Clifton Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Clifton Primary School Clitheroe Road, Ansdell, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire FY8 3PY

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Outcome

Clifton Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud advocates for their school. They thrive due to the calm atmosphere at the school and the positive relationships that they have with staff, who care for them exceptionally well. Pupils are happy. In the early years, children flourish. They make a positive start to their education and show kindness towards 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), respond well to the high aspirations that the school has for their achievement and for their conduct. They achieve well. Pupils demonstrate extremely positive behaviour around the school. They have impeccable manners.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make the most of opportunities to develop their talents and interests, for example they attend clubs in music, chess and a variety of sports.

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What is it like to attend this school?

As school councillors, pupils have an active role in helping to improve the school. They aspire to the many leadership positions that are available to them. For example, pupils act as reading buddies, sports leaders and science ambassadors. They raise money for local and national charities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy trips, such as to museums and geographical landmarks. These experiences help pupils to broaden their understanding of the world. Pupils take part in adventurous activities, including during residential stays. They become independent young people.

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum. It has thought carefully about the important information that pupils should learn and when they should learn it. This includes for children in the early years. Pupils achieve well across a broad range of subjects. Their knowledge builds securely over time. The school ensures that most pupils 17 and 18 July 2024

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are ready for each stage of their education. In the early years, children are well prepared for key stage 1.

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Staff use their subject knowledge well to design activities that help pupils to learn the curriculum successfully. The school accurately identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Staff provide these pupils with the support that they need to learn the curriculum alongside their peers.

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In the main, staff make regular checks on what pupils know and remember. However, on occasion, staff do not identify or address promptly the gaps and misconceptions that some pupils have in their learning. This means that these pupils move on to new curriculum content before they are ready.

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Children begin to learn to read from the start of the Reception Year. Staff deliver the phonics programme with a high level of expertise. The school provides them with the resources and training that they need. Staff appreciate the support that this provides for their workload and well-being. Pupils who have gaps in their phonics knowledge receive help to catch up quickly with their peers. The books that pupils read match the sounds that they already know. This helps them to become confident and fluent readers.

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The school ensures that pupils read books that make a meaningful contribution to their wider development. For example, pupils learn about peer pressure, bereavement and jealousy. They become compassionate and emotionally resilient young people.

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Pupils are attentive during lessons. They actively help each other in their learning through the conversations that they have about their work. Children in the early years spoke with enthusiasm and accuracy about their learning. They benefit from highly effective interactions with staff.

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Most pupils attend school regularly. The school provides effective support to a small number of pupils who need to improve their conduct and attendance. This support is having a positive impact.

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Pupils benefit from an extensive programme of activities that support their wider development. They recalled many of these experiences vividly. For example, the school’s strong programme of community links teaches pupils about how to stay safe, about the many differences that exist between people and how to care for their physical and mental health.

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Governors have an accurate understanding of the performance of the school. They receive detailed information about the school that helps them to carry out their statutory and strategic duties effectively. Governors provide appropriate support and challenge to the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 17 and 18 July 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, staff are not quick enough to identify and address the gaps and misconceptions that some pupils have in their learning. This means that these pupils move on to new learning before they are ready. The school should support staff in rectifying the gaps and misunderstandings that some pupils have in their learning so that these pupils successfully build the depth of knowledge that they should.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2015.

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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.

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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). 17 and 18 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 December 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision for pupils.  The school provides a breakfast and after-school club for pupils.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time inspection 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 has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and music. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other school leaders. 17 and 18 July 2024

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 The inspector held meetings with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector met with leaders to discuss SEND, pupils’ behaviour and attitudes and the provision for pupils’ wider development.  The inspector observed some pupils from the Reception Year and Years 1 and 2 read to a familiar adult.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. He also considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils. The inspector gathered the views of staff and pupils throughout the inspection.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector reviewed the single central record and took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils. He considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at social times.

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Inspection team

Andy Cunningham, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 17 and 18 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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