St. Mary's Catholic Primary School Euxton

Inspection of St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School Euxton Wigan Road, Euxton, Chorley, Lancashire PR7 6JW

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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 Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 12 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. 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. 14 and 15 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very happy at this school. They told inspectors that the school is a kind and caring place to be. Older pupils play their part in creating a positive environment by serving as ‘buddies’ for children in the Reception Year. Pupils enjoy playing ball games in the designated area, affectionately known as the ‘ball park’, at play times. Pupils behave sensibly and are kept safe at these social times.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides plenty of additional opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests. For example, there is a range of extra-curricular clubs that run before and after school. These range from taekwondo and tennis clubs in the mornings to reading, science and languages clubs at other points in the school day. There is also a choir for key stage 2 pupils to further explore their interest in music.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for what pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), should learn. The school’s published data for 2023 demonstrates that, in English and mathematics, pupils typically achieve highly by the time they leave in Year 6.

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better?

The school has recently overhauled much of its curriculum to ensure that it is broader and more balanced. The school has outlined its expectations for what pupils should learn by the end of each year in each subject. Typically, the school has broken down these expectations into smaller, logical steps of curriculum content. It has provided teachers with useful guidance on how to deliver this content. The curriculum changes are starting to help teachers to deliver new learning in a more effective, coherent way than before. That said, where the curriculum is not as well embedded, some pupils have not acquired the same deep, rich body of knowledge in these subjects as they have in others.

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better?

With some subject curriculums being new, the school is still refining some curriculum content to better suit its individual context. This includes parts of the early years curriculum. The school is still developing its thinking to adapt the delivery of some curriculum subjects to suit the needs of pupils, including those with SEND. In a few subjects, this means that the activities provided are not as effective as they could be in helping pupils to learn all that they should.

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better?

The school has introduced new systems to help it evaluate the delivery and effectiveness of new subject curriculums. In some subjects, this leads to the school taking appropriate actions to address deficiencies in curriculum design and implementation. However, in some other subjects, the school’s curriculum oversight is not as secure. This means that remedial actions to address some issues are not as swift as they could be.

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better?

The school uses appropriate questioning strategies during lessons to check how well pupils understand new content. Assessment information is used particularly well to 14 and 15 May 2024

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generate phonics activities that help pupils to address their individual knowledge gaps.

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The school ensures that children learn through its chosen phonics programme as soon as they begin in the Reception Year. Well-trained staff deliver the programme with fidelity. Pupils typically read books that are suited to their current stage of reading. Where needed, pupils receive regular catch-up support. Almost all pupils meet the phonics screening check in Year 1. They begin key stage 2 as fluent, confident readers.

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The school has sufficient systems in place to identify pupils with SEND early. In some subjects, it makes suitable adaptations to help these pupils to access their learning.

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The school caters well for many aspects of pupils’ personal development. For example, it invites artists and forensic scientists into school to bring pupils’ learning to life. It arranges careers events for older pupils to consider their future aspirations. The school teaches pupils how to look after their physical and mental health. That said, the school does not cater for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education as well as it could. Consequently, pupils do not develop a strong awareness of the diverse range of backgrounds, cultures and beliefs of others.

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Pupils have a positive attitude to their education. They engage well in lessons and conduct themselves sensibly around the school. This includes children in the early years. Pupils have high rates of attendance. Few pupils are persistently absent.

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Staff were roundly positive about working at the school. Governors are mindful of staff well-being. They conduct regular surveys to gather and respond to staff’s views. Governors are passionate about the school and fulfil their duties effectively.

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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 developing its ability to adapt the delivery of the curriculum to meet the needs of its pupils, including those with SEND. Consequently, pupils do not develop a rich body of knowledge in some subjects. The school should complete its curriculum refinements and ensure that staff are well equipped to adapt the delivery of curriculum content to suit the needs of pupils.  The school does not cater for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education as well as it could. As such, pupils do not have a broad knowledge of people’s different cultures, beliefs and backgrounds. The school should ensure that it 14 and 15 May 2024

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promotes diversity well so that pupils can broaden their view of the world and people’s differences.  The school’s oversight of some subject curriculums is not as secure as it is in others. Consequently, the school’s actions to address some issues in curriculum design and delivery are not as swift as they are in other subjects. The school should review its approaches to evaluating the effectiveness of its curriculum design and delivery.

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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). 14 and 15 May 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.euxton-st-marys.lancs.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 5 November 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been several changes in headteacher since the last inspection. The current headteacher was appointed in September 2021. A new SEND coordinator took up position in January 2023.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.  The school is a voluntary aided Catholic primary school. The most recent section 48 inspection of the school’s religious character took place across February and March 2024. The school is awaiting confirmation from the archdiocese about its next section 48 inspection.

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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. 14 and 15 May 2024

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 This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in these subjects: art and design, early reading and mathematics. They met with subject leaders and teachers. They visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work and talked with groups of pupils about their learning. The lead inspector observed pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum, spoke with pupils about their learning and evaluated their work in some other subjects.  The lead inspector spoke with a group of governors. Inspectors also talked to staff about their workload and well-being.  The inspectors spoke with a representative of the local authority and the archdiocese.  Inspectors met with the leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour

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and pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their wider experience of school.  Inspectors looked at a range of policies and documents related to pupils’ welfare and education. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  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 took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to the pupil survey.  Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day and took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

David Spruce, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Olivia Barnes Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 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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