Lostock Hall Primary School

Inspection of Lostock Hall Primary School Mallard Crescent, Poynton, Stockport, Cheshire SK12 1XG

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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 Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Graham Hamilton. This school is part of The True Learning Partnership trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Peter Cox, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Grenville Page.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Lostock Hall Primary School as an academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection of the predecessor school. 8 and 9 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at this caring and friendly school. They appreciate the way that staff get to know them as individuals. Pupils are excited to come to school each day. They warmly greet their friends and staff each morning. Pupils are happy in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ learning, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Many pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exceptional. From the beginning of the early years to Year 6, pupils show excellent attitudes towards their learning. Pupils are focused and enthused during lessons. They welcome visitors to their school and are proud to show off their learning. Pupils are confident and considerate towards others. For example, they are extremely respectful and understanding towards other pupils. There is a harmonious atmosphere throughout the school. Pupils thrive socially and emotionally because of the highly respectful relationships that exist between pupils and staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a well-thought-out programme to develop their learning beyond the academic curriculum. Pupils celebrate their achievements in school and they spoke with pride about representing their school at various sporting tournaments. Pupils relish the opportunity to develop and showcase their talents and interests, for example through school musical productions.

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better?

The school has successfully developed an ambitious curriculum from the early years to Year 6. It has made sure that pupils learn curriculum content in a logical order, which enables them to build on their prior learning effectively.

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better?

Staff deliver the curriculum well. They select appropriate activities which support pupils to learn the content of the curriculum. Staff routinely check that pupils understand their work. When pupils do develop misunderstandings, staff are quick to address any issues by providing helpful, timely guidance. This enables pupils to secure the most important knowledge in their long-term memory and draw on it for future learning.

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better?

In some subjects, the school is in the process of refining its assessment strategies. This means that, in these areas of the curriculum, subject leaders are less well informed about the effectiveness of the curriculums on pupils’ learning.

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better?

A love of reading flows throughout the school. Pupils enthusiastically read a wide range of books and poetry by different authors. They also enjoy listening to the class stories that the staff read to them. From the start of the early years, children enjoy books and stories. They gain a strong foundation on which to build when they learn phonics in the Reception class. In the main, the school provides appropriate 8 and 9 May 2024

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support to help those pupils who struggle with learning to read. Staff typically deliver the phonics programme well.

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The school has the same high expectations for pupils with SEND. It quickly identifies pupils’ needs. Staff skilfully adapt the delivery of the curriculum to enable pupils with SEND to successfully learn alongside their peers. Pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Pupils show high levels of resilience and determination towards their life in school. They demonstrate exemplary behaviours. For example, older pupils gladly help children in the early years during lunchtimes because they want to act as positive and supportive role models. The school makes sure that attendance is everybody’s responsibility. It provides a wealth of support for families to successfully overcome any barriers to securing good attendance. Pupils attend school regularly.

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The school provides a wide range of opportunities that promote pupils’ personal development. For example, children in the early years visit the airport to bring their learning to life. Pupils contribute to the life of the school and the wider community. For instance, pupils raise money for various charities. Throughout the school, pupils learn about tolerance and respecting others, including those different to themselves. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern British society.

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Trustees and members of the local governing body understand their roles and carry them out well. They are extremely proud to be part of this nurturing school. Staff also enjoy working at the school. Levels of morale are high. Staff appreciate the consideration that the school gives to their well-being. For example, the school gives staff time to implement any changes so that these do not adversely affect their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school is still refining its assessment strategies in some newer subject curriculums. This means that subject leaders do not have the information that they need to analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of some curriculum areas. The school should ensure that subject leaders gather and use assessment information to make any necessary improvements to the curriculum.

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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. 8 and 9 May 2024

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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 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). 8 and 9 May 2024

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School details

CEO of the trust Peter Cox (CEO) Gary Bevin (acting CEO) Headteacher Graham Hamilton

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Lostock Hall Primary School converted to become an academy school in December 2018. When its predecessor school of the same name was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school runs an on-site breakfast club and after-school club.

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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. 8 and 9 May 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the lead inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other leaders.  The lead inspector met with the acting CEO and a representative from the local authority. She also met with members of the local governing body, including the chair of governors and members of the board of trustees, including the vice-chair of trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to staff, spoke to a range of pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in other subjects and looked at documentation and

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samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector heard a range of pupils from Year 1 to Year 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors talked with pupils in meetings. An inspector visited the school breakfast club and observed pupils’ behaviour outside during breaktimes and lunchtimes.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses. An inspector also spoke with some parents during the inspection.  Inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to the Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents, including school policies, records of behaviour, school improvement documents and a sample of documents for pupils with SEND. Inspectors also looked at minutes from governing body meetings, information about pupils leaving and starting at the school and records relating to pupils’ attendance.

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 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’ interest first.

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Inspection team

Sheena Clark, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kevin Simpson Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 May 2024

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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