Broken Cross Primary Academy and Nursery

Inspection of a good school: Broken Cross Primary Academy and Nursery Parkett Heyes Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 8UD

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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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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Donna Lewis. This school is part of the Fallibroome Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Jeremy Spencer, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mike Gorton.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming school where every pupil is known and celebrated as an individual. Pupils are happy and safe. They feel loved, accepted and successful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has exceedingly high expectations of pupils’ academic success across each area of the curriculum. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. They spoke in depth about what they have learned. Children in the early years are well prepared for key stage 1 and pupils in Year 6 are ready for their secondary education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They are friendly and courteous. Pupils are very attentive in lessons. They are enthusiastic to learn. From the beginning of the early years to Year 6, there is a calm and purposeful atmosphere across school. This enables pupils to focus completely on their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn to embrace people, regardless of any differences that they may have. For example, many pupils attend the school’s ‘Pride club’ and are thrilled to take part in the town’s annual Pride Parade. Pupils were eager to tell the inspector about trips that they had taken part in, including to the pottery museum, the local forest and the sculpture park. These opportunities add considerable value to pupils’ learning and development. 16 and 17 July 2024

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

The school is highly ambitious for pupils, including those with SEND. It has carefully mapped out a broad and balanced curriculum with clear end points from the early years to the end of Year 6.

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

The school works closely with the trust to provide high-quality training to staff that enables them to design learning activities well. This also helps to ensure that the curriculum is delivered exactly as intended.

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

Staff are adept at identifying pupils’ misconceptions and misunderstandings. They use the school’s assessment strategies effectively to identify where pupils may have gaps in their knowledge and to shape their future learning. Over time, pupils develop a deep body of knowledge in a range of subjects. In a few subjects, staff’s expectations of the quality of work in pupils’ books fluctuates. As a result, there is some unevenness in the work that pupils produce in these subjects.

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

The school has successfully prioritised a love of reading. Pupils of all ages spoke enthusiastically about their favourite stories and regular ‘book picnics’ where they choose which story to listen to outdoors.

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

Children in the Nursery Year, and in the provision for two-year-olds, learn to hear rhythm and rhyming patterns. This prepares them well to start learning phonics as soon as they begin the Reception Year. Pupils practise their reading using books that are carefully matched to the sounds that they know. If pupils struggle with the pace of the phonics programme, staff provide highly effective support to help them to catch up quickly. Most pupils become confident and fluent readers by the end of Year 2.

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

Pupils are respectful and thoughtful towards adults and each other. Pupils display independence and high levels of motivation when working individually or in pairs. Where pupils’ attendance rates are low, the school takes prompt action to reduce absence. The school’s excellent partnerships with its families helps these actions to be effective.

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

Pupils with SEND are identified quickly. Staff receive valuable guidance that equips them with the knowledge to support these pupils effectively. Parents and carers of pupils with additional needs appreciate the nurturing support that the school provides to them and to their children. Pupils with SEND thrive in all aspects of their development and achieve well across the curriculum.

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

The school has designed an impressive programme to develop pupils’ character. Pupils were eager to introduce their school dog, Bob, to the inspector. They proudly explained how they carry out their roles of responsibility, including acting as anti-bullying and reading ambassadors and school councillors. The school places importance on teaching pupils’ economic awareness through real life scenarios. Pupils enjoy an array of clubs, such as comic, laptop and football clubs. These are carefully tailored to meet pupils’ needs. These opportunities have a positive impact on pupils’ aspirations and prepare them exceptionally well for life in modern Britain. 16 and 17 July 2024

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The local governing board has an accurate picture of the school’s strengths and areas for development. It effectively holds school leaders to account for the quality of education that pupils receive.

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The trust and the school make sure that staff workload is not overly burdensome. For example, the school ensures that staff workload is considered at the starting point of any new initiatives. Staff told the inspector that they feel valued and are very proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers’ expectations of the quality of work in some pupils’ books is variable. From time to time, some pupils do not produce work that reflects the high levels of achievement that they are capable of. The school should ensure that teachers demonstrate consistently high expectations of pupils’ work and that pupils successfully meet these.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2019.

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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. 16 and 17 July 2024

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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). 16 and 17 July 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 May 2019

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Information about this school

 Broken Cross Primary Academy and Nursery is part of the Fallibroome Trust.  The school has provision for two-year-old children.  The school runs an on-site breakfast and after-school club.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, other senior leaders and staff. She also met with members of the trust, including the chair of trustees and the local governing board. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority. 16 and 17 July 2024

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also considered the curriculum in some other subjects.  The inspector observed some pupils reading to a trusted adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and breaktimes. She also spoke with pupils about their experiences of school.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text

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comments. The inspector also considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff. There were no responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Ruth Moran, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 16 and 17 July 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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