Stamford Park Primary School

Inspection of Stamford Park Primary School Cedar Road, Hale, Altrincham, Cheshire WA15 9JB

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 10 and 11 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, along with their parents and carers, are full of praise for this school. Pupils enjoy learning together. They welcome others into the learning community. Pupils are proud of how diverse their school is. They celebrate each other’s differences joyfully. A typical view, expressed by many, is that ‘no-one here is the same, it is nice to be different’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is determined for every pupil to succeed, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language. These pupils benefit from the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Pupils are encouraged to develop their resilience and independence. In the main, they do. Pupils, including those with SEND, typically achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Recently, the school has raised its expectations of pupils’ conduct. Pupils have risen to the challenge admirably. They co-operate during lessons and show consideration and respect as they move around the building. Pupils recognise that behaviour in the school has improved.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils spoke enthusiastically about the opportunities that they have to help others in school and in the local area. For instance, they raise money for local charities. Pupils elected to the eco-council help their classmates to learn how to take care of the environment.

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better?

This school has recently undergone a period of substantial transition. Since amalgamating in 2021, the governing body has kept a sharp focus on maintaining the two predecessor schools’ high standards of attainment. Their keen oversight has ensured that this transition has been successful. In the main, governors’ and leaders’ vision for the school is being realised.

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better?

The school has aligned its previous curriculums into a broad and ambitious whole. This sets out a coherent body of knowledge that spans from the beginning of the Nursery Year to Year 6. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps in education.

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better?

In most subjects, the school has identified the important knowledge for pupils to remember. This knowledge is organised thoughtfully so that pupils build up their understanding gradually. However, in a minority of subjects, staff lack clarity about what should be taught and when. At times, there is confusion between the previous and new curriculums. As a result, some pupils do not learn all that they should in these subjects.

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better?

In subjects where the curriculum is well developed, staff deliver it well. They explain new ideas clearly and ensure that pupils revisit previous learning often. This helps most pupils to remember what they been taught. At times, however, teachers' 10 and 11 April 2024

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strategies to check what pupils have learned are less effective. This makes it harder for staff to identify any misconceptions that pupils may have.

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The school has strengthened its reading curriculum. This is helping pupils, including those recently arrived from other countries, to develop into confident readers. In turn, this contributes to their achievement in other subjects. In the early years, children are immersed in rhymes and songs. They develop a broad vocabulary alongside their phonics knowledge. By the end of key stage 1, most pupils read accurately. If pupils fall behind their peers, staff support them so that they catch up quickly. Pupils of all ages enjoy reading. Staff encourage them to read from a wide variety of books.

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The school expertly identifies any additional needs that pupils may have. This includes pupils with SEND and a growing number of pupils who speak English as an additional language. Staff think carefully about how to meet these needs. They ensure that pupils receive the support that they need to learn well.

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Pupils behave well. Staff in the early years ensure that children learn about good manners and turn-taking. Older pupils learn to recognise and regulate their own emotions. This helps to create a positive learning environment. Most pupils attend school well. If pupils struggle to come to school, staff work with their families to understand any difficulties that they may face. These pupils quickly get back on track with their learning.

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Pupils experience a rich variety of opportunities that support their personal development. Playing sports helps them to learn how to look after their physical health. Pupils express their creativity by learning to play a musical instrument. They take on positions of responsibility eagerly. For instance, digital leaders help other pupils to learn about online safety. The school ensures that these experiences are available to all.

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Staff are well supported. The school considers their views carefully and make changes that reduce their workload. For instance, it ensures that staff have enough time to carry out their responsibilities effectively.

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Governors are helping to continue to improve the school. However, at times, the information that they receive from the school about some subjects has given them an overgenerous view of pupils’ achievement. This has slowed the pace of improvement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 10 and 11 April 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a minority of subjects, the curriculum is in a state of transition. The essential knowledge that pupils should learn is not identified clearly enough, nor is it organised logically over time. This makes it difficult for pupils to build a secure body of knowledge in these subjects. The school should ensure that there is clarity about what pupils should know and remember, and in what order this learning should be delivered in these subjects.  In some subjects, assessment strategies do not give staff an accurate understanding of how well pupils have learned the curriculum. At times, pupils develop gaps in their learning without staff being aware. The school should ensure that assessment strategies in these subjects are well matched to the knowledge in the curriculum, so that teachers accurately identify and revisit missed or forgotten learning.  On occasions, the information that governors receive about the school does not

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

provide a clear enough view of the quality of education in some subjects. This makes it difficult for governors to check that their intent is being fully realised. The school should ensure that improvements to the curriculum are monitored and evaluated carefully to ensure that they have the intended positive impact on pupils’ achievement.

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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). 10 and 11 April 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Stamford Park Infant School and Stamford Park Junior School amalgamated in September 2021 to form Stamford Park Primary School. The junior school was last inspected by Ofsted in June 2020 and was judged to be good overall. The infant school was last inspected 17 years ago and was judged outstanding under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the infant school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time. It was then exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  The headteacher, chair of governors and several other leaders have all been appointed since the amalgamation of the two predecessor schools.  A provider of after-school childcare operates from the school’s premises. This provider is registered separately with Ofsted, on the Early Years Register. It was

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Information about this school

not considered during this inspection.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision for pupils. 10 and 11 April 2024

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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.  Inspectors completed deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography, art and design and music. They met with subject leaders, visited some lessons, reviewed pupils’ work and spoke with teachers and pupils. The lead inspector also listened to some pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke to leaders about the curriculum in other subjects.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation. They spoke with the headteacher and other leaders throughout the inspection. An inspector also met with the SEND coordinator.  The lead inspector met with some governors, including the chair of the governing

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Information about this inspection

body. He also spoke via telephone with a representative of the local authority.  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 first.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for pupils and for staff.

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Inspection team

Ben Hill, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Niamh Howlett Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 April 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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