Gosforth CofE Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of Gosforth CofE Primary School Wasdale Road, Gosforth, Seascale, Cumbria CA20 1AZ

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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 13 and 14 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like their school. They feel safe and happy here. Pupils enjoy their lessons and get on well with each other and with staff. Children in the early years settle in quickly because they feel secure with the adults who care for them. Pupils of all ages enjoy breaktimes in the school’s extensive grounds. There is a warm welcome for any pupils who are new to the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school sets high expectations for what pupils can achieve, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils try their best to live up to these expectations. They listen carefully to teachers and apply themselves to their work. If they do not understand something, pupils know that they can ask staff to help them. Pupils achieve well in the subjects that they learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Since the last inspection, the school has put in place clearer expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils, including children in the early years, understand the rules and try hard to follow them at all times. The school is a calm and orderly place where pupils behave well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides pupils with a range of experiences beyond the academic curriculum. Pupils relish their after-school clubs for activities such as judo and dodgeball. They especially enjoy participating in the school’s talent festival. Pupils strive to achieve their school’s motto by being strong and courageous. They are appropriately prepared for high school when the time comes.

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better?

The school has made improvements to the curriculum since the last inspection. The now broad and ambitious curriculum makes clear what pupils should know in each subject by the time that they leave the school. The school has broken down this important knowledge into small, well-ordered steps from the early years to Year 6. All pupils learn this strong curriculum, including those with SEND.

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better?

Improvements to the curriculum did not have sufficient time to impact upon the outcomes in mathematics for pupils at the end of key stage 2 in 2023. Consequently, the published data for those pupils does not reflect how current pupils are learning.

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better?

Staff design learning that builds on what pupils already know and can do. This helps to ensure that pupils develop their knowledge appropriately, including where they learn in mixed-age classes.

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better?

In lessons, staff check regularly to ensure that pupils have understood new learning. This enables staff to identify and correct any misconceptions that may have occurred. The school makes effective use of information from assessments to improve the delivery of the curriculum when necessary. In most subjects, the school 13 and 14 March 2024

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has developed a clear understanding of how the curriculum helps pupils to know more and remember more over time. In a small number of subjects, the school’s understanding of the impact of the curriculum is at an earlier stage of development. This limits the school’s ability to make any further improvements to the curriculum so that it has the intended impact on pupils’ knowledge.

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Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. The school’s phonics programme begins at the start of the Reception year. Children quickly learn how to break down and build up sounds in order to read words successfully. Staff have received training to enable them to teach phonics with expertise. For example, staff provide children with reading books that contain only the letters and sounds that they know. This enables children to develop confidence in reading. Children receive prompt help to catch up with the phonics programme should they need it. Pupils continue to increase their phonics knowledge in Year 1. They typically become competent readers.

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The school provides pupils with a wide range of literature to read. Pupils said that they enjoy visiting the school library to select books for themselves. They remember books that they have read, and they can talk about their favourite authors. Pupils apply their strong reading skills to their work in other subjects. Pupils of all ages achieve well in reading, including pupils with SEND.

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Staff are skilled at identifying when pupils may have SEND. They know how to make adaptations to the way that they deliver learning, so that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum fully. The school communicates effectively with a range of professionals to ensure that pupils with SEND receive expert help if they need it. Parents and carers are fully involved in this process. Pupils with SEND achieve well over time from their individual starting points.

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Following the last inspection, the school took swift action to improve the consistency with which staff managed pupils’ behaviour. This action was successful. Pupils are now clear about what is expected of them in class and around school. Their sensible behaviour ensures that everyone can get on with their work in class.

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Pupils learn in age-appropriate ways about the differences and similarities that exist between people and families. For example, they learn about cultures and faiths that may be different from their own. Pupils learn to contribute to the life of their community through various projects and fund-raising activities. Pupils learn about the importance of healthy relationships and how to keep themselves safe when they work online. These experiences help to prepare pupils for life beyond school.

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Governors understand the school’s strengths and its priorities for development. They ask a range of challenging questions to hold leaders to account for their work to improve the school. Governors and leaders have due regard for any impact on staff’s workload and well-being when making decisions about the school. 13 and 14 March 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s work to understand the impact of the curriculum in a small number of subjects is at an early stage. This makes it difficult for the school to make further improvements to the curriculum in these subjects, should they be necessary. The school should ensure that in these subjects, there is a clear understanding of the impact of the curriculum over time from the early years to Year 6.

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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). 13 and 14 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Christopher Walton

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 18 January 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed to the school. A new chair has also been appointed to the governing body.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.  The school is part of the Diocese of Carlisle. The last section 48 inspection took place in March 2018. The school is awaiting confirmation from the diocese about its next section 48 inspection.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation. 13 and 14 March 2024

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 The inspectors met with the headteacher, the assistant headteacher and other school leaders.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body. She also met remotely with representatives of the local authority and of the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to some pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects and looked at a range of pupils’ books.  The inspectors considered the views expressed by parents and carers in their responses to Ofsted Parent View. This included the free-text comments. The inspectors also spoke to a few parents at the start of the school day.

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 The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.  The inspectors spoke to some pupils about school life.  The inspectors spoke with staff to discuss the school’s support for their workload and well-being.  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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Inspection team

Mavis Smith, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Trish Merritt Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 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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