Gatley Primary School

Inspection of Gatley Primary School Hawthorn Road, Gatley, Cheadle, Stockport, Cheshire SK8 4NB

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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

The headteacher of this school is Gemma Norman. This school is part of The Education Learning Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Michelle Murray, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Helen White.

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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 March 2010. 23 and 24 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school puts pupils’ learning at the centre of everything it does. It has very high expectations for its pupils. In lessons, pupils work hard and produce work of high quality. They achieve very well. They are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and feel safe. They reported that staff look after their mental health in different ways, such as through ‘well-being Wednesdays’ and mindfulness sessions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a happy, calm and supportive environment. Pupils said that the school helps them to express themselves and they can be who they are. Their behaviour is exemplary. They are kind, polite and respectful of each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

An exciting range of cultural visits, such as to museums, helps to inspire pupils. Staff develop pupils’ talents and interests exceptionally well through a very wide array of clubs and sports. Examples include journaling, music, science, athletics and dodgeball. In addition, every year group showcases its learning through drama productions, for example a play that some pupils performed about the ancient Egyptians.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a strong voice. For example, the pupil parliament has opportunities to suggest improvements and shape the work of the school. Older pupils spoke excitedly about a recent residential trip where they developed leadership and team- building skills.

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better?

The school, together with the CEO, local governors and trustees, has established an environment that enables pupils to grow and develop both academically and personally.

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better?

The school has developed a very ambitious curriculum that sets out the knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to learn, starting from the early years. It has given careful thought to the order of topics in all subject curriculums. This helps pupils to know and remember more over time. Pupils make excellent progress through the curriculum.

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better?

Staff use their strong subject knowledge to implement the curriculum exceptionally well. They present and explain concepts clearly. Pupils accurately apply vocabulary in their work. Staff regularly check pupils’ understanding of previous learning. This helps to deepen pupils’ learning. Staff address any errors and misconceptions before moving on to more complex learning. Pupils enjoy discussing and debating issues, including about global perspectives. 23 and 24 July 2024

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In the Nursery class, children show high levels of concentration, for example as they filled their water cans up by themselves. They talked to their friends about the plants that they were growing and why they need to water them. Children in the Reception Year were engrossed in learning as they explored sinking and floating. They explored which materials it would be best to use to make their boats and why. They used vocabulary such as ‘heavier and ‘lighter’ as they experimented. They develop a strong base of knowledge on which to build in Year 1.

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Staff promote a love of reading as soon as children start at the school. Children in the Nursery class are immersed in sharing storybooks, singing songs and learning rhymes. Teachers are well trained and deliver the phonics programme with an extremely high level of consistency. Pupils practise reading using books that staff closely match to the sounds that they have learned. Staff give very effective support to pupils who struggle with learning to read. As a result, these pupils catch up quickly. The school ensures that pupils read a wide range of enjoyable, high-quality texts often. Pupils relish talking and writing about books across the whole curriculum. They learn to read with accuracy, fluency and confidence.

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The school identifies the additional needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) promptly and accurately. These pupils follow the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND progress well through the curriculum.

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Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is excellent. Low-level disruption is very rare. The school uses effective strategies to make sure that pupils attend school regularly. Most pupils have excellent attendance rates.

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The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is exceptional. Pupils learn about important topics, such as equality, diversity and tolerance. They spoke with enthusiasm about what they know about different religions. Pupils develop a strong understanding of age-appropriate relationships. They enjoy contributing to the wider community, including by planting plants in flower beds and supporting food banks. Older pupils enjoy being play leaders and help younger pupils to play games with equipment.

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Staff, including those at the start of their careers, are proud to work at the school. They appreciate the opportunities that they have to develop the curriculum. They spoke highly of how the school prioritises their well-being and workload, including when planning new initiatives. Local governors and trustees ask probing questions and provide strong support. This has helped to ensure rigorous oversight of all aspects of the school’s work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 23 and 24 July 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). 23 and 24 July 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 March 2010, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Education Learning Multi-Academy Trust.  The current headteacher was appointed in September 2022.  The school does not make use of alternative provision for pupils.

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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 received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 23 and 24 July 2024

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 Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other school leaders and members of staff.  The lead inspector spoke with the CEO and director of learning of the trust, the vice-chair and chair of the trust board and representatives of the local governing body, including the chair of governors. He also spoke on the telephone with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experiences in school and their views on behaviour and bullying. They also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation documents and records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  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 carried out deep dives in early reading and English, mathematics, geography, history and music. For each deep dive, they 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. An inspector observed some pupils read to familiar staff.  Inspectors met with leaders to review other areas of the curriculum, including art and design, physical education and science.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  Inspectors spoke with some parents before the start of the school day to gather their views. They also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey to

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Inspection team

Ahmed Marikar, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Olivia Barnes Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 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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