St Luke's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of St Luke’s Church of England Primary School Jubilee Road, Formby, Merseyside L37 2HW

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 26 and 27 March 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where pupils learn to be themselves, to respect difference and to speak out when they see injustice. Pupils behave exceptionally well. For instance, through their words and actions, they show considerable care and kindness towards others. The school deliberately teaches pupils to understand the contribution of different people to the richness of modern culture. For example, pupils recently listened to and learned about the music of the symphonic composer Florence Price.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), said that the school cares about them. Pupils respond to the school’s high expectations for their academic outcomes. They achieve well. Pupils enjoy their learning and they are happy at school. Pupils told the inspectors that their many opportunities to take part in dramatic performances at the school help to build their confidence.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school inspires pupils to broaden their knowledge and skills. For example, pupils learn to ride a bicycle and to play musical instruments. Many pupils hold positions of responsibility such as mini-medics, anti-bullying ambassadors or members of the school council. A high proportion of pupils at the school benefit from opportunities to attend extra-curricular activities such as athletics, choir and darts and the before- and after-school clubs.

p.2

better?

Over time, leaders at all levels, staff and the governing body have successfully sustained the school’s work to provide pupils with a good education. This has been achieved through teamwork, mutual challenge, review and the skilful refinement of the school’s curriculum.

p.2

better?

The school provides staff with valuable training opportunities. It ensures that staff learn from the work of colleagues in other schools and benefit from the advice that they receive from external education experts. In the early years, staff draw on their learning from educational research to support children’s thinking skills in ever deeper ways. Staff understand the content of the school’s curriculum and they know how to deliver it meaningfully to pupils.

p.2

better?

Teachers and teaching assistants find that this school is a rewarding place to work. Right from the start of the early years, children learn to be deeply considerate towards other people. Pupils’ excellent behaviour means that staff can focus on the joy of teaching. The school does all it can to support parents and carers to ensure that pupils attend school when they should.

p.2

better?

As a result of its clear curricular thinking, the school has identified the key knowledge that pupils should learn. Staff introduce pupils to essential concepts and information in a logical and coherent order. Pupils are well-equipped to learn in depth. The school prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education. 26 and 27 March 2024

p.2

3

Teachers make effective use of assessment strategies to review pupils’ learning. They act to provide pupils with extra help to understand their work. In the main, pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well in different subjects. Nevertheless, the school sometimes does not ensure that staff help pupils to remember some key knowledge. This means that, at times, some information does not stay in pupils’ long-term memory.

p.3

3

The school makes sure that staff develop and assess pupils’ phonics knowledge effectively. Staff support weaker readers competently, so that pupils learn the precise letter sounds and words that they need to know. Pupils become independent readers and spellers. Many read with skill, ease and confidence.

p.3

3

Pupils develop their understanding of fiction and non-fiction books, including the books that teachers carefully select to read aloud to them. This work starts successfully in the Reception Year. Older pupils recommend books that they have read to their peers, giving articulate reasons for their choices. The school celebrates the skill and joy of reading as crucial to pupils’ future success. Pupils love reading.

p.3

3

The school identifies pupils with SEND quickly and accurately. It ensures that staff make subtle but important changes to their delivery of subject curriculums to match pupils’ needs. As a result, pupils with SEND love school and progress well through the curriculum.

p.3

3

The school prepares pupils exceptionally well for wider aspects of their future lives. For example, older pupils in key stage 2 learn what makes for a healthy relationship with someone else. Pupils benefit greatly from the school’s carefully considered residential trips. They learn much from educational visits, such as to local places of worship, museums and a philharmonic orchestra. They also learn about key features of the local village, pinewoods and beach. The school’s system of buddying older pupils with younger pupils over three years is particularly innovative. It is successful in building friendship and a sense of community between pupils. As a result, pupils are wonderfully prepared to be responsible British citizens.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, in a small number of subjects, the school does not ensure that staff help pupils to remember what they have learned previously. This means that, on occasion, some aspects of pupils’ learning are less secure. The school should make sure that staff help pupils to know and remember the essential knowledge that they have been taught. 26 and 27 March 2024

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 26 and 27 March 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 11 April 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 This is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Liverpool.  The school’s most recent section 48 inspection was in April 2019. The next section 48 inspection is expected to take place by the end of spring 2027.  The school provides a breakfast club and after-school club for pupils. Once a week, it also provides an opportunity for families with younger children to attend the ‘roots and shoots’ sessions.  The school uses one registered alternative provision for pupils.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 26 and 27 March 2024

p.5

6

 This was the first routine inspection the school 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.  To review the work of the school, the inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other leaders and representatives of the local authority, diocese and an alternative provision used by the school.  The inspectors completed deep dives in these subjects: art and design, early reading, history, mathematics and music. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with staff and spoke with some pupils about their learning. They also reviewed a sample of pupils’ work.  The inspectors discussed some other subjects with the school and with pupils.  The lead inspector observed some pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to staff.  The inspectors discussed with the school its provision for pupils’ personal

p.6

6

development, behaviour and attendance, SEND and early years.  The inspectors spoke with staff about their well-being, workload and training. Additional meetings were held with early career teachers, their mentor and induction tutor. Inspectors reviewed the responses from staff to Ofsted’s online survey.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils to ask them about their experiences of the school. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.  The inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments. An inspector spoke with some parents as they arrived at the school with their children.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The inspectors reviewed examples of the minutes of meetings of the governing body.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record, took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils and

p.6

6

considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

p.6

Inspection team

Tim Vaughan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Ian Cooper Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 March 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7