Shankhill CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Shankhill CofE Primary School Hethersgill, Carlisle, Cumbria CA6 6JA

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at this welcoming and ambitious school. All pupils are very well known by staff. This helps staff to meet pupils’ needs exceptionally well. Pupils follow a very well- thought-out curriculum, which helps them to achieve highly. They are also expertly guided to develop as well-rounded citizens. Pupils leave the school remarkably well prepared for the next stage of their development.

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What is it like to attend this school?

From the start of the early years, children swiftly learn the values, rules and routines expected at Shankhill. This helps children and older pupils to learn how to behave consistently well and how to treat others with respect. Pupils have the highest regard for their friends and for the adults who work with them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is at the centre of its community. Pupils enjoy trips into the local area, which help to help enhance their learning. Pupils understand that not all communities are similar to their own. Through the curriculum and other experiences, such as trips and visitors to school, pupils learn about life in modern Britain and beyond. They talked knowledgeably about the lives of people whose culture and traditions are very different to their own. One pupil summed up the views of many, when she said, ‘We are all human beings and we all like different things.’

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Over time, the school has developed a broad, ambitious and highly effective curriculum. The school is meticulous in its approach to meet the needs of pupils in its mixed-age classes. Staff constantly check whether pupils have learned the curriculum. They use their findings to make any required changes to future lessons and to ensure that new learning builds on what pupils already know. Staff are experts at revisiting pupils’ prior learning. This helps pupils to master knowledge and skills which they seamlessly apply to learning 26 March 2024

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in other subjects. Pupils’ recall of learning and their ability to use this to discuss and debate is particularly impressive. The school’s ambition for all pupils to thrive helps pupils to achieve exceptionally well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged.

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Reading is at the forefront of the school’s ambitions. From the moment that children enter the Nursery, they are immersed in books and literature. Children start to learn phonics as soon as they start in the Reception class. Staff are impressively well trained in being experts in the teaching of reading. This ensures that pupils throughout key stage 1 continue to develop their phonics knowledge with ease. The vast majority of pupils meet the phonics screening check in Year 1. By the end of key stage one, pupils develop into confident and fluent readers.

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Pupils in key stage 2 have a well-developed love of reading. They have ample opportunities to read, both at home and in school. They talked with great confidence about their favourite authors and the wide range of genres of text that they are exposed to.

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Pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, around school and at playtimes is exemplary. They develop strong and trusting friendships with their peers and show consistent respect and kindness to others. Pupils have unwaveringly positive attitudes to their learning, such is their interest in the curriculum. Their learning in very rarely disrupted. Pupils’ enjoyment of learning is a key factor in their high attendance at school.

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The school has developed a wide-ranging and well-designed programme for pupils’ personal development. Opportunities to develop pupils’ character and an understanding of fundamental British values are paramount in the school’s thinking. Pupils enjoy learning about people’s differences. They know and appreciate that life beyond their local community is diverse. Pupils spoke confidently about their understanding of different types of families, religions and lifestyles.

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Staff’s in-depth understanding of each pupil helps them to appreciate and identify any additional needs that a pupil may have. The school is very ambitious for pupils with SEND. Staff expertly adapt the delivery of the curriculum when required, which enables these pupils to successfully learn the same content as their peers.

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Staff are overwhelmingly positive about working in the school. They described it as a ‘big, happy family’ where people step in to help others. The school recognises the pressures on staff’s workload and well-being. Staff are given time to complete any additional tasks. They also said that the well-designed curriculum helps to reduce their workload.

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Governors are regular visitors to school and have a firm understanding of its effectiveness. They provide support and challenge in equal measure, for example, around the quality of education on offer.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 26 March 2024

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2015.

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How can I feed back my views?

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). 26 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 December 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school is part of the Diocese of Carlisle. The last section 48 inspection was carried out in December 2021. The next inspection should take place within the next five academic years.

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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 leaders and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors completed deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. As part of the deep dives, the inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited lessons, met with teachers and looked at pupils’ work. The lead inspector also looked at the curriculum and pupils’ work in some other subjects. The lead inspector observed some pupils reading to a familiar adult. 26 March 2024

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 The inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other school leaders and members of staff.  The lead inspector spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority and of the diocese.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record and took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils. They also considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons. They spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.  The inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also considered the views of staff shared through Ofsted’s online staff survey.

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 The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. This included the free- text responses.

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Inspection team

Ian Hardman, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Stephanie Swift Ofsted Inspector 26 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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