks of knowledge are clear enough. In these subjects, staff are hindered in designing learning that supports pupils to build logically on what they already 5 and 6 March 2024

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know. The school should ensure that these subject curriculums are further refined so that staff are clear about the essential knowledge that pupils should learn.  The school has not ensured that pupils learn enough about different religions and the importance of British values. This means that some pupils are not as well prepared as they could be for life in modern Britain. The school should review its personal development programme to ensure that all aspects are taught equally well.

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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 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.stmargaretsce.rochdale.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 18 and 19 September 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This Church of England school is in the Diocese of Manchester. The last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, was in May 2016. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place by 2025.  The governing body manages a breakfast club.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision for pupils.

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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 March 2024

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, other senior leaders and staff. They also met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector observed some pupils reading to a trusted adult.  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 observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and breaktimes. They also

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spoke with pupils about their experiences of school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

Ruth Moran, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Price Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 March 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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