Freshfield Primary School

Inspection of Freshfield Primary School Watchyard Lane, Formby, Liverpool, Merseyside L37 3JT

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since June 2013. 21 and 22 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Freshfield Primary school is a special place. Pupils delight in coming to this happy school each day. They are greeted by staff every morning with a warm and welcoming smile. Pupils including those in the special education needs (SEN) unit benefit from strong and supportive relationships with staff and each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), both in the mainstream and in the SEN unit, enjoy their learning and strive to meet the exceptionally high standards that the school has set for their achievement. As a result, pupils achieve remarkably well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. From the minute they come into Nursery they are taught to be ‘ready, respectful and safe.’ Routines are well established and this makes school a calm and purposeful place. This enables pupils to focus clearly on their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a vast array of opportunities that extend pupils’ wider development. These opportunities are available to all pupils. This includes a range of after school activities such as dance, choir, art and sports clubs. The school ensures there is something for everyone to enjoy. Pupils spoke proudly about their involvement in local events, performances and sporting competitions.

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better?

The school has developed a rich and ambitious curriculum which is underpinned by a commitment to excellence. The same high ambition is also evident in the highly personalised curriculum designed to meet the needs of pupils within the SEN unit. The important knowledge that pupils need to know and when it is to be taught has been carefully sequenced. This ensures that pupils’ learning builds on what they already know.

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better?

The school has highly effective processes to identify and support pupils with additional needs. Staff expertly adapt the delivery of the curriculum. As a result, pupils with SEND, across school and within the unit, achieve exceptionally well.

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better?

The school ensures that staff benefit from carefully considered and high-quality training. It has used educational research to inform its practice. Staff value this training and the way in which it improves their teaching. It supports them to deliver the curriculum with expertise and design activities which enables pupils, including children in the early years, to learn exceptionally well. Teachers use the school’s assessment information effectively to identify and address where pupils may have gaps in their knowledge. Over time, pupils develop a deep body of knowledge and make connections across subjects. 21 and 22 May 2024

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Reading sits at the heart of the curriculum. Throughout school and within the SEN unit, texts are carefully chosen to inform, inspire and challenge pupils’ thinking. From the time children enter the early years, they are exposed to a range of rhymes and stories which foster their love of reading and promote their language development.

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Staff deliver the phonics programme with confidence and precision. Any pupils who find reading difficult keep up with their learning because of highly effective support. The books which pupils read are well matched to the sounds that they have learned. Consequently, most pupils are confident and fluent readers by the end of Year 2. Older pupils spoke enthusiastically about the books that they have read and their favourite authors. They particularly enjoyed the visits from poets and authors who told them about their inspiration for writing.

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Children in the early years quickly learn behaviour routines and expectations. Adults support children extremely well to develop strong social and emotional skills. Pupils behave impeccably. They are respectful to each other and articulate their thoughts and feelings exceptionally well. Pupils’ exemplary attitudes ensure that everyone can learn without disruption. The school is unwavering in its efforts to ensure high attendance among its pupils.

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The wider curriculum is exceptionally well-thought-out and considered. It supports pupils to develop their character, interests and talents to an impressive level. Pupils are extremely knowledgeable about fundamental British values. They talk in depth about how these impact on life in school and society. Visits and visitors are arranged to support pupils’ understanding of different faiths and cultures. As a result, pupils are highly considerate of the views and beliefs of different groups of people.

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The school offers a plethora of sporting clubs and activities. This encourages pupils to pursue these interests outside school. Pupils know how to keep themselves physically healthy and mentally well. They also know how to act appropriately in order to keep themselves safe online. Pupils enjoy taking part in the choir and representing their school by singing at local events.

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Governors ensure that leaders are accountable for providing a high quality of education for all pupils. They carefully monitor the developments within school. They provide exceptional support and challenge to the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 21 and 22 May 2024

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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). 21 and 22 May 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 and 7 June 2013

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher, deputy headteacher and chair of governors have been appointed since the last inspection.  The school does not make use of alternative provision for pupils.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club.  The school has a 24 place SEN unit for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Severe Learning Difficulty (SLD).

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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 that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken this into account in their evaluation. 21 and 22 May 2024

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 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other members of staff. The lead inspector spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, and spoke to teachers and with some pupils about their learning. Inspectors also looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to pupils reading with a familiar adult. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum with leaders in other subjects.  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

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culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at various times in the school day. This included during lessons as well as at playtime and lunchtime.  Inspectors considered the views expressed by parents and carers in their responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspectors spoke with parents as they brought their children to school at the start of the school day.  Inspectors also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaires for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Pat Speed, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Peter Berry Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 May 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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