Evelyn Street Primary Academy and Nursery

Inspection of Evelyn Street Primary Academy and Nursery Evelyn Street, Warrington, Cheshire WA5 1BD

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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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The executive headteacher of this school is Louise Smith. This school is part of the Warrington Primary Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Louise Smith, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Alastair Brown.

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Ofsted has not previously inspected Evelyn Street Primary Academy and Nursery under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Evelyn Street Community Primary School to be outstanding, before it opened as Evelyn Street Primary Academy and Nursery as a result of conversion to academy status. 2 and 3 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is an exceptional school where pupils make the best possible start to their education. This stems from the high levels of ambition that the school has for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are taught the importance of resilience. They embody this through the way in which they approach their learning. Many pupils, including those with SEND, achieve extremely well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils meet the school’s high expectations of behaviour with ease. They treat one another with genuine care, respect and understanding. Children begin to learn the importance of these qualities from the moment that they join the early years. Pupils behave impeccably and learning is rarely interrupted.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respect that the school regularly seeks their views on how the school could be even better. For example, reading ambassadors help to choose the new books that enrich the school library. Pupils appreciate the way in which the school listens to and acts on their views. This helps them to feel valued and happy at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are highly enthusiastic about the broad range of clubs that they have access to. These include robotics, animation and coding. The school ensures that many pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, benefit from these clubs. This supports pupils to develop their talents and interests.

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better?

From the early years, through to Year 6, the school’s curriculum is meticulously set out. It identifies the important knowledge that pupils should learn. The school strives to ensure that the curriculum evolves and responds to the changing needs of the pupils. The curriculum is highly ambitious for pupils, including those with SEND. Staff capably adapt access to the curriculum for pupils with SEND, so that they learn well alongside their classmates.

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better?

At all levels of leadership within the school and the trust, many members of staff are specialists in their field. This expertise is used to ensure that staff receive high- quality training, which enables them to teach the curriculum with considerable skill. Moreover, this specialist training also helps staff to swiftly identify any additional needs that pupils may have. The school puts in place well-considered support to help these pupils overcome any barriers to learning.

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better?

Teachers promptly identify and address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. They expertly craft learning activities that deepen pupils’ knowledge and help them to connect their learning across different subjects. This begins in the early years, where many staff are experts in educating young children, including two-year-olds. By the end of Year 6, pupils, including those with SEND, have a deep body of knowledge that stands them in excellent stead for secondary school. 2 and 3 July 2024

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Reading is woven through the school’s curriculum. Pupils regularly encounter a rich variety of texts and technical language in different subjects. This helps them to clearly communicate their views and opinions. Older pupils understand that being well-read is a gateway to new ideas and learning about the lives of others.

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Pupils’ journey to becoming avid readers begins in the early years and key stage 1. Staff teach the phonics programme with accuracy and consistency. Pupils quickly learn the sounds that letters represent. Focused support is put in place promptly for any pupils who need it. Young pupils make a superb start to reading and many are fluent readers by the end of key stage 1.

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Children in the early years are very well behaved. They follow established routines and learn cooperatively alongside one another. Across the school, pupils display excellent manners. Pupils have fantastic attendance at school. The school’s systems and procedures around attendance are highly effective. Any attendance concerns are swiftly picked up and addressed at an early stage.

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Pupils experience an extensive range of opportunities that enhance their personal development. Pupils understand how to manage their online behaviours. The school ensures that pupils have an awareness of how to keep safe around potential local hazards, such as the canal and train lines. Pupils take part in activities that bring British values, such as democracy, to life. For example, school council candidates participate in hustings before voting begins. These opportunities help pupils to become very well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Trustees and local committee governors are highly effective in monitoring how well the school operates at all levels. They have an unrelenting focus on the quality of education provided by the school. To this end, they provide effective challenge and support to the school. Trustees and governors make a tangible contribution to ensure that pupils receive the best possible start to their schooling.

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Staff have a high regard for the priority that the trust and the school places on their training. This training provides staff with the confidence to adopt teaching approaches that get the very best from pupils. Staff also appreciate the consideration and support that the school shows for their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 2 and 3 July 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 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). 2 and 3 July 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Evelyn Street Primary Academy and Nursery converted to become an academy school in August 2016.  The school is part of the Warrington Primary Academy Trust.  The school provides educational provision for two-year-old children.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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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 had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school. 2 and 3 July 2024

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 The inspectors completed deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design, geography and science. As part of the deep dives, the inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited lessons, met with teachers and looked at pupils’ work. The inspectors also looked at the curriculum and pupils’ work in some other subjects. The lead inspector observed some pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other school leaders and members of staff.  The lead inspector spoke with members of the local governing committee, including the chair. He also met with members of the board of trustees, including the chair of the board of trustees. The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record and took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils. They

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also considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons. They spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. They also considered the views of pupils shared through Ofsted’s online pupil survey.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also considered the views of staff shared through Ofsted’s online staff survey.  Inspectors spoke with some parents and carers. They considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. This included the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

David Robinson, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Phil Dickson Ofsted Inspector 2 and 3 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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